Sleep disconnect safety override for direct human-computer neural interfaces for the control of computer controlled functions

• US 6,665,560 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pendragon Networks LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Becker, Craig Henry, Forman, Ira Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl
• Application Number:
  US09/971,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 600/378, 600/544, 128/925
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• 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 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

When a neural human-computer interface is used to control mechanical and electrical functions, the act of falling asleep by the user during neural control operations can produce undesirable and even disastrous results since neural activity would still be monitored and could produce involuntary signals leading to unintended results. In systems that track a user'"'"'s neural activity and which use an electrical signal based upon this activity for controlling computer controlled functions, the problems associated with falling asleep may be circumvented by using an implementation which inhibits neural control when a patient'"'"'s sleep state is detected. To accomplish this, an electroencephalography monitor (EEG) may be used to detect and predetermine the user'"'"'s neural activity pattern during the transition from awake to sleep states. This pattern is compared against current neural activity. If matched, the neurally generated electrical signal is terminated.

Claims

1. In a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, a system for preventing neural activity during said user'"'"'s sleep from being used for controlling said functions comprising:

means for predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from awake to asleep;

means for monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for terminating said use of said electrical signals based on said tracked neural activity.

2. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 1 wherein said means for monitoring includes an electroencephalograph (EEG) monitor.

3. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 2 wherein said means for terminating terminate said use of electrical signals when said EEG monitor reading drops below 7 Hz.

4. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 2 wherein said means for predetermining said neural activity pattern determines a specific signature pattern for each user based upon preliminary EEG testing on said user.

5. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 1 including:

means proximate said user for said tracking of neural activity; and

means transmitting said electrical signal to a computer remote from said user for controlling said computer controlled functions.

6. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 5 wherein said means for transmitting said electrical signal are wireless means.

7. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 1 further including:

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for monitoring a supplementary activity of said user for an indicator confirming that the user is asleep.

8. In a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, a method for preventing neural activity during said user'"'"'s sleep from being used for controlling said functions comprising:

predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from awake to asleep;

monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

terminating said use of said electrical signals based upon said tracked neural activity responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of monitoring neural activity includes the step of forming an electroencephalograph (EEG).

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said use of electrical signals is terminated when said EEG reading drops below 7 Hz.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of predetermining said neural activity pattern determines a specific signature pattern for each user based upon preliminary EEG testing on said user.

12. The method of claim 8 including the steps of:

tracking said neural activity directly at the user; and

transmitting said electrical signal to a computer remote from said user for controlling said computer controlled functions.

13. The system for tracking neural activity of claim 12 wherein said electrical signal is transmitted wirelessly.

14. The method of claim 8 further including the step of:

monitoring a supplementary activity of said user for an indicator confirming that the user is asleep responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern.

15. A computer program having code recorded on a computer readable medium for preventing neural activity during a user'"'"'s sleep from being used for controlling functions in a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, said computer program comprising:

means for predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from awake to asleep;

means for monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for terminating said use of said electrical signals based upon said tracked neural activity.

16. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 15 wherein said means for monitoring includes an electroencephalography (EEG) monitor.

17. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 16 wherein said means for terminating terminate said use of electrical signals when said EEG monitor reading drops below 7 Hz.

18. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 16 wherein said means for predetermining said neural activity pattern determines a specific signature pattern for each user based upon preliminary EEG testing on said user.

19. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 15 including:

means proximate said user for said tracking of neural activity; and

means transmitting said electrical signal to a computer remote from said user for controlling said computer controlled functions.

20. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 19 wherein said means for transmitting said electrical signal are wireless means.

21. The computer program for tracking neural activity of claim 15 further including:

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for monitoring a supplementary activity of said user for an indicator confirming that the user is asleep.

22. In a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, a system for varying the use of said electrical signals being used for controlling said functions in response to changes in defined states of neural activity comprising:

means for predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from one defined state of neural activity to another defined state;

means for monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for changing said use of said electrical signals to control said computer controlled functions to a use consistent with the defined state.

23. In a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, a method for varying the use of said electrical signals being used for controlling said functions in response to variations in the states of said neural activity comprising:

predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from one defined state of neural activity to another defined state;

monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

changing said use of said electrical signal to control said computer controlled functions to a use consistent with the defined state responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern.

24. In a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, a computer program having code recorded on a computer readable medium for varying the use of said electrical signals being used for controlling said functions in response to changes in defined states of neural activity comprising:

means for predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from one defined state of neural activity to another defined state;

means for monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern; and

means responsive to the detection of said predetermined neural activity pattern for changing said use of said electrical signals to control said computer controlled functions to a use consistent with the defined state.