ACTIVE UNIPOLAR DRY ELECTRODE OPEN EAR WIRELESS HEADSET AND BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE

• US 20180353128A1
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Published: 12/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: FARRELL, Andrew, PAETSCH, Christopher R., AYERS, Tegan M., READ, Jack E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,213,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0209 Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/06 Arrangements of multiple sensors of different types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4542 Evaluating the mouth, e.g. the jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4803 Speech analysis specially adapted for diagnostic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a wearable audio product for obtaining biologically-relevant information associated with a user comprising. The audio product comprises a first electrode placed over the user'"'"'s auditory cortex on a first side of the user'"'"'s body, a second electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body, a first reference electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body, a processor coupled to the first, second, and first reference electrode, the processor configured to take one or more actions based on signals received from the first, second, and first reference electrodes, and an electroacoustic transducer coupled to the processor. Any or all of the electrodes described herein may include any integer number of electrodes clustered in the specified location.

Claims

1. A wearable audio product for obtaining biologically-relevant information associated with a user comprising:

a first electrode placed over the user'"'"'s auditory cortex on a first side of the user'"'"'s body;

a second electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body;

a first reference electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body;

a third electrode placed over the user'"'"'s auditory cortex on a second side of the user'"'"'s body;

a fourth electrode placed on the second side of the user'"'"'s body; and

a second reference electrode placed on the second side of the user'"'"'s body, a processor coupled to the first, second, first reference electrode, third, fourth, and second reference electrode, the processor configured to take one or more actions based on signals received from the first, second, first reference electrodes, third, fourth, and second reference electrode,

wherein taking the one or more actions comprises;

combining signals from first side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain, and the first reference electrode to generate a combined first side signal;

combining signals from second side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain signal, and the second reference electrode to generate a combined second side signal;

comparing the combined first side signal and the combined second side signal to output a difference for the first side and a difference for the second side;

applying a first closed feedback loop for signals received from the first side of the body including the difference for the first side signal, applying a second closed feedback loop for signals received from the second side of the body including the difference for the second side signal, and removing noise from the received signals based on the first and second closed feedback loops, wherein removing the noise comprises cross-correlating the signals received from the first side of the body with the signals received from the second side of the body; and

an electroacoustic transducer coupled to the processor.

2. The audio product of claim 1, wherein one of the second electrode or the fourth electrode is placed over one of:

the user'"'"'s occipital lobe, the bridge of the user'"'"'s nose, or in an ear canal of the user.

3. The audio product of claim 1, wherein one of the first reference electrode or the second reference electrode is placed on the skull of the user behind the user'"'"'s ear.

7. The audio product of claim 1, wherein taking the one or more actions comprises:

determining a state of the user based on the signals received via at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the first reference electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, or the second reference electrode; and

taking one or more actions based on the determined state.

8. The audio product of claim 7, wherein determining the state of the user comprises:

determining a drop in impedance of signals received via at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the first reference electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, or the second reference electrode; and

in response to the determined drop in impedance, determining the user is stressed.

9. The audio product of claim 8, wherein taking one or more actions based on the determined state comprises:

tracking a type of music played in response to determining the user is stressed; and

in response to determining the user is stressed, recommending at least one of a song or melody based on the tracked type of music.

10. The audio product of claim 7, wherein determining the state of the user comprises:

determining a decreased rate of blinking of the user based on signals received via at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode; and

in response to the determined decreased rate of blinking, determining the user is focused.

11. The audio product of claim 10, wherein taking one or more actions based on the determined state comprises:

in response to determining the user is focused, recommending a certain song or melody.

12. The audio product of claim 7, wherein determining the state of the user comprises:

measuring jaw movements based on signals received from at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the first reference electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, or the second reference electrode; and

in response to the measured jaw movements, determining the user is talking.

13. The audio product of claim 12, wherein taking one or more actions based on the determined state comprises:

adjusting a volume of music played by the audio product in response to determining the user is talking.

14. The audio product of claim 12, wherein taking one or more actions based on the determined state comprises:

triggering automatic speech recognition (ASR) in response to determining the user is talking.

15. The audio product of claim 12, wherein taking one or more actions based on the determined state comprises:

entering a low power mode in response to determining the user is not talking.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

16. A method for obtaining biologically-relevant information associated with a user from wearable audio product including an electroacoustic transducer, comprising:

receiving electrical signals via a first electrode placed over the user'"'"'s auditory cortex on a first side of the user'"'"'s body;

receiving electrical signals via a second electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body;

receiving electrical signals via a first reference electrode placed on the first side of the user'"'"'s body;

receiving electrical signals via a third electrode placed over the user'"'"'s auditory cortex on a second side of the user'"'"'s body;

receiving electrical signals via a fourth electrode placed on the second side of the user'"'"'s body;

receiving electrical signals via a second reference electrode placed on the second side of the user'"'"'s body; and

taking one or more actions based, at least in part, on the signals received from the first, second, first reference, third, fourth, and second reference electrodes, wherein taking the one or more actions comprises;

combining signals from first side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain, and the first reference electrode to generate a combined first side signal;

combining signals from second side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain signal, and the second reference electrode to generate a combined second side signal;

comparing the combined first side signal and the combined second side signal to output a difference for the first side and a difference for the second side;

applying a first closed feedback loop for signals received from the first side of the body including the difference for the first side signal, applying a second closed feedback loop for signals received from the second side of the body including the difference for the second side signal, and removing noise from the received signals based on the first and second closed feedback loops, wherein removing the noise comprises cross-correlating the signals received from the first side of the body with the signals received from the second side of the body.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second electrode or the fourth electrode is placed over one of the user'"'"'s occipital lobe, the bridge of the user'"'"'s nose, or in an ear canal of the user.

18. A wearable audio product including an electroacoustic transducer for obtaining biologically-relevant information associated with a user comprising:

a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first reference electrode each placed on a first side of the user'"'"'s body;

a third electrode, a fourth electrode, and a second reference electrode each placed on a second side of the user'"'"'s body; and

a processor coupled to the first, second, third, fourth, first reference, and second reference electrodes, wherein the processor is configured to;

perform noise canceling on signals received via the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes, wherein performing the noise canceling comprises;

combining signals from first side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain, and the first reference electrode to generate a combined first side signal;

combining signals from second side movement artifacts, the user'"'"'s brain signal, and the second reference electrode to generate a combined second side signal;

comparing the combined first side signal and the combined second side signal to output a difference for the first side and a difference for the second side;

apply a first closed feedback loop for signals received from the first side of the body including the difference for the first side signal;

apply a second closed feedback loop for signals received from the second side of the body including the difference for the second side signal; and

remove noise from the received signals based on the first and second closed feedback loops, wherein removing the noise comprises cross-correlating the signals received from the first side of the body with the signals received from the second side of the body; and

control the audio-product based on the noise-canceled signals.

20. The wearable audio product of claim 18, wherein the second and fourth electrodes are placed over one of:

the first and second side of the user'"'"'s occipital lobe, the first and second side of a bridge of the user'"'"'s nose, or in each ear canal of the user.

19. (canceled)