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Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portionRelated Patent Categories: Surgery: Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Electrical Therapeutic Systems, Producing Visual Effects By StimulationVisual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060235485, Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/761,270, filed Jan. 16, 2001 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to a visual prosthesis for restoring at least partial vision to a user afflicted with photoceptor degeneration. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155 describes a visual prosthesis generally comprised of (1) an image acquiring and transmitting portion and (2) a receiving and retina stimulating portion. The acquiring portion includes a camera for generating a visual signal output representative of an acquired image. The stimulating portion includes an electrode array adapted to be operatively attached to the user's retina. The visual signal output is used to modulate a radio frequency (RF) carrier signal which is applied to a primary coil. A secondary coil receives the RF signal which is then demodulated to recover the visual signal output for driving the electrode array to electrically stimulate retinal tissue. In use, the acquiring and transmitting portion is mounted outside of the eye (extraocular) and the receiving and stimulating portion is primarily mounted in the eye (intraocular) The components of the intraocular portion are powered from energy extracted from the transmitted visual signal. [0004] FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155 comprises a functional block diagram of the visual prosthesis showing its image acquiring and transmitting portion and its receiving and retina stimulating portion. FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show the organization of functional components of the respective portions of FIG. 1. FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 depict alternative arrangements for deploying the prosthesis physical components. In all of the figures, the primary coil is mounted in alignment with the optic axis in front of the eye, e.g., in an eyeglass lens, frame, or in a soft contact lens. In FIG. 4, the secondary coil is implanted behind the iris and a circuit housing is collocated therewith. In FIG. 5, the secondary coil is implanted behind the iris but the circuit housing is located outside of the sclera wall. In FIG. 6, the secondary coil is placed adjacent the outer sclera surface. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,800,530 and 6,120,538 describe alternative visual prostheses. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention is directed to a visual prosthesis and more particularly to an enhanced receiving and stimulating portion for electrically stimulating retinal tissue to present an apparent image to a user. Visual prosthesis embodiments in accordance with the invention utilize an image acquiring and transmitting portion having an extraocular camera and primary coil. The camera responds to a real image to generate a real image signal which is coupled, e.g., RF coupling, from the primary coil to the secondary coil of the receiving and stimulating portion. [0006] In accordance with a firs preferred embodiment of the invention, the secondary coil is placed within the vitreous body of the user's eye positioned and oriented for good signal coupling to the extraocular primary coil. For example, both coils are located in close proximity substantially coincident with the optic axis of the user's eye. Moreover, the secondary coil is arranged to be in good thermal contact with the vitreous body which acts as a heat sink. [0007] In accordance with a significant aspect of the first preferred embodiment, a signal processing circuitry electrically connected to the secondary coil is also placed in the vitreous body to assure efficient heat transfer therefrom. The circuitry is preferably contained in a protective hermetically sealed housing which preferably comprises a metal can but which also can constitute any coating or envelope for protecting the circuitry from adverse effects of salt water. The circuitry responds to an output signal from the secondary coil to produce an apparent image signal for driving an electrode array. The electrode array is configured to electrically stimulate the eye's retinal tissue to enable a user to perceive an apparent image. [0008] In accordance with a further feature of the preferred embodiment, the housing, which is preferably metal, is placed and/or oriented in a manner to minimize the generation of eddy currents in the housing wall which would diminish energy transmission efficiency, In one arrangement, the housing is located posteriorly of the secondary coil but oriented with its shortest dimensions perpendicular to the secondary coil axis. In an alternative arrangement, the housing is displaced from the secondary coil axis but in substantially the same plane as the secondary coil. [0009] In a still further embodiment the invention, the housing is placed outside the sclera wall and electrically connected through the sclera to the secondary coil and retina electrode array. [0010] In accordance with a still further prosthesis embodiment, the primary coil and secondary coil are both located to the side of the optic axis outside of the sclera wall enabling them to be closely coupled. The circuit housing is preferably located very close to the secondary coil and is electrically connected through the sclera to the retina electrode array. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the visual prosthesis described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155 showing its (1) image acquiring and transmitting portion and its (2) receiving and retina stimulating portion; [0012] FIGS. 2 and 3 are functional block diagrams respectively showing the organization of the (1) image acquiring and transmitting portion and the (2) receiving and retina stimulating portion. [0013] FIG. 4 depicts a simplified cross-section of an eye showing the placement of receiving and stimulating components in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; [0014] FIG. 5 depicts a simplified cross-section of an eye showing the placement of receiving and stimulating components in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; [0015] FIG. 6 depicts a simplified cross-section of an eye showing the placement of receiving and stimulating components in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and [0016] FIG. 7 depicts a simplified cross-section of an eye showing the placement of receiving and stimulating components in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0017] FIG. 1 depicts the visual prosthesis 10 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,155 which includes an image capturing element, such as a standard charge coupled device (CCD) camera 12, whose output is processed and encoded in circuit block 14. This processed and encoded captured real image signal is then coupled via primary coil 16 to a secondary coil 18. For example, the real image signal can be transmitted as a modulated radio frequency (RF) carrier signal. The secondary coil 18 receives the real image signal and applies an output signal to the signal processing circuit block 20. This circuit block 20 decodes and demultiplexes the applied signal and then communicates an apparent image signal to an electrode array 22 which stimulates the retinal cells to produce phoshenes in a pattern to simulate vision. [0018] It should be noted that the dashed line 24 in FIG. 1 is included to functionally separate the image acquiring and transmitting portion 26 from the image receiving and stimulating portion 28 of the visual prosthesis 10. The dashed line 24 may or may not indicate the physical separation of extraocular and intraocular components as will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4-7. Continue reading about Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion... Full patent description for Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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