Brain wave responsive programmable electronic visual display systems

• US 4,140,997 A
• Filed: 07/21/1977
• Issued: 02/20/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William M. Brady
• Original Assignee: William M. Brady
• Inventors: Brady, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/817,715
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 340/148, 340/366 B, 340/324 A, 128/2.1 B
• US Class Current: 600/545
• 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 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/384 Recording apparatus or displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 17/00 Apparatus for performing colour-music
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/408 Two or three dimensional representation of measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/06 using single beam tubes G09G1/26, G09G1/28 take precedence, e.g. three-dimensional or perspective representation, rotation or translation of display pattern, hidden lines, shadows G09G1/28 takes precedence; stereoscopic TV-systems, details thereof H04N13/00; oscilloscopes for three-dimensional representation G01R13/206; vectorscopes G01R13/208
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607

Abstract

The present invention provides electronic visual display systems which operate on an input signal to provide visual outputs having patterns, colors and motions which may be varied in accordance with a predetermined scheme. The amplitude, tempo and frequency content of the input signals are used in a variety of logical selection functions to control the color, pattern and motion of lights in a visual display matrix having three dimensional properties in a manner influenced by the contents of programmed memory components. The memory component programming is sufficiently flexible to provide a variety of visual effects from the systems. Systems of this type for displaying both audio input signals and brain wave input signals are provided.

Claims

1. A programmable visual display system for use in presenting visual displays of an input brain wave signal as a function of the amplitude and frequency content of the brain wave signal and simultaneously as a function of predetermined conditions, comprising:

means for inputting a brain wave signal having amplitude and frequency content information associated therewith;

means for generating timing pulses whose rate is functionally related to and synchronized to an amplitude component of said brain wave input signal;

means for counting said timing pulses and for generating a count signal representative of the total number of such pulses as a function of time;

memory means, responsive to said count signal, for providing a predetermined first memory output signal comprising a bit pattern which is representative of a predetermined light display pattern; and

display means, responsive to said first memory output signal, for visually displaying a light pattern in response to said bit pattern as a function of time.

2. The system of claim 1 and further including:

means responsive to the frequency content of said brain wave input signal for generating a second memory output signal comprising a bit pattern which is representative of a predetermined color content scheme of a light display pattern;

means responsive to said first and second memory output signals for logically combining said signals to produce a product signal; and

display means responsive to said product signal for visually displaying a light pattern and color scheme in response to said product signal.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said system includes a plurality of said combining means for producing a plurality of product signals and a plurality of said display means responsive to said product signals.

4. A system in accordance with claim 2 and further including means for automatically amplifying said input signal to a constant amplitude prior to inputting said input signal to said frequency content responsive means.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 and further including means for selectively filtering said input signal prior to inputting said filtered input signal to said means for generating timing pulses.

6. The system of claim 1 and further including:

duration memory means responsive to said count signal for providing a predetermined output signal for controlling the duration of said first memory output signal.

7. The system of claim 6 and further including:

motion register means responsive to the outputs of said first memory means and said counting means for determining the rate and direction of motion of said bit pattern representative of a predetermined light display pattern.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for inputting a brain wave signal comprises at least three electrodes adapted for placement at two front lobes and the occipital lobe of the skull of a user and means for amplifying voltage signals detected by said electrodes.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said electrodes are adapted for placement on the skull of a user by mounting on an elastomeric, insulating member sized for encircling the skull of a user.

10. The system of claim 8 and further including low pass filter means having an upper frequency limit of approximately 35 hertz for effectively frequency filtering the output of said amplifying means to produce an output signal having frequency components in the range of from 3 hertz to 35 hertz.