ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE

• US 3,855,998 A
• Filed: 03/14/1973
• Issued: 12/24/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miguel Hidalgo-Briceno
• Original Assignee: Miguel Hidalgo-Briceno
• Inventors: Hidalgo-Briceno, Miguel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/341,284
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.1B,2.1Z,2.1R,2.6R,2.1M,2R,1C 340/279,407 273/1E
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity

Abstract

An entertainment device has sensing means connected to a user, the sensing means, as one example, sensing galvanic skin response and theta waves in the brain. According to a given measured state of a user, the device provides a given type of audio-visual stimulation to the user for a timed interval to hold him in or move him toward a desired state. At the end of the interval, the user'"'"''"'"'s state is again measured and a further timed audio-visual response according to his measured state is presented to the user. The audio visual stimulation can be passages of music with desired emotional content and flashing lights of given colors and intensities. Alternately, the visual part of the stimulation can be projected images. The entertainment device thus is programmed according to the response of a user to move him toward a desired state and to return him more often to that state of aesthetic experience.

Claims

1. An entertainment device comprising, in combination, means presenting stimuli to a user, said means presenting stimuli to a user having tapes with musical passages thereon, a tape selector unit, an audio system for playing tapes selected by said tape selector unit to a user, a screen, means directing visual color stimuli of higher and lower intensity on said screen for viewing by a user, and a logic unit controlling said tape selector unit to play selected tapes for given time intervals while simultaneously controlling said means directing visual color stimuli on said screen to direct a visual color stimulus of selected intensity on said screen;

and monitoring means read after each time interval by said logic unit, said monitoring means being at least an EEG machine monitoring the presence and absence of theta waves of a user and monitoring the small, medium, and large PGR of a user, said moinitoring means on being read by said logic unit activating said logic unit to control said tape selector unit to select one of said tapes for said audio system to play a given musical passage thereon and to control said means directing visual color stimuli on said screen to direct a visual color stimulus of a selected intensity on said screen while said musical passage is played according to the monitored large, medium, and small PGR and the presence and absence of theta waves of the user to urge the user toward a desired state of aesthetic experience.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said EEG machine includes means for activating said logic unit to present stimuli for given intervals of 5 seconds when a small PGR is monitored, for 25 seconds when a medium PGR is monitored, and for 10 seconds when a large PGR is monitored.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said means directing visual stimuli on said screen has colored lights of high and low intensity, said means randomly flashing said colored lights of low intensity on said screen when said EEG machine monitors the presence of theta waves, and randomly flashing said colored lights of high intensity on said screen when said EEG machine monitors the absence of theta waves.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said colored lights of low intensity are flashed at about six flashes per second and said colored lights of high intensity are flashed at about 12 flashes per second.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means directing visual color stimuli on said screen forms selected visual images on said screen.