Retina implant

• US 20020177895A1
• Filed: 11/07/2001
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Retina Implant AG
• Original Assignee: Eberhard-Karls-Universitat Tubingen Universitatsklinikum
• Inventors: Schubert, Markus, Stelzle, Martin, Graf, Michael, Nisch, Wilfried, Stett, Alfred, Hammerle, Hugo, Zrenner, Eberhart, Graf, Heinz Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 6,804,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70

Abstract

A retina implant, comprises a surface and a plurality of pixel elements disposed on the surface for receiving and converting incoming light energy into electric energy. At least one amplifier is provided in the implant, and a plurality of stimulation electrodes supplied via the at least one amplifier as a function of signals received by the pixel elements. At least one light-sensitive reference element is coupled with the at least one amplifier for controlling amplification thereof as a function of light energy impinging on the at least one reference element.

Claims

1. A retina implant, comprising:

a) a surface;

b) a plurality of pixel elements disposed on said surface for receiving and converting incoming light energy into electric energy;

c) at least one amplifier;

d) a plurality of stimulation electrodes, said electrodes being supplied via said at least one amplifier as a function of signals received by said pixel elements;

e) at least one light-sensitive reference element coupled with said at least one amplifier for controlling amplification thereof as a function of said light energy impinging on said at least one reference element.

2. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein a common reference element is provided extending over a selected portion of said surface, said pixel elements being disposed on said reference element as isolated areas.

3. The retina implant of claim 2, wherein said pixel elements are disposed on said reference element along a grid pattern.

4. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein a plurality of reference elements is distributed over a selected portion of said surface along a predetermined pattern between said pixel elements.

5. The retina implant of claim 4, wherein said reference elements are distributed over a selected portion of said surface as stripes.

6. The retina implant of claim 4, wherein said reference elements are distributed over a selected portion of said surface as an oblique grid.

7. The retina implant of claim 4, wherein one reference element each is associated to a plurality of pixel elements.

8. The retina implant of claim 4, wherein each pixel element has one reference element associated thereto.

9. The retina implant of claim 4, wherein one pixel element has a plurality of reference elements associated thereto.

10. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein each pixel element has an amplifier and a stimulation electrode associated thereto.

11. The retina implant of claim 5, wherein further reference elements are disposed between individual stripes and pixel elements.

13. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said at least one amplifier amplifies a difference between output signals of said pixel elements and of reference elements associated thereto, and controls associated stimulation electrodes as a function of said amplified signals.

14. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said pixel elements and said at least one reference element have a same wavelength sensitivity.

15. The retina implant of any of claim 1, wherein said pixel elements and said at least one reference element are configured as photodiodes.

16. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said pixel elements as well as said at least one reference element each have a predetermined surface facing said incoming light, said surface of said reference element being larger than a surface of said pixel element associated thereto.

17. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said pixel elements as well as said at least one reference element each have a predetermined surface facing said incoming light, a sum of said surfaces of a plurality of reference elements being larger than a surface of said pixel element associated thereto.

18. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said pixel element and said at least one reference element are configured as different components.

19. The retina implant of claim 1, wherein said pixel elements and said at least one reference element are each the same component.

12. The retina implant of claim ??, wherein a plurality of reference elements is distributed over a selected portion of said surface in a chessboard pattern, each pixel element being surrounded by a plurality of reference elements arranged at an angle with respect to each other.