Patents by Inventor Bernd Hoefflinger

Bernd Hoefflinger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7751896
    Abstract: An active retina implant has a multiplicity of pixel elements that convert incident light into electric stimulation signals for cells of the retina with which stimulation electrodes are to make contact. Each pixel element is provided with at least one image cell that converts incident light into electric signals, there being provided at least one amplifier whose input is connected to the image cell and whose output is connected to at least one stimulation electrode to which it supplies a stimulation signal. Also provided is an energy supply which provides externally coupled external energy as supply voltage for the image cells and the amplifiers. The image cell has a logarithmic characteristic according to which incident light of specific intensity is converted into electric signals of specific amplitude. The stimulation signal is supplied in the form of analog voltage pulses of specific pulse length and pulse spacings, the pulse amplitude being a function of the intensity of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Retina Implant AG
    Inventors: Heinz-Gerhard Graf, Alexander Dollberg, Bernd Hoefflinger, Wilfried Nisch, Hugo Haemmerle, Alfred Stett, Martin Stelzle, Eberhart Zrenner
  • Publication number: 20060184245
    Abstract: An active retina implant has a multiplicity of pixel elements that convert incident light into electric stimulation signals for cells of the retina with which stimulation electrodes are to make contact. Each pixel element is provided with at least one image cell that converts incident light into electric signals, there being provided at least one amplifier whose input is connected to the image cell and whose output is connected to at least one stimulation electrode to which it supplies a stimulation signal. Also provided is an energy supply which provides externally coupled external energy as supply voltage for the image cells and the amplifiers. The image cell has a logarithmic characteristic according to which incident light of specific intensity is converted into electric signals of specific amplitude. The stimulation signal is supplied in the form of analog voltage pulses of specific pulse length and pulse spacings, the pulse amplitude being a function of the intensity of the incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Heinz-Gerhard Graf, Alexander Dollberg, Bernd Hoefflinger, Wilfried Nisch, Hugo Haemmerle, Alfred Stett, Martin Stelzle, Eberhart Zrenner
  • Patent number: 6002466
    Abstract: A lithography exposure device allows more effective production of small structures within a short time by lithography. The device includes a retainer for a substrate, an exposure unit for producing a light spot on the light-sensitive layer of the substrate, a motion unit for producing apparent motion between the exposure unit and the retainer, and a control unit for controlling the intensity and position of the light spot on the light-sensitive layer. The exposure unit has several solid-state lasers, and a focusing unit that guides the laser beam of each solid-state laser to a light spot of a defined light spot pattern. The entire light spot pattern and the retainer are displaceable relative to each other in an exposure motional direction. Moreover, the light spots of the light spot pattern which correspond to the form of the partial areas to be exposed can be activated or deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignees: Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft -und Raumfahrt e.V., Institutfuer Mikroelektronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Uwe Brauch, Hans Opower, Bernd Hoefflinger, Reinhard Springer
  • Patent number: 4686758
    Abstract: A three-dimensional CMOS integrated circuit structure in which two complementary field effect transistors are fabricated in vertical alignment with one another, and in which both transistors are single crystal and share a common crystal lattice structure and form a single unitary crystalline structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Liu, Bernd Hoefflinger