Scanning method for applying ultrasonic acoustic data to the human neural cortex

• US 7,350,522 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski; Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/823,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600438-439, 601 2- 4, 128897-898, 623/4.1, 623/10, 623/24, 623/66.1, 623/902
• US Class Current: 128/897
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• 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

Abstract

A method for creating sensory experiences operates by scanning the acoustical signal across the human neural cortex to create the desired sensory perceptions. The acoustic signal is scanned in a predetermined pattern. The pattern is then modified to fill in spaces in the predetermined pattern so that over a short time period, the desired signal is scanned across the intended region of the neural cortex. In one exemplary embodiment, the pattern begins with an array of points on the cortex. Thus, an acoustic signal in an array of points is directed towards the cortex. The acoustic pattern is then shaped to expand in radius about each point. Thus, the acoustic signal scans the visual cortex in an array of expanding circles. Varying the signal at each point along the radius as it expands produces neural firing differences in the neural tissue. When the circles expand to where they begin to touch, the pattern changes to fill in the areas between the original array of points. The new circles are centered about the points between the original stimulation locations, and the acoustic signal contracts about these new centers. The signal continues to contract about the new center points. When the new circles have contracted to an array of points, the process can be repeated from the start or simply reversed. Another method operates by forming concentric circles and expanding and contracting each of the concentric circles to fill in the original spaces between the concentric circles.

Claims

1. A method for generating perceived sensory experiences comprising:

directing an acoustical signal toward a human neural cortex; and

remedying a sensory deficit in a human patient by scanning the acoustical signal across the human neural cortex,

wherein the acoustical signal is directed as an array of points, and

wherein the acoustical signal is scanned across the human neural cortex by expanding each of the points in the array of points in a circle about each point until touching a neighboring circle in the array of expanding circles.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acoustical signal comprises a pulsed ultrasonic signal formed from externally supplied neural timing difference data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said directing further comprises directing the pulsed ultrasonic signal to the human neural cortex to modify a firing rate of neural tissue therein.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the array of expanding circles is shifted to be entered in spaces between the array of expanding circles.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein each of the circles in the shifted array of circles is then contracted until reaching a center point.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acoustical signal is directed as a predetermined pattern.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the acoustical signal is scanned across the human visual cortex by modifying the predetermined pattern to cover an entire region of the human visual cortex over a predetermined time period.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acoustical signal is directed towards the human visual cortex as a pattern of concentric circles.

9. A method for generating perceived sensory experiences comprising:

remedying a sensory deficit in the human patient by directing an acoustical signal to a human neural cortex to form a first array of a points on the visual cortex tissue; and

modifying the acoustical signal to expand each of the points in the first array in a circle about each point until each of the circles touches one or more neighboring circles in the visual cortex tissue.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the acoustical signal to move a center of each of the circles in the first array to one or more locations in unaffected tissue in the visual cortex to form a second array of circles.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

modifying the acoustical signal to contract each of the circles in the second array about a new center point until reaching a dot at the new center point.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the acoustical signal comprises a pulsed ultrasonic signal formed from externally supplied neural timing difference data.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said directing further comprises directing the pulsed ultrasonic signal to the human neural cortex to modify a firing rate of neural tissue therein.

14. A method for generating perceived sensory experiences comprising:

remedying a sensory deficit in the human patient by directing an acoustical signal to a human neural cortex to form a first array of a concentric circles on the visual cortex tissue;

modifying the acoustical signal to expand each of the circles in the first array of concentric circles about its center until each of the circles achieves a size approximately that of an original neighbor concentric circle in the visual cortex tissue.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

repeating or reversing the modifying and directing steps.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the acoustical signal comprises a pulsed ultrasonic signal formed from externally supplied neural timing difference data.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said directing further comprises directing the pulsed ultrasonic signal to the human neural cortex to modify a firing rate of neural tissue therein.