Control apparatus using brain wave signal

• US 7,127,283 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kageyama, Tatsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US10/691,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

A control apparatus includes an arithmetic unit for generating a brain wave pattern based on a brain wave signal obtained from a driver'"'"'s head, for comparing the generated brain wave pattern with a plurality of brain wave patterns pre-stored in a control processing unit, when there is a match between the generated brain wave pattern and one of the plurality of brain wave patterns pre-stored in the control processing unit, for identifying an operation description associated with the one of the plurality of brain wave patterns, and for reading corresponding control data so as to generate and deliver a corresponding control signal that causes a vehicle-mounted apparatus to carry out an operation specified by the associated operation description to the vehicle-mounted apparatus based on the control data.

Claims

1. A control apparatus using a brain wave signal, said apparatus comprising:

a first storing unit for pre-storing operation descriptions, which are descriptions of a plurality of types of operations to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, and a plurality of brain wave patterns being respectively associated with the operation descriptions;

a second storing unit for pre-storing a plurality of control data each of which is used for causing an apparatus to be controlled to carry out an operation specified by a corresponding operation description stored in said first storing unit;

a brain wave detecting unit for detecting a brain wave signal from a user'"'"'s head;

a brain wave pattern generating unit for generating a brain wave pattern based on the brain wave signal detected by said brain wave detecting unit;

a brain wave pattern comparison unit for comparing the brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating unit with the plurality of brain wave patterns stored in said first storing unit, and for, when there exists a brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern in said first storing unit, identifying an operation description associated with this brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern; and

a signal processing unit for reading control data corresponding to said identified operation description from said second storing unit so as to generate a control signal causing an apparatus to be controlled to carry out an operation specified by said identified operation description;

wherein said apparatus further comprises;

a moving object information detecting unit for detecting a change of a status of a moving object; and

a security determination unit for sending out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen when said moving object information detecting unit detects a change of the status of said moving object while said brain wave detecting unit does not detect any brain wave.

2. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said moving object information detecting unit is a position detecting unit for detecting a current position of said moving object, and, when detecting a change of the current position of said moving object by using said position detecting unit while said brain wave detecting unit does not detect any brain wave, said security determination unit sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

3. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said moving object information detecting unit is an engine start detecting unit for detecting a start of an engine of said moving object, and, when detecting a start of the engine of said moving object by using said engine start detecting unit while said brain wave detecting unit does not detect any brain wave, said security determination unit sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

4. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said moving object information detecting unit is a velocity detecting unit for detecting a velocity of said moving object, and, when detecting a movement of said moving object by using said velocity detecting unit while said brain wave detecting unit does not detect any brain wave, said security determination unit sends out an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen.

5. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said security determination unit transmits an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen to a predetermined management center.

6. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein said security determination unit transmits an electric wave indicating a notification that said moving object has been stolen to a predetermined communication terminal.

7. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined communication terminal is a communication terminal owned by a user associated with identification data preset by said security determination unit.

8. The control apparatus using brain wave signals according to claim 1, wherein the electric wave sent out by said security determination unit includes current position information indicating a current position of said moving object.

9. A control apparatus using a brain wave signal, said apparatus comprising:

a first storing unit for pre-storing operation descriptions, which are descriptions of a plurality of types of operations to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, and a plurality of brain wave patterns being respectively associated with the operation descriptions;

a second storing unit for pre-storing a plurality of control data each of which is used for causing an apparatus to be controlled to carry out an operation specified by a corresponding operation description stored in said first storing unit;

a brain wave detecting unit for detecting a brain wave signal from a user'"'"'s head;

a brain wave pattern generating unit for generating a brain wave pattern based on the brain wave signal detected by said brain wave detecting unit;

a brain wave pattern comparison unit for comparing the brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating unit with the plurality of brain wave patterns stored in said first storing unit, and for, when there exists a brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern in said first storing unit, identifying an operation description associated with this brain wave pattern substantially matching the generated brain wave pattern; and

a signal processing unit for reading control data corresponding to said identified operation description from said second storing unit so as to generate a control signal causing an apparatus to be controlled to carry out an operation specified by said identified operation description;

wherein when receiving an instruction for associating a brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating unit with an operation description displayed on a display unit, the operation description specifying an operation to be performed on an apparatus to be controlled, said first storing unit stores the generated brain wave pattern therein while associating it with the operation description; and

wherein said first storing unit has a plurality of storing areas in each of which a plurality of brain wave patterns respectively associated with a plurality of operation descriptions are stored, the plurality of storing areas being associated with a plurality of users, respectively, and said brain wave pattern comparison unit compares the brain wave pattern generated by said brain wave pattern generating unit with the plurality of brain wave patterns stored in a storing area of said first storing unit, said storing area being specified by input identification data that identifies a corresponding user.