Brain-machine interface system capable of changing amount of communication data from internal device, and control method therefor

<div notation="docdba" type="abstract" xml:base="/api/emi/section/95f61abf-e992-4955-89ed-d142bec6d796/image" xml:lang="en"><p>An internal device (1) is implanted in a body (300). A control unit (6) allows a communication unit (5) to wirelessly transmit, to an external device (200), data corresponding to a brainwave signal which is from the body (300) and is detected through a group (2) of N (N being at least 2) electrodes. When the communication unit (5) receives a designation signal designating a group (2a) of M electrodes, M being less than N, data corresponding to a brainwave signal which is from the body (300) and is detected through the group (2a) of M electrodes is transmitted in real time to the external device (200) by the communication unit (5).</p></div>

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2020054284A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Interface and electrodes

  Electrodes and arrays · Peripheral interfaces

• Signal acquisition

  Signal acquisition

• Signal processing

  Signal processing

• Decoding

  Neural decoding

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/0006, A61B5/002, A61B5/0031, A61B5/31, A61B5/686). 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 acquisition

Neural signals are microvolts. They have to be amplified and digitised on many channels at once, inside a power budget that must not warm the tissue. The problem behind it: low noise on hundreds or thousands of channels at milliwatts.

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 8 times in 4 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• International (PCT)a route to several countries, not a countryWO2018147407A116 Aug 2018
• European Patent Officea route to several countries, not a countryEP3582069A118 Dec 2019EP3582069A425 Nov 2020EP3582069B122 Oct 2025 · grant
• JapanJPWO2018147407A113 Feb 2020JP7186947B212 Dec 2022 · grant
• United StatesUS2020054284A120 Feb 2020US11779278B210 Oct 2023 · grant

1. 10 Feb 2017First filingEarliest priority, at Japan. The family is counted in this year.
2. 9 Feb 2018ApplicationsFiled at International (PCT), European Patent Office, Japan, United States.
3. 16 Aug 2018First publicationWO2018147407A1, International (PCT).
4. 10 May 2022Office recordJapan, on JPWO2018147407A1: notification of reasons for refusal.
5. 5 Oct 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2020054284A1: assignment; owner named: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION, JAPAN.
6. 5 Oct 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2020054284A1: assignment; owner named: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, JAPAN.
7. 5 Oct 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2020054284A1: assignment; owner named: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, JAPAN.
8. 5 Oct 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2020054284A1: assignment; owner named: SPCHANGE, LLC., JAPAN.
9. 12 Dec 2022Grant publishedJP7186947B2, Japan.
10. 10 Oct 2023Grant publishedUS11779278B2, United States.
11. 22 Oct 2025Grant publishedEP3582069B1, European Patent Office.
12. 22 Oct 2025Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP3582069A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION.
13. 22 Oct 2025Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP3582069A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: OSAKA UNIVERSITY.
14. 22 Oct 2025Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP3582069A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.
15. 22 Oct 2025Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP3582069A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: SPCHANGE, LLC.
16. 6 Aug 2026Office recordEuropean Patent Office, on EP3582069A1: lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] (AT, BG, CZ, DK, EE, ES, FI, HR, IS, IT, LT, LV, NL, NO, PL, PT, RS, SE, SK, SM).

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: US2020054284A1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: title or abstract names the field; classified G06F3/015 (input arrangements based on nervous-system activity); cites a family already accepted. How families are found and judged