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The BCI Briefing

Patent familyBCI, high confidence

Methods, systems, and apparatus for closed-loop neuromodulation

Filed by Synchron and The University of Melbourne, first in 2019.

Granted · JP, USView in Espacenet
Earliest priority
8 Nov 2019 · United States
Status
A grant was published in Japan, United States, first on 13 Jun 2023
Published in
Canada · International (PCT) · Australia · Israel · Brazil · United States · European Patent Office · China · Japan · South Korea
Registered as
Synchron Australia Pty Limited
Inventors
Opie, Nicholas Lachlan · Oxley, Thomas James · Rind, Gil Simon
Family
DOCDB 93841315 · 21 publications

What it concerns

Systems, apparatus, and methods for treating medication refractory epilepsy are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of treating epilepsy is disclosed comprising detecting, using a first electrode array coupled to a first endovascular carrier, an electrophysiological signal of a subject. The method further comprises analyzing the electrophysiological signal using a neuromodulation unit electrically coupled to the first electrode array and stimulating an intracorporeal target of the subject using a second electrode array coupled to a second endovascular carrier implanted within a part of a bodily vessel superior to a base of the skull of the subject.

The abstract as published by the patent office, from US2022241596A1. It describes the invention; it is not a statement of what is protected.

Protection themes

  • Surgical access

    Endovascular access

  • Interface and electrodes

    Electrodes and arrays

  • Packaging

    Packaging and hermeticity

  • Stimulation

    Stimulation · Closed loop

What the filing appears to be about, read by published rules from its title, abstract and classification codes (A61B5/28, A61B5/287, A61B5/29, A61B5/293, A61B5/369). The claims define what a patent protects, and they are not read here.

Why it matters

Surgical access
A probe soft enough for the brain to tolerate is too soft to push in by hand, and each route into the head has its own risk. The problem behind it: placing many contacts exactly, without injuring tissue or vessels, in an operation short and repeatable enough to offer widely.
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.

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

The family

One invention, published 21 times in 10 offices. Each publication opens in Espacenet.

Timeline

  1. 8 Nov 2019First filingEarliest priority, at United States. The family is counted in this year.
  2. 6 Nov 2020ApplicationsFiled at International (PCT), Brazil, European Patent Office, China, South Korea, Japan.
  3. 14 May 2021First publicationCA3160654A1, Canada.
  4. 10 Aug 2021ApplicationFiled at United States.
  5. 15 Apr 2022ApplicationFiled at United States.
  6. 8 May 2022ApplicationFiled at Israel.
  7. 9 Dec 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2022241596A1: assignment; owner named: SYNCHRON AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED, AUSTRALIA.
  8. 9 Dec 2022Owner recordedUnited States, on US2022241596A1: assignment; owner named: THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.
  9. 8 Mar 2023Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP4051374A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: SYNCHRON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.
  10. 8 Mar 2023Owner recordedEuropean Patent Office, on EP4051374A1: party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred); owner named: THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE.
  11. 28 Apr 2023ApplicationFiled at United States.
  12. 15 Nov 2024ApplicationFiled at United States.
  13. 15 Nov 2024Owner recordedUnited States, on US20250065131A1: assignment; owner named: SYNCHRON AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED, DELAWARE.
  14. 10 Dec 2024Grant publishedJP7597335B2, Japan.
  15. 17 Dec 2024Grant publishedUS12168135B2, United States.
  16. 24 Dec 2025Office recordSouth Korea, on KR20230019403A: application refused following examination.
  17. 3 Mar 2026Office recordBrazil, on BR112022008720A2: dismissal acc. art. 36, par 1 of ipl - no reply within 90 days to fullfil the necessary requirements.
  18. 5 Mar 2026Office recordInternational (PCT), on WO2021092462A1: wipo information: withdrawn in national office.
  19. 11 May 2026ApplicationFiled at Japan.
  20. 25 May 2026ApplicationFiled at Australia.
  21. 4 Aug 2026Office recordJapan, on JP2025024173A: decision of refusal.
  22. 27 Aug 2026Office recordAustralia, on AU2026204036A1: application lapsed section 142(2)(a) - no request for examination in relevant period.

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.

Sources

  • 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: US2022241596A1 in Espacenet
  • Counted as a BCI patent family: classified A61B5/293 (invasive electrodes for brain recording); filed by Synchron Australia Pty Limited, an organisation already in the graph; describes neural hardware or methods without naming the field; cites a family already accepted. How families are found and judged