Patents by Inventor Giulio Tononi

Giulio Tononi 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).

  • Patent number: 11357950
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to delivering sensory stimulation to a user during a sleep session. In some embodiments, sensors are configured to generate output signals conveying information related to brain activity of the user during the sleep session. Sensory stimulators are configured to provide the sensory stimulation to the user during the sleep session. One or more processors are configured to determine a demographic group for the user; select a stimulation parameter model associated with the demographic group of the user from a set of stimulation parameter models associated with different demographic groups; and control the one or more sensory stimulators to deliver the sensory stimulation to the user based on the stimulation parameter model for the demographic group of the user and the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Tsvetomira Kirova Tsoneva, Brady Alexander Riedner, Giulio Tononi
  • Patent number: 11052220
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to adjust a volume of auditory stimulation delivered to a subject during sleep. The system is configured to determine a deepening time indicative of a rate at which sleep of the subject deepens during the sleep session. The deepening time is determined based on (i) a ratio of power in a high frequency band of an EEG signal to power in a low frequency band, (ii) a density of slow waves, or (iii) a hypnogram, indicative of sleep depth in the subject during the sleep session. The system is configured to determine a rate of volume increase for auditory stimulation during a subsequent sleep session based on the deepening time; and control the one or more sensory stimulators to adjust the volume of auditory stimulation provided to the subject during the subsequent sleep session based on the determined rate of volume increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignees: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Michele Bellesi, Brady Alexander Riedner, Giulio Tononi
  • Publication number: 20210000362
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of continuously monitoring neuronal avalanches in a subject comprising (a) determining a deviation in avalanche exponent (?) or branching parameter (?) from a predetermined value at rest, wherein the pre-determined value of a is a slope of a size distribution of the synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is ?3/2 and the pre-determined value of 6 is a ratio of successively propagated synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is 1; and (b) repeating step (a) one or more times to continuously monitor neuronal avalanches in a subject. The invention also features methods of determining or monitoring the degree of sleep deprivation in a subject, methods of identifying subjects that are susceptible to a sleep disorder and methods of diagnosing a sleep disorder in a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services
    Inventors: Dietmar Plenz, Oren Shriki, Giulio Tononi, Christian Meisel
  • Patent number: 10820817
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of continuously monitoring neuronal avalanches in a subject comprising (a) determining a deviation in avalanche exponent (?) or branching parameter (?) from a predetermined value at rest, wherein the pre-determined value of ? is a slope of a size distribution of the synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is ?3/2 and the pre-determined value of ? is a ratio of successively propagated synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is 1; and (b) repeating step (a) one or more times to continuously monitor neuronal avalanches in a subject. The invention also features methods of determining or monitoring the degree of sleep deprivation in a subject, methods of identifying subjects that are susceptible to a sleep disorder and methods of diagnosing a sleep disorder in a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by The Secretary of Defense, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
    Inventors: Dietmar Plenz, Oren Shriki, Giulio Tononi, Christian Meisel
  • Patent number: 10786174
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to adjust an intensity of sensory stimulation delivered to a subject during a sleep session based on sleep spindles in the subject during the sleep session. The system is configured to adjust the intensity of the stimulation based on a sleep spindle frequency and/or a sleep spindle density. The system is configured to determine a recent spindle density and/or a recent spindle frequency for a recent period of time during the sleep session based on detected sleep spindles, and to determine a previous spindle density and/or a previous spindle frequency for a previous period of time during the sleep session based on the detected sleep spindles. The system controls the intensity of sensory stimulation provided to the subject based on a comparison of the previous spindle density to the recent spindle density and/or the previous spindle frequency to the recent spindle frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Michele Bellesi, Stefan Pfundtner, Brady Alexander Riedner, Giulio Tononi
  • Publication number: 20190298967
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to adjust a volume of auditory stimulation delivered to a subject during sleep. The system is configured to determine a deepening time indicative of a rate at which sleep of the subject deepens during the sleep session. The deepening time is determined based on (i) a ratio of power in a high frequency band of an EEG signal to power in a low frequency band, (ii) a density of slow waves, or (iii) a hypnogram, indicative of sleep depth in the subject during the sleep session. The system is configured to determine a rate of volume increase for auditory stimulation during a subsequent sleep session based on the deepening time; and control the one or more sensory stimulators to adjust the volume of auditory stimulation provided to the subject during the subsequent sleep session based on the determined rate of volume increase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Gary Nelson GARCIA MOLINA, Michele BELLESI, Brady Alexander RIEDNER, Giulio TONONI
  • Patent number: 10328234
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system for enhancing knowledge consolidation in a subject during sleep. New declarative memories may be better consolidated by presenting sensory stimuli during slow wave sleep that correspond to sensory stimuli presented during prior wakeful learning. The sensory stimuli may include odors, sounds, visual stimulation, touches, tastes, and/or other types of sensory stimuli. The system is configured to provide a prompt sensory stimulus during slow wave sleep that corresponds to a wakeful stimulus provided during wakeful learning. The prompt sensory stimulus may prompt enhanced knowledge consolidation in the subject. In some embodiments, the system may comprise one or more of a slow wave sleep inducer, a sensory stimulator, a sensor, a processor, electronic storage, a user interface, and/or other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Michele Bellesi, Giulio Tononi, Joanne Henriëtte Desirée Monique Westerink
  • Patent number: 10220183
    Abstract: A system is configured to provide sensory stimuli to a subject at a first intensity level, determine the effectiveness of the provided sensory stimuli, and incrementally increase the intensity level of the sensory stimuli based on the determined effectiveness. The effectiveness determination and the corresponding intensity increase are repeated one or more times during a given slow wave sleep episode. The system is configured to continue the effectiveness determinations and the corresponding intensity increases during the slow wave sleep episode until the intensity level reaches a maximum level, until an arousal level of the subject breaches an arousal level threshold, and/or until expiration of the period of slow wave sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Michele Bellesi, Brady Alexander Riedner, Giulio Tononi
  • Publication number: 20180368755
    Abstract: Systems and methods to detect sleep stages of a subject analyze physiological parameters of the subject in combination with a subject's reactions to stimuli of increasing intensity and/or stimuli having different modalities. Stimuli are provided until a predetermined level of probability is reached for the accuracy of an estimation of the sleep stage of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Sander Theodoor Pastoor, Stefan Pfundtner, Brady Alexander Riedner, Michele Bellesi, Giulio Tononi
  • Patent number: 10137276
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system and method for managing a sleep session of a subject. Managing the sleep session is based on slow wave activity in the subject during the sleep session. Slow wave activity is related to sleep pressure. Sleep pressure dissipates and/or decreases as the subject sleeps. The dissipation dynamics depend on a given subject. The manner in which dissipation occurs regulates the length of the given sleep session and is linked to the temporal dynamics of slow wave activity. The system is configured to determine a metric indicating sleep pressure dissipation and, responsive to the determined sleep pressure dissipation metric indicating that sleep pressure dissipation has reached a dissipation threshold level during the sleep session, wake the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Giulio Tononi, Sander Theodoor Pastoor, Stefan Pfundtner, Brady Alexander Riedner, Michele Bellesi
  • Patent number: 10130788
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to detect transitions in sleep state of a subject during a sleep session; provide sensory stimulation to the subject with a timing based on the detected transitions in sleep state; subsequent to the sleep session, obtain reference indications of transitions in sleep state; compare the detected transitions in sleep state to the reference indications of transitions in sleep state during the sleep session; based on the comparison, adjust baseline sleep state criteria to enhance correlation between detected transitions in sleep state during the sleep session using the baseline sleep state criteria and the reference indications of transitions in sleep state during the sleep session; and subsequent to adjustment of the baseline sleep state criteria, utilize the adjusted baseline sleep state criteria to detect transitions in sleep state of the subject for the purpose of controlling the one or more sensory stimulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Michele Bellesi, Brady Alexander Riedner, Giulio Tononi, Juan Benzo
  • Patent number: 10064578
    Abstract: Systems and methods to detect sleep stages of a subject analyze physiological parameters of the subject in combination with a subject's reactions to stimuli of increasing intensity and/or stimuli having different modalities. Stimuli are provided until a predetermined level of probability is reached for the accuracy of an estimation of the sleep stage of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V., Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gary Nelson Garcia Molina, Sander Theodoor Pastoor, Stefan Pfundtner, Brady Alexander Riedner, Michele Bellesi, Giulio Tononi
  • Patent number: 10013048
    Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that proper utilization of reconfigurable event driven hardware may achieve optimum power conservation in energy constrained environments including a low power general purpose primary processor and one or more electronic sensors. Aspects of neurobiology and neuroscience, for example, may be utilized to provide such reconfigurable event driven hardware, thereby achieving energy-efficient continuous sensing and signature reporting in conjunction with the one or more electronic sensors while the primary processor enters a low power consumption mode. Such hardware is event driven and operates with extremely low energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: National Science Foundation
    Inventors: Mikko H. Lipasti, Atif G. Hashmi, Andrew Nere, Giulio Tononi
  • Publication number: 20170196474
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to adjust an intensity of sensory stimulation delivered to a subject during a sleep session based on sleep spindles in the subject during the sleep session. The system is configured to adjust the intensity of the stimulation based on a sleep spindle frequency and/or a sleep spindle density. The system is configured to determine a recent spindle density and/or a recent spindle frequency for a recent period of time during the sleep session based on detected sleep spindles, and to determine a previous spindle density and/or a previous spindle frequency for a previous period of time during the sleep session based on the detected sleep spindles. The system controls the intensity of sensory stimulation provided to the subject based on a comparison of the previous spindle density to the recent spindle density and/or the previous spindle frequency to the recent spindle frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Gary Nelson GARCIA MOLINA, Michele BELLESI, Stefan PFUNDTNER, Brady Alexander RIEDNER, Giulio TONONI
  • Publication number: 20170083081
    Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that proper utilization of reconfigurable event driven hardware may achieve optimum power conservation in energy constrained environments including a low power general purpose primary processor and one or more electronic sensors. Aspects of neurobiology and neuroscience, for example, may be utilized to provide such reconfigurable event driven hardware, thereby achieving energy-efficient continuous sensing and signature reporting in conjunction with the one or more electronic sensors while the primary processor enters a low power consumption mode. Such hardware is event driven and operates with extremely low energy requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Mikko H. Lipasti, Atif G. Hashmi, Andrew Nere, Giulio Tononi
  • Patent number: 9541982
    Abstract: The present inventors have recognized that proper utilization of reconfigurable event driven hardware may achieve optimum power conservation in energy constrained environments including a low power general purpose primary processor and one or more electronic sensors. Aspects of neurobiology and neuroscience, for example, may be utilized to provide such reconfigurable event driven hardware, thereby achieving energy-efficient continuous sensing and signature reporting in conjunction with the one or more electronic sensors while the primary processor enters a low power consumption mode. Such hardware is event driven and operates with extremely low energy requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mikko H. Lipasti, Atif G. Hashmi, Andrew Nere, Giulio Tononi
  • Publication number: 20170000970
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to detect transitions in sleep state of a subject during a sleep session; provide sensory stimulation to the subject with a timing based on the detected transitions in sleep state; subsequent to the sleep session, obtain reference indications of transitions in sleep state; compare the detected transitions in sleep state to the reference indications of transitions in sleep state during the sleep session; based on the comparison, adjust baseline sleep state criteria to enhance correlation between detected transitions in sleep state during the sleep session using the baseline sleep state criteria and the reference indications of transitions in sleep state during the sleep session; and subsequent to adjustment of the baseline sleep state criteria, utilize the adjusted baseline sleep state criteria to detect transitions in sleep state of the subject for the purpose of controlling the one or more sensory stimulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Gary Nelson GARCIA MOLINA, Michele BELLESI, Brady Alexander RIEDNER, Giulio TONONI, Juan Benzo BENZO
  • Publication number: 20160198968
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of continuously monitoring neuronal avalanches in a subject comprising (a) determining a deviation in avalanche exponent (?) or branching parameter (?) from a predetermined value at rest, wherein the pre-determined value of ? is a slope of a size distribution of the synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is ?3/2 and the pre-determined value of ? is a ratio of successively propagated synchronized neuronal activity and the predetermined value is 1; and (b) repeating step (a) one or more times to continuously monitor neuronal avalanches in a subject. The invention also features methods of determining or monitoring the degree of sleep deprivation in a subject, methods of identifying subjects that are susceptible to a sleep disorder and methods of diagnosing a sleep disorder in a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Dietmar PLENZ, Oren SHRIKI, Giulio TONONI, Christian MEISEL
  • Publication number: 20160082222
    Abstract: A system is configured to provide sensory stimuli to a subject at a first intensity level, determine the effectiveness of the provided sensory stimuli, and incrementally increase the intensity level of the sensory stimuli based on the determined effectiveness. The effectiveness determination and the corresponding intensity increase are repeated one or more times during a given slow wave sleep episode. The system is configured to continue the effectiveness determinations and the corresponding intensity increases during the slow wave sleep episode until the intensity level reaches a maximum level, until an arousal level of the subject breaches an arousal level threshold, and/or until expiration of the period of slow wave sleep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Nelson GARCIA MOLINA, Michele BELLESI, Brady Alexander RIEDNER, Giulio TONONI
  • Publication number: 20160058970
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a system and method for managing a sleep session of a subject. Managing the sleep session is based on slow wave activity in the subject during the sleep session. Slow wave activity is related to sleep pressure. Sleep pressure dissipates and/or decreases as the subject sleeps. The dissipation dynamics depend on a given subject. The manner in which dissipation occurs regulates the length of the given sleep session and is linked to the temporal dynamics of slow wave activity. The system is configured to determine a metric indicating sleep pressure dissipation and, responsive to the determined sleep pressure dissipation metric indicating that sleep pressure dissipation has reached a dissipation threshold level during the sleep session, wake the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Nelson GARCIA MOLINA, Giulio TONONI, Sander Theodoor PASTOOR, Stefan PFUNDTNER, Brady Alexander RIEDNER, Michele BELLESI