Methods and apparatus to gather and analyze electroencephalographic data

• US 9,622,702 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Badower, Yakob, Lawrence, Bradley R., Male, Marcos, Jovanovic, Marko, Olrik, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardinal, Erin M
• Application Number:
  US14/293,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20150282760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 600383, 600544-545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles

Abstract

Example headsets and methods for gathering electroencephalographic signals are disclosed herein. An example headset includes an adjustment assembly including a first support to be disposed on a first side of a head of a person and a second support to be disposed on a second side of the head of the person. The example headset also includes an adjustor operatively coupled to the first support. Further, the example headset includes an electrode strip and a tension strap having a first end operatively coupled to the adjustor and a second end operatively coupled to the second support.

Claims

1. A headset comprising:

a first support to be disposed on a first side of a head of a person;

a second support to be disposed on a second side of the head of the person opposite the first side;

a first adjustor operatively coupled to the first support;

a first electrode strip to be disposed over the head of the person such that a first end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the first support and a second end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the second support; and

a first tension strap extending along and slidably coupled to the first electrode strip, a first end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the first adjustor and a second end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the second support, the first adjustor including a wheel rotatably coupled to the first support, the first tension strap to be wound about the wheel when the wheel is rotated to change a tension of the first tension strap.

2. The headset of claim 1, further including a second adjustor operatively coupled to the second support.

3. The headset of claim 2, wherein the second end of the first tension strap is operatively coupled to the second support via the second adjustor.

4. The headset of claim 1, further including:

a second electrode strip to be disposed over the head of the person, a first end of the second electrode strip disposed adjacent the first support and a second end of the second electrode strip disposed adjacent the second support; and

a second tension strap extending along and slidably coupled to the second electrode strip, a first end of the second tension strap operatively coupled to the first support and a second end of the second tension strap operatively coupled to the second support.

5. The headset of claim 4, wherein the first end of the second tension strap is operatively coupled to the first adjustor on the first support.

6. The headset of claim 4, further including a second adjustor operatively coupled to the first support.

7. The headset of claim 6, wherein the first end of the second tension strap is operatively coupled to the second adjustor.

8. The headset of claim 4, further including a second adjustor operatively coupled to the second support, the second end of the second tension strap being operatively coupled to the second support via the second adjustor.

9. The headset of claim 4, further including a second adjustor on the second support and a third adjustor on the first support, the second end of the first tension strap being operatively coupled to the second support via the second adjustor and the first end of the second tension strap being operatively coupled to the first support via the third adjustor.

10. The headset of claim 9, further including a fourth adjustor operatively coupled to the second support, the second end of the second tension strap being operatively coupled to the second support via the fourth adjustor.

11. The headset of claim 10, wherein the first electrode strip and the second electrode strip are independently adjustable relative to the first support and the second support.

12. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first tension strap includes nylon.

13. The headset of claim 1, further including a third support to be disposed under a right ear of the person and a fourth support to be disposed under a left ear of the person, the first support to be disposed above the right ear of the person and the second support is to be disposed above the left ear of the person, the third support adjustably coupled to the first support and the fourth support adjustably coupled to the second support.

14. The headset of claim 1, further including

a third support to be disposed on a front of the head of the person, the third support adjustably coupled to the first support and the second support.

15. The headset of claim 1, further including a central support strip to be disposed along a top of the head of the person from a front of the head to a back of the head, the first electrode strip supported by the central support strip.

16. The headset of claim 15, further including a processing unit removably coupled to the central support strip.

17. The headset of claim 16, wherein the processing unit includes circuitry to at least one of amplify, filter, store or analyze signals gathered by electrodes on the headset.

18. The headset of claim 16, wherein the processing unit includes a first electrical connector and the central support strip includes a second electrical connector to mate with the first electrical connector.

19. The headset of claim 18, wherein the central support strip includes an annular rim and the processing unit includes a hub to slidably receive the annular rim.

20. The headset of claim 18, further including a reference electrode, the processing unit including a port to communicatively couple the reference electrode to the processing unit.

21. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first side is a rear of the head and the second side is a front of the head.

22. A headset comprising:

a first support to be disposed on a first side of a head of a person;

a second support to be disposed on a second side of the head of the person opposite the first side;

a first adjustor operatively coupled to the first support;

a first electrode strip to be disposed over the head of the person such that a first end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the first support and a second end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the second support; and

a first tension strap extending along and slidably coupled to the first electrode strip, a first end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the first adjustor and a second end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the second support, movement of the first adjustor to change a tension of the first tension strap, wherein the first adjustor includes an electric motor to adjust the first tension strap.

23. A headset comprising:

a first support to be disposed on a first side of a head of a person;

a second support to be disposed on a second side of the head of the person opposite the first side;

a first adjustor operatively coupled to the first support;

a first electrode strip to be disposed over the head of the person such that a first end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the first support and a second end of the first electrode strip is disposed adjacent the second support; and

a first tension strap extending along and slidably coupled to the first electrode strip, a first end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the first adjustor and a second end of the first tension strap operatively coupled to the second support, movement of the first adjustor to change a tension of the first tension strap, wherein the first adjustor is detachable from the first support.

24. The headset of claim 23, wherein movement of the first adjustor changes an effective length of the first tension strap.