Patent EP0477434A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0477434A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Analysis of biological signals using data from arrays of sensors
Assignee: Biomagnetic Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1990-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-12-13
Abstract
Abstract Signals produced by brain activity are measured by each sensor of an array of magnetic and/or electrical sensors external to but proximate to the head (or other portion of the body) of a subject. The measurements obtained simultaneously from all of the sensors are combined in a manner to permit selective measurement of the electrical activity from a specified location within the body, or alternatively, to permit the location in the body producing a particular type of response to be identified. The instantaneous measurement of each sensor is scaled by a weighting coefficient for that sensor, and the products added over all of the sensors. Preferably, the weighting coefficients are calculated from the covariance matrix of the measurements made by the array of sensors. Alternatively, the weighting coefficients may be calculated from a mathematical model of the portion of the body being measured that includes information on the shape of the potential source, the extent or type of source activity, the electrical and magnetic properties of the media, and the locations and orientations of the sources and the sensors.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen E. Robinson
- 👤 William C. Black, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/242; A61B5/40; A61B5/4058; A61B5/4064; G; G01; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/02; G01R33/035; H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A process for sensing and evaluating signals emanating from a point within the body of a subject, comprising the steps of: providing an array of field sensors disposed external to the body of a subject at known locations; measuring a signal strength detected by each of said sensors; multiplying the signal strength measured by each of said sensors times a weighting coefficient for that sensor to determine a virtual sensor contribution for each of said sensors; and adding together the virtual sensor contribution of each of said sensors, to define a virtual sensor signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for sensing and evaluating signals emanating from a point within the body of a subject, comprising the steps of: providing an array of field sensors disposed external to the body of a subject at known locations; measuring a signal strength detected by each of said sensors; multiplying the signal strength measured by each of said sensors times a weighting coefficient for that sensor to determine a virtual sensor contribution for each of said sensors; and adding together the virtual sensor contribution of each of said sensors, to define a virtual sensor signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said weighting coefficient for each of said sensors is determined at least in part by the signal strengths detected by said array of sensors
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the weighting coefficients W are calculated in matrix form as where C ij is the covariance matrix of the measured signals of each of said sensors and G, is the sensitivity matrix for each sensor, at a particular point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
The process of claim 1, wherein each weighting coefficient is determined by the steps of characterizing the geometry of the portion of the body being measured, characterizing the nature of the magnetic fields emanating from possible sources in the body, characterizing the medium through which the magnetic fields propagate, formulating a mathematical model of the response of the array of electromagnetic sensors to a source within the body, and calculating the weighting coefficients from the model.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 4, wherein the weighting coefficient for each sensor is selected using the mathematical model to optimize the contribution to the virtual signal of a target source, relative to signals not produced by the target source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 4, wherein the mathematical model is a finite mesh model.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1, including the additional step, after the step of adding, of repeating the steps of multiplying and adding for a plurality of different points within the body of the subject.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 7, including the additional step, after the step of repeating, of displaying the virtual sensor signals determined for the points in space on a spatial plot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 7, including the additional step, after the step of repeating, of repeating the steps of measuring, multiplying, and adding for a signal determined at a different time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1, wherein each of said sensors is a magnetic field sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1, wherein each of said sensors is an electric field sensor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the sensors are placed proximately to the head of the subject.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the sensors are placed proximately to the chest of the subject.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1, including, after the step of adding, the additional step of correlating the virtual sensor signal with a physiological activity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
111 words
A process for sensing and evaluating electromagnetic signals emanating from a body of a subject, comprising the steps of; providing an array of electromagnetic field sensors disposed external to a body of a subject at known locations; measuring a signal for each of said sensors; determining a weighting coefficient applicable to each of said sensors from the measurements made in said step of measuring; multiplying the signal strength measured by each of said sensors times the calculated weighting coefficient for that sensor to determine a virtual sensor contribution for each of said sensors; and adding together said virtual sensor contribution of each of said sensors, to define a virtual sensor signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
A process for sensing and evaluating electromagnetic signals emanating from a body of a subject, comprising the steps of; providing an array of electromagnetic field sensors disposed external to a body of a subject at known locations; measuring a signal for each of said sensors; determining a weighting coefficient applicable to each of said sensors from the measurements made in said step of measuring; multiplying the signal strength measured by each of said sensors times the calculated weighting coefficient for that sensor to determine a virtual sensor contribution for each of said sensors; and adding together said virtual sensor contribution of each of said sensors, to define a virtual sensor signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 15, wherein the weighting coefficients W are calculated in matrix form as where C ij is the covariance matrix of the measured signals of each of said sensors and G T is the sensitivity matrix for each sensor, at a particular point.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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