Implants based on bipolar metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) electronics

• US 7,831,309 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Phillips, Howard, Humayun, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman; Mark W
• Assistant Examiner(s): So; Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US11/951,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607 53- 54, 607/152, 607/141, 623/6.63
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye

Abstract

Intraocular and periocular implantation devices based on one or more implantation electronic chips for implantation within the eye to include a bipolar MOS circuit that is DC biased at or near a natural electrical ground potential of the eye. Described examples include retinal prosthesis devices and techniques that use bipolar MOS electronics.

Claims

1. A retinal prosthesis device, comprising:

an electrode array comprising an array of electrodes and configured for implantation on a retina of an eye to output electrical pulses to optical nerves of the eye;

an implantation electronic chip for implantation within the eye comprising bipolar metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) shift registers that are direct current (DC) biased at or near a natural electrical ground potential of the eye, the implantation electronic chip responsive to a modulated image-carrying electrical signal to produce an array of electrical currents to the array of electrodes of the electrode array to cause the output of the electrical pulses to optical nerves of the eye; and

an electrical connection connected between the implantation electronic chip and the electrode array.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein:

the implantation electronic chip is configured to operate in a time-division multiplexing configuration.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein:

the electrical connection has four conductive wires.

4. The device as in claim 2, wherein:

the electrical connection has six conductive wires which are free of DC signals.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein:

each electrode in the electrode array is made of tantalum.

6. A retinal prosthesis device, comprising:

an electrode array comprising an array of electrodes and configured for implantation on a retina of an eye to output electrical pulses to optical nerves of the eye;

an implantation electronic chip for implantation in the eye comprising a demodulator circuit that receives and processes a time-division multiplexed (TDM) image-carrying electrical signal, a demultiplexer circuit to process the output from the demodulator circuit to produce an array of pixel signals representing an image carried in the modulated image-carrying electrical signal, and a current generator circuit responsive to the array of pixel signals to produce an array of electrical currents to the array of electrodes of the electrode array to cause the output of the electrical pulses to optical nerves of the eye, wherein the demultiplexer circuit comprises bipolar metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) shift registers that are direct current (DC) biased at or near a natural electrical ground potential of the eye; and

an electrical connection connected between the implantation electronic chip and the electrode array.

7. The device as in claim 6, wherein:

the electrical connection has four conductive wires.

8. The device as in claim 6, wherein:

the electrical connection has six conductive wires which are free of DC signals.

9. The device as in claim 6, wherein:

each electrode in the electrode array is made of tantalum.

10. The device as in claim 6, comprising:

a video camera to capture images;

an image processing and encoding circuit to produce a TDM signal that carries the captured images from the video camera;

a first radio frequency (RF) coil that wirelessly transmits the TDM signal; and

a second RF coil that receives the TDM signal from the first RF coil and directs the received TMD signal into the implantation electronic chip.

11. An intraocular implantation device, comprising:

an implantation electronic chip for implantation within an eye comprising a bipolar metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) circuit that is direct current (DC) biased at or near a natural electrical ground potential of the eye.

12. The device as in claim 11, wherein the device includes a drug delivery unit to deliver a drug into the eye.

13. The device as in claim 11, wherein the device includes an intraocular pressure sensor that senses a pressure.

14. A periocular implantation device, comprising:

an implantation electronic chip for implantation within an eye comprising a bipolar metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) circuit that is direct current (DC) biased at or near a natural electrical ground potential of the eye.