Method and apparatus for intracranial pressure estimation

Claim 1

A method for estimating intracranial pressure comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one evoked potential; (b) measuring the value of the latency of a peak of said evoked potential; and (c) comparing the value of said latency with known latency/intracranial pressure correlations to determine an estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 2

A method for estimating intracranial pressure comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one evoked potential; (b) measuring the value of the latency of a peak of said evoked potential; and (c) comparing the value of said latency with known latency/intracranial pressure correlations to determine an estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 5

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) attaching an electrode to the subject's head to measure potentials; (b) providing a sensory stimulus to the subject to produce an evoked potential; (c) measuring the interval between said sensory stimulus and a peak voltage potential on said electrode; and (d) identifying an estimated range of intracranial pressure corresponding to said measured interval.

Claim 6

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) attaching an electrode to the subject's head to measure potentials; (b) providing a sensory stimulus to the subject to produce an evoked potential; (c) measuring the interval between said sensory stimulus and a peak voltage potential on said electrode; and (d) identifying an estimated range of intracranial pressure corresponding to said measured interval.

Claim 10

A method for estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) evoking a potential by means of a sensory stimulus; (b) recording the values of a plurality of discrete points along said potential in the time range of approximately 60 to 108 milliseconds after said stimulus; (c) analyzing said values to determine the location of a change in slope from negative to positive along said potential in said time range; and (c) calculating a range of estimated intracranial pressure corresponding to said location of said change in slope.

Claim 11

A method for estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) evoking a potential by means of a sensory stimulus; (b) recording the values of a plurality of discrete points along said potential in the time range of approximately 60 to 108 milliseconds after said stimulus; (c) analyzing said values to determine the location of a change in slope from negative to positive along said potential in said time range; and (c) calculating a range of estimated intracranial pressure corresponding to said location of said change in slope.

Claim 14

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; and (g) wherein said discrete digital values are generated within the time interval of approximately 60 to 108 milliseconds after each stimulus.

Claim 15

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; and (g) wherein said discrete digital values are generated within the time interval of approximately 60 to 108 milliseconds after each stimulus.

Claim 16

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of the subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) wherein said output signal indicates a range of estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 17

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of the subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) wherein said output signal indicates a range of estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 18

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; (g) wherein said discrete digital values are each stored in a unique memory location; (h) wherein a plurality of stimuli are provided and said discrete digital values corresponding to each said interval are summed; and (i) monitoring said discrete digital values for an out-of-range condition and providing one additional stimulus when an out-of-range condition is sensed.

Claim 19

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; (g) wherein said discrete digital values are each stored in a unique memory location; (h) wherein a plurality of stimuli are provided and said discrete digital values corresponding to each said interval are summed; and (i) monitoring said discrete digital values for an out-of-range condition and providing one additional stimulus when an out-of-range condition is sensed.

Claim 20

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) eliminating abnormal fluctuations in said analog response by means of a curve smoothing routine.

Claim 21

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) eliminating abnormal fluctuations in said analog response by means of a curve smoothing routine.

Claim 22

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) wherein said step of determining a peak location determines a peak in the second negative-going wave of said analog response.

Claim 23

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) wherein said step of determining a peak location determines a peak in the second negative-going wave of said analog response.

Claim 24

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; and (g) wherein said step determining a peak location comprises analyzing said discrete digital values for a change in slope from negative to positive.

Claim 25

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; (f) wherein said analog response is sampled at a plurality of intervals such that a plurality of discrete digital values are generated which represent said analog response; and (g) wherein said step determining a peak location comprises analyzing said discrete digital values for a change in slope from negative to positive.

Claim 26

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) generating an error signal if no said peak location is determined in said step of determining a peak location.

Claim 27

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) generating an error signal if no said peak location is determined in said step of determining a peak location.

Claim 28

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) generating an error signal if more than one peak location is determined in said step of determining a peak location.

Claim 29

A method of estimating the intracranial pressure of a subject comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one sensory stimulus to the subject; (b) sensing an analog electrical brain response of the subject to said at least one stimulus by means of an electrode; (c) converting said analog response to a digital signal; (d) determining a peak location in said digital signal by means for digital computing; (e) generating an output signal representative of said peak location to indicate estimated intracranial pressure; and (f) generating an error signal if more than one peak location is determined in said step of determining a peak location.

Claim 30

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of a subject comprising: (a) means for generating a potential evoked by a sensory stimulus; (b) means for measuring the value of the latency of a peak of said potential; and (c) means for comparing the value of said latency with known latency/intracranial pressure correlations to determine an estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 31

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of a subject comprising: (a) means for generating a potential evoked by a sensory stimulus; (b) means for measuring the value of the latency of a peak of said potential; and (c) means for comparing the value of said latency with known latency/intracranial pressure correlations to determine an estimated intracranial pressure.

Claim 32

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of a subject comprising: (a) an electrode adapted to be attached to the head of the subject to measure voltage potentials; (b) means for providing a sensory stimulus to the subject; (c) means for measuring the interval between said stimulus and a peak voltage potential on said electrode; and (d) means for identifying an estimated range of intracranial pressure corresponding to said measured interval.

Claim 33

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of a subject comprising: (a) an electrode adapted to be attached to the head of the subject to measure voltage potentials; (b) means for providing a sensory stimulus to the subject; (c) means for measuring the interval between said stimulus and a peak voltage potential on said electrode; and (d) means for identifying an estimated range of intracranial pressure corresponding to said measured interval.

Claim 34

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of the subject comprising: (a) a source of light disposed to be viewed by the subject; (b) an electrode adapted to be attached to the subject's head to detect the subject's electrical brain activity; (c) means for causing said source of light to flash, thereby stimulating electrical brain activity of the subject; (d) computer means for detecting a latency of a peak in said electrical brain activity with respect to said flash of said source of light; and (e) output means for indicating a range of intracranial pressure determined with respect to said detected peak latency.

Claim 35

An apparatus for estimating intracranial pressure of the subject comprising: (a) a source of light disposed to be viewed by the subject; (b) an electrode adapted to be attached to the subject's head to detect the subject's electrical brain activity; (c) means for causing said source of light to flash, thereby stimulating electrical brain activity of the subject; (d) computer means for detecting a latency of a peak in said electrical brain activity with respect to said flash of said source of light; and (e) output means for indicating a range of intracranial pressure determined with respect to said detected peak latency.