Brain stimulation and sensing

Devices, systems, and techniques are disclosed for managing electrical stimulation therapy and/or sensing of physiological signals such as brain signals. For example, a system may assist a clinician in identifying one or more electrode combinations for sensing a brain signal. In another example, a user interface may display brain signal information and values of a stimulation parameter at least partially defining electrical stimulation delivered to a patient when the brain signal information was sensed.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2021196958A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

• Interface and electrodes

  Electrodes and arrays

• Telemetry

  Wireless telemetry

• Signal processing

  Signal processing

• Decoding

  Neural decoding

• Stimulation

  Stimulation

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/293, A61B5/37, A61B5/372, A61B5/384, A61B5/4064). 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.

Telemetry

Thousands of channels produce more data than a low-power radio can carry raw, so what is sent, and how, decides what the system can use. The problem behind it: high data rates at low power through tissue, reliably and securely.

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 11 times in 5 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

• United StatesUS2021196958A11 Jul 2021US2021196964A11 Jul 2021US11571576B27 Feb 2023 · grantUS12144637B219 Nov 2024 · grantUS20250072811A16 Mar 2025
• International (PCT)a route to several countries, not a countryWO2021138543A18 Jul 2021
• ChinaCN114901351A12 Aug 2022CN114901351B16 Sep 2025 · grant
• European Patent Officea route to several countries, not a countryEP4084861A19 Nov 2022EP4084861B115 Jul 2026 · grant
• JapanJP2023509633A9 Mar 2023

1. 31 Dec 2019First filingEarliest priority, at United States. The family is counted in this year.
2. 31 Dec 2020ApplicationsFiled at United States, International (PCT), China, European Patent Office, Japan.
3. 1 Jul 2021First publicationUS2021196958A1, United States.
4. 7 Mar 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2021196958A1: assignment; owner named: MEDTRONIC, INC., MINNESOTA.
5. 18 Nov 2024ApplicationFiled at United States.
6. 19 Nov 2024Grant publishedUS12144637B2, United States.
7. 18 Apr 2025Office recordJapan, on JP2023509633A: written measure of dismissal of application [lapsed due to lack of payment].
8. 16 Sep 2025Grant publishedCN114901351B, China.
9. 15 Jul 2026Grant publishedEP4084861B1, European Patent Office.

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

Medtronic · 40 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: US2021196958A1 in Espacenet
• Counted as a BCI patent family: uses the field's wording; classified A61B5/293 (invasive electrodes for brain recording); filed by Medtronic, Inc., an organisation already in the graph; describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field. How families are found and judged