System for evoking electroencephalogram signals

• US 5,495,853 A
• Filed: 09/14/1994
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Yasushi, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASSER, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US08/305,755
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 128/731-732, 600/26-28
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• 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 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0648 the light being directed to the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment

Abstract

A system for evoking an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user has a brain wave evoking terminal unit which includes a headgear for being mounted on the head of the user, a light emitter, mounted on the headgear, for applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user, and electrodes, mounted on the headgear, for detecting brain waves produced by the user. The system also has a brain wave signal processor, responsive to brain wave signals from the electrodes, for generating a stimulating signal having a frequency corresponding to a brain wave to be evoked, and for applying the stimulating signal to the light emitter. The brain wave to be evoked is extracted and fed back as stimulating light to the user, who can be rapidly and strongly brought into a desired brain wave condition. The brain wave signal processor may be combined with the brain wave evoking terminal unit, so that the system is small in size, simple in arrangement, and can be carried and mounted on the user'"'"'s head with ease.

Claims

1. A system for evoking a desired electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user by feeding back a detected brain wave component to the user, the system comprising:

means for evoking the desired EEG signal, said evoking means comprising;

headgear means for being mounted on the head of the user;

light-emitting means for applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user;

electrode means for detecting brain waves produced by the user;

light shield means, mounted on said headgear means so as not to contact a user'"'"'s face, for covering the user'"'"'s eyes, thereby shielding the eyes from external light; and

signal processing means for extracting, from the detected brain waves, only that brain wave having a frequency which is equal to a frequency of the desired EEG signal;

said electrode means being integrally mounted on said headgear means so as to automatically abut in a desired position against the scalp of the user to detect the brain wave of the user when said headgear means is mounted on the user'"'"'s head, said EEG signal evoking photic stimulus being a user stimulating light which flickers at the frequency of the brain wave extracted by said signal processing means, and said light-emitting means being mounted on said light shield means so as to face the user and so as to be positioned within the user'"'"'s visual field, further comprising a light sensor for detecting ambient brightness, and means for varying a brightness of the photic stimulus depending on the ambient brightness detected by the light sensor.

2. A system for evoking a desired electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user, the system comprising:

means for evoking the desired EEG signal, said evoking means comprising;

a brain wave evoking terminal unit comprising headgear means for being mounted on the head of the user, light-emitting means, mounted on said headgear means, for applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user, electrode means, mounted on said headgear means, for detecting brain waves produced by the user, and light shield means, mounted on said headgear means so as not to contact the user'"'"'s face, for covering the user'"'"'s eyes, thereby shielding the user'"'"'s eyes from external light, said electrode means being mounted integrally on said headgear means so as to automatically abut in a desired position against the scalp of the user to detect the brain wave of the user when said headgear means is mounted on the user'"'"'s head, and said light-emitting means being mounted on said light shield means so as to face the user and so as to be positioned within the user'"'"'s visual field; and

a brain wave signal processor, responsive to brain wave signals from said electrode means, for generating a stimulating signal having a frequency corresponding only to the desired EEG signal, and for applying the generated stimulating signal to said light-emitting means, wherein said brain wave signal processor comprises a light sensor for detecting ambient brightness, and means for controlling a level of the stimulating signal depending on the ambient brightness detected by the light sensor.

3. A system for evoking a desired electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user by feeding back a detected brain wave component to the user, the system comprising:

headgear means for being mounted on the head of the user;

electrode means for detecting brain waves produced by the user, said brain wave including a plurality of target EEG signals;

light shield means, mounted on said headgear means so as not to contact the user'"'"'s face, for covering the user'"'"'s eyes, thereby shielding the user'"'"'s eyes from external light;

signal processing means for extracting at least one of the target EEG signals from the brain waves detected by the electrode means; and

light-emitting means for receiving the EEG signals extracted by the signal processing means and applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user,

said electrode means being integrally mounted on said headgear means so as to automatically abut in a desired position against the scalp of the user to detect the brain wave of the user when the headgear means is mounted on the user'"'"'s head, said EEG signal evoking photic stimulus being a user stimulating light which flickers at a frequency of the target EEG signals extracted by said signal processing means, and said light-emitting means being mounted on said light shield means so as to face the user and so as to be positioned within the user'"'"'s visual field, further comprising a light sensor for detecting ambient brightness, and means for varying a brightness of the photic stimulus depending on the ambient brightness detected by the light sensor.

4. A system for evoking a desired electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user, comprising:

a brain wave evoking terminal unit comprising headgear means for being mounted on the head of the user, electrode means, mounted on said headgear means, for detecting brain waves produced by the user, light shield means, mounted on said headgear means so as not to contact the user'"'"'s face, for covering the user'"'"'s eyes, thereby shielding the user'"'"'s eyes from external light and light-emitting means for receiving a stimulating signal and applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user, said electrode means being integrally mounted on said headgear means so as to automatically abut in a desired position against the scalp of the user to detect the brain wave of the user when the headgear means is mounted on the user'"'"'s head, said brain wave including a plurality of target EEG signals, and said light-emitting means being mounted on said light shield means so as to face the user and so as to be positioned within the user'"'"'s visual field; and

a brain wave signal processor comprising extracting means for extracting at least one of the target EEG signals from the brain waves detected by the electrode means, and means for generating a stimulating signal having a frequency of the EEG signals extracted by the extracting means, and for applying the stimulating signal to said light-emitting means, said EEG signal evoking photic stimulus being a user stimulating light which flickers at a frequency of the target EEG signals extracted by said signal processing means, wherein said brain wave signal processor comprises a light sensor for detecting ambient brightness, and means for controlling a level of the stimulating signal depending on the ambient brightness detected by the light sensor.

5. A system for evoking a desired electroencephalogram (EEG) signal from the brain of a user, the system comprising:

headgear means for being mounted on the head of the user;

light-emitting means for applying an EEG signal evoking photic stimulus to the eyes of the user; and

light shield means, mounted on said headgear means so as not to contact the user'"'"'s face, for covering the user'"'"'s eyes, thereby shielding the user'"'"'s eyes from external light;

electrode means for detecting brain waves produced by the user, wherein said electrode means are integrally mounted on said headgear means so as to automatically abut in a desired position against the scalp of the user to detect the brain wave of the user when the headgear means is mounted on the user'"'"'s head, and said light-emitting means is mounted on said light shield means so as to face the user and so as to be positioned within the user'"'"'s visual field, further comprising a light sensor for detecting ambient brightness, and means for varying a brightness of the photic stimulus depending on the ambient brightness detected by the light sensor.