Visual Prosthesis with an Integrated Visor and Video Processing Unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016279415-A1
Application number	US-201615174349-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Aug 15, 2007
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention is a new configuration for the external portion of a visual prosthesis in the form of a visor or glasses, including a frame supported by a user's nose and ears. The video processing unit is adapted to be connected by temple portions of the visor and rest on the user's upper back behind the user's neck, or behind the user's head. Controls for the video processor are on one or both temple portions of the visor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A visual prosthesis comprising:
an external portion including
a frame suitable to supported by a user's nose and ears,
a camera supported by the frame,
a video processing unit supported by the frame receiving data from the camera and suitable to located behind a user's neck, and
a primary coil supported by the frame receiving data from the video processing unit and
sending data to an implantable portion; and

the implantable portion including
a secondary coil suitable inductively couple with the primary coil,
an electronics package receiving data from the secondary coil including electrode drivers, and
an electrode array driven by the electrode drivers suitable to stimulate visual neurons.

2 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a lens portion and two temple portions, one on either side of the lens portion.

3 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the video processing unit is attached to both temple portions.

4 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the camera is supported by the lens portion.

5 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 2 , further comprising controls for the video processing unit on at least one of the temple portions.

6 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 5 , wherein the controls include controls selected from the group including zoom, brightness, contrast, and saliency functions such as proximity and motion.

7 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 2 , further comprising flexible extension of the temple portions connecting the video processing unit to the temple portions.

8 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the primary coil is supported by a temple portion.

9 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 8 , further comprising an implantable primary coil receiving data from the electronics package and an external secondary coil supported by the frame and sending data to the video processing unit.

10 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 8 , further comprising RF transmitter electronics supported by a temple portion opposite the temple portion supporting the primary coil.

11 . A visual prosthesis comprising:
a frame suitable to be supported by a users nose and ears including a lens portion and two temple portions; a camera supported by the frame; a mounting system including a ball mount supported by the temple portion; a primary coil supported by the mounting system receiving data from the video processing unit and sending data to an implantable device.

12 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 11 , further comprising a sliding plate supported by the temple portion and supporting the ball mount.

13 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 12 , wherein the sliding plate and ball mount are locked in place by a common screw.

14 . The visual prosthesis according to claim 11 , further comprising a video processing unit supported by the frame receiving data from the camera and attached to both temple portions.

Assignees

• Second Sight Medical Products Inc

Inventors

• Roy Arup
• Greenberg Robert J
• Mcclure Kelly H
• Gaikwad Sanjay
• Nugent Timothy M

Classifications

• A61N1/0543

  Retinal electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/37223

  Circuits for electromagnetic coupling · CPC title

• A61N1/36046 Primary

  of the eye · CPC title