Patents by Inventor Dirk Brokken

Dirk Brokken has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110306891
    Abstract: Stimulation system for indicating stimulation signals to a user, provided with at least one heart beat sensor for converting measured heart beats into a signal, a processing circuit configured to process the measured heart beat signals, a user interface configured to indicate stimulation signals to a user, wherein the processing circuit is configured to calculate intervals between the detected heart beats and register a predetermined number of successive intervals, predict a time interval between a detected heart beat and a predicted future heart beat based on the registered intervals, and instruct the user interface to indicate a stimulation signal to a user non-simultaneously with the predicted heart beat at the end of the predicted time interval so as to change the heart rate and/or heart coherence of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Jan Johannes Gerardus De Vries, Dirk Brokken, Jacobus Maria Antonius Van Den Eerenbeemd, Paul Marcel Carl Lemmens
  • Publication number: 20110264453
    Abstract: In a method of adapting communications in a communication system comprising at least two terminals (1,2), a signal carrying at least a representation of at least part of an information content of an audio signal captured at a first terminal (1) and representing speech is communicated between the first terminal (1) and a second terminal (2). A modified version of the audio signal is made available for at the second terminal (2). At least one of the terminals (1,2) generates the modified version by re-creating the audio signal in a version modified such that at least one prosodic aspect of the represented speech is adapted in dependence on input data (22) provided at at least one of the terminals (1,2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Nicolle Hanneke van Schijndel, Mark Thomas Johnson, Joanne Henriette Desiree Monique Westerink, Paul Marcel Carl Lemmens
  • Publication number: 20110207100
    Abstract: A method of controlling an influence on a user (14) in a rendering environment comprises: obtaining signal data (16) representing one or more physiological conditions of a user (14) in response to an influence caused by system feedback (13) of the rendering environment; obtaining data corresponding to a user's desired emotional state (19,20;32-36), which data is based on the user's self-reports and data representative of accompanying signal data (16) representing one or more physiological conditions of the user (14) over a last period before the accompanying self-report; —determining whether the desired emotional state (19,20;32-36) is reached; and if the state (19,20;32-36) is not reached, adapting the system feedback (16) provided by the rendering environment correspondingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Tim Johannes Willem Tijs, Joris Hendrik Janssen
  • Publication number: 20110087300
    Abstract: A wearable device (100) for electric stimulation of a user's body, wherein the wearable device (100) is adapted to fit a portion of the user's body, the wearable device (100) comprising at least one electrode (104a-d) embedded in the wearable device (100) for transferring a stimulating current to the user's body; a connection point (106) being an intermediate connection between the at least one electrode (104a-d) and a control unit (110), the control unit (110) being adapted to generate the stimulating current; and means for detecting if a change in a physical relationship between the connection point (106) and the at least one electrode (104a-d) exceeds a predetermined threshold value, thereby enabling detection of misuse and tampering with the device (100). This ensures no harm is done to the user, for example, by placing the electrodes in such a way that a risk of stimulating the heart exists which may lead to a heart failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Jacobus Maria Antonius Van Den Eerenbeemd, Dirk Brokken, Willem Franciscus Johannes Hoogenstraaten, Roel Reusens
  • Publication number: 20110063208
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for conveying an emotion to a person being exposed to multimedia information, such as a media clip, by way of tactile stimulation using a plurality of actuators arranged in a close vicinity of the person's body, the method comprising the step of providing tactile stimulation information for controlling the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuators are adapted to stimulate multiple body sites in a body region, the tactile stimulation information comprises a sequence of tactile stimulation patterns, wherein each tactile stimulation pattern controls the plurality of actuators in time and space to enable the tactile stimulation of the body region, and the tactile stimulation information is synchronized with the media clip. An advantage with the present invention is thus that emotions can be induced, or strengthened, at the right time (e.g. synchronized with a specific situation in the media clip).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Jacobus Maria Antonius Van Den Eerenbeemd, Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets, Paul Marcel Carl Lemmens, Dirk Brokken
  • Publication number: 20110044604
    Abstract: An audio stream (14) and video stream (12) from a conventional audiovisual source (10) are processed by processor (20). A motion processor (30) establishes at least one motion feature and outputs it to the stimulus controller (32) which generates a stimulus in stimulus generator (34). The stimulus generator (34) may be a Galvanic Vestibular Stimulus generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Brokken, Ralph Braspenning
  • Publication number: 20100304864
    Abstract: There is provided a feedback apparatus for a game, the feedback apparatus comprising at least one electrode for attachment to a user of the feedback apparatus; and a control unit for measuring at least one physiological characteristic of the user via the at least one electrode; for determining whether the at least one electrode has been attached correctly to the user for a predefined electro-stimulation signal level based on the measured at least one physiological characteristic; and for providing an electro-stimulation signal at the predefined level to the user via the at least one electrode in response to an output from the game if it is determined that the at least one electrode has been attached correctly to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Olaf Martinus Johannes Van T Erve, Dirk Brokken, Floris Maria Hermansz Crompvoets
  • Publication number: 20100063490
    Abstract: The invention provides a skin treatment device comprising a laser source (40) and focusing optics (50), such that a focal spot (18) is positioned in a dermis layer (24) of the skin to be treated. The laser beam (42) is powered and focused (16) such that a LIOB (laser induced optical breakdown) phenomenon is obtained, which affects the skin in order to stimulate re-growth of tissue. This in turn reduces wrinkles (30). The device may comprise wrinkle-determining means (52, 54, 56, 58). The focusing optics (50) may have a numerical aperture of at least 0.4. The invention also provides a corresponding method to treat skin, in particular to reduce wrinkles (30), by providing a focused laser beam (16) that causes LIOB in the dermis layer (24) of the skin. The advantage is that damage to overlaying epidermis layers may be avoided by the use of the very local LIOB phenomenon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Rieko Verhagen, Robbert A.M. Van Hal, Bart Gottenbos, Jozef J.M. Janssen, Paul A.J. Ackermans, Francisco Morales Serrano, Sieglinde Nerken, Dirk Brokken, Guido Roosen
  • Publication number: 20090305187
    Abstract: The interdental cleaner includes a source of liquid (22) and a control system (42) including a manual pump (26), for moving a selected amount of liquid, suitable for a single use, into a liquid pathway and there to a mixing chamber (53). A source of pressurized gas (30), such as a CO2 cartridge, is used to preload a selected amount of gas into a gas chamber (52). The control system includes a spring-loaded button (18), which upon operation results in the manual pump (26) being operated, forcing the selected amount of liquid into the mixing chamber, and then upon release, permits the pressurized gas in the gas chamber to enter the mixing chamber, breaking up the liquid therein into droplets and a liquid stream, and propelling the resulting liquid out of a nozzle portion (14) of the cleaner into the interproximal area of the teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Jozef Johannes Maria Janssen, Bart Gottenbos, Luciana Opran, Petrus Henricus De Leeuw, Dirk Brokken, Arjan Leo Van Der Sande
  • Publication number: 20090198223
    Abstract: Systems and methods for achieving sub-surface, highly spatially selective cardiac ablation by means of laser induced optical breakdown (LIOB) are disclosed. Damage to non-targeted heart and artery/vein tissue is to be minimized according to the present disclosure. A catheter enters the heart, e.g., via a vein, and catheter location is determined/confirmed. Laser pulses are guided through the optical path within the catheter and, at or near the catheter end, a focusing structure is provided that focuses the laser radiation through the non-targeted vein/heart tissue into the targeted tissue. In the focusing structure, laser induced LIOB occurs and related mechanical effects affect the targeted tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Rachel Estelle Thilwind, Robbert Adrianus Maria van Hal, Rieko Verhagen, Paul Anton Josef Ackermans, Dirk Brokken, Jozef J.M. Janssen, Bart Gottenbos, Sieglinde Neerken, Francisco Morales Serrano