Visual prosthesis

• US 10,052,481 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (Vivani Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: McClure, Kelly H., Roy, Arup, Yadav, Sumit, Castro, Richard Agustin, McCord, Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US11/926,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,950 Days
• Field of Search: 607 54, 607 31- 32, 607 60, 607 62, 348 61- 62, 348 77- 78, 348158, 623 41, 386227, 386242
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A visual prosthesis apparatus and a method for providing artificial vision are disclosed in the present disclosure. The visual prosthesis apparatus comprises a camera for capturing a video image, a video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and a retinal stimulation system configured stimulate neural tissue in a subjects eye based on the stimulation patterns. An artificial vision may be provided by capturing a video image, converting the video image to stimulation patterns, and stimulating neural tissue in a subjects eye based on the stimulation patterns.

Claims

1. A visual prosthesis apparatus comprising:

a camera for capturing a video image mounted on a pair of glasses, adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s body;

a video processing unit adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s body, associated with the camera but separate from the camera, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns comprising a housing for enclosing the video processing unit, a speaker on the housing to provide audible alerts to indicate an error condition of the apparatus;

an implantable retinal stimulation system configured to stimulate a retina in a blind subject'"'"'s eye based on the stimulation patterns;

a bidirectional telemetry system, including an external coil mounted on the pair of glasses, to send stimulation signals from the video processing unit to the implantable retinal stimulation system, and to send data from the retinal stimulation system to the video processing unit; and

a connector on an outside surface of the housing unit configured to a blind user to detachably connect, disconnect, and reconnect the pair of glasses to and from the video processing unit, the connector configured to transmit the video image to the video processing unit and to transmit stimulation patterns from the video processing unit to the external coil;

wherein the audible alerts are controlled by the video processing unit and indicate an operational condition of the video processing unit wherein different audible alerts indicate different operational conditions, including a failure condition in the retinal stimulation system that is received through the data.

2. The visual prosthesis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video processing unit is configured to do at least one of a) through f) with audio signals from the speaker:

a) to indicate that the retinal stimulation system has a problem that was detected at start-up diagnostic;

b) to indicate that a signal from the camera is not being received by the video processing unit;

c) to indicate that there is a loss of communication between the retinal stimulation system and the video processing unit while the visual prosthesis apparatus is operational;

d) to indicate that the video processing unit is turned off;

e) to indicate that an error has occurred and the video processing unit is about to shut down automatically; and

f) to indicate a low battery voltage warning.

3. The visual prosthesis apparatus of claim 2, wherein the audio signals from the speaker are beeps.

4. The visual prosthesis apparatus of claim 3, wherein the audio signals from the speaker are prerecorded voice.

5. The visual prosthesis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is a visual prosthesis apparatus camera.

6. A visual prosthesis apparatus comprising:

a camera for capturing a video image mounted on a pair of glasses, adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s body;

a video processing unit, separate from the camera, adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s body, and associated with the camera and including a housing for enclosing the video processing unit, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and comprising a speaker on the housing to provide audible alerts to indicate an operating status of the apparatus including wirelessly received error signals; and

an implantable retinal stimulation system configured to wirelessly receive the stimulation patterns and transmit the error signals, and to stimulate neural tissue in a blind subject'"'"'s eye based on the stimulation patterns;

a bidirectional telemetry system including an external coil mounted on the pair of glasses to send stimulation signals from the video processing unit to the implantable retinal stimulation system and to send data from the retinal stimulation system to the video processing unit; and

a connector on an outside surface of the housing suitable for a blind user to detachably connect, disconnect, and reconnect the camera to and from the video processing unit, the connector suitable to transmit the video image to the video processing unit and to transmit the stimulation patterns from the video processing unit to the external coil;

wherein the visual prosthesis apparatus creates artificial vision, whereby said audible alerts indicate an operating status of the apparatus, and further indicate a status of the artificial vision selected from a group consisting of;

a button is pressed;

the video processing unit is turned off;

the video processing unit is starting up;

an error is detected in the video processing unit; and

a failure condition is detected in the implantable retinal stimulation system and received through the data.