System and methods for the synchronization of a non-real time operating system pc to a remote real-time data collecting microcontroller

Abstract

A system synchronizes a PC exhibiting latency of operations to a biosensor enabled microcontroller with real-time clock by providing an encoding scheme that captures the subject's absolute reaction time transmits the subject's reaction time from the PC exhibiting latency to the microcontroller with real-time clock. The system includes a transmitter that transmits a stimulus signal from the PC exhibiting latency, an input device indicating the subject's response to the stimulus signal, an encoding circuit adapted to encode a difference in time between the stimulus signal and the subject's response to the stimulus signal, an emitter adapted to transmit the encoded difference signal representing the subject's reaction time, and a complementary receiver adapted to detect the encoded differencesignal. The receiver includes a decoding circuit that decodes the encoded difference signal to determine the subject's reaction time, and the receiver provides the subject's reaction time to the microcontroller with real-time clock for synchronization with received biosensor data such as EEG data.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 019,291, filed June 30, 2014. The content of this patent application is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present application. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to hardware and systems to synchronize the presentation of stimuli and probes on a commercial PC with a standard rather than real-time operating system such as Windows, Linux or iOS with a precise clock for real-time data acquisition in an embedded microcontroller. Background technique [0004] Precise timing of patient stimuli and patient responses with reference to EEG data collected during brain assessment is important for diagnostic assessment. The imprecise timing prevents the correct data segment of the EEG trace from being time-synchronized with the actual stimulus / response event. [0005] The function of the data collection engine is to c...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, this level of precision is not feasible on an Android tablet, assuming touch events are synchronized with a vertical sync interrupt at 60 frames per second, which corresponds to a 16 ms resolution

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