Power transducer for a retinal implant using a contact lens

• US 9,884,180 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verily Life Sciences LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Harvey, Amirparviz, Babak
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Erica
• Application Number:
  US13/627,548
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00826 with energy receptors for wireless energy transmission

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods employing contact lens as power source for powering a retinal implant are provided. In an aspect, a contact lens includes a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens and a circuit disposed on or within the substrate comprising. The circuit includes a power harvesting component configured to receive energy in a first form from an external power source and convert the energy from the first form to a second form and an energy transfer component configured to transmit the energy in the second form to device remote from the contact lens when the contact lens is worn over an eye.

Claims

1. A contact lens configured to be worn over an eye, comprising:

a substrate that forms at least part of a body of the contact lens; and

a circuit disposed on or within the substrate comprising;

a power harvesting circuit component operatively coupled to an external power source, the power harvesting circuit component comprising a power transducer having one or more transducer elements, each of the one or more transducer elements being at least one of a solar power cell, a micro-electro-mechanical system, a radio frequency (RF) receiver, or an induction coil;

an energy storage circuit component operatively coupled to the power harvesting circuit component, the energy storage circuit component comprising one or more storage elements, each of the one or more storage elements being at least one of a battery or a capacitor; and

an energy transfer circuit component operatively coupled to at least one of the energy storage circuit component or the power harvesting circuit component, and wirelessly coupled to a self-contained device remote from the contact lens, the self-contained device comprising a receiver for wirelessly receiving power, and the energy transfer circuit being for wireless transmission of power from the contact lens to the self-contained device, the energy transfer circuit comprising one or more wireless transfer elements, each of the wireless transfer elements being one of an RF transmitter, an induction coil for direct or resonant inductive energy transfer, or an RF power amplifier.

2. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the self-contained device is an implant configured to be integrated on or within part of the eye.

3. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the energy transfer circuit component includes a RF antenna.

4. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest mechanical energy generated with eye or eyelid movement.

5. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest thermal energy.

6. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest acoustic energy.

7. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest chemical energy.

8. The contact lens of claim 3, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest radio frequency energy.

9. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the inductive energy transfer uses a predetermined resonance frequency.

10. The contact lens of claim 9, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest mechanical energy generated with eye or eyelid movement.

11. The contact lens of claim 9, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest thermal energy.

12. The contact lens of claim 9, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest acoustic energy.

13. The contact lens of claim 9, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest chemical energy.

14. The contact lens of claim 9, wherein the power harvesting circuit component includes a converter to harvest radio frequency energy.