Communication system and method including brain wave analysis and/or use of brain activity

• US 6,011,991 A
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avogadro Maxwell Boltzman LLC
• Original Assignee: Technology Patents LLC
• Inventors: Mardirossian, Aris
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/206,365
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/544-545, 128/897-898, 128/904, 128/905
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for enabling human beings to communicate by way of their monitored brain activity. The brain activity of an individual is monitored and transmitted to a remote location (e.g. by satellite). At the remote location, the monitored brain activity is compared with pre-recorded normalized brain activity curves, waveforms, or patterns to determine if a match or substantial match is found. If such a match is found, then the computer at the remote location determines that the individual was attempting to communicate the word, phrase, or thought corresponding to the matched stored normalized signal.

Claims

1. A method of communicating comprising the steps of:

providing a first human being at a first location;

providing a computer at a second location that is remote from the first location;

providing a satellite;

providing at least one sensor on the first human being;

detecting brain activity of the first human being using the at least one sensor, and transmitting the detected brain activity to the satellite as a signal including brain activity information;

the satellite sending a signal including the brain activity information to the second location;

a receiver at the second location receiving the signal from the satellite and forwarding the brain activity information in the signal to the computer;

comparing the received brain activity information of the first human being with normalized or averaged brain activity information relating to the first human being from memory; and

determining whether the first human being was attempting to communicate particular words, phrases or thoughts, based upon the comparing of the received brain activity information to the information from memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the following steps:

asking the first human being a plurality of questions and recording brain activity of the first human being responsive to the plurality of questions in the process of developing said normalized or averaged brain activity information relating to the first human being stored in the memory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of questions are the same question.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of questions are different questions.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of normalizing or averaging recorded brain activity responsive to a given question or set of questions in developing the normalized or averaged brain activity information relating to the first human being.

6. A method of communicating words from a first location to a second location, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first human being at the first location;

providing a computer at the second location that is remote from the first location;

providing at least one sensor on the first human being;

detecting brain activity of the first human being using the at least one sensor wherein the brain activity is indicative of words to be communicated by the first human being, and forwarding the detected brain activity indicative of words to be communicated to the computer at the second location;

comparing the received brain activity of the first human being indicative of words to be communicated with normalized or averaged brain activity information relating to the first human being from memory; and

determining words being communicated by the first human being based upon the comparing of the received brain activity information to the information from memory.

7. The method of claim 6, further including asking the first human being a plurality of questions and recording brain activity of the first human being responsive to the plurality of questions in a process of developing the normalized or averaged brain activity information relating to the first human being.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of the computer outputting words determined in said determining step to a second human being so that words thought or stated by the first human being are communicated by the first human being to the second human being via the computer.