Method and system for brain activity signal-based treatment and/or control of user devices

A method for characterizing a brain electrical signal comprising forming a temporo-spectral decomposition of the signal to form a plurality of time resolved frequency signal values, associating each instance of the signal value with a predetermined function approximating a neurological signal to form a table of coefficients collectively representative of the brain electrical signal.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2017172497A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Interface and electrodes

  Electrodes and arrays · Peripheral interfaces

• Signal processing

  Signal processing

• Decoding

  Neural decoding · Motor decoding

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/1468, A61B5/245, A61B5/291, A61B5/37, A61B5/372). 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.

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.

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 15 times in 6 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• CanadaCA2960148A110 Mar 2016CA2960192A16 Sep 2018CA2960148C4 Oct 2022 · grant
• International (PCT)a route to several countries, not a countryWO2016033686A110 Mar 2016
• United StatesUS2017172497A122 Jun 2017US10194858B25 Feb 2019 · grantUS2019133520A19 May 2019US11024411B21 Jun 2021 · grantUS2021257078A119 Aug 2021US11955217B29 Apr 2024 · grant
• European Patent Officea route to several countries, not a countryEP3188656A112 Jul 2017EP3188656A42 May 2018EP3188656B115 Dec 2021 · grant
• ChinaCN107072583A18 Aug 2017
• JapanJP2017532093A2 Nov 2017

1. 4 Sep 2014First filingEarliest priority, at United States. The family is counted in this year.
2. 2 Sep 2015ApplicationsFiled at Canada, International (PCT), European Patent Office, China, Japan.
3. 10 Mar 2016First publicationCA2960148A1, Canada.
4. 6 Mar 2017ApplicationFiled at United States.
5. 7 Mar 2017ApplicationFiled at Canada.
6. 19 Dec 2018Owner recordedUnited States, on US2017172497A1: assignment; owner named: UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK, CANADA.
7. 7 Jan 2019ApplicationFiled at United States.
8. 30 Jan 2020Office recordJapan, on JP2017532093A: decision of refusal.
9. 30 Oct 2020Office recordChina, on CN107072583A: invention patent application deemed withdrawn after publication.
10. 3 May 2021ApplicationFiled at United States.
11. 15 Dec 2021Grant publishedEP3188656B1, European Patent Office.
12. 4 Oct 2022Grant publishedCA2960148C, Canada.
13. 9 Apr 2024Grant publishedUS11955217B2, United States.
14. 10 Jul 2025Office recordEuropean Patent Office, on EP3188656A1: lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LI, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR).
15. 29 Jul 2025Office recordUnited States, on US2019133520A1: lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee.
16. 17 Nov 2025Office recordCanada, on CA2960192A1: renewal or maintenance fee not paid.

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.

• 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: US2017172497A1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: classified G06F3/015 (input arrangements based on nervous-system activity); describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field; cites a family already accepted. How families are found and judged