Control method and system and the sense organs test method and system based on electrical steady state induced response

• US 7,123,955 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Gao, Xiaorong, Yang, Fusheng, Gao, Shangkai
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US10/111,801
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 340/825.19
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/38 Acoustic or auditory stimuli

Abstract

A control method and a sense organ testing method based on steady state brain evoked response include the steps of: generating one or multiple stimulus signal(s) varying in various frequencies that can be sensed by sense organs of human subject; detecting the brain electrical signal of stimulated human subject; analyzing the detected brain electrical signal to extract the characteristic physical quantity corresponding to the frequency of a stimulus signal; and, according to the characteristic physical quantity, controlling a specific device corresponding to the stimulus signal to perform a preprogrammed operation or objectively evaluating the condition of the sense organ of the subject.

Claims

1. A control method based on steady state brain evoked response comprising the steps of:

a. generating one or multiple stimulus signals varying in various frequencies that can be sensed by sense organs of human subject;

b. detecting the brain electrical signal of stimulated human subject;

c. analyzing the detected brain electrical signal to extract a characteristic quantity corresponding to the frequency of one of the one or multiple stimulus signals as a control signal; and

d. on the basis of said control signal, controlling a device corresponding to the stimulus signal to perform a preprogrammed operation.

2. A control method according to claim 1, wherein said multiple signals varying in various frequencies correspond to multiple different devices to be controlled respectively.

3. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said one or multiple stimulus signals are visual stimulus signals, and said sense organ of human subject is a visual organ.

4. A control method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals is a light signal, the brightness, shape, color, size, position, duration or their combination of which varies in a frequency.

5. A control method according to claim 3, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 1–

50 hertz.

6. A control method according to claim 5, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 4–

25 hertz.

7. A control method according to claim 3, wherein said multiple visual stimulus signals are a group of spots scintillating in various frequencies on a screen, each spot corresponding to a device to be controlled respectively.

8. A control method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals is a combination of multiple light signals which overlap in space and scintillate in various frequencies, and said characteristic quantity is a composition of frequency components corresponding to the composition of the various frequencies of said combination of multi light signals in the detected brain electrical signal.

9. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said one or multiple stimulus signals are auditory stimulus signals, and said sense organ of human subject is an auditory organ.

10. A control method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a simple tone having a single varying frequency.

11. A control method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signal signals is of a composite tone consisting of a specific composition of certain frequencies.

12. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, said one or multiple stimulus signals are tactual stimulus signals, and said sense organ of human subject is a tactile organ.

13. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said analysis includes spectrum analyzing of the brain electrical signal.

14. A control method according to claim 13, wherein said characteristic physical quantity is a frequency component of a peak of maximum amplitude among the peaks corresponding respectively to said various stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum attained from said spectrum analysis.

15. A control method according to claim 13, wherein said characteristic quantity is a frequency component and its harmonic components corresponding to one of said stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum attained from said spectrum analysis.

16. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is of a single varying frequency.

17. A control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a combination of multiple signals of different frequencies, and said characteristic quantity is a combination of frequency components corresponding to the combination of frequencies of said combination of multiple signals of different frequencies in the detected brain electrical signal.

18. A sense organ testing method based on steady state brain evoked response, comprising the steps of:

a. stimulating a sense organ of a human subject with one or multiple stimulus signals varying in various frequencies, which can be sensed by sense organs of the human subject;

b. detecting the brain electrical signal of the stimulated human subject;

c. analyzing the detected brain electrical signal to extract a characteristic quantity corresponding to the frequencies of the stimulus signals;

d. on the basis of the extracted characteristic quantity corresponding to the frequencies of the stimulus signals and the intensity and spatial distribution feature of the stimulus signal, evaluating the condition of the tested sense organ; and

e. providing an output corresponding to said evaluation.

19. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a visual stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a visual organ.

20. A sense organ testing method according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals is a light single, the brightness, shape, color, size, position, duration or their combination of which various in frequency.

21. A sense organ testing method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 1–

50 hertz.

22. A sense organ testing method according to claim 21, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 4–

25 hertz.

23. A sense organ testing method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein said one or multiple visual stimulus signals includes a set of light signals being spatially close to each other and scintillating in various frequencies, the spatial characteristics of the spots could be controlled to change.

24. A sense organ testing method according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals is a combination of multiple light signals which overlap in space and scintillate in various frequencies.

25. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is an auditory stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is an auditory organ.

26. A sense organ testing method according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a simple tone of a single varying frequency.

27. A sense organ testing method according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a composite tone consisting of a specific composition of certain frequencies.

28. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a tactual stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a tactile organ.

29. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein said analysis includes spectrum analyzing of the brain electrical signal.

30. A sense organ testing method according to claim 29, wherein said characteristic quantity is the frequency spectrum components corresponding to the various stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum obtained by said spectrum analysis.

31. A sense organ testing method according to claim 29, wherein said characteristic quantity are the frequency components corresponding to said various stimulus signal frequencies the their harmonic components in the brain electrical signal spectrum obtained from said spectrum analysis.

32. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is of a single varying frequency.

33. A sense organ testing method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a combination of multiple signals of different frequencies, and said characteristic quantity is a combination of frequency components corresponding to the combination of frequencies of said combination of multiple signals of different frequencies in the detected brain electrical signal.

34. A control system based on the steady state brain evoked response comprising:

a. a stimulator for generating one or multiple stimulus signals varying in various frequencies that can be sensed by sense organs of human subject;

b. a brain electrical signal detector for detecting brain electrical signal of a stimulated human subject;

c. a signal processor for analyzing detected brain electrical signal to extract a characteristic quantity corresponding to the frequency of one of the one or multiple stimulus signals as a control signal; and

d. a controller for controlling a specified device corresponding to the stimulus signal to perform a preprogrammed operation on the basis of the control signal.

35. A control system according to claim 34, wherein said multiple signals varying in various frequencies correspond to multiple different devices to be controlled respectively.

36. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a visual stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a visual organ.

37. A control system according to claim 36, wherein at least one of said visual stimulus signals is a light signal, the brightness, shape, color, size, position, duration or their combination of which various in a frequency.

38. A control system according to claim 36, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 1–

50 hertz.

39. A control system according to claim 38, wherein each of said visual stimulus signals has a frequency of 4–

25 hertz.

40. A control system according to claim 36, wherein said one or multiple visual stimulus signals are a group of spots scintillating in various frequencies on a screen, each spot corresponds to a device to be controlled respectively.

41. A control system according to claim 36, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual signals is a combination of multi light signals overlapping in space and scintillating in different frequencies.

42. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is an auditory stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is an auditory organ.

43. A control system according to claim 42, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a simple tone having a single varying frequency.

44. A control system according to claim 42, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a composite tone consisting of a specific composition of certain frequencies.

45. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a tactual signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a tactile organ.

46. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein said analysis performed by said signal processor includes spectrum analyzing of the brain electrical signal.

47. A control system according to claim 46, wherein said characteristic quantity is a frequency component of a peak of maximum amplitude among the peaks corresponding respectively to said various stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum obtained from said spectrum analysis.

48. A control system according to claim 46, wherein said characteristic quantity is a frequency component and its harmonic components corresponding to one of said stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum attained from said spectrum analysis.

49. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is of a single varying frequency.

50. A control system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a combination of multiple signals of different frequencies, and said characteristic quantity is a combination of frequency components corresponding to the combination of frequencies of said combination of multiple signals of different frequencies in the detected brain electrical signal.

51. A sense organ testing system based on steady state brain evoked response comprising:

a. a stimulator for generating one or multiple stimulus signals varying in various frequencies that can be sensed by sense organs of a subject;

b. a brain electrical signal detector for detecting brain electrical signal of stimulated subject;

c. a signal processor for analyzing the detected brain electrical signal to extract a characteristic physical quantity corresponding to the frequencies of the stimulus signal(s); and

d. an evaluation device for evaluating the response ability to the stimulus signal(s) of the sense organ to be detected on the basis of the extracted characteristic quantity corresponding to the frequencies of the stimulus signal(s) and the intensity and spatial distribution feature etc. of the stimulus signal, thereby achieving objective evaluation of the sense organ.

52. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a visual stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a visual organ.

53. A sense organ testing system according to claim 52, wherein at least one of said one or multiple visual stimulus signals is a light signal, the brightness, shape, color, size, position, duration or their combination of which varies in a frequency.

54. A sense organ testing system according to claim 52 or 53, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signal has a frequency of 1–

50 hertz.

55. A sense organ testing system according to claim 54, wherein each of said one or multiple visual stimulus signal has a frequency of 4–

25 hertz.

56. A sense organ testing system according to claim 52 or 53, wherein said one or multiple visual stimulus signals are a group of spots scintillating in various frequencies on a screen, each spot corresponds to a device to be controlled respectively.

57. A sense organ testing system according to claim 52 or 53, wherein at least one of said one or more visual signals is a combination of multi light signal overlapping in space and scintillating in different frequencies.

58. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is an auditory stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is an auditory organ.

59. A sense organ testing system according to claim 58, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a simple tone having a single varying frequency.

60. A sense organ system according to claim 58, wherein at least one of said one or multiple auditory stimulus signals is of a composite tone consisting of a specific composition of certain frequencies.

61. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein each of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a tactual stimulus signal, and said sense organ of human subject is a tactile organ.

62. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein said analysis performed by said signal processor includes spectrum analyzing of the brain electrical signal.

63. A sense organ testing system according to claim 62, wherein said characteristic quantity is the frequency components corresponding to said various stimulus signal frequencies in the brain electrical signal spectrum obtained from said spectrum analysis.

64. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is of a single varying frequency.

65. A sense organ testing system according to claim 51, wherein at least one of said one or multiple stimulus signals is a combination of multiple signals of different frequencies, and said characteristic quantity is a combination of frequency components corresponding to the combination of frequencies of said combination of multiple signals of different frequencies in the detected brain electrical signal.