APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR POLYCHRONOUS ENCODING AND MULTIPLEXING IN NEURONAL PROSTHETIC DEVICES

• US 20120303091A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Inventors: Izhikevich, Eugene M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,311,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/049 Temporal neural networks, e.g. delay elements, oscillating neurons or pulsed inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for encoding sensory input information into patterns of pulses and message multiplexing. In one implementation, the patterns of pulses are polychronous (time-locked by not necessary synchronous), and a retinal prosthetic encodes the input signal into the polychronous patterns for delivery via stimulating electrodes. Different polychronous patterns simultaneously encode different sensory signals; (such as different features of the image), thus providing for message multiplexing. Increasing data transmission capacity allows for a reduction in the number of electrodes required for data transmission. In one implementation, an adaptive feedback mechanism is employed to facilitate encoder operation. In another aspect, a computer vision system is described.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to transmit a signal to a vertebrate nervous system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to receive an input signal representative of at least a portion of a visual frame;

an encoder configured to encode the input signal into a plurality of pulses; and

a plurality of stimulating electrodes;

wherein;

at least a subset of the plurality of pulses is configured in a polychronous pattern comprising at least two non-synchronous pulses;

information related to at least the portion of the visual frame is encoded into the polychronous pattern;

the polychronous pattern is characterized by a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses, the group delay being determined by a spatiotemporal filter applied to the input signal; and

the polychronous pattern is adapted for transmission via a plurality of electrodes operably coupled to the nervous system.

2. A sensory input encoding apparatus, comprising:

a processing apparatus configured to receive and encode the sensory input into a plurality of pulses, wherein;

the sensory input comprises information indicative of an object characteristic; and

at least a portion of the plurality of pulses is configured in a first polychronous pattern comprising at least two non-synchronous pulses.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensory input comprises a frame of pixels.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensory input comprises a visual input signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first polychronous pattern is characterized by a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses, the group delay configured based at least in part on the visual input signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first polychronous pattern is characterized by a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses;

and

the group delay is based at least in part on an output generated by a spatiotemporal filter using the visual input signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first polychronous pattern is generated responsive to a trigger selected from a group consisting of:

(i) a temporal event;

(ii) receipt of the sensory input;

(iii) an appearance of the object in the sensory input; and

(iv) a timer event.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first polychronous pattern is adapted for transmission via a plurality of transmission channels.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of transmission channels is associated with a channel delay configured to effect a coincident arrival of the at least two non-synchronous pulses at a decoder.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the channel delay is configured based at least in part on the first polychronous pattern.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the decoder comprises a coincidence detector configured to receive the at least two non-synchronous pulses and to decode the object characteristic responsive to the reception of the at least two non-synchronous pulses.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of the transmission channels is configurable based on a second polychronous pattern generated prior to the first polychronous pattern.

13. A sensory prosthetic apparatus, comprising:

an encoder configured to;

receive a sensory input;

encode the sensory input into a plurality of pulses configured in a polychronous pattern comprising at least two non-synchronous pulses; and

transmit the plurality of pulses via a plurality of transmission channels.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of the transmission channels is configured for operable coupling to a receptor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receptor is configured to interface to at least a portion of a vertebrate nervous system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a retinal prosthetic device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the receptor is configured to interface to a retinal ganglion cell.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the receptor is configured to interface to a retinal bipolar cell.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the encoder is configurable to be adaptively adjusted based at least in part on a feedback signal provided by the host of the sensory prosthetic apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein

encoding of the sensory input into the plurality of pulses is characterized by at least one parameter;

and

the encoder adaptive adjustment is configured to modify the at least one parameter.

21. A method of encoding sensory input for use in a processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving the sensory input comprising information indicative of an object characteristic;

encoding the sensory input into a plurality of pulses; and

configuring at least a portion of the plurality of pulses in a first polychronous pattern comprising at least two non-synchronous pulses.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the sensory input comprises a visual input signal; and

the first polychronous pattern is characterized by a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses, the group delay configured based at least in part on the visual input signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the group delay is configured based at least in part on an output generated by a spatiotemporal filter responsive to the visual input signal.