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USOO5330414A
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United States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5 a 330 a 414

Yasushi [45] Date of Patent: Jul. 19, 1994

[54] BRAIN WAVE INDUCING APPARATUS 412629 2/1991 European Pat 0ft -
2713891 10/1978 Fed. R _ofGe .
[75] Inventor: Mitsuo Yasushi, Saitama, Japan 62-37165 4/1987 Japan 'ep many
- _ . . . 1088607 10/1967 United Kingdom ................ .. 600/28
[73] Asslgnee‘ £253’ £22?“ C°rp°m‘°“’ 2067410 7/1981 United Kingdom ................ .. 600/28
_ Primary Examiner-Kyle L. Howell
[21] Appl' No" 833’937 Assistant Examiner-J. P. Lacyk
[22] Filed: Feb. 11, 1992 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Mion, Zinn,
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Macpcak & seas
May 23, 1991 [JP] Japan ...... .. 3-118561 [57] ABSTRACT
[51] Int C15 A61M 21/00 A random signal generator outputs a random noise
[52] US' """""""""""" " " 600/27 signal to a band pass ?lter which selectively passes
[58] Fi'el'd of' s" E"Ii ' ___________ /26_28, frequency components in the frequency range of a de
"""""""" " 1283 1_732 905’ sired brain wave from a subject. The output of the band
_ ’ pass ?lter is supplied to an automatic level controller.
[56] References Cited The automatic level controller sets the output of band
U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS pass tf'ilt?r to a predetlermi'ned amlplitudtec’ifhen, the 01m
puto t eautomatu: eve contro er is e toastunu at
:??rg; """"""""""""""""" " ing light generator, which converts the output of the
3’893’450 7/1975 Em _ """""""""""""""" " automatic level controller into a light signal for stimu
4:195l626 4/1930 Schweizer _ lating the subject in order to induce the desired brain
4,334,545 6/1982 Shiga ................................. .. 128/732 wave from tbs Subject The light signal is then emitted
' t th s b' t’s s.
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS m o e u J“ eye
0375106 6/1990 European Pat. Off. .......... .7 128/732 10 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet

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RANDOM AUTOMATIC LEVEL LIGHT

SIGNAL LEVEL EMITTING “'Z-e 1
GENERATOR BPF CONTROLLER SHIFTER \ DEVICE
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subject. An automatic level controller sets the output of
BRAIN WAVE INDUCING APPARATUS band pass ?lter to a predetermined amplitude. Then, a
stimulating light generator converts the output of the
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION automatic level controller into a light signal for stimu
1. Field of the Invention lating the subject to induce the desired brain wave from
This invention relates to a brain wave inducing appa the subject.
ratus for inducing brain waves such as a, B, and 0 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
waves from a human body through optical stimulation.
2. Related Art Features and other objects of the invention will be
It is well known that there is a close relationship more apparent from the description of the preferred
between the brain waves of a person and his or her embodiment with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a
biological, psychological conditions. For example, a brain wave inducing apparatus according to the inven
waves (about 8-13 Hz) are dominantly developed when tion.
a person is relaxed, B waves (about 14-30 Hz) are domi
nant when mentally and physically active, and 0 waves DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
(about 4-7 Hz) are dominant when the person is sleepy. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Conversely, if a speci?c brain wave is induced domi FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the
nantly, then the person will enter the corresponding present invention. The embodiment is described with
physical and psychological condition. Therefore, the respect to the induction of a waves. In the ?gure, a
use of the relationship between these brain waves and 2 random signal generator 1 generates a random noise
their corresponding physical, psychological conditions (so-called white noise) that contains a wide range of
may be useful in controlling physical and psychological frequency components. The output of the random sig
conditions in human beings. nal generator 1 is supplied to a band pass ?lter 2 whose
Laid Open Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-87165 center frequency may be shifted at will, so that fre
discloses a “relaxing apparatus.” With this apparatus, a 25 quency components corresponding to a desired brain
white noise outputted from a random signal generator is wave, such as a, B, or 0 waves, is passed through. In
directed to a ?lter having a l/f characteristic that pro this embodiment, the frequency components corre
duces a fluctuation signal of l/f characteristic. A refer sponding to a waves are passed through. The band pass
ence frequency set within the a. frequency range (about ?lter can take the form of a known switched capacitor
8-13 Hz) is frequency-modulated by the ?uctuation 30 ?lter where a clock is varied to vary the center fre
signal. This frequency-modulated signal Vp drives a quency to of the pass band. A center frequency of 10.5
light emitting device to cycle on and off so as to pro
Hz, e.g. is selected for a waves, and the frequency
duce a stimulating light whose time interval ?uctuates
components in the range of about 8-13 Hz pass through
with l/f characteristic. Thereby, this stimulating signal
is used to induce a waves in a patient. The frequency 35 the band pass ?lter 2. Thus, the output of the band pass
modulated signal Vp has a constant amplitude and a ?lter 2 is much closer to actual, desired brain waves
regular waveform. than it is in the related art discussed above. The output
a waves as well as other brain waves, are usually not of the band pass ?lter is input to an automatic level
uniform in waveform and amplitude. It is known that controller 3 which ampli?es the frequency components
brain waves have a so-called “pull-in phenomenon” corresponding to the a waves from the band pass ?lter
where a speci?c brain wave is “pulled in” or induced in 2 to a predetermined level and sends the result to a level
response to an optical stimulation. When effectively shifter in a stimulating signal generator 4. The level
inducing a speci?c brain wave by using the pull-in phe shifter 5 outputs the output of the automatic level con
nomenon, an optically stimulating signal should have a troller 3 as a drive signal whose amplitude has been
waveform as close to an actual brain wave as possible. 45 shifted as depicted in FIG. 1, (by superimposing a DC
From this point of view, the waveform of the frequen component on the amplitude) so that the entire wave
cy-modulated signal Vp of the relax apparatus disclosed form of frequency components in the a waves is fully
by Laid Open Japanese Patent No. 62-87165 is too sim utilized in producing a stimulating light signal. The
ple and not satisfactory. Thus, the use of the brain wave level shifter 5 sends an output thereof to a light emitting
of a patient is the most efficient way of inducing a de 50 device 6 which controls a light emitting element such as
sired brain wave from that patient. However, picking an LED to vary intensity thereof in accordance with
up the brain waves from the patient will usually require the drive signal from the level shifter 5 (intensity
electrodes and cords as well as many accessory circuits modulated light signal). The output of light emitting
such as signal processing circuits, which makes the device 6 goes into the eyes of the subject to stimulate
apparatus complex, large and burdensome. 55 the subject. In this manner, the a waves of the subject
are induced while the subject watches the stimulating
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION light.
An object of the present invention is to provide a If 0 waves are to be induced, the center frequency fo
brain wave inducing apparatus where a simple circuit of the band pass ?lter 2 is set to, e.g. 5.5 Hz, which is a
con?guration makes it possible to induce brain waves. mid-frequency in the range of about 4-7 Hz. If the de
A further object is to provide a brain wave inducing ‘ sired brain waves are [3 waves then the center fre
apparatus that uses an optically stimulating signal hav quency of the band pass ?lter 2 is set, e.g., to 22 Hz
ing a waveform that is more closely tied to actual brain which is a mid-frequency in the range of about 14-30
waves than the related art discussed above. Hz.
According to the invention, a random signal genera 65 The center frequency of the band pass ?lter 2 suitable
tor outputs a random noise signal to a band pass ?lter for inducing a desired brain wave may vary slightly
which selectively passes frequency components in the from subject to subject. Thus, if the optimum center
frequency range of a brain wave to be induced from a frequency is previously known for a particular subject
 5,330,414
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then the center frequency may be preset to that known the desired brain waves, and said band pass ?lter sets the
frequency for more effective brain wave induction. center frequency in accordance with an input signal
A brain wave inducing apparatus according to the supplied to said band pass ?lter.
invention does not require electrodes and cords for 5. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
picking up a subject’s brain waves, or circuits for pro claim 1, wherein said stimulating light generator com- ~
cessing such brain waves. This greatly simpli?es the prises a level shifter for shifting an amplitude of the
overall circuit con?guration of the circuit providing the output of said automatic level controller, and a light
stimulating light. emitting device for outputting the light signal, which
What is claimed is: light signal varies in intensity in accordance with an
1. A brain wave inducing apparatus for inducing output of said level shifter.
desired brain waves from a subject, comprising: 6. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
a random signal generator for outputting a random claim 4, wherein the center frequency set by said band
noise signal; pass ?lter lies within the range of 8-13 Hz to induce a
a band pass ?lter for receiving the random noise sig waves as the desired brain waves.
nal and selectively passing frequency components 7. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
that lie in a frequency range of the desired brain
claim 4, wherein the center frequency set by said band
waves; pass ?lter lies within the range of 14-30 Hz to induce B
an automatic level controller for setting the fre
waves as the desired brain waves.
quency components of said band pass ?lter to a
predetermined amplitude; 20 8. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
a stimulating light generator for converting the out claim 4, wherein the center frequency set by said band
put of said automatic level controller into a light pass ?lter lies within the range of 4-7 Hz to induce 9
signal for stimulating the subject to induce the waves as the desired brain waves.
desired brain waves from the subject. 9. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
2. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to 25 claim 4, wherein the center frequency set by said band
claim 1, wherein the light signal is intensity modulated.pass ?lter is determined by obtaining optimum center
3. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to frequency data from a particular subject.
claim 1, wherein said random noise signal is a white 10. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to
noise. claim 4, wherein said band pass ?lter comprises a
4. A brain wave inducing apparatus according to 30 switched capacitor ?lter and a clock for setting the
claim 1, wherein said band pass ?lter has a center fre center frequency.
t t t t i
quency that is a mid frequency in the frequency range of

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