Device and method for effecting rhythmic body activity

• US 5,076,281 A
• Filed: 04/16/1991
• Issued: 12/31/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Gavish
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Gavish
• Inventors: Gavish, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US07/686,300
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 128/716, 128/721, 128/731-732, 128/905, 600/26-28
• US Class Current: 600/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

A biorhythm modulator, consisting of a sensor for monitoring biorhythmic activity of the body of a user, a circuit for continuously analyzing the biorhythmic activity and producing parameter signals based upon a biorhythmic activity, a circuit for generating selectable sound-code pattern signals, a central processing unit (CPU) connected to receive signals from both the activity characteristic parameters producing circuit and the selected sound patterns generating circuit, and to feed the signals of the parameters and patterns to a sound pattern synthesizer for producing music-like sound pattern signals, transduceable into audible music-like patterns, and having a rhythm which is non-identical to the rhythm of the biorhythmic activity. A method for modulating biorhythmic activity is also described.

Claims

1. A biorhythm modulator, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring biorhythmic activity of the body of a user;

circuit means for continuously analyzing said biorhythmic activity and for producing parameter signals based upon said biorhythmic activity;

means for generating selectable sound-code pattern signals;

a central processing unit (CPU) means, responsive to signals from both said circuit means and said generating means, for supplying said parameter signals and pattern signals to a sound pattern synthesizer for producing music-like sound pattern signals, having a selectable rhythm, which signals are transduceable into audible music-like patterns and have a rhythm which is non-identical to the rhythm of the biorhythmic activity.

2. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a piezoelectric transducer attached to a flexible belt.

3. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit means include:

an amplifier for amplifying the output signals of said sensor;

an analog-to-digital converter connected at the output of said amplifier; and

a biosignal pattern analyzer for analyzing biorhythmic activity of the user and for producing signals representative of the biorhythmic activity.

4. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said signals representative of the biorhythmic activity are selected from the group consisting of the following measurable and calculable parameters:

starting time of individual body activity periods;

body activity period;

times characterizing body activity changes within an activity period;

body activity amplitude;

change of body activity period and activity amplitude;

the mean period of activity;

the mean amplitude of activity;

the mean rate of activity;

the times characterizing activity changes within an activity period;

standard deviation of period and amplitude changes;

stability of period, rate and amplitude of activity;

logic variables defining interruptions in biosignal in terms of predetermined changes in period and amplitude.

5. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for generating selectable sound-code pattern signals include a pattern code storage means and a pattern sequencer.

6. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said biorhythmic activity includes respiration rate, further including a respiration drive wherein said sound pattern synthesizer is connected with said pattern sequencer to receive signals representative of the code number of a specific sound-code pattern as set by said respiration drive controlling the rhythm of the selected sound-code pattern relative to said monitored respiration rate and as set by a state selector determining the nature of the selected sound-code from a defined state of lowest to highest biorhythmic activity.

7. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said CPU means is connected with said circuit means for analyzing signals selected from the group consisting of signals representative of:

the starting time of individual activity periods;

the mean of activity period, rate, amplitude and times of characterizing activity changes within an activity period, and the stability of period, rate and amplitude.

8. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the operation time of the modulator.

9. The biorhythm modulator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display exhibiting sensed activity rate and its stability.

10. A method for modulating biorhythmic activity, comprising:

sensing the biorhythmic activity of a user and transducing same into electrical signals;

continuously analyzing said signals representative of the biorhythmic activity for producing parameter signals based upon said biorhythmic activity;

generating selectable sound-code pattern signals;

feeding said parameter signals and said sound-code pattern signals to a sound-code pattern synthesizer for producing music-like pattern signals having a rhythm which is non-identical to the rhythm of the biorhythmic activity, and

transducing the music-like pattern signals into audible music-like sound to be heard by the user, thereby forming a closed-loop biorhythmic modulator.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of selecting said music-like sound-code pattern signals from a group of pattern signals representing natures of biorhythmic states ranging from a state of lowest biorhythmic activity to a state of highest biorhythmic activity, relative to the sensed biorhythmic activity.