Patent Document ID: 7848797
Application ID: 11893737
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for assessing neuromuscular function by estimating motor unit numbers, the method comprising: providing an electrode array for delivering one or more controlled stimuli to a subject using at least one stimulator electrode and for acquiring electric activity signals of one or more motor units of a subject using at least one detector electrode; positioning said electrode array on a subject, delivering a stimulus of varying characteristics to the subject and acquiring a set of electric activity signals of one or more motor units of the subject; identifying and eliminating any acquired signals due to alternation; automatically estimating motor unit number using an automation algorithm, wherein the automation algorithm consists of: (i) pre-processing acquired responses so as to consolidate and enhance the acquired signals; and (ii) identifying plausible new motor unit activation events and corresponding response changes; and (iii) determining representatives of single motor unit potential features, and computing approaches; and (iv) estimating motor unit number and distribution statistics associated with the motor unit number; wherein pre-processing the acquired signals comprises: (a) estimating background noise level; and (b) determining motor unit activity region in the acquired signal; and (c) ordering waveforms according to activity level, and removing noise-only waveforms; and (d) identifying and combining waveforms with insignificant morphological variations in relation to background noise; wherein a background noise level is determined by: (a) using waveform segments known to have no motor unit activity; and (b) estimating statistics of noise level, the estimated statistics comprising at least one of mean absolute deviation, standard deviation, and mean square error.