DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SENSING ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN TISSUE

• US 20160256065A1
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Michael J., Lee, Hans C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,506,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• 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 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• 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 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes apparatus and methods for sensing electrical activity in tissue of a person in a manner which is substantially limits or eliminates interference from noise in a surrounding environment.

Claims

1-134. -134. (canceled)

135. A headset comprising:

a sensor electrode to be placed on skin of a user at a first point, the sensor electrode to sense electrical activity in a tissue of the user and to produce a signal of interest, an undesired signal and noise;

a reference electrode to be placed on the skin of the user at a second point, the second point being spaced apart from the first point; and

an electronics module, the electronics module including;

an amplifier to (1) amplify the signal of interest and the undesired signal and (2) attenuate the noise;

a filter to isolate the signal of interest by attenuating the undesired signal; and

a processor to receive the signal of interest from the filter for analysis.

136. The headset of claim 135, wherein the electronics module is proximate the reference electrode.

137. The headset of claim 135, wherein the amplifier includes a first input in circuit with the sensor electrode and a second input in circuit with the reference electrode.

138. The headset of claim 137 further including a low pass filter in circuit with an output of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier.

139. The headset of claim 135 further including a power source having a power source reference terminal in circuit with the reference electrode.

147. The headset of claim 135, wherein the signal of interest is from 4 Hz to 12 Hz.

148. The headset of claim 135, wherein the signal of interest includes Alpha band and Theta band brain waves, and the filter is to attenuate 60 Hz signals and harmonics of 60 Hz signals.

149. The headset of claim 135, wherein the first point is on a forehead of the user and the second point is on an ear of the user.

150. The headset of claim 135, wherein the sensor electrode is mounted to a frame, the frame to be supported by ears and a nose bridge of the user.

151. The headset of claim 150, wherein the electronics module is supported by the frame.

155. The headset of claim 135, wherein the filter further includes an averaging circuit to remove 60 Hz signals and harmonics of 60 Hz signals from the signal of interest.

156. The headset of claim 135, wherein the filter is to attenuate signals below 4 Hz and above 12 Hz.

157. The headset of claim 135, wherein the output signal of the amplifier is an analog output signal, the headset further including a converter to convert the analog output signal to a digital output signal, and wherein the processor is to transform the digital output signal using a Fourier transform to determine an energy spectrum of the digital output signal, the energy spectrum including a plurality of bins representing energy in corresponding frequencies of the digital output signal.

163. The headset of claim 135, wherein the signal of interest and the undesired signal occur in a first frequency range and the noise occurs in a second frequency range higher than the first frequency range.

164. The headset of claim 135, wherein the amplifier is to (1) amplify the signal of interest and the undesired signal and (2) attenuate the noise prior to transmitting the amplified signal of interest and undesired signal to the filter.

165. The headset of claim 135, wherein a local reference potential in the electronics module and a potential of the second point on the skin are approximately equal to allow a surface of the reference electrode to be in direct contact with the skin of the user at the second point without having to prepare the skin or use a material that decreases a contact resistance between the surface of the reference electrode and the skin.

140-146. -146. (canceled)

152-154. -154. (canceled)

158. (canceled)

159. The headset of claim 158, wherein the processor is to sum the energy in the bins corresponding to frequencies of from 4 Hz to 8 Hz to create a Theta band energy signal.

160. The headset of claim 159, wherein the processor is to sum the energy in the bins corresponding to frequencies of from 8 Hz to 12 Hz to create an Alpha band energy signal.

161. The headset of claim 160, wherein the processor is to generate the signal of interest by determining a ratio of the Alpha band energy signal and the Theta band energy signal.

162. The headset of claim 160, wherein the processor is to generate the signal of interest by computing (Theta band energy signal−

Alpha band energy signal)/(Theta band energy signal+Alpha band energy signal).