Low vision rehabilitation system

• US 5,777,715 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen Vision Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Allen Vision Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kruegle, Herman A., Blumenthal, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US08/786,200
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/158, 351/203, 351/205, 351/209, 351/210, 382/54, 348/62, 348/63
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

The present invention is a head-mounted vision rehabilitation system for aiding in the rehabilitation of the visually impaired which includes a headset having an anterior portion extending over a patient'"'"'s eyes and a posterior portion partially encircling the patient'"'"'s head; a camera for imaging an image source which includes a focusing means and an electro-optical sensor to create an image signal based upon light from the image source; a coherent video display located within the anterior portion of the headset for receiving the image signal and recreating the image onto the patient'"'"'s eyes; a disengageable connector for removably attaching the camera to the anterior portion of the headset; and a control unit in communication with the camera, the video display and the headset for controlling the operation of the head-mounted vision rehabilitation system. The present invention further includes a scanning system for scanning the image source without movement of the headset and a stabilization system for stabilizing the image recreated from the video display.

Claims

1. A head-mounted vision rehabilitation system for aiding in the rehabilitation of a visually impaired individual comprising:

a headset, said headset having an anterior portion extending over said individual'"'"'s eyes and a posterior portion partially encircling said individual'"'"'s head, said anterior portion of said headset having a spacing means to allow said headset to be worn in conjunction with other eyewear;

a camera for imaging an image source located at a distance from said camera, said camera comprising a focusing means and an electro-optical sensor, wherein said focusing means focuses incident light from said image source onto said electro-optical sensor, said sensor creating an image signal based upon said incident light;

a coherent video display, located within said anterior portion of said headset for receiving said image signal from said camera and recreating said image from said image source onto said individual'"'"'s eyes;

a disengageable connector for removably attaching said camera to said anterior portion of said headset;

a control unit, in communication with said camera, said video display and said headset, for controlling the operation of said head-mounted vision rehabilitation system.

2. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said disengageable connector further comprises a disengagedly communication means for communicating electrical signals between said camera and said headset.

3. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said electro-optical image sensor is a charged coupled device.

4. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said focusing means is an autofocusing lens system.

5. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said focusing means is a zoom lens system.

6. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said focusing means comprises a plurality of lenses, each of said lenses having a different level of magnification, and further comprising an actuator for moving any of said lenses and said electrical-optical sensor in relation to each other;

and an actuator control means for controlling the operation of said actuator.

7. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 further comprising a scanning means attached to said camera to allow said camera to scan said image source without movement of said headset.

8. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 7 wherein said scanning means comprises:

an actuator for effecting movement of said electro-optical sensor relative to said focusing system; and

an actuator control means for controlling movement of said actuator.

9. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 1 further comprising a stabilization means, connected to said camera, for stabilizing the image created on said electro-optical sensor by said incident light from said image source.

10. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 8 wherein said stabilization means comprises:

an optical wedge;

an actuator connected to said optical wedge for effecting movement of said optical wedge;

at least one motion sensor for detecting movement of said camera relative to said image source; and

an actuator control means in communication with said actuator and said motion sensor for controlling movement of said optical wedge based upon said motion detected by said motion sensor.

11. The vision rehabilitation system of claim 8 wherein said stabilization means comprises:

an electro-optical sensor, said electro-optical sensor having an image-detection area greater than the image created by said incident light from said image source;

at least one motion sensor for detecting motion of said camera relative to said image source; and

an image processing means for processing said image signal from said electro-optical sensor to stabilize said image recreated by said video display.

12. The video rehabilitation system of claim 1 wherein said electro-optical sensor has an image-detection area greater than the image created by said light from said image source and wherein said vision rehabilitation system further comprises:

at least one motion sensor for detecting motion of said camera relative to said image source; and

an electronic control means in communication with said motion sensor, said electro-optical sensor, and said video display, said image control means being capable of electronically effecting movement of said image across said detection surface of said electro-optical sensor to controllably scan said image source and to stabilize said image recreated by said video display.