DEVICE FOR AMBULATORY MONITORING OF BRAIN ACTIVITY

• US 20100010364A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Verbitskiy, Evgeny
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms

Abstract

A device for ambulatory monitoring of brain activity includes a patch secured to a head of a monitoring subject and an electrode secured to the head of the monitoring subject. The electrode produces a signal indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject. The device further includes a signal processor that receives the signal produced by the electrode and processes the signal to produce data. The signal processor is secured to the monitoring subject. The device further includes a display that displays the data produced by the signal processor, the display being secured to the monitoring subject. The device also includes a power source secured to the monitoring subject, the power source providing power to the electrode, the signal processor, and the display wherein the monitoring subject may ambulate unimpeded by the patch, the electrode, the signal processor, the display and the power source.

Claims

1. A device for ambulatory monitoring of brain activity, comprising:

a patch secured to a head of a monitoring subject;

an electrode secured to the head of the monitoring subject, the electrode producing a signal indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject;

a signal processor that receives the signal produced by the electrode and processes the signal to produce data, the signal processor secured to the monitoring subject;

a display that displays the data produced by the signal processor, the display being secured to the monitoring subject; and

a power source secured to the monitoring subject, the power source providing power to the electrode, the signal processor, and the display,

wherein the monitoring subject may ambulate unimpeded by the patch, the electrode, the signal processor, the display and the power source.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication port for transferring the data to a remote device.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a strap around the head of the monitoring subject.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the electrode is integral to the strap.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrodes secured to the head of the monitoring subject, each of the plurality of electrodes producing a signal indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject.

6. A method of ambulatory monitoring of brain activity, comprising:

securing a patch secured to a head of a monitoring subject;

securing an electrode to the head of the monitoring subject;

securing a signal processor to the monitoring subject;

securing a display to the monitoring subject;

securing a power source to the monitoring subject;

providing power from the power source to the patch, the electrode, the signal processor, the display and the power source;

producing a signal indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject;

transmitting the signal from the electrode to the signal processor;

processing the signal to produce data; and

displaying the data on the display,

wherein the monitoring subject may ambulate unimpeded by the patch, the electrode, the signal processor, the display and the power source.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising transferring the data from a communications port to a remote device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising securing a strap around the head of the monitoring subject.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the electrode is integral to the strap.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising securing a plurality of electrodes secured to the head of the monitoring subject and producing signals indicating brain activity of the monitoring subject in each of the plurality of electrodes.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising analyzing the data to identify the occurrence of a brain spike.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes implementing a filter in the time domain.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes implementing a filter in the frequency domain.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes implementing a filter based on a wavelet coefficient.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes implementing a matched filter in the frequency domain and the time domain.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes convolving the signal.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes comparing a value to a predetermined threshold.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes analyzing a plurality of signals from a plurality of electrodes and identifying the occurrence of brain spike only if the brain spike is indicated as being present based on the analysis of each of the plurality of signals.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes counting a number of brain spikes.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes analyzing clusters of brain spikes.

21. The method according to claim 11, wherein analyzing includes analyzing the signals as a function of time.

22. The method according to claim 11, further comprising issuing an alarm when a result of the analysis satisfies a predetermined alarm condition.