METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CALIBRATING STIMULUS-RESPONSE TESTING SYSTEMS

• US 20100312508A1
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated), Allergan Industrie SAS (Abbvie Incorporated), Pulsar Informatics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pulsar Informatics, Inc.
• Inventors: MOTT, Christopher Grey, MOLLICONE, Daniel Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/85
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Methods are provided for calibrating stimulus-response test systems which include a stimulus output device for delivering a stimulus to a subject; and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject. One such method comprises: sensing the stimulus event output by the stimulus output device; recording a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of the stimulus event in a calibrator separate from the stimulus-response test system; generating a calibrator response after sensing the stimulus event, the calibrator response causing a response input port of the stimulus-response test system to receive a calibrator response signal and to deliver a corresponding calibrator response signal to the test controller; recording a calibrator response time associated with generation of the calibrator response in the calibrator; and determining a latency value associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a stimulus-response test system comprising a stimulus output device for delivering stimulus to a subject and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject, the method comprising:

sensing the stimulus output by the stimulus output device;

recording a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of a stimulus event;

generating a calibrator response after detection of the stimulus event;

recording a calibrator response time associated with generation of the calibrator response; and

determining a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein generating the calibrator response comprises causing a response input interface of the stimulus-response test system to receive a calibrator response signal and to deliver a corresponding test-system response signal to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

3. A method according to claim 2 comprising:

recording a test-system stimulus time at a time when the test controller outputs a signal causing the stimulus output device to output the stimulus event;

recording a test-system response time at a time when the test controller receives the test-system response signal from the response input interface; and

wherein determining the latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system is based at least in part on a test-system time difference t_tot, the test-system time difference t_tot comprising a difference between the test-system response time and the test-system stimulus time.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein determining the latency value t_lat comprises determining a difference between the test-system time difference t_tot and the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein generating the calibrator response comprises simulating the response input device of the stimulus-response test system to provide the calibrator response signal directly to the response input interface.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein generating the calibrator response comprises actuating the response input device of the stimulus-response test system, thereby causing the response input device to provide the calibrator response signal to the response input interface.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein recording the calibrator stimulus time, generating the calibrator response and recording the calibrator response time are performed under the control of a calibration controller, the calibration controller distinct from the test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

8. A method according to claim 1 comprising delaying for a delay period after detection of the stimulus event before generating the calibrator response.

9. A method according to claim 1 comprising:

repeating the calibration method a plurality of times to determine a corresponding plurality of latency values t_lat;

determining a statistically expected latency value E[t_lat] based on the plurality of latency values t_lat.

10. A method according to claim 9 comprising, for each repetition of the calibration method involved in determining the corresponding plurality of latency values t_lat, delaying for a delay period after detection of the stimulus event before generating the calibrator response.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein delaying for the delay period after detection of the stimulus event before generating the calibrator response comprises at least one of:

maintaining a constant delay for each repetition;

selecting a random delay from a probability distribution in each repetition;

selecting sequentially increasing delays in each sequential repetition; and

selecting sequentially decreasing delays in each sequential repetition.

12. A method according to claim 9 comprising determining a parameter indicative of a statistical variance of the plurality of latency values t_lat.

13. A method according to claim 9 wherein determining the statistically expected latency value E[t_lat] is performed by a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

14. A method according to claim 13 comprising offsetting future stimulus-response test reaction time data obtained by the stimulus-response system by the statistically expected latency value E[t_lat].

15. A method according to claim 9 comprising communicating the statistically expected latency value E[t_lat] to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

16. A method according to claim 15 comprising offsetting future stimulus-response test reaction time data obtained by the stimulus-response system by the statistically expected latency value E[t_lat].

17. A method according to claim 2 wherein the test controller of the stimulus-response test system comprises a suitably programmed general purpose computer.

18. A calibration system for calibrating a stimulus-response test system comprising a stimulus output device for delivering stimulus to a subject and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject, the calibration system comprising:

a sensor for sensing the stimulus output by the stimulus output device;

a calibration controller connected to receive a sensor signal from the sensor and configured to;

detect a stimulus event based on the sensor signal;

record a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of the stimulus event;

generate a calibrator response after detection of the stimulus event; and

record a calibrator response time associated with generation of the calibrator response.

19. A calibration system according to claim 18 wherein the calibration controller is configured to determine a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time.

20. A calibration system according to claim 19 wherein the calibration controller is configured to communicate the latency value t_lat to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

21. A calibration system according to claim 18 wherein a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system is based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time and wherein the calibration controller is configured to communicate the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

22. A calibration system according to claim 18 comprising a response simulator, the response simulator configured to receive the calibrator response and to simulate the response input device of the stimulus-response test system by providing a calibrator response signal directly to a response input interface of the stimulus-response test system, thereby causing the response input interface to deliver a corresponding test-system response signal to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

23. A calibration system according to claim 18 comprising a response actuator, the response actuator configured to actuate the response input device of the stimulus-response test system, thereby causing the response input device to provide a calibrator response signal to a response input interface of the stimulus-response test system and causing the response input interface to deliver a corresponding test-system response signal to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

24. A calibration system according to claim 18 wherein the calibration controller is distinct from a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

25. A calibration system according to claim 18 wherein the calibration controller is configured to introduce a delay between detecting the stimulus event and generating the calibrator response.

26. A calibration system according to claim 18 wherein the stimulus-response test system is implemented at least in part by a suitably programmed general purpose computer.

27. A calibration system according to claim 18 comprising one or more user interface sensors that permit the calibration system to operate as a general purpose computer input device.

28. A calibration system according to claim 27 wherein the one or more user interface sensors comprise one or more two-axis position sensors for communicating positional navigation to the stimulus-response test system.

29. A method for calibrating a stimulus-response test system comprising a stimulus output device for delivering stimulus to a subject and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject, the method comprising:

sensing the stimulus output by the stimulus output device;

recording a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of a stimulus event;

sensing the subject'"'"'s response to the stimulus event;

recording a calibrator response time associated with sensing the subject'"'"'s response;

determining a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time.

30. A calibration system for calibrating a stimulus-response test system comprising a stimulus output device for delivering stimulus to a subject and a response input device for receiving a response from the subject, the calibration system comprising:

a stimulus sensor for sensing the stimulus output by the stimulus output device;

a response sensor for sensing the subject'"'"'s response to a stimulus event;

a calibration controller connected to receive a sensor signal from the stimulus sensor and configured to;

detect a stimulus event based on the sensor signal;

record a calibrator stimulus time associated with detection of the stimulus event; and

record a calibrator response time associated with sensing the subject'"'"'s response.

31. A calibration system according to claim 30 wherein the calibration controller is configured to determine a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time.

32. A calibration system according to claim 31 wherein the calibration controller is configured to communicate the latency value t_lat to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.

33. A calibration system according to claim 30 wherein a latency value t_lat associated with the stimulus-response test system is based at least in part on a calibrator time difference t_stim/resp, the calibrator time difference t_stim/resp comprising a difference between the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time and wherein the calibration controller is configured to communicate the calibrator response time and the calibrator stimulus time to a test controller of the stimulus-response test system.