# US 7,613,509 B2 · Systems, methods, and computer program products for transmitting neural signal information

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- Number: US 7,613,509 B2
- Document ID: US7613509B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/998,385
- Filed: 2004-11-29
- Published: 2006-06-01
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2004-11-29
- Assignees: Duke University
- Inventors: Patrick D. Wolf; Iyad Obeid
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613509B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)}
- A61B 5/0031: {Implanted circuitry}
- A61B 5/726: {using Wavelet transforms}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products for Transmitting Neural Signal Information. Systems, method, and computer program products are provided for neural signal transmission. A system according to one embodiment can include a signal receiver operable to receive a neural signal comprising an action potential. The system can also include an action potential detector operable to communicate with the signal receiver and detect when the action potential occurs. In addition, the system can include a transmitter in communication with the action potential detector and operable to transmit an information signal indicating the time when the action potential occurs and, in addition, can transmit samples associated with a detected action potential.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A neural signal transmission system, comprising:
(a) a signal receiver operable to receive a neural signal comprising an action potential, the neural signal represented by n-bit data samples;
(b) an action potential detector operable to communicate with the signal receiver, operable to determine an optimal range for the received neural signal, operable to select a subset of bits of the n-bit data samples based on the optimal range, operable to calculate a threshold value based on the neural signal, operable to compare the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal, and operable to detect when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal; and
(c) a transmitter in communication with the action potential detector and operable to transmit an information signal indicating the time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the signal receiver is a neural sensor selected from the group consisting of electrodes, magnetic field detectors, and chemical sensors.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of signal receivers operable to receive a plurality of neural signals, wherein each signal receiver is associated with one of a plurality of channels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 3 wherein the transmitter is operable to transmit a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header indicates the channel associated with the neural signal comprising the detected action potential.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector is operable to transmit a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header comprises a timestamp indicating a time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector comprises a memory for storing samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 6 wherein the stored samples are a predetermined number of samples including the action potential of the neural signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 7 wherein a header associated with each neural signal indicates a channel associated with the neural signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 6 wherein the action potential detector is operable to determine an absolute value of one of the samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 9 wherein the action potential detector is operable to compare the absolute value to the threshold value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 10 wherein the action potential detector detects an action potential when the absolute value is greater than the threshold value.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 10 wherein the action potential detector detects a first action potential after a refractory period expires since a second action potential, wherein the second action potential occurs prior to the first action potential and on the same channel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 comprising a conditioning unit operable to condition the neural signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 13 wherein condition is a function selected from the group consisting of amplify, filter, multiplex, and digitize.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 comprising a station operable to receive the information signal for controlling a device selected from the group consisting of an actuator, a prosthetic device, and a computer system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector Is operable to:
(i) determine a mean of absolute values of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) set the threshold value a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 16 wherein the action potential detector Is operable to periodically determine the mean and set the threshold value.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector Is operable to:
(i) determine a mean of absolute values of derivatives of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) set the threshold value as a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector is operable to determine when a value of the neural signal exceeds the threshold value to detect when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector is operable to compare the threshold value to an absolute value of the neural signal, and operable to detect when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the neural signal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the action potential detector is operable to compare the threshold value to an absolute value of derivatives of the neural signal, and operable to detect when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the derivatives of the neural signal.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The neural signal transmission system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is operable to wirelessly transmit the information signal.

### Claim 23

A method for transmitting a neural signal, the method comprising:
(a) receiving a neural signal comprising an action potential, the neural signal represented by n-bit data samples;
(b) determining an optimal range for the received neural signal;
(c) selecting a subset of bits of the n-bit data samples based on the optimal range;
(d) calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal;
(e) comparing the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal;
(f) detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal; and
(g) transmitting an information signal indicating the time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein receiving a neural signal includes receiving the neural signal from a neural sensor.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising receiving a plurality of neural signals, wherein each signal is associated with one of a plurality of channels.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 comprising transmitting a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header indicates the channel associated with the neural signal comprising the detected action potential.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising transmitting a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header comprises a timestamp indicating a time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising storing samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the stored samples are a predetermined number of samples including the action potential of the neural signal.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein a header associated with each neural signal indicates a channel associated with the neural signal.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 comprising determining an absolute value of one of the samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31 comprising comparing the absolute value to the threshold value.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 comprising detecting an action potential when the absolute value is greater than the threshold value.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 comprising detecting a first action potential after a refractory period expires since a second action potential, wherein the second action potential occurs prior to the first action potential and on the same channel.

### Claim 35 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising conditioning the neural signal.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35 wherein the conditioning is a function selected from the group consisting of amplify, filter, multiplex, and digitize.

### Claim 37 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising receiving the information signal for controlling a device selected from the group consisting of an actuator, a prosthetic device, and a computer system.

### Claim 38 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal comprises:
(i) determining a mean of absolute values of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) setting the threshold value as a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38 comprising periodically determining the mean and setting the threshold value.

### Claim 40 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal comprises:
(i) determining a mean of absolute values of derivatives of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) setting the threshold value as a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 41 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 comprising determining when a value of the neural signal exceeds the threshold value to detect when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 42 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein comparing the threshold value to the neural signal comprises comparing the threshold value to an absolute value of the neural signal, and wherein detecting when the action potential occurs comprises detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the neural signal.

### Claim 43 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein comparing the threshold value to the neural signal comprises comparing the threshold value to an absolute value of derivatives of the neural signal, and wherein detecting when the action potential occurs comprises detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the derivatives of the neural signal.

### Claim 44 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein transmitting an information signal comprises wirelessly transmitting the information signal.

### Claim 45

A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:
(a) receiving a neural signal comprising an action potential, the neural signal represented by n-bit data samples
(b) determining an optimal range for the received neural signal;
(c) selecting a subset of bits of the n-bit data samples based on the optimal range;
(d) calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal;
(e) comparing the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal;
(f) detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the subset of bits of the neural signal; and
(g) transmitting an information signal indicating the time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein receiving a neural signal includes receiving the neural signal from a neural sensor.

### Claim 47 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising receiving a plurality of neural signals, wherein each signal is associated with one of a plurality of channels.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The computer program product of claim 47 comprising transmitting a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header indicates the channel associated with the neural signal comprising the detected action potential.

### Claim 49 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising transmitting a header associated with the action potential, wherein the header comprises a timestamp indicating a time when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 50 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising storing samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

The computer program product of claim 50 wherein the stored samples are a predetermined number of samples including the action potential of the neural signal.

### Claim 52 (depends on 51)

The computer program product of claim 51 wherein a header associated with each neural signal indicates a channel associated with the neural signal.

### Claim 53 (depends on 50)

The computer program product of claim 50 comprising determining an absolute value of one of the samples of the neural signal.

### Claim 54 (depends on 53)

The computer program product of claim 53 comprising comparing the absolute value to the threshold value.

### Claim 55 (depends on 53)

The computer program product of claim 53 comprising detecting an action potential when the absolute value is greater than the threshold value.

### Claim 56 (depends on 53)

The computer program product of claim 53 comprising detecting a first action potential after a refractory period expires since a second action potential, wherein the second action potential occurs prior to the first action potential and on the same channel.

### Claim 57 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising conditioning the neural signal.

### Claim 58 (depends on 57)

The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the conditioning is a function selected from the group consisting of amplify, filter, multiplex, and digitize.

### Claim 59 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising receiving the information signal for controlling a device selected from the group consisting of an actuator, a prosthetic device, and a computer system.

### Claim 60 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal comprises:
(i) determining a mean of absolute values of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) setting the threshold value as a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 61 (depends on 60)

The computer program product of claim 60 comprising periodically determining the mean and setting the threshold value.

### Claim 62 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein calculating a threshold value based on the neural signal comprises:
(i) determining a mean of absolute values of derivatives of samples of the neural signal; and
(ii) setting the threshold value as a scaled value of the determined mean.

### Claim 63 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 comprising determining when a value of the neural signal exceeds the threshold value to detect when the action potential occurs.

### Claim 64 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein comparing the threshold value to the neural signal comprises comparing the threshold value to an absolute value of the neural signal, and wherein detecting when the action potential occurs comprises detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the neural signal.

### Claim 65 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein comparing the threshold value to the neural signal comprises comparing the threshold value to an absolute value of derivatives of the neural signal, and wherein detecting when the action potential occurs comprises detecting when the action potential occurs based on the comparison of the threshold value to the absolute value of the derivatives of the neural signal.

### Claim 66 (depends on 45)

The computer program product of claim 45 wherein transmitting an information signal comprises wirelessly transmitting the information signal.