Systems and methods to gather and analyze electroencephalographic data

• US 10,779,745 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran, Badower, Yakob, Pradeep, A. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US15/880,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20180160930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0209 Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/026 for the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/307 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/31 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/333 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/347 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/37 Intracranial electroencephalography [IC-EEG], e.g. electrocorticography [ECoG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 : Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 : specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 : Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6813 : Specially adapted to be attached to a specific body part A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 : Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 : Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 : for noise prevention, reduction or removal

Abstract

Example devices are disclosed herein that include a first elongated band coupled to a first housing to be located on a first side of a head of a subject and a second housing to be located near a second side of the head of the subject, the first elongated band comprising a first set of electrodes. The example device also includes a second elongated band coupled to the first housing and to the second housing, the second elongated band comprising a second set of electrodes. In addition, the device includes a third elongated band coupled to the first housing and to the second housing, the third elongated band comprising a third set of electrodes.

Claims

1. A headset comprising:

a first housing on a first side of the headset;

a second housing on a second side of the headset opposite the first side;

a first band to be disposed over a head of a subject, the first band including a first plurality of electrodes;

a first strap slidably disposed along the first band, the first strap coupled to the first and second housings;

a second band to be disposed over the head of the subject, the second band including a second plurality of electrodes; and

a second strap slidably disposed along the second band, the second strap coupled to the first and second housings, wherein the first band and the second band are independently repositionable relative to each other, wherein the first strap is adjustable to change a first position of the first plurality of electrodes relative to the head of the subject, and wherein the second strap is adjustable to change a second position of the second plurality of electrodes relative to the head of the subject, the first strap and the second strap being independently adjustable.

2. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first and second straps are rotatably coupled to the first housing.

3. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first and second straps are rotatably coupled to the second housing.

4. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first and second straps are removably coupled to the first and second housings.

5. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first and second straps are adjustably coupled to the first housing.

6. The headset of claim 5, further including an adjustment mechanism coupled to the first housing to adjust the first strap and the second strap.

7. The headset of claim 6, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a magnetic block, further including a first magnetic attachment strip coupled to a first end of the first strap, the first magnetic attachment strip is magnetically releasable and lockable with the magnetic block in a plurality of positions to adjust a length of the first strap.

8. The headset of claim 7, further including a second magnetic attachment strip coupled to a second end of the second strap, the second magnetic attachment strip magnetically releasable and lockable with the magnetic block in a plurality of positions to adjust a length of the second strap.

9. The headset of claim 1, further including a processor disposed in the first housing to analyze first neuro-response data gathered by the first plurality of electrodes and second neuro-response data gathered by the second plurality of electrodes.

10. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first band includes a central body portion and a plurality of extensions extending from the central body portion, the first plurality of electrodes individually disposed at respective ends of the extensions.

11. The headset of claim 10, wherein the first strap is slidably disposed along a longitudinal axis of the central body portion.

12. The headset of claim 11, wherein the first band includes a recess formed by a plurality of pairs of protrusions extending from the central body portion, each pair of protrusions forming a recess, the first strap slidably disposed in the recess along the central body portion.

13. The headset of claim 10, wherein the first band includes a first eye near a first end of the central body portion and a second eye near a second end of the central body portion opposite the first end, the first strap routed through the first and second eyes.

14. The headset of claim 10, wherein the plurality of extensions includes a first set of extensions extending from a first side of the central body portion and a second set of extensions extending from a second side of the central body portion opposite the first side.

15. The headset of claim 14, wherein the electrodes are ring-shaped.

16. The headset of claim 14, wherein the extensions are flexible.

17. The headset of claim 14, further including an array of electrodes extending from a bottom side of the central body portion between the first set of extensions and the second set of extensions.

18. The headset of claim 17, wherein the array of electrodes are pin electrodes.

19. The headset of claim 1, wherein the first band includes a first eye, the first strap routed through the first eye, and the second band includes a second eye, the second strap routed through the second eye.