Systems and methods to gather and analyze electroencephalographic data

• US 9,907,482 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• 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:
  US14/746,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20150282730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 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 method comprising:

obtaining first neuro-response data from a subject with a device oriented in a first direction relative to the subject, the device including;

a first band including a first set of electrodes; and

a second band including a second set of electrodes; and

obtaining second neuro-response data from the subject with the device oriented in a second direction relative to the subject, the second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first band has a first end and a second end, the second band has a third end and a fourth end, the first end is coupled to the third end, and the second end is coupled to the fourth end.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first end is coupled to the third end through a first housing and the second end is coupled to the fourth end through a second housing.

4. The method of claim 3 further including analyzing, by executing an instruction with a processor disposed in the second housing, the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first housing includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust a fit of the device on the subject.

6. The method of claim 4, further including determining, by executing instruction with the processor, a mental state of the subject.

7. The method of claim 6, further including transmitting, with a transmitter disposed in the second housing, at least one of the mental state, the first neuro-response data, or second neuro-response data.

8. The method of claim 4, further including amplifying, via an amplifier disposed in the second housing, at least one of the first neuro-response data or the second neuro-response data.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the device is oriented in the first direction, the first housing is disposed near a first ear of the subject and the second housing is disposed near a second ear of the subject and, when the device is oriented in the second direction, the first housing is disposed on a forehead of the subject and the second housing is disposed on a back of a head of the subject.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the first band and the second band are rotatably coupled to the first housing and the second housing.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the first band and the second band are removably coupled to the first housing and the second housing.

12. The method of claim 1 further including gathering a midline reading from a brain of the subject with the device oriented in the second direction.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is side-to-side and the second direction is front-to-back.

14. The method of claim 1, further including independently adjusting a position of the first band and the second band.

15. The method of claim 1, further including, after obtaining the first neuro-response data, rotating the device on a head of the subject.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data include electroencephalographic data.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first band includes a first adjustable elastic band to a change a first distance between the first band and a head of the subject and the second band includes a second adjustable elastic band to change a second distance between the second band and the head of the subject.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first band includes a plurality of extensions and the electrodes of the first set are individually disposed at respective ends of the extensions.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the extensions are flexible.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes of the first set includes at least one of a portion of a ring, a ball, or a hook.