Methods and systems for signal processing of neural data

In an embodiment, an electrical-line-noise canceller includes a phase detector, a phase lock loop, a zero-crossing detector, and an adaptive filter. The phase detector is configured to receive a composite input signal including an input neural signal combined with electrical line noise and to detect a phase of the electrical line noise. The phase lock loop is coupled to the phase detector and is configured to lock to the phase of the electrical line noise. The zero-crossing detector is coupled to the phase lock loop and is configured to detect zero crossings of an output of the phase lock loop. The adaptive filter is coupled to the zero-crossing detector and is configured to remove the electrical line noise from the composite input signal and output a filtered neural signal that is substantially similar to the input neural signal.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US8938291B1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Signal processing

  Signal processing

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/374, A61B5/397, A61B5/7203, A61B5/7217, A61B5/7239). The claims define what a patent protects, and they are not read here.

Signal processing

A decoder is only as good as the features it is given, and recordings drift and pick up noise from movement, muscle and stimulation. The problem behind it: stable features from signals that change from day to day, computed fast enough to act on.

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 1 time in 1 office. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• United StatesUS8938291B120 Jan 2015 · grant

1. 16 Oct 2009First filingEarliest priority, at United States. The family is counted in this year.
2. 18 Oct 2010ApplicationFiled at United States.
3. 18 Oct 2010Owner recordedUnited States, on US8938291B1: assignment; owner named: I2S MICRO IMPLANTABLE SYSTEMS, LLC, UTAH.
4. 11 Aug 2014Owner recordedUnited States, on US8938291B1: assignment; owner named: BLACKROCK MICROSYSTEMS, LLC, UTAH.
5. 20 Jan 2015First publicationUS8938291B1, United States.
6. 20 Jan 2015Grant publishedUS8938291B1, United States.
7. 19 Mar 2019Office recordUnited States, on US8938291B1: lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee.

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

Blackrock Neurotech · 14 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: US8938291B1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: uses the field's wording; classified A61B5/37 (analysis and use of electroencephalograms); filed by BLACKROCK MICROSYSTEMS, LLC, an organisation already in the graph; describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field. How families are found and judged