# US 2014/0192312 A1 · Facilitation of contact lenses with capacitive sensors

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- Number: US 2014/0192312 A1
- Document ID: US20140192312A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/559,384
- Filed: 2012-07-26
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-26
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Inventors: Nathan Pletcher; Brian Otis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192312A1

## CPC

- G02C 11/10: {Electronic devices other than hearing aids}
- A61B 3/10: Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
- G02C 7/04: Contact lenses for the eyes (disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00)
- G02C 7/049: {Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures}
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens with capacitive sensors are provided. In some aspects, a contact lens includes: a substrate; a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses a capacitance on the contact lens; and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate. In some aspects, the circuit can include a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed and/or a parameter associated with the eye over which the contact lens is disposed. In some aspects, the condition can be a blink of an eyelid. In some aspects, the parameter can be at least one of a pressure of an object in proximity to the contact lens, a thickness or type of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens or a composition of material on the contact lens.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
a contact lens, comprising:
a substrate;
a capacitive sensor, disposed on or within the substrate, that senses capacitance on the contact lens; and
a circuit disposed on or within the substrate that determines information indicative of the capacitance from the capacitive sensor and comprising a capacitance analysis component that determines an amount of pressure applied by an object in proximity to the contact lens based on the sensed capacitance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is a capacitive pressure sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a communication component that:
transmits the information to a reader.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit further comprises a capacitance analysis component that determines a condition of an eyelid associated with an eye over which the contact lens is disposed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the condition comprises a blink of the eyelid.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the condition comprises an orientation of the contact lens.

### Claim 8

(canceled)

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10

(canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reader that receives information transmitted from the contact lens.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the circuit further comprises a communication component that at least one of: transmits the information to the reader or receives information from a source external to the contact lens.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit further comprises a processing component that performs an action on the contact lens based, at least, on the information indicative of the capacitance.

### Claim 14

A method, comprising:
using a sensor on a contact lens to detect capacitance;
determining change in the capacitance;
determining or inferring a change in condition of an eye based on the change in the capacitance; and
determining, based on the detected capacitance, an amount of pressure applied by an object in proximity to the contact lens.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the capacitance is detected in response to proximity of an object to the contact lens.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the capacitance is detected in response to at least one of a presence of a material sensed on the contact lens, or pressure on the contact lens.

### Claim 17

(canceled)

### Claim 18

(canceled)

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising determining, based on the detected capacitance, at least one of a thickness of a layer of material disposed on or within the contact lens, type of material on the contact lens or composition of material on the contact lens.