Visual prosthesis
OwnerQiushi Reninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prosthesis for viewing an object includes a CMOS camera that is mounted on an eye lens of a patient to create a visual image. A process controller then creates an encoded signal of the visual image that has specific intensity and position information for respective pixels. Next, this encoded signal is transmitted to a stimulating unit implanted in the cranium, where it is decoded to create an electrical stimulation signal in accordance with a predetermined data protocol. The electrical stimulation signal is then passed to an electrode array that is coupled to an optic nerve of the patient, to thereby generate phosphenes in the brain for a sensation of visual perception of the object.
Claims20
A visual prosthesis for use by a patient in viewing an object which comprises:
- an intraocular camera situated in the posterior lens chamber on an eye of the patient for creating a visual image of the object, wherein the visual image comprises a discreet number of pixels, with each pixel having an intensity and a predetermined position in the visual image;
- a process controller for creating an encoded visual image signal, wherein the encoded visual image signal comprises a plurality of electrical impulses with each electrical impulse including characteristics of the intensity and position of a respective pixel;
- a stimulating unit for receiving and decoding the encoded visual signal to create an electrical stimulation signal in accordance with a predetermined data protocol;
- and
- an electrode array coupled to an optic nerve of the patient and electrically connected with said stimulating unit for receiving and using the electrical stimulation signal to generate phosphenes in the optic nerve for a sensation of visual perception of the object.
A device for generating phosphenes for sensing a visual perception of an object which comprises:
- a means for creating a visual image of the object, wherein the visual image comprises a discreet number of pixels, with each pixel having an intensity and a predetermined position in the visual image;
- a means for encoding the visual image signal, wherein the encoded visual image signal comprises a plurality of electrical impulses with each electrical impulse including characteristics of the intensity and position of a respective pixel;
- a means for transmitting the encoded visual image to an intracranially implanted stimulation unit for decoding the encoded visual signal to create an electrical stimulation signal in accordance with a predetermined data protocol;
- and
- an electrode array coupled to an optic nerve of the patient and electrically connected with said stimulating unit for receiving and using the electrical stimulation signal to generate phosphenes in the optic nerve for a sensation of visual perception of the object.
A method for generating phosphenes in the optic nerve of a patient for sensing a visual perception of an object, said method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a camera to create a visual image of the object, wherein the visual image comprises a discreet number of pixels, with each pixel having an intensity and a predetermined position in the visual image;
- transferring the visual image to a process controller for creating an encoded visual image signal, wherein the encoded visual image signal comprises a plurality of electrical impulses with each electrical impulse including characteristics of the intensity and position of a respective pixel;
- transmitting the encoded visual image from the process controller to a stimulating unit for decoding in the stimulating unit to create an electrical stimulation signal in accordance with a predetermined data protocol;
- and
- passing the electrical stimulation signal to an electrode array coupled to the optic nerve to generate phosphenes in the optic nerve for a sensation of visual perception of the object by the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.