Brain response monitoring apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A method of providing an electronic signal that corresponds to a desired action, comprising:
- providing at least one source of illumination, which source of illumination has a corresponding pattern associated therewith;
monitoring a user'"'"'s brain response;
detecting via the user'"'"'s brain response when the user has viewed the at least one source of illumination for at least a predetermined period of time, at least in part by determining when at least two of a plurality of signal conditions that each correspond to the pattern have been detected, and providing the electronic signal in response thereto.
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Abstract
Brain response signals of a user, such as electroencephalogram signals, and in particular visually evoked potential signals that correspond to predetermined illumination patterns, are detected and utilized to ascertain selection of specific functions and/or actions as desired by that user. Sources of illumination that exhibit such patterns are arranged to physically correspond to indicia of such functions and actions to facilitate knowing selection thereof.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of providing an electronic signal that corresponds to a desired action, comprising:
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providing at least one source of illumination, which source of illumination has a corresponding pattern associated therewith;
monitoring a user'"'"'s brain response;
detecting via the user'"'"'s brain response when the user has viewed the at least one source of illumination for at least a predetermined period of time, at least in part by determining when at least two of a plurality of signal conditions that each correspond to the pattern have been detected, and providing the electronic signal in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
providing at least another source of illumination, which at least another source of illumination has a different corresponding pattern associated therewith;
detecting via the user'"'"'s brain response when the user has viewed the at least another source of illumination for at least a predetermined period of time and providing another electronic signal in response thereto.
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20. The method of claim 19 and further comprising actuating the desired action upon detecting the electronic signal followed by the another electronic signal.
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21. The method of claim 1 and further comprising actuating the desired action upon detecting the electronic signal as followed by another electronic signal.
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22. The method of claim 21 and further comprising monitoring for a non-brain response user signal that causes provision of the another electronic signal.
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23. The method of claim 22 wherein the non-brain response user signal comprises an audible signal.
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24. The method of claim 22 wherein the non-brain response user signal comprises a mechanical action.
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25. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring a user'"'"'s brain response includes monitoring a user'"'"'s electroencephalogram response.
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26. The method of claim 25 wherein monitoring a user'"'"'s electroencephalogram response includes monitoring a user'"'"'s visual evoked potential signals.
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27. A device comprising:
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a light pattern brain response detection sensor;
a pattern detector operably coupled to the light pattern brain response detection sensor and having an output that provides at least a first signal indicating when a light pattern brain response of a user at least likely corresponds to a predetermined light pattern at least two of a plurality of times;
a control signal generator operably coupled to the pattern detector and having an output that provides a control signal comprising a correlation between the predetermined light pattern and a predetermined action. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
normalization means for normalizing the user'"'"'s light pattern brain response to provide normalized light pattern brain responses;
fast Fourier transformation means for processing the normalized light pattern brain responses to provide transformed light pattern brain responses;
pattern recognition means for comparing the transformed light pattern brain responses against at least one previously determined pattern that corresponds to a predetermined light pattern brain response.
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33. The device of claim 32 wherein the previously determined pattern comprises at least one rule that correlates to a specific user.
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34. The device of claim 32 wherein the pattern recognition means compares the transformed light pattern brain responses against a plurality of previously determined patterns, wherein at least some of the previously determined patterns each correspond to a different predetermined light pattern brain response.
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35. The device of claim 27 and further comprising a source of at least one light pattern.
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36. The device of claim 35 wherein the source comprises at least one light emitting diode.
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37. The device of claim 35 wherein the source provides a light pattern comprising a flashing pattern.
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38. The device of claim 37 wherein the flashing pattern has a frequency of approximately 4 to 80 cycles per second.
Specification