METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MEDIA GUIDANCE APPLICATIONS CONFIGURED TO MONITOR BRAIN ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF A BRAIN

1 . A method for performing an operation of a media guidance application in response to activity in a region of a brain of a user, the method comprising:

monitoring brain activity of the user in a first region of the brain;

determining a first brain state associated with the first region based on the brain activity of the user in the first region;

cross-referencing the first region with a database associated with functions performed by the user using regions of the brain to determine at least one function the user is performing based on the brain activity of the user in the first region of the brain;

comparing the first brain state to a threshold range for performing the at least one function; and

in response to determining the first brain state does not correspond to the threshold range, performing a media guidance operation associated with the at least one function.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the brain activity of the user further comprises receiving data from an electroencephalogram unit indicating a first frequency range of the brain activity of the user or receiving data from an electromyogram unit indicating first electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising cross-referencing the first frequency range of the brain activity of the user with a database associated with frequencies of brain states to determine the first brain state or cross-referencing the first electrical activity of the muscles near the brain of the user with a database associated with electrical activity of brain states to determine the first brain state.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the electroencephalogram unit or the electromyogram unit is incorporated into a mobile headset, wherein the mobile headset is battery powered.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the mobile headset operates in a first mode and a second mode, and wherein the first mode is associated with a first power consumption level and the second mode is associated with a second power consumption level.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one function is associated with an ability of a user to read data displayed on a display screen, and wherein the threshold range is associated with a threshold frequency range of the brain activity of the user usually associated with the at least one function or threshold electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction usually associated with the at least one function, and wherein performing the media guidance operation associated with the at least one function includes modifying the display of data on the display screen such that first frequency range corresponds to the threshold frequency range or the first electrical activity corresponds to the threshold electrical activity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one function is associated with an ability of a user to hear audio data associated with a media asset, and wherein the threshold range is associated with a threshold frequency range of the brain activity of the user usually associated with the at least one function or threshold electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction usually associated with the at least one function, and wherein performing the media guidance operation associated with the at least one function includes modifying a volume of the audio data associated with the media asset such that first frequency range corresponds to the threshold frequency range or the first electrical activity corresponds to the threshold electrical activity.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display an icon on a display screen, wherein the icon provides feedback to the user related to achieving the first brain state.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the icon includes on-screen instructions for how to achieve the first brain state.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving a list of functions associated with the region of the brain; and

selecting one of the functions from the list of functions in response to determining that the one of the functions from the list of functions corresponds to a current activity of the user.

11 . A system for performing an operation of a media guidance application in response to activity in a region of a brain of a user, the system configured to:

monitor brain activity of the user in a first region of the brain;

determine a first brain state associated with the first region based on the brain activity of the user in the first region;

cross-reference the first region with a database associated with functions performed by the user using regions of the brain to determine at least one function the user is performing based on the brain activity of the user in the first region of the brain;

compare the first brain state to a threshold range for performing the at least one function; and

in response to determining the first brain state does not correspond to the threshold range, perform a media guidance operation associated with the at least one function.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to monitor the brain activity of the user is further configured to receive data from an electroencephalogram unit indicating a first frequency range of the brain activity of the user or configured to receive data from an electromyogram unit indicating first electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cross-reference the first frequency range of the brain activity of the user with a database associated with frequencies of brain states to determine the first brain state or cross-reference the first electrical activity of the muscles near the brain of the user with a database associated with electrical activity of brain states to determine the first brain state.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the electroencephalogram unit or the electromyogram unit is incorporated into a mobile headset, wherein the mobile headset is battery powered.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the mobile headset operates in a first mode and a second mode, and wherein the first mode is associated with a first power consumption level and the second mode is associated with a second power consumption level.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one function is associated with an ability of a user to read data displayed on a display screen, and wherein the threshold range is associated with a threshold frequency range of the brain activity of the user usually associated with the at least one function or threshold electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction usually associated with the at least one function, and wherein the control circuitry configured to perform the media guidance operation associated with the at least one function is further configured to modify the display of data on the display screen such that first frequency range corresponds to the threshold frequency range or the first electrical activity corresponds to the threshold electrical activity.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one function is associated with an ability of a user to hear audio data associated with a media asset, and wherein the threshold range is associated with a threshold frequency range of the brain activity of the user usually associated with the at least one function or a threshold electrical activity of muscles near the brain of the user at rest and during contraction usually associated with the at least one function, and wherein the control circuitry configured to perform the media guidance operation associated with the at least one function is further configured to modify a volume of the audio data associated with the media asset such that first frequency range corresponds to the threshold frequency range or the first electrical activity corresponds to the threshold electrical activity.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display an icon on a display screen, wherein the icon provides feedback to the user related to achieving the first brain state.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the icon includes on-screen instructions for how to achieve the first brain state.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve a list of functions associated with the region of the brain; and

select one of the functions from the list of functions in response to determining that the one of the functions from the list of functions corresponds to a current activity of the user.

21 - 40 . (canceled)