Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A system for determining anatomical localization of functional activity of a human brain during a neurosurgical procedure comprising: a) illumination means for generating an illuminating light; b) optical bandpass filter means disposed between the illumination means and the brain for enabling sequential illumination of an exposed surface of the brain with predetermined wavelengths of monochromatic light; c) a video camera generating a video signal representing an image of the illuminated exposed surface of the brain; d) video processing means coupled to the video camera for converting the generated video signal to a log signal which directly represents reflectance of said exposed brain surface; e) image processing means coupled to said video processing means for digitizing and analyzing said log signal and for computing regional total hemoglobin concentration of said exposed brain surface; f) display means coupled to said image processing means for displaying an image representing the computed regional total hemoglobin concentration of said exposed brain surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system defined by Claim 1 further comprising stimulation signal generation means for generating at least one of a tactile, an auditory and a visual signal for stimulating predetermined sensory pathways of a human being under going said neurosurgical procedure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein the brain is stimulated by performance of a predetermined neuropsychological task by a human being undergoing said neurosurgical procedure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said illumination means comprises: a) an electronic flash unit coupled to a computer for generating the illuminating light under control of the computer; and b) a collimator lens assembly coupled to said electronic flash unit for collimating the illuminating light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said optical bandpass filter means comprises: a) a filter wheel having two filter apertures, said filter wheel adapted to retain two thin-film interference filters; and b) two thin-film interference filters mounted on said filter wheel, said two thin-film interference filters having bandpass centers at 569.0 nm. and 586.0 nm. respectively, with 50% transmission bandwidths of 1.8 nm., and with 10% transmission bandwidths of 2.6 nm.; c) a filter positioner coupled to said filter wheel and a computer for interposing one of said two filters between said illuminating means and said brain under control of said computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said video camera comprises a high-resolution charge-coupled device interline-transfer video camera.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said video processing means comprises: a) means for transforming the video signal generated by said camera into a logarithmic signal proportional to the log₁₀ of the absolute value of the video signal; and b) multiplexer means coupled to said transforming means, a reference voltage source, and said video camera through means for inverting and DC-restoring the video signal generated by said video camera, said multiplexer means for selecting one of said logarithmic signal, said inverted and DC-restored video signal, and said reference voltage, and passing said selected signal to said image processing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said image processing means comprises: a) analog-to-digital converter means coupled to said video processing means for digitizing video information generated by said video processing means; b) memory means coupled to said analog-to-digital converter means for storing at least four video frames of digitized video information; c) arithmetic processor means coupled to said memory means for performing predetermined arithmetic operations on said digitized video information; and d) digital-to-analog converter means coupled to said memory means for generating RGB video signals from said arithmetically processed digitized video information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system defined by Claim 1 wherein said display means comprises an RGB monitor coupled to said image processing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system defined by Claim 2 wherein said stimulation signal generation means comprises at least one of a tactile signal generation device, an audio signal generation device and a visual signal generation device coupled to a computer for generating said tactile, audio and visual signals undercontrol of said computer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for determining anatomical localization of functional activity of a human brain during a neurosurgical procedure comprising the steps of: a) sequentially illuminating an exposed surface of the brain with predetermined wavelengths of monochromatic light; c) generating a video signal representing an image of the illuminated exposed surface of the brain; d) converting the generated video signal to a log signal which directly represents reflectance of said exposed brain surface; e) selecting one of said log signal, said video signal after inverting and DC-restoring the video signal, and a reference voltage; f) computing regional total hemoglobin concentration of said exposed brain surface using said selected signal; and g) displaying an image representing the computed regional total hemoglobin concentration of said exposed brain surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined by Claim 11 further comprising the step of generating a signal for stimulating predetermined sensory pathways of said human being.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined by Claim 11 further comprising the step of stimulating the brain by performance of a predetermined neuropsychological task.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method defined by Claim 11 wherein said sequentially illuminating step comprises the steps of: a) generating the illuminating light using an electronic flash unit controlled by a computer; b) collimating the illuminating light; and c) passing the collimated illuminating light through two thin-film interference filters having bandpass centers at 569.0 nm and 586.0 nm respectively, with 50% transmission bandwidths of 1.8 nm, and with 10% transmission bandwidths of 2.6 nm, wherein a filter positioner is used for interposing one of said two filters between said electronic flash unit and said brain under control of said computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined by Claim 11 wherein said video signal is generated by a high-resolution charge-coupled device interline-transfer video camera.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined by Claim 11 wherein said converting step comprises the step of transforming the video signal into a logarithmic signal proportional to the log₁₀ of the absolute value of the video signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method defined by Claim 11 wherein said computing step comprises steps of: a) digitizing video information generated by said video processor means; b) storing at least four video frames of said digitized video information; c) performing predetermined arithmetic operations on said digitized video information; and d) generating RGB video signals from said arithmetically processed digitized video information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system defined by Claim 12 wherein said stimulation signal generating step comprises the step of generating at least one of a tactile signal, an audio signal, and a visual signal.