Patent No. 6547746 Method and apparatus for determining response thresholds

 

Patent No. 6547746

Method and apparatus for determining response thresholds (Marino, Apr 15, 2003)

Abstract

A method and apparatus for evaluating the response of a biological or nonbiological system to an external or internal stimulus (optical, thermal, auditory, tactile, taste, electrical, magnetic, chemical, biochemical, pharmacological, hormonal, internal cellular transformations, etc.). The system is exposed to the stimulus while at least one electrophysiological signal is recorded. The recorded data is digitized, stored, and analyzed using RQA or other suitable techniques to ascertain the properties of the system's response to the stimulus.

Notes:  

Method and apparatus for determining thresholds. Filed August 2001, granted April 2003. Pretty much straight forward. It goes into measuring EEG and what can be derived from it for responses to external stimuli like non-visible light, electromagnetic, magnetic, electrical, etc. Gives brief descriptions on a number of other patents. Uses recurrence quantitization analysis. Basically ties anyone remote neural monitoring anyone in with or knowing about and covering up for any other electromagnetic, magnetic or subliminal attacks done on that person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to its major aspects and broadly stated, the present invention includes a method and apparatus for evaluating the response of a subject (or other biological or nonbiological system) to an external stimulus (optical, thermal, tactile, auditory, taste, electrical, magnetic, pharmacological, hormonal, chemical, biochemical, etc.) or to a stimulus that is generated internally (local changes in oxygen concentration, transformation; of cells from normal to malignant, localized tissue injury, localized inflammation, etc.). The subject is exposed to the stimulus while at least one electrophysiological signal (EEG, EKG, EMG, electrical potential, blood oxygen saturation, etc.) is recorded. The recorded data is digitized, stored, and analyzed to ascertain the properties of the subject's response to the stimulus. The significance of the results can be analyzed using parametric or nonparametric statistical procedures. The method is independent of well-known constraints such as the size of the data set, underlying assumptions regarding the statistical distribution of the data, and assumptions about the nature of the data (homeostatic vs. nonhomeostatic, linear vs. nonlinear, etc.). It permits reliable analysis of a subject's response regardless of whether or not the subject is aware of the presence (or absence) of the stimulus being evaluated, and regardless of whether the stimulus is external or internal. Furthermore, the invention permits detection of structure in signals whether or not the signals were elicited by periodic or nonperiodic stimuli.

The apparatus (to be described in detail below) may include equipment for generating stimuli, recording output signals from the subject, and recording, processing, and analyzing the output signals. Unwanted portions of the measured output signals (for example, the relatively high-amplitude signals associated with the subject's EMG and respiration that appear during measurements of the subject's EEG) are removed by a numerical filter or other suitable filter. The apparatus also includes a phase-space filter that removes non-useful portions of the output signals in phase space, an analog-to-digital (AID) converter, and a programmable computer for carrying out recurrence procedures that further facilitate analysis of the data.

The invention can be used with either controlled or uncontrolled stimuli (also termed "inputs"). Importantly, it permits reliably distinguishing the subject's response in the form of an output signal of interest from other, generally stronger, signals that may obscure it. For example, the voltage from a surface electrode placed on a selected location on a subject's skin can be measured over a period of time. When these measurements are analyzed, the voltage shows a trend (either up or down) that is related to electrode polarization effects. In addition, there is an approximately periodic signal that corresponds to the subject's heart beat (the EKG or ECG), signals that correspond to the subject's brain electrical activity (EEG), rhythmic signals that correspond to the subject's breathing, and episodic signals that can be traced to contractions of the subject's muscles during movement (EMG). Selected signals of this nature can be optimized depending on the placement of the electrode, the choice of frequency measured, and other well-known factors. In contrast, the invention. permits isolation of much smaller (usually by several orders of magnitude) electrical signals that represent the subject's response to a stimulus of interest.

An important feature of the present invention is the use of Recurrence Quantification Analysis ("RQA") or other suitable techniques to evaluate the output signals. Such techniques can be used to quantify and analyze nonhomeostatic responses to a variety of external and internal stimuli, including but not limited to light, sound, pressure, aroma, taste, electric and magnetic fields, chemical, biochemical, and hormonal stimuli, and internal changes on the cellular level. RQA, for example, involves digitizing the recorded data to obtain a scalar time series, which is then embedded in a multidimensional state space using a time delay to obtain a diagram that represents the evolution of the state of the system over time. This technique is particularly suitable for the study of systems that are characterized by nonhomeostatic transients and state changes.

Another important feature of the present invention is the use of numerical and phase-space filters to remove non-useful portions of the output signals. A numerical filter removes selected amplitudes, frequencies, or other components of the output signal; a phase-space filter removes selected points in phase space. Application of these filters prepares the data for recurrence analysis and increases the overall sensitivity of the analysis.

Another important feature of the invention is the apparatus used to implement the method. The apparatus may include equipment for generating a stimulus ("controlled input"), measuring output signals from the subject, and storing and analyzing the resulting data. Depending on the nature of the system being examined, analyses may include parametric or nonparametric statistical analyses.

Another feature of the present invention is its applicability to any system that generates an output signal, either by virtue of a controlled or an uncontrolled input. In the latter case, it is necessary only that the output signal be generated by a subsystem of the system being examined. Thus, other parts of the same system can be analyzed for an output signal (or signals) that can serve as a control for the output signal from the subsystem of interest.

Still another feature of the present invention is its versatility. The invention can be used with substantially any types of stimulus and response, including but not necessarily limited to light, sound, temperature, pressure, aroma, taste, electric and magnetic fields, chemical and biochemical stimuli, hormonal stimuli, etc.

Yet another feature of the present invention is the ability to distinguish between the effects of the stimulus of interest and conditions (or other stimuli) that may be present. For example, the effects of subject fatigue and changes in ambient environmental conditions can be distinguished from the effects of the stimulus of interest.

Another feature of the present invention is the ability to detect and quantify output signals even when those signals form only a minuscule part of the measured signal, and even when the input is subliminal.