# US 5,267,942 A · Method for influencing physiological processes through physiologically interactive stimuli

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- Number: US 5,267,942 A
- Document ID: US5267942A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/869,922
- Filed: 1992-04-20
- Granted: 1993-12-07
- Earliest claimed: 1992-04-20
- Assignees: Utah State University Foundation
- Inventors: Bruce M. Saperston
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5267942A

## CPC

- A63B 71/0686: {Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means}
- A61M 21/02: for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021)
- A61M 2021/0022: {by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations}
- A61M 2021/0027: {by the hearing sense}
- A61M 2021/0072: {with application of electrical currents}
- A61M 2230/06: Heartbeat rate only
- A61M 2230/10: Electroencephalographic signals
- A61M 2230/42: Rate
- Y10S 128/905: Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A method for interactively entraining a patient's heart rate to a target rate or frequency includes the steps of determining the patient's heart rate through a heart rate monitor and exposing the patient to music having a tempo within approximately one (1) beat of the heart rate. The heart rate is again determined, and if it has changed the tempo of the music is likewise changed in order to be within approximately one (1) beat of the heart rate. The process is continued until the target rate is reached. Vibrational bass tones can be added to enhance the entrainment. Similar methods can be used to entrain respiration rate and fundamental brain wave frequencies, in the latter case using continuous tones of music having repetition frequencies within the entrainment range.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of interactively influencing a patient's physiological process having a frequency, in order to change the frequency of the process to a target frequency, comprising the steps of:
ascertaining the frequency of the physiological process at a first point in time;
exposing the patient to rhythmic sound stimuli having a frequency within a predetermined entrainment range of the physiological process frequency;
ascertaining the frequency of the physiological process at a second point in time;
determining any change in frequency of the physiological process between the first point and second point in time;
adjusting the frequency of the rhythmic sound stimuli in response to the change of the physiological process frequency to bring the frequency of the rhythmic sound stimuli within the predetermined entrainment range;
exposing the patient to the rhythmic sound stimuli having its adjusted frequency.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the rhythmic sound stimuli comprises music.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of exposing the patient to tactile stimuli at a frequency approximately equal to the frequency of the rhythmic sound stimuli.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological process frequency is the heart rate of the patient.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the step of exposing the patient to rhythmic sound stimuli includes exposing the patient to music which has a tempo of a frequency within the predetermined entrainment range.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the step of exposing the patient to rhythmic sound stimuli having a frequency within a predetermined entrainment range includes exposing the patient to music having a tempo which differs from the heart rate between 1 and 0.01 beats per minute.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of ascertaining the frequency of the physiological process at a third point in time, determining the change in frequency of the physiological process between the second point and third point in time, adjusting the frequency of the sound stimuli in response to the change in frequency of the physiological process to bring the frequency of the sound stimuli within the predetermined entrainment range, and exposing the patient to the sound stimuli with its adjusted frequency.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exposing the patient to rhythmic sound stimuli includes exposing the subject to pre-programmed synthesizer music at a predetermined tempo.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of exposing the patient to tones having a frequency between approximately 20 and 30 Hz as the bass portion of the music.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological process is the patient's fundamental brain wave frequency.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological process is the respiration rate of the patient.

### Claim 12

A method of interactively entraining a physiological process having a determinable frequency in a patient toward a target frequency comprising the steps of:
making a first determination of the frequency of the physiological process;
presenting sound stimuli to the patient during a predetermined first time interval, the sound stimuli having a frequency within a predetermined entrainment range of the frequency of the physiological process;
making a second determination of the frequency of the physiological process, thereby determining the direction of and extent to which the physiological process frequency has varied from the time of the first determination;
changing the frequency of the sound stimuli to approximately the same extent and in the same direction as the change in frequency of the physiological process;
presenting the sound stimuli to the patient during a predetermined second time interval.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of repeating the steps of the method until the frequency of the physiological process is approximately the same as the target frequency.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of making the frequency of the sound stimuli approximately the same as the target frequency.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of monitoring the frequency of the physiological process and changing the frequency of the sound stimuli to remain within the entrainment range of the physiological process frequency if the latter substantially deviates from the target frequency.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the physiological process is the heartbeat of the patient, the frequency of the physiological process is the heart rate, the sound stimuli is music, and the frequency of the sound stimuli is the tempo of the music.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the physiological process is the brain wave activity of the patient, the frequency of the physiological process is the frequency of a predetermined frequency component of the brain wave activity, the sound stimuli is a continuous tone, and the frequency of the sound stimuli is the frequency in Hertz units of the continuous tone.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein the predetermined frequency component of the brain wave activity is the fundamental frequency of the brain wave.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of presenting music to the patient in conjunction with the continuous tone.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the physiological process is the brain wave activity of the patient, the frequency of the physiological process is the frequency of a predetermined frequency component of the brain wave activity, the sound stimuli is a continuous fundamental tone together with harmonic overtones comprising whole number multiples of the fundamental tone thereby generating a repetition frequency, and the frequency of the sound stimuli is the repetition frequency.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the physiological process is the brain wave activity of the patient, the frequency of the physiological process is the frequency of a predetermined frequency component of the brain wave activity, and the frequency of the sound stimuli is the beat frequency resulting from the simultaneous sounding of two pure tones that differ only minimally in their frequencies.

### Claim 22 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the physiological process is the respiration of the patient, the frequency of the physiological process is the respiration rate of the patient, the sound stimuli is music, and the frequency of the sound stimuli is the tempo of the music.

### Claim 23

A method of varying the heart rate of a person, the heart rate having a frequency, from a first heart rate frequency to a second heart rate frequency comprising the steps of:
(1) exposing the person to music having a tempo within an entrainment range of the first heart rate frequency;
(2) ascertaining the change, if any, in the person's heart rate frequency;
(3) determining whether the music tempo is still within an entrainment range of the heart rate frequency and if so, changing the tempo to fall once again within an entrainment range of the heart rate frequency;
(4) exposing the person to the music with the changed tempo;
(5) repeating steps (1) through (4) until the heart rate frequency reaches the second heart rate frequency.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of exposing the person to low frequency tones corresponding to the bass part of the music.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of exposing the person to tactile stimulation corresponding to the tempo of the music.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the entrainment range is 0.19 beats per minute.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein the tempo of the music differs from the heart rate by a maximum of 0.19 beats per minute.

### Claim 28

A method of changing a component brain wave frequency of a person from a first frequency to a target frequency comprising the steps of:
(1) determining the first frequency of the component frequency at a first point in time;
(2) subjecting the person to a first sound tone having a frequency near the first frequency;
(3) determining the frequency of the component frequency at a second point in time;
(4) subjecting the person to a second sound tone in place of the first sound tone, the second sound tone having a frequency near the frequency of the component frequency as determined at the second point in time;
(5) repeating steps (1) through (4) until the component frequency approximates the target frequency;
wherein the sound tones are continuous fundamental tones, together with harmonic overtones comprising whole number multiples of the fundamental tones, thereby generating a repetition frequency, and wherein the frequencies of the sound tones are the repetition frequencies.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the component frequency is the fundamental brain wave frequency.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the first and second sound tones each have a frequency within the entrainment range of the component frequency.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of subjecting the person to music in combination with the sound tones.

### Claim 32 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the sound tones each comprise the beat frequency resulting from the simultaneous sounding of two pure tones that differ only minimally in their frequencies.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 wherein the two pure tones differ approximately between 0.2 and 3.0 Hz.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 wherein the two pure tones each have frequencies of between approximately 20 to 90 Hz.