Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Eye or testing by visual stimulus
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-10-23
Hindenburg, Max (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Eye or testing by visual stimulus
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306102
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and method for determining the time which it takes for a test subject to recognize and react to a visual signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The inventor has been unable to locate a similar device.
A number of patents determine the speed with which a signal travels along a nerve or through skin and then along a nerve. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,064,870; 4,807,643; 5,215,100; 5,313,956; and 5,388,587.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,640 covers a device that stimulates the skin of a test subject and then monitors the output side of the subject's central nervous system in order to determine the level and depth of spinal and epidural nerve blocks affecting the sympathetic and motor nervous system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,490 discloses and claims a device that applies an electrical stimulus to a person's ulnar nerve and then measures the relaxation rate of the abductor pollicis muscle by determining the force exerted by the patient's thumb.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,805 deals with a device that administers “cutaneous stimulation” to a patient.
And U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,446 applies a stimulus (only a physical force is disclosed, although it is stated—but not explained—that such stimulus could be noise, light, or electrical shock) to a patient and measures the beginning of the patient's physical response to such stimulus.
Only this latter patent is intended to measure a reflex; and it simply measures an automatic reaction to a stimulus, not a response by a subject that requires both perception of a stimulus and a consciously directed response to that stimulus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present Reflex Timing Device requires the test subject to hold a first switch in a closed position until provided with a visual stimulus at which time the subject is to release the first switch and engage a second switch.
The time at which the visual stimulus is provided is randomly generated within set limits. The time between provision of the visual stimulus and engagement of the second switch is measured. And such time is compared with a required benchmark that has been selected by the operator of the Reflex Timing Device prior to administering the test to the subject.
If the subject does not release the first switch until the visual stimulus has been provided and engages the second switch within the selected time, a visual indication of success will be provided; otherwise, there will be a visual indication of failure.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3563230 (1971-02-01), Gibbs
patent: 4058113 (1977-11-01), Fields
patent: 4169592 (1979-10-01), Hall
patent: 1165136 (1969-09-01), None
patent: 93/16637 (1993-09-01), None
Fehr Thompson E.
Hindenburg Max
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