IP Library Granted Patent US 8,774,894
Granted Patent B2
US 8,774,894 · App. 13/053,043 · Granted Jul 8, 2014

Electroencephalogram (EEG) cluster electrodes

Inventor: Michael Lee (Carmel, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
A61B5/04085
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,774,894
App. No.
13/053,043
Granted
Jul 8, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments described herein include devices and systems comprising sensor electrodes. Each sensor electrode comprises contacts positioned adjacent one another to form a pattern. Signal outputs are coupled to the contacts. A signal output is connected to each contact. One or more processors are coupled to the signal outputs. The processor separately processes each of the signal outputs.

Claims (81)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes, each sensor electrode comprising a plurality of contacts;

a plurality of signal outputs coupled to the plurality of contacts;

a processor coupled to the plurality of signal outputs, the processor to separately process each signal output of the plurality of signal outputs; and

a voltage balancing circuit coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts, wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises an output of a single-ended amplifier coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, and a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series between a first voltage source and a second voltage source and coupled to an input of the single-ended amplifier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises:

a first electrode to be coupled to a first portion of a body of a human subject, the first electrode comprising:

a first contact to gather a first signal from the first portion of the body; and

a second contact to gather a second signal from the first portion of the body;

a second electrode to be coupled to a second portion of the body, the second electrode comprising:

a third contact to gather a third signal from the second portion of the body; and

a fourth contact to gather a fourth signal from the second portion of the body; and

wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to separately process the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a first housing that includes the first electrode and a third electrode; and

a second housing that includes the second electrode and a fourth electrode.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first electrode is disposed on a first end of the first housing, and the third electrode is disposed on a second end of the first housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a fifth electrode positioned in the first housing between the first end and a center region of the first housing; and

a sixth electrode positioned in the first housing between the second end and the center region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first electrode is to contact a left region of a head of the body, the third electrode is to contact a right region of the head, and the fifth electrode and the sixth electrode are to contact a front center region of the head when worn by the subject.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact and a sixth contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second electrode further comprises a seventh contact and an eighth contact, the third contact, the fourth contact, the seventh contact and the eighth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the third contact, the fourth contact, the seventh contact and the eighth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on a first end of the second housing, and the fourth electrode on a second end of the second housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second electrode and the fourth electrode are to contact a rear center region of a head of the body when worn by the subject.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising a substrate connected to the first housing and the second housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact and a sixth contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

13. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact, a sixth contact and a seventh contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact, the sixth contact and the seventh contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact, and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern, and the seventh contact positioned in a center region of the rectangular pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein a distance between the first contact in a first corner and the second contact in a second corner is approximately 1.25 inches.

15. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is to form a plurality of processed signals by separately processing the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal, and the processor is to form a combined signal by combining at least two of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal when processed.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact comprises gold.

17. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless transmitter to transmit one or more of: (1) data of at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact or (2) data gathered by at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the single-ended amplifier is a first single-ended amplifier and the input is a first input, the apparatus further comprising a second input of a second single-ended amplifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of contacts.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a biasing circuit in circuit with the second single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a third resistor coupled between a third voltage source and the second single-ended amplifier.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage balancing circuit is a first voltage balancing circuit, the apparatus further comprising a second voltage balancing circuit communicatively coupled to a second one of the plurality of contacts.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the second voltage balancing circuit comprises a third resistor and a fourth resistor in circuit with the second one of the plurality of contacts, wherein a first diode couples the third resistor to a third voltage source, and a second diode couples the fourth resistor to a fourth voltage source.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a direct current elimination circuit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of contacts.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the single-ended amplifier is a first single-ended amplifier and the input is a first input, and wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a capacitor coupled between a second input of a second single-ended amplifier and the at least one of the plurality of contacts communicatively coupled to the direct current elimination circuit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a biasing circuit communicatively coupled to the at least one of the plurality of contacts communicatively coupled to the direct current elimination circuit, and wherein the biasing circuit comprises a third resistor coupled between a third voltage source and the second input of the second single-ended amplifier.

25. A system comprising:

a plurality of sensor electrodes, each sensor electrode comprising a plurality of contacts;

a plurality of signal outputs coupled to the plurality of contacts;

a control circuit coupled to the plurality of signal outputs; and

a processor coupled to the control circuit, the processor to separately process each signal output of the plurality of signal outputs,

wherein the control circuit comprises a voltage balancing circuit coupled to a signal output of at least one contact of the plurality of contacts, and

wherein the voltage balancing circuit comprises an output of a single-ended amplifier coupled to the signal output of the at least one contact, and a first resistor and a second resistor coupled in series between a first voltage source and a second voltage source and coupled to an input of the single-ended amplifier.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of sensor electrodes comprises:

a first electrode to be coupled to a first portion of a body of a human subject, the first electrode comprising:

a first contact to gather a first signal from the first portion of the body; and

a second contact to gather a second signal from the first portion of the body;

a second electrode to be coupled to a second portion of the body, the second electrode comprising:

a third contact to gather a third signal from the second portion of the body; and

a fourth contact to gather a fourth signal from the second portion of the body;

wherein the control circuit is communicatively coupled to the first contact, the second contact, the third contact and the fourth contact; and

wherein the processor is to separately process the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a first housing that includes the first electrode and a third electrode; and

a second housing that includes the second electrode and a fourth electrode.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first electrode is disposed on a first end of the first housing, and the third electrode is disposed on a second end of the first housing.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising:

a fifth electrode positioned in the first housing between the first end and a center region of the first housing; and

a sixth electrode positioned in the first housing between the second end and the center region.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the first electrode is to contact a left region of a head of the body, the third electrode is to contact a right region of the head, and the fifth electrode and the sixth electrode are to contact a front center region of the head when worn by the subject.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact and a sixth contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on a first end of the second housing, and the fourth electrode on a second end of the second housing.

33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the second electrode and the fourth electrode are to contact a rear center region of a head of the body when worn by the subject.

34. The system of claim 32 , wherein the second electrode further comprises a seventh contact and an eighth contact, the third contact, the fourth contact, the seventh contact and the eighth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the third contact, the fourth contact, the seventh contact and the eighth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

35. The system of claim 32 , comprising a substrate connected to the first housing and the second housing.

36. The system of claim 26 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact and a sixth contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern.

37. The system of claim 26 , wherein the first electrode further comprises a fifth contact, a sixth contact and a seventh contact, the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact, the sixth contact and the seventh contact being arranged in a rectangular pattern with each of the first contact, the second contact, the fifth contact and the sixth contact positioned in a respective corner region of the rectangular pattern, and the seventh contact positioned in a center region of the rectangular pattern.

38. The system of claim 37 , wherein a distance between the first contact in a first corner and the second contact in a second corner is approximately 1.25 inches.

39. The system of claim 26 , wherein the processor is to form a plurality of processed signals by separately processing the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal, and the processor is to form a combined signal by combining at least two of the first signal, the second signal, the third signal and the fourth signal when processed.

40. The system of claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact comprises gold.

41. The system of claim 26 further comprising a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the wireless transmitter to transmit one or more of: (1) data of at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact or (2) data gathered by at least one of the first contact, the second contact, the third contact or the fourth contact.

42. The system of claim 25 , wherein the single-ended amplifier is a first single-ended amplifier and the input is a first input, and wherein the control circuit comprises a second single-ended amplifier having a second input communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of contacts.

43. The system of claim 42 , wherein the control circuit comprises a biasing circuit in circuit with the second single-ended amplifier, wherein the biasing circuit comprises a third resistor coupled between a third voltage source and the second single-ended amplifier.

44. The system of claim 25 , wherein the voltage balancing circuit is a first voltage balancing circuit, and wherein the control circuit comprises a second voltage balancing circuit communicatively coupled to a second one of the plurality of contacts.

45. The system of claim 44 , wherein the second voltage balancing circuit comprises a third resistor and a fourth resistor in circuit with the second one of the plurality of contacts, a first diode couples the third resistor to a third voltage source, and a second diode couples the fourth resistor to a fourth voltage source.

46. The system of claim 25 , wherein the control circuit comprises a direct current elimination circuit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of contacts.

47. The system of claim 46 , wherein the single-ended amplifier is a first single-ended amplifier and the input is a first input, and wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a capacitor in circuit with a second input of a second single-ended amplifier and the at least one of the plurality of contacts communicatively coupled to the direct current elimination circuit.

48. The system of claim 47 , wherein the direct current elimination circuit comprises a biasing circuit communicatively coupled to the at least one of the plurality of contacts communicatively coupled to the direct current elimination circuit, and the biasing circuit comprises a third resistor coupled between a third voltage source and the input of the second single-ended amplifier.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC; BYZZER INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055742/0719 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2021
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC
Reel/Frame 055557/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2021
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC
Reel/Frame 055236/0963 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2012
From: EMSENSE CORPORATION
To: EMSENSE, LLC
Reel/Frame 028002/0929 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2012
From: EMSENSE, LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC., A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028002/0919 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2011
From: LEE, MICHAEL
To: EMSENSE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026969/0436 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 61315924 · Mar 20, 2010
Provisional Application 61315925 · Mar 20, 2010
Provisional Application 61315929 · Mar 20, 2010
Related Publication 20110257502A1 · Oct 20, 2011