Patent No. 4140997 Brain wave responsive programmable electronic visual display systems

 

Patent No. 4140997  Brain wave responsive programmable electronic visual display systems (Brady, Feb 20, 1979)

Abstract

The present invention provides electronic visual display systems which operate on an input signal to provide visual outputs having patterns, colors and motions which may be varied in accordance with a predetermined scheme. The amplitude, tempo and frequency content of the input signals are used in a variety of logical selection functions to control the color, pattern and motion of lights in a visual display matrix having three dimensional properties in a manner influenced by the contents of programmed memory components. The memory component programming is sufficiently flexible to provide a variety of visual effects from the systems. Systems of this type for displaying both audio input signals and brain wave input signals are provided.

Notes:

Brainwave responsive programmable electronic visual display systems. Filed July 1977, granted February 1979. Makes reference to 3951134, so it can be used with or as a part of. It leaves plenty of room to develop it further than as it is described within the patent when it uses the 1-N bit references for colors, motions or movements, and shapes for the display and for evoked potential correlation. Can be used as a brainwave entrainment device with light.

 

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 751,275, filed Dec. 17, 1976 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,805.

 

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to programmable electronic visual display systems. More particularly the present invention relates to systems of that type in which multiple dimensional displays are provided for visually connecting in a logical manner visual displays with, for example, an audio, input signal such as from a musical sound source. It is also anticipated that input sources other than audio can be used with the system of the present invention. One other example which is given is a system driven by brain wave inputs.

The basic concept of providing visual light displays to accompany musical programs has been employed in several prior art systems. One such system is illustrated in the applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,873 which issued on Apr. 23, 1974. The system described in this patent provided a means for achieving a variation of color according to the frequency content of a musical score in the visual display together with special synchronization of the movement of the display according to the beat of a musical score. In other words, this prior patent has taught the creation of a visual display system which achieves a color spectrum of the musical score together with motion of the spectral display in synchronization with the beat or tempo of the music in a manner which is determined by the musical score.

Such prior art systems as described in the applicant's aforementioned patent have provided the first intelligent visual communication of the audio content of a musical score. Systems of this type have proven extremely useful, for example, in communicating the intelligence of a musical score to those such as handicapped persons who can not perceive the auditory content of the musical score per se.

Systems such as that in the applicant's aforementioned prior patent have relied to a great deal on the rhythm content and frequency content of the audio input itself to produce pleasing displays in the visual display portion of the system. The present invention retains the advantage of such prior art systems while in addition introduces the capability of providing multiple displays which may be located in spacially significant parts of a setting such as a concert hall but, moreover, provide for predetermined pleasing patterns to be introduced in the visual display portion of the system which patterns may be of any character designed and which are not solely determined according to the rhythmatic and frequency content of the input portion of the system. While the systems to be described are described in terms of audio input signals, it is anticipated that other types of input sources can be used. The following descriptions are intended as being exemplary in this sense, rather than limitative.

Thus, programmable visual display systems according to the concepts of the present invention provide a new dimension in communication of the intelligence conveyed in an input such as a musical score in the sense that such intelligence may be interpreted through the motion, tempo of the motion, frequency content, and intensity of an audio input. A system contemplated by the present invention can provide a much more subtle and aesthetic conveyence in a visual display of the intent and mood of an audio composition such as a musical score than in any system afforded in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A programmable electronic visual display system in accordance with the concepts of the present invention includes at least two basic logic systems. These logic systems comprise an amplitude dependent logic system and a frequency dependent logic system, both of which are responsive to an input signal. Both logic system components of the programmable electronic visual display system of the present invention superimpose logical selection of visual display patterns which may be preselected in a predetermined manner upon both the amplitude and frequency content of the input. The logical operations performed in response to both the amplitude information and the frequency information contained in an audio input such as musical score may be of various types. These logical functions are selectable by the user or the designer of the system and may be selected in order to accomplish multiple ends in the conveyance of the mood, frequency content, and intensity of the input audio signals and are always superimposed upon the visual interpretation of the audio input signals. There is a pattern to the display or multiple displays of the system which may be predetermined according to whatever concept is desired in a particular system. Moreover, there may be crossover logic components used in a system according to the concepts of the present invention to interconnect the logical operations of both the amplitude and frequency content dependent logic portions of the system. The net result of a programmable visual electronic display system of the type of the present invention is to provide a much more subtle and pleasing conveyance of the information content of the audio input signal than has theretofore been possible with any prior art visual display system for use in conjunction with an audio input.

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It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications could be made to the embodiments shown and discussed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore the aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.