Epileptic seizure warning system

• US 3,863,625 A
• Filed: 11/02/1973
• Issued: 02/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl C. Kesler Jr, Sam S. Viglione, Vladimir A. Ordon, William B. Martin
• Original Assignee: Carl C. Kesler Jr, Sam S. Viglione, Vladimir A. Ordon, William B. Martin
• Inventors: Viglione, Sam S., Ordon, Vladimir A., Martin, William B., Kesler, Carl C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/412,496
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.6A,2.6R,2.1B,2.1R 340/279
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound

Abstract

Epileptic seizure warning system based on pattern recognition principles is embodied in a small self-contained device which can be carried in a pocket of a person subject to grand mal seizures, to monitor the person'"'"''"'"'s condition and provide sufficient advance warning of any imminent seizure so that the person can take preventive medication or lie down to prevent or minimize any harmful seizure effects. Scalp electrode connections provide a suitable (brain wave) electrical signal to the device which preprocesses the signal to transform it into a predetermined format, reiteratively processes the transformed signal and extracts or detects essential features from the processed signal and decides from the detected features the condition of the person and, when a predetermined number of preseizure decisions is exceeded within a given period indicating an imminent seizure, produces both audio and visual warning signals. The warning signals can comprise an audible beeping and a flashing light. Only the initiated audible signal can be suppressed and, as long as the warning condition persists, the light continues to flash.

Claims

1. A warning activation system comprising:

means for providing an electrical signal characteristic of the condition of a component part of a subject;

means for preprocessing said electrical signal to transform it into a predetermined format;

means for processing said transformed signal to measure energy characteristics thereof;

means for detecting predetermined features indicative of a relatively early abnormal condition of said component part of said subject, when predisposed to occurrence of an impending and disturbing event, from said measured energy characteristics of said transformed signal;

means for deciding from said detected features the condition of said component part of said subject and providing an output of a predetermined category for said abnormal condition thereof;

means for controlling said processing means to process said transformed signal reiteratively over successive sampling epochs thereof whereby decisions On the condition of said component part of said subject can be made for said epochs by said decision means; and

means responsive to the output of said decision means for providing an activation signal in advance of the occurrence of said event when said decision means output is of said predetermined category for at least a predetermined number of said epochs within an immediately preceding predetermined period.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said preprocessing means includes a bank of bandpass filters having different predetermined passbands to provide a plurality of signal components having resepctive predetermined bandwidths, and said processing means includes a corresponding plurality of means for measuring respective energy characteristics of said signal components, said plurality of measuring means being controlled by said controlling means, said detecting means detects predetermined features from said measured energy characteristics of said signal components and said decision means decides from said detected features the condition of said component part of said subject.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said processing means includes rectifying, integrating and normalization means to measure said energy characteristics of said transformed signal.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said activation signal providing means includes shift register means of a predetermined stage capacity corresponding numerically to said epochs within said predetermined period, for receiving and storing said decision means output over said successive sampling epochs therein and producing said activation signal when said decision means output is of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said plurality of measuring means each includes rectifying, integrating and normalization means to measure said energy characteristics of said transformed signal, and said activation signal providing means includes shift register means of a predetermined stage capacity corresponding numerically to said epochs within said predetermined period, for receiving and storing said decision means output over said successive sampling epochs therein and producing said activation signal when said decision means output is of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period.

6. An epileptic seizure warning system comprising:

means for providing an electrical signal characteristic of the brain activity of a subject;

means for preprocessing said electrical signal to transform it into a predetermined format;

means for processing said transformed signal to measure energy characteristics thereof;

means for detecting predetermined features indicative of a relatively early preseizure condition of said subject, when predisposed to an impending seizure, from said measured energy characteristics of said transformed signal;

means for deciding from said detected features the condition of said subject and providing an output of a predetermined category for said preseizure condition thereof;

means for controlling said processing means to process said transformed signal reiteratively over successive sampling epochs thereof whereby decisions on the condition of said subject can be made for said epochs by said decision means; and

means responsive to the output of said decision means for providing a preseizure warning signal in advance of the occurrence of said seizure when said decision means output is of said predetermined category for at least a predetermined number of said epochs within an immediately preceding predetermined period.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said warning signal includes a visual signal, and said warning signal providing means further includes means for providing a simultaneous audio signal when said decision means ouTput is of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said warning signal providing means further includes means for electively suppressing said audio signal after said visual and audio signals are initiated, and means for maintaining said visual signal for a predetermined duration after said decision means output is no longer of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period. 9. A warning activation system comprising:

means for providing an electrical signal characteristic of the condition of a component part of a subject;

pattern recognition means for analyzing and classifying said characteristic signal and providing an output of a predetermined category for a relatively early abnormal condition of said component part of said subject when predisposed to occurrence of an impending and disturbing event;

means for controlling said recognition means to analyze and classify said characteristic signal reiteratively over successive sampling epochs thereof whereby classifications on the condition of said component part of said subject can be made for said epochs by said recognition means; and

means responsive to the output of said recognition means for providing an activation signal in advance of the occurrence of said event when said recognition means output is of said predetermined category for at least a predetermined number of said epochs within an immediately preceding predetermined period.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said activation signal providing means includes shift register means of a predetermined stage capacity corresponding numerically to said epochs within said predetermined period, for receiving and storing said recognition means output over said successive sampling epochs therein and producing said activation signal when said recognition means output is of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period.

11. A method of providing an activating control signal, which comprises the steps of:

sensing an electrical signal characteristic of the condition of a component part of a subject;

analyzing and classifying said characteristic signal by pattern recognition means and providing an output therefrom of a predetermined category for a relatively early abnormal condition of said component part of said subject when predisposed to occurrence of an impending and disturbing event;

controlling said recognition means to analyze and classify said characteristic signal reiteratively over successive sampling epochs thereof whereby classifications on the condition of said component part of said subject can be made for said epochs by said recognition means; and

producing an activation signal for energizing control means in advance of the occurrence of said event when said recognition means output is of said predetermined category for at least a predetermined number of said epochs within an immediately preceding predetermined period.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein said activation signal is produced by receiving and storing said recognition means output over said successive sampling epochs in shift register means of a predetermined stage capacity corresponding numerically to said epochs within said predetermined period, and generating said activation signal when said recognition means output is of said predetermined category for at least said predetermined number of said epochs within said predetermined period.