Retinal prosthesis

• US 20060111757A9
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert, Mech, Brian V., Talbot, Neil, Little, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye

Abstract

The invention is a retinal prosthesis with an improved configuration mounting necessary components within and surrounding the eye. The present invention better allows for the implantation of electronics within the delicate eye structure. The invention further limits the necessary width of a thin film conductor passing through the sclera by use of a multiplexer external to the sclera and a demultiplexer internal to the sclera.

Claims

1. A retinal prosthesis comprising:

An electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

A demultiplexer electrically coupled to said electrode array; and

An implantable electronics package, including a multiplexer, electrically coupled to said demultiplexer.

2. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electronics package is in a hermetic package.

3. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said demultiplexer is suitable to be mounted within the eye, but distant from the retina.

4. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said demultiplexer is on a silicon chip.

5. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 4, wherein said silicon chip is attached to a thin film cable.

6. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 4, wherein said silicon chip is enclosed within a hermetic package.

7. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein said hermetic package is a hermetic case.

8. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein said hermetic package is a thin film hermetic coating.

9. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array and said demultiplexer are formed on a common substrate.

10. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 9, wherein said common substrate is a silicon chip.

11. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 10, wherein said silicon chip includes electrodes on a first side and electrical contacts for a cable on a side opposite said first side.

12. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 11, further comprising conductive feedthroughs in said silicon chip.

13. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electronics package is suitable to be mounted external to the sclera, but supported by the sclera.

14. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein said electronics package is mounted lateral to the sclera.

15. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is said side opposite of said first side.

16. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electronics package is coupled to a implantable coil.

17. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is deposited on a thin film substrate.

18. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array and said multiplexer are deposited on a common thin film substrate.

31. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein said demultiplexer is a silicon chip.

19. A retinal prosthesis comprising:

An electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

A demultiplexer suitable to be mounted internal to the sclera;

An electronics package suitable to be mounted within the eye and supported by the sclera;

A first cable electrically coupling said electrode array to said demultiplexer;

A second cable electrically coupling said demultiplexer to said electronics package; and

An implantable coil electrically coupled to said electronics package.

20. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said demultiplexer is suitable to be mounted within the eye, but distant from the retina.

21. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said demultiplexer is on a silicon chip.

22. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said electrode array and said demultiplexer are formed on a common substrate.

23. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said common substrate is a silicon chip.

24. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 23, wherein said silicon chip is attached to a thin film cable.

25. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 23, wherein said silicon chip includes electrodes on a first side and electrical contacts for a cable on a side opposite said first side.

26. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 25, further comprising conductive feedthroughs in said silicon chip.

27. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said multiplexer is deposited on a thin film substrate.

28. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said electrode array and said multiplexer are deposited on a common thin film substrate.

29. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said electrode array, said multiplexer, said first cable and said second cable are deposited on a common thin film substrate.

32. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein said silicon chip is within a hermetic package.

30. A retinal prosthesis comprising:

A camera for collecting a video image;

A video processor coupled to said camera for processing said video image;

A primary coil coupled to said video processor for transmitting said video image into a body;

An secondary coil suitable to be implanted within the body but external to a sclera for receiving said video image;

An electronics package, electrically coupled to said secondary coil, suitable to be mounted external to the sclera and supported by the sclera;

A demultiplexer suitable to be mounted internal to the sclera;

An electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

A first cable electrically coupling said electrode array to said demultiplexer;

A second cable electrically coupling said demultiplexer to said electronics package; and

A second cable electrically coupling said demultiplexer to said electronics package.