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:
Apr. 29, 2014
Filed:
Aug. 05, 2011
Michael E. Friend, Seattle, WA (US);
Yongdan HU, Bothell, WA (US);
Michael E. Friend, Seattle, WA (US);
Yongdan Hu, Bothell, WA (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
An improved prosthesis and method for stimulating vision nerves to obtain a vision sensation that is useful for the patient that has lost vision due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and other diseases. The present invention utilizes infrared light to cause action potentials in the retinal nerves similar to those which result from rods and cones stimulated by visible light in healthy retinas. In some embodiments, the invention provides a pathway or 'image pipe' for transmitting a stimulation pattern of infrared light from an external stimulator array through the eye and focusing the stimulation pattern of infrared light on the retina, especially the fovea. Some embodiments provide improved resolution down to a group of nerves, or even the individual nerve level, with sufficient energy density so as to cause a desired action potential.