Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human neural cortex

• US 6,536,440 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOKABI, AZADEH
• Application Number:
  US09/690,571
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897, 128/898, 128/24
• US Class Current: 128/897
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 3/00 Holographic processes or apparatus using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves for obtaining holograms; Processes or apparatus for obtaining an optical image from them G03H1/22 takes precedence; acoustic non-destructive testing using holographic methods G01N29/0663; seismology using acoustic vibrations G01V1/00; non-holographic methods for visualizing acoustic waves G10K15/00

Abstract

A non-invasive system and process for projecting sensory data onto the human neural cortex is provided. The system includes a primary transducer array and a secondary transducer array. The primary transducer array acts as a coherent signal source, and the secondary transducer array acts as a controllable diffraction pattern that focuses energy onto the neural cortex in a desired pattern. In addition, the pattern of energy is constructed such that each portion projected into the neural cortex may be individually pulsed at low frequency. This low frequency pulsing is formed by controlling the phase differences between the emitted energy of the elements of primary and secondary transducer arrays.

Claims

1. A non-invasive system for projecting sensory data in a part of a human brain, the system comprising:

a primary transducer array configured to emit acoustic energy as a coherent signal source toward the human brain;

a secondary transducer array positioned between the primary transducer array and the human brain; and

a sensory data processing system coupled to the secondary transducer array, wherein the sensory data processing system sends an acoustical pattern signal to the secondary transducer array, the secondary transducer array producing a diffraction pattern for the emitted energy from the primary transducer array, the diffraction pattern altering neural firing timing in the brain.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary transducer arrays are separated by a distance substantially equal to the wavelength of the emitted energy from the primary array.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary transducer arrays are separated by a distance substantially equal to a multiple of the wavelength of the emissions from the primary array.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary transducer array appears to the secondary transducer array as a coherent signal source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein emitted energy from the secondary transducer array is amplitude and phase shifted from the emitted energy from the primary array.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an interaction of emitted energies from the primary and secondary transducer arrays produces an interference pattern, which is projected into the human brain.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein an interaction of emitted energies from the primary and secondary transducer arrays produces a plurality of controllable, low frequency pulses.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary transducer array comprises an array of piezoelectric elements.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary transducer array comprises an array of piezoelectric elements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary arrays comprise a plurality of piezoelectric elements that are held together by a flexible material, wherein the primary and secondary arrays may conform to a shape of the human head.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensory data processing system obtains sensory data from a data source selected from a group consisting of a video camera, a VCR, a DVD player, a cable broadcast, a satellite broadcast, and an Internet connector.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensory data processing system comprises a processing module configured to convert analog data from a data source to digital data for the secondary transducer array.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensory data processing system converts sensory data to a plurality of neural firing time differences, and converts the neural firing time differences to an acoustical pattern signal, which is sent to the secondary transducer array.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensory data processing system comprises:

a signal generator coupled to the secondary transducer array, the signal generator generating an acoustical pattern signal to the secondary transducer array, the acoustical pattern signal being based on sensory data from a sensory data source; and

a reference signal generator coupled to the primary transducer array, the reference signal generator generating a reference signal to the primary transducer