Electroencephalogram (EEG) Cluster Electrodes

• US 20110257502A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: LEE, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287

Abstract

Embodiments described herein include devices and systems comprising sensor electrodes. Each sensor electrode comprises contacts positioned adjacent one another to form a pattern. Signal outputs are coupled to the contacts. A signal output is connected to each contact. One or more processors are coupled to the signal outputs. The processor separately processes each of the signal outputs.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein each sensor electrode comprises a plurality of contacts positioned adjacent one another to form a pattern;

a plurality of signal outputs coupled to the plurality of contacts, wherein a signal output of the plurality of signal outputs is connected to each contact of the plurality of contacts; and

at least one processor coupled to the plurality of signal outputs, wherein the at least one processor separately processes each signal output of the plurality of signal outputs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a first housing that includes a first plurality of sensor electrodes, and a second housing that includes a second plurality of sensor electrodes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first housing comprises a left sensor electrode on a first end of the first housing, and a right sensor electrode on a second end of the first housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, comprising a left center sensor electrode positioned in the first housing between the first end and a center region of the first housing, and a right center sensor electrode positioned in the first housing between the second end and the center region.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the left sensor electrode is configured to contact a left region of a human head, the right sensor electrode is configured to contact a right region of the human head, and the left center sensor electrode and the right center sensor electrode are configured to contact a front center region of the human head when worn by a subject.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode of the first plurality of sensor electrodes comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second housing comprises a left rear sensor electrode on a first end of the second housing, and a right rear sensor electrode on a second end of the second housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the left rear sensor electrode and the right rear sensor electrode are configured to contact a rear center region of the human head when worn by the subject.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode of the second plurality of sensor electrodes comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising a substrate connected to the first housing and the second housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode comprises five contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle, and a contact is positioned in a center region of the rectangle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a distance between a first contact in a first corner and a second contact in a second corner is approximately 1.25 inches.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor separately processes the signal outputs of each of the plurality of contacts.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor forms a plurality of processed signals by separately processing the signal outputs of each of the plurality of contacts, and forms a combined signal by combining the plurality of processed signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises gold contacts.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising an input of single-ended amplifier coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, comprising a biasing circuit coupled to the input of the single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a resistor coupled between a voltage source and the input of the single-ended amplifier.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a voltage balancing circuit coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series and coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, wherein a first diode couples the first resistor to a first voltage source, wherein a second diode couples the second resistor to a second voltage source.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises an output of a single-ended amplifier coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, and a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series between a first voltage source and a second voltage source and coupled to an input of the single-ended amplifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a direct current elimination circuit coupled to at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a capacitor coupled between an input of a single-ended amplifier and a signal output of the at least one contact.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a biasing circuit coupled to the contact and the single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a resistor coupled between a voltage source and the input of the single-ended amplifier.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a wireless transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits data of the plurality of contacts.

26. A system comprising:

at least one housing that is removeably attachable to a subject;

a plurality of sensor electrodes, wherein each sensor electrode comprises a plurality of contacts positioned adjacent one another to form a pattern;

a plurality of signal outputs coupled to the plurality of contacts, wherein a signal output of the plurality of signal outputs is connected to each contact of the plurality of contacts;

at least one control circuit positioned in the at least one housing and coupled to the plurality of signal outputs; and

at least one processor positioned in the housing and coupled to the at least one control circuit, wherein the at least one processor separately processes each signal output of the plurality of signal outputs.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one housing comprises a first housing that includes a first plurality of sensor electrodes, and a second housing that includes a second plurality of sensor electrodes.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first housing comprises a left sensor electrode on a first end of the first housing, and a right sensor electrode on a second end of the first housing.

29. The system of claim 28, comprising a left center sensor electrode positioned in the first housing between the first end and a center region of the first housing, and a right center sensor electrode positioned in the first housing between the second end and the center region.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the left sensor electrode is configured to contact a left region of a human head, the right sensor electrode is configured to contact a right region of the human head, and the left center sensor electrode and the right center sensor electrode are configured to contact a front center region of the human head when worn by a subject.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode of the first plurality of sensor electrodes comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the second housing comprises a left rear sensor electrode on a first end of the second housing, and a right rear sensor electrode on a second end of the second housing.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the left rear sensor electrode and the right rear sensor electrode are configured to contact a rear center region of the human head when worn by the subject.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode of the second plurality of sensor electrodes comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

35. The system of claim 32, comprising a substrate connected to the first housing and the second housing.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode comprises four contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of contacts of each sensor electrode comprises five contacts and the pattern comprises a rectangle, wherein a contact is positioned in each corner region of the rectangle, and a contact is positioned in a center region of the rectangle.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein a distance between a first contact in a first corner and a second contact in a second corner is approximately 1.25 inches.

39. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor separately processes the signal outputs of each of the plurality of contacts.

40. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor forms a plurality of processed signals by separately processing the signal outputs of each of the plurality of contacts, and forms a combined signal by combining the plurality of processed signals.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises gold contacts.

42. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one control circuit comprises a single-ended amplifier having an input coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least one control circuit comprises a biasing circuit coupled to the input of the single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a resistor coupled between a voltage source and the input of the single-ended amplifier.

44. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one control circuit comprises a voltage balancing circuit coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series and coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, wherein a first diode couples the first resistor to a first voltage source, wherein a second diode couples the second resistor to a second voltage source.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises an output of a single-ended amplifier coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, and a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series between a first voltage source and a second voltage source and coupled to an input of the single-ended amplifier.

47. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one control circuit comprises a direct current elimination circuit coupled to at least one contact of the plurality of contacts.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a capacitor coupled between an input of a single-ended amplifier and a signal output of the at least one contact.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a biasing circuit coupled to the contact and the single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a resistor coupled between a voltage source and the input of the single-ended amplifier.

50. The system of claim 26, comprising a wireless transmitter coupled to the processor, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits data of the plurality of contacts.