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

• US 6,729,337 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2003
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• 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): Gilbert, Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US10/353,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897, 128/898, 128/24, 607/54
• US Class Current: 128/898
• 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 method for projecting sensory data in a part of a human brain, the method comprising:

emitting a first acoustical energy as a coherent signal source toward the human brain;

producing a diffraction pattern for the first emitted acoustic energy, the diffraction pattern being based on input sensory data; and

altering neural firing timing in the brain with the diffraction pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting sensory data to a plurality of neural firing time differences;

converting the neural firing time differences to an acoustical pattern signal; and

generating the diffraction pattern from the acoustical pattern signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a reference signal; and

emitting acoustic energy as a coherent signal source based on the reference signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting analog data from a sensory data source to digital data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of altering neural firing timing in the brain with the diffraction pattern comprises generating neural activity in the brain such that the brain perceives sensory experiences.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the diffraction pattern comprises a plurality of amplitude and phase shifts in relation to the first emitted acoustic energy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the diffraction pattern comprises an interaction of the first emitted acoustic energy and a second emitted acoustic energy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the diffraction pattern comprises a set of controllable low frequency pulses.