Retinal prosthesis
First Claim
1. Apparatus, comprising:
- an external device, comprising;
a mount, configured to be placed in front of an eye of a subject; and
a power source coupled to the mount and configured to emit radiation that is outside of 380-750 nm; and
an intraocular device configured to be implanted entirely in the subject'"'"'s eye, the intraocular device comprising;
an energy receiver, configured to receive the radiation from the power source and to generate a voltage drop in response thereto;
a plurality of stimulating electrodes;
a plurality of photosensors, each photosensor configured to detect photons and to generate a signal in response thereto; and
driving circuitry, coupled to the energy receiver and to the photosensors, and configured to receive the signals from the photosensors and to utilize the voltage drop to drive the electrodes to apply currents to a retina of the eye in response to the signals from the photosensors,wherein the external device is configured to modulate the radiation emitted from the power source using an encoding protocol such that pulses of the radiation are encoded by the encoding protocol, andwherein the driving circuitry is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the driving circuitry in response to the modulation of the radiation emitted from the power source, andwherein the driving circuitry is configured to control a sensitivity of the photosensors, by the regulating of the parameter by the driving circuitry.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An external device (20) includes a mount (22), which is placed in front of a subject'"'"'s eye. A laser (24) is coupled to the mount (22) and emits radiation (26) that is outside of 380-750 nm. A partially-transparent mirror (23) is coupled to the mount (22). An intraocular device (30) is implanted entirely in the subject'"'"'s eye, and includes a plurality of stimulating electrodes (38), and an energy receiver (32), which receives the radiation (26) from the laser (24) and generates a voltage drop. A plurality of photosensors (34) detect photons (33) and generate a signal. Driving circuitry (36) is coupled to the energy receiver (32) and to the photosensors (34), and receives the signals from the photosensors (34) and utilizes the voltage drop to drive the electrodes (38) to apply currents to the retina in response to the signals from the photosensors (34). Other embodiments are also described.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. Apparatus, comprising:
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an external device, comprising; a mount, configured to be placed in front of an eye of a subject; and a power source coupled to the mount and configured to emit radiation that is outside of 380-750 nm; and an intraocular device configured to be implanted entirely in the subject'"'"'s eye, the intraocular device comprising; an energy receiver, configured to receive the radiation from the power source and to generate a voltage drop in response thereto; a plurality of stimulating electrodes; a plurality of photosensors, each photosensor configured to detect photons and to generate a signal in response thereto; and driving circuitry, coupled to the energy receiver and to the photosensors, and configured to receive the signals from the photosensors and to utilize the voltage drop to drive the electrodes to apply currents to a retina of the eye in response to the signals from the photosensors, wherein the external device is configured to modulate the radiation emitted from the power source using an encoding protocol such that pulses of the radiation are encoded by the encoding protocol, and wherein the driving circuitry is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the driving circuitry in response to the modulation of the radiation emitted from the power source, and wherein the driving circuitry is configured to control a sensitivity of the photosensors, by the regulating of the parameter by the driving circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for modulating a parameter of an implant configured for implantation in a subject, the method comprising:
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providing apparatus, comprising; an external device, comprising; a mount, configured to be placed in front of an eye of a subject; and a power source coupled to the mount and configured to emit radiation that is outside of 380-750 nm; and an intraocular device configured to be implanted entirely in the subject'"'"'s eye, the intraocular device comprising; an energy receiver, configured to receive the radiation from the power source and to generate a voltage drop in response thereto; a plurality of stimulating electrodes; a plurality of photosensors, each photosensor configured to detect photons and to generate a signal in response thereto; and driving circuitry, coupled to the energy receiver and to the photosensors, and configured to receive the signals from the photosensors and to utilize the voltage drop to drive the electrodes to apply currents to a retina of the eye in response to the signals from the photosensors, wherein the external device is configured to modulate the radiation emitted from the power source using an encoding protocol such that pulses of the radiation are encoded by the encoding protocol, and wherein the driving circuitry is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the driving circuitry in response to the modulation of the radiation emitted from the power source, and wherein the driving circuitry is configured to control a sensitivity of the photosensors, by the regulating of the parameter by the driving circuitry, emitting the radiation, from the power source to the intraocular device; receiving an input from the subject, and in response to receiving the input from the subject, modulating the radiation emitted from the power source by using the encoding protocol such that the pulses of the radiation are encoded by the encoding protocol; regulating the parameter of the driving circuitry of the intraocular device in response to the modulation of the radiation emitted from the power source; and controlling the sensitivity of the photosensors, by the regulating of the parameter by the driving circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification