Probe for data transmission between a brain and a data processing device

The invention relates to a probe for data transmission between a brain and a data processing device. Said probe has a support with electrodes fitted thereto. Said electrodes can be made to electromagnetically interact with neurons of the brain for the purpose of detecting neuronal activity and/or the transmission of stimuli and can be coupled to the data processing device. The shape of the support can be adapted to an inner surface of the brain to such a degree that it can be inserted into the interior of a sulcus of the brain.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2009221896A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Interface and electrodes

  Electrodes and arrays · Peripheral interfaces

• Packaging

  Packaging and hermeticity

• Decoding

  Motor decoding

• Stimulation

  Stimulation

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/291, A61F2/72, A61N1/0531). The claims define what a patent protects, and they are not read here.

Interface and electrodes

Everything downstream works with what the contacts pick up. Their number, size and distance from the neurons set the ceiling on the signal. The problem behind it: more contacts, closer to neurons, that still record after years in tissue that reacts to them.

Packaging

Body fluid destroys unprotected electronics. An implant meant to last has to stay sealed for years while passing every channel through its wall. The problem behind it: a seal that lasts as long as the patient needs it, at a size that leaves room for the channels.

Decoding

This is the step that turns brain activity into a command or a word. Its accuracy and speed are what a user experiences. The problem behind it: accuracy that holds over months without frequent recalibration, for more than one user and one task.

Why the layer matters to the field, not a judgement of this filing. A patent family shows that protection was sought. It does not show that the technology was built, is used in a product, or works in people. The whole stack

One invention, published 10 times in 6 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• International (PCT)a route to several countries, not a countryWO2007096268A130 Aug 2007WO2007096268B18 Nov 2007
• GermanyDE102006008501B325 Oct 2007 · grant
• European Patent Officea route to several countries, not a countryEP1988828A112 Nov 2008EP1988828B119 Jun 2013 · grant
• ChinaCN101437446A20 May 2009CN101437446B2 Jan 2013 · grant
• JapanJP2009527303A30 Jul 2009JP5143027B213 Feb 2013 · grant
• United StatesUS2009221896A13 Sep 2009

1. 23 Feb 2006First filingEarliest priority, at Germany. The family is counted in this year.
2. 12 Feb 2007ApplicationsFiled at International (PCT), European Patent Office, China, Japan, United States.
3. 30 Aug 2007First publicationWO2007096268A1, International (PCT).
4. 25 Oct 2007Grant publishedDE102006008501B3, Germany.
5. 21 Nov 2012Office recordUnited States, on US2009221896A1: information on status: application discontinuation.
6. 2 Jan 2013Grant publishedCN101437446B, China.
7. 13 Feb 2013Grant publishedJP5143027B2, Japan.
8. 27 Mar 2013Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP1988828A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: CORTEC GMBH.
9. 6 Jun 2013Owner recordedGermany, on DE102006008501B3: change of applicant/patentee; owner named: CORTEC GMBH, DE.
10. 19 Jun 2013Grant publishedEP1988828B1, European Patent Office.
11. 31 Aug 2014Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP1988828A1: be: lapsed; owner named: CORTEC G.M.B.H..
12. 1 Apr 2019Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP1988828A1: reference to a national code; owner named: CORTEC GMBH, DE.
13. 30 Nov 2023Office recordJapan, on JP2009527303A: cancellation because of no payment of annual fees.
14. 27 Feb 2024Office recordChina, on CN101437446A: termination of patent right due to non-payment of annual fee.
15. 3 Sep 2024Office recordGermany, on DE102006008501B3: application deemed withdrawn, or ip right lapsed, due to non-payment of renewal fee.
16. 6 Feb 2025Office recordEuropean Patent Office, on EP1988828A1: lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, TR).

Dates as the offices published them. Office records are in the offices' own words and are a selection: refusals, lapses and withdrawals, and records that name an owner. Each concerns one member of the family, not the family as a whole, and another member in the same office may stand. Whether a patent is in force today is not assessed.

Organisation

CorTec · 27 families identified

• Bibliographic data, family members and office records: European Patent Office, Open Patent Services (the DOCDB and INPADOC databases), read 7 Oct 2026.
• The record itself, with its claims and description: US2009221896A1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: classified A61N1/0531 (brain cortex electrodes); filed by CORTEC GMBH, an organisation already in the graph; describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field. How families are found and judged