Method and system for providing electrical stimulation to a user
Inventors
Wingeier, Brett • Chao, Daniel S. • Von Kraus, Lee • Sarva, Amol • Sanchez, Sophia
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10143842-B2
Publication Date
2018-12-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method for providing electrical stimulation to a user as a user performs a set of tasks during a time window, the method comprising: providing an electrical stimulation treatment, characterized by a stimulation parameter and a set of portions, to a brain region of the user in association with the time window; for each task of the set of tasks: receiving a signal stream characterizing a neurological state of the user; from the signal stream, identifying a neurological signature characterizing the neurological state associated with the task; and modulating the electrical stimulation treatment provided to the brain region of the user based upon the neurological signature, wherein modulating comprises delivering a portion of the set of portions of the electrical stimulation treatment to the brain region of the user, while maintaining an aggregate amount of the stimulation parameter of the treatment provided during the time window below a maximum limit.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides an electrical stimulation session to a brain region while a user undergoes events pertaining to neurological activity within a time window. The method provides an electrical stimulation device at a surface of a head region, and delivers a first portion of a set of portions of the electrical stimulation session in association with a first event. The session is defined as a set of portions associated with the time window.
The invention uses a biosignal detection device to receive a signal stream characterizing a neurological state of the user. The method detects a second event comprising an entry of the user to a stressed state based on the signal stream, and delivers a second portion of the set of portions upon detecting the stressed-state entry. This links delivery of stimulation portions to detected transitions of neurological state.
A second aspect of the invention guides a user in performing a task at a mobile computing device and determines a neurological state associated with performance of the task. The neurological state comprises an emotional state, and the invention modulates an electrical stimulation treatment to a brain region based upon the neurological state. The modulation is used to modify the emotional state of the user, and is further constrained by time-window-based modulation and a maximum limit constraint on an aggregated stimulation parameter.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00005. Each independent claim contains multiple inventive features that couple task/timing structure with biosignal-based detection of neurological/emotional states and responsive modulation of brain-region electrical stimulation, including detection-triggered delivery of stimulation portions and modulation constrained by time window and an aggregated-parameter maximum limit.
Event-associated delivery of stimulation portions within a time window
providing an electrical stimulation device at a surface of a head region of the user; and delivering an electrical stimulation session to a brain region in association with the time window, wherein providing the electrical stimulation session comprises delivering a first portion of the set of portions in association with a first event.
Biosignal stream detection of stressed-state entry to trigger stimulation
receiving, at a biosignal detection device, a signal stream characterizing a neurological state of the user; detecting a second event comprising an entry of the user to a stressed state based on the signal stream; and delivering a second portion of the set of portions upon detecting the second event.
Task guidance with determination of emotional state for modulation
providing an electrical stimulation device at a head region of a user; guiding the user in performing a task at a mobile computing device associated with the user; determining a neurological state of the user associated with the performance of the task, wherein determining the neurological state comprises determining an emotional state of the user; and providing an electrical stimulation treatment to a brain region of the user.
Emotional-state-based modulation to modify the emotional state
modulating the electrical stimulation treatment provided to the user based upon the neurological state, thereby modifying the emotional state of the user.
Across clm-00001 and clm-00005, the core claim coverage centers on delivering stimulation in portions tied to neurological events within a time window and triggering later portions based on biosignal-detected stressed-state entry, and on guiding task performance while determining an emotional neurological state and modulating brain-region electrical stimulation based on that state to modify the emotional state. Dependent claim refinements discussed in the provided content include EEG-based signal streams, specific cortical targets and modalities, and constraints such as resting periods and an aggregated-parameter maximum limit during the time window.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?