The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 13, 1998
Mark S Humayun, Baltimore, MD (US);
Eugene de Juan, Jr, Phoenix, MD (US);
Robert J Greenberg, Los Angeles, CA (US);
John Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (US);
Abstract
A visual prosthesis comprises a camera for perceiving a visual image and generating a visual signal output, retinal tissue stimulation circuitry adapted to be operatively attached to the user's retina, and wireless communication circuitry for transmitting the visual signal output to the retinal tissue stimulation circuitry within the eye. To generate the visual signal output the camera converts a visual image to electrical impulses which are sampled to selecting an image at a given point in time. The sampled image signal is then encoded to allow a pixelized display of it. This signal then is used to modulate a radio frequency carrier signal. A tuned coil pair having a primary and a secondary coil are used to transmit and receive the RF modulated visual signal which is then demodulated within the eye. The retinal stimulation circuitry includes a decoder for decoding the visual signal output into a plurality of individual stimulation control signals which are used by current generation circuitry to generate stimulation current signals to be used by an electrode array having a plurality of electrodes forming a matrix. The intraocular components are powered from energy extracted from the transmitted visual signal. The electrode array is attached to the retina via tacks, magnets, or adhesive.