Retinal prosthesis with efficient processing circuits

• US 9,192,464 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nano-Retina Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nano-Retina Inc.
• Inventors: Liran, Tuvia, Gefen, Ra'anan
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US14/018,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye

Abstract

A medical device includes an array of electrodes, configured for implantation in contact with tissue in an eye of a living subject. Driver circuitry is configured to drive the electrodes in an alternating pattern, such that different groups of the electrodes are driven to stimulate the tissue during different, predetermined respective time periods. A power sensor, may be coupled to deactivate a first group of the electrodes when the available electrical power drops below a predetermined threshold, while a second group of the electrodes remains active. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method for neural stimulation, comprising:

providing an array of electrodes for implantation in contact with tissue in an eye of a living subject; and

driving the electrodes in an alternating pattern, so that different groups of the electrodes are driven to stimulate the tissue during different, predetermined respective time periods,

wherein driving the electrodes comprises deactivating a first group of the electrodes when a level of electrical power supplied for driving the electrodes drops below a predetermined threshold, while continuing to provide pulses to a second group of the electrodes.