Producing Visual Effects By Stimulation Patents (Class 607/54)
  • Patent number: 12250458
    Abstract: An example method for image processing includes receiving a first set of information, the first set of information being indicative of angular velocity and movement of the device based on a change in position of the device across a current frame captured by the device and a subsequent frame captured by the device, filtering the first set of information to compensate for unintentional movement of the device to generate a second set of information, the second set of information being indicative of angular velocity and movement of the device without unintentional movement, performing image stabilization on the current frame based on both the first set of information and the second set of information to generate an image stabilized current frame, and outputting, for display, the image stabilized current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xueyang Kang, Shunying Yuan
  • Patent number: 12220307
    Abstract: An eye implant includes a plurality of photodetectors and a plurality of electrodes electrically coupled to the plurality of photodetectors. The plurality of electrodes are configured to electrically couple each photodetector of the plurality of photodetectors to one or more neurons, and the electrical coupling between each photodetector and the one or more neurons is entirely passive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Inventor: Joon Bu Park
  • Patent number: 12220578
    Abstract: Disclosed is electrical stimulation apparatus and an associated method for delivering therapy to an eye of a patient is disclosed, the apparatus comprising: an implantable device comprising one or more electrodes for delivering therapeutic electrical stimulation to the eye, the implantable device being configured for implanting in a suprachoroidal space between the sclera and choroid layers of the eye. Also disclosed is electroretinography (ERG) apparatus for monitoring an eye of a patient, the apparatus comprising: an implantable device comprising one or more electrodes for monitoring properties of the eye, the implantable device being configured for implanting in a suprachoroidal space between the sclera and choroid layers of the eye. Also disclosed are implantable devices, apparatuses and methods for the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Centre for Eye Research Australia Ltd
    Inventors: Penelope Jayne Allen, Chi Luu, David Anthony Xeiss Nayagam, Christopher Edward Williams, Owen Burns, Joel Villalobos
  • Patent number: 12206250
    Abstract: Eyewear that is configured to be wirelessly charged and also wirelessly communicate bidirectionally using a single coil in a front end. The single coil forms a single compact antenna that is configured for both near field data communications (NFC) and also for wireless charging when the eyewear is closely coupled to a wireless power charger having a transceiver. Wireless charging and bidirectional communication of the eyewear can be performed using Qi expanded power profile (EPP), which is an open interface standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Shaheen Moubedi, Ugur Olgun
  • Patent number: 12161869
    Abstract: Stimulation of neural activity in a nerve supplying the spleen, wherein the nerve is adjacent to the splenic artery at a position where the splenic artery is not in direct contact with the pancreas, can modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules levels, thereby reducing inflammation and providing ways of treating disorders, such as disorders associated with inflammation. The invention provides improved ways of reducing inflammation with minimized off-target effects, in particular surgical trauma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Eric Irwin, Daniel John Chew, Matteo Donega, Cindy Cleypool, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 12159076
    Abstract: To provide a device which can diagnose a brain disease by observing a pupil diameter. A device for diagnosing a brain disease, equipped with a display image control section (3), an imaging section (5) and a judgment section (7), wherein the display image control section (3) can vary a display image displayed on a display section on the basis of a first pattern, the imaging section (5) can take an image of the pupil of a user who watches the display image, and the judgment section (7) can determine whether or not the user is affected with a brain disease using a pattern of the time-dependent change in the size of the pupil of the user which is imaged by the imaging section and the first pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Natsume Research Institute, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Kurashima, Kouichi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 12151103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for artificial sight in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a retinal prosthesis system including an external controller, a scene imager, an eye imager, an implanted controller, and a stimulation interface in communication with the implanted controller, where the stimulation interface is positioned to stimulate a plurality of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) of the eye, where the external controller is configured to obtain image data describing a scene from the scene imager, obtain eye position data from the eye imager, determine a field of view (FOV) in the scene based on the eye position data; where the implanted controller is configured to obtain the FOV from the external controller, continuously select stimulation pulses from a dictionary based on the FOV, and stimulate the plurality of RGCs using the stimulation interface in accordance with the selected stimulation pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Nishal Pradeepkumar Shah, Eduardo Jose Chichilnisky
  • Patent number: 12121718
    Abstract: Electrical stimulation of neural activity in the neural innervation of the spleen that is associated with neurovascular bundles provides a useful way to treat acute medical conditions, such as trauma, hemorrhaging and shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Matteo Donega, Daniel John Chew, Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 12076551
    Abstract: A pulse current generation circuit (100) for neural stimulation includes an analogue signal receiving device (101) for receiving an analogue signal; an analogue-to-digital converter (102) for converting the analogue signal into a digital control signal; a current signal controller (103) for producing, according to the digital control signal, pulse current parameters for generating bidirectional pulse current signals; and a current generator (104) for generating, according to the pulse current parameters, bidirectional pulse current signals for neural stimulation, and the current generator can generate pulse currents of different precisions according to the pulse current parameters. In addition, the present invention further relates to a charge compensation circuit, a charge compensation method, and an implantable electrical retina stimulator using the pulse current generation circuit or the charge compensation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SIBIONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Xia, Yu Zhao, Yu Lin, Zhi Chen
  • Patent number: 12076567
    Abstract: A brain stimulation method and system are provided, wherein neuronal signals of a patient are continuously sensed by at least one sensor device and based on the sensed signals, stimulation signals are applied to the patient by at least one stimulation device, wherein the sensed signals are transmitted to a body-external, portable processing device wherein the sensed signals are evaluated, and based on the evaluated signals stimulation control signals are generated and transmitted to the stimulation device where based on the stimulation control signals the stimulation signals are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: CorTec GmbH
    Inventors: Jörn Rickert, Christian Stolle, Martin Schüttler
  • Patent number: 12038584
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus for conveying a virtual image including a waveguide having first and second surfaces. An in-coupling diffractive optic and an out-coupling diffractive optic arranged along one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the in-coupling diffractive optic is operable to direct image-bearing light beams into the waveguide for propagation by total internal reflection, and wherein the out-coupling diffractive optic is operable to direct at least a portion of the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide through the second surface toward an eyebox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Vuzix Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Schultz
  • Patent number: 11903713
    Abstract: A mental state awareness system comprises a non-invasive brain interface assembly configured for detecting brain activity of a user, a processor configured for determining a mental state of a user based on the detected brain activity, and a biofeedback device configured for automatically providing biofeedback to the user indicative of the determined mental state of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Johnson, Husam Katnani, Jamu Alford, Ricardo Jimenez-Martinez
  • Patent number: 11871992
    Abstract: A subjective optometry system includes a plurality of subjective optometry devices and a database which stores at least any data of objective measurement data and previous glass data in association with each identifier. Each of the subjective optometry devices includes a calibration optical system, an information processor, and a reader which is connected to the information processor, reads an identifier prepared for each examinee, and outputs information about the read identifier to the information processor. The information processor acquires at least one of the objective measurement data and the previous glass data corresponding to the identifier from the database based on the identifier received from the reader, and sets an initial value of the calibration optical system used on an occasion of subjectively measuring optical characteristics of a subject eye based on at least one of the objective measurement data and the previous glass data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taeko Horino, Hirohisa Terabe, Jouji Seko
  • Patent number: 11813453
    Abstract: The present invention is a cortical visual prosthesis. The cortical visual prosthesis includes an implanted portion and an external portion. The implanted portion includes an implanted coil, electronics package, and a plurality of electrodes adapted to stimulate neural tissue. The implanted coil transfers power and data to the electronics package and the electronics package drives the electrodes. The external portion includes a video processor and a pair of glasses adapted to be supported by a user's nose and ears. The glasses include a support adapted to hold an external coil in close proximity to the implanted coil when implanted; the external coil supplies power and data to the implanted coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Cortigent, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Greenberg, Neil H. Talbot, Proyag Datta, Dustin Tobey, David Daomin Zhou, Jessy Dorn
  • Patent number: 11738196
    Abstract: Stimulation of neural activity in a nerve supplying the spleen, wherein the nerve is adjacent to the splenic artery at a position where the splenic artery is not in direct contact with the pancreas, can modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules levels, thereby reducing inflammation and providing ways of treating disorders, such as disorders associated with inflammation. The invention provides improved ways of reducing inflammation with minimized off-target effects, in particular surgical trauma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Eric Irwin, Daniel John Chew, Matteo Donega, Cindy Cleypool, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 11724102
    Abstract: Electrical stimulation of neural activity in the neural innervation of the spleen that is associated with neurovascular bundles provides a useful way to treat acute medical conditions, such as trauma, hemorrhaging and shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Matteo Donega, Daniel John Chew, Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 11684256
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to apparatus, software and methods for assessing ocular, ophthalmic, neurological, physiological, psychological and/or behavioral conditions. As disclosed herein, the conditions are assessed using eye-tracking technology that beneficially eliminates the need for a subject to fixate and maintain focus during testing or to produce a secondary (non-optical) physical movement or audible response, i.e., feedback. The subject is only required to look at a series of individual visual stimuli, which is generally an involuntary reaction. The reduced need for cognitive and/or physical involvement of a subject allows the present modalities to achieve greater accuracy, due to reduced human error, and to be used with a wide variety of subjects, including small children, patients with physical disabilities or injuries, patients with diminished mental capacity, elderly patients, animals, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fink, John Cerwin, Christopher P Adams
  • Patent number: 11583656
    Abstract: A system and method of coupling acoustic and electrical stimulation of noninvasive neuromodulation is a therapeutic system and method preferably designed for the diagnosis and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders including, but not limited to, tinnitus, hyperacusis, sleep disorder, depression, anxiety, dizziness, migraine, or ear suffocation. The system includes acoustic signal devices for deep brain electrical stimulation and electrical pulse devices for shallow brain electrical stimulation. Further, the system includes a signal-coupling module that includes an algorithm for coupling acoustic signals to electrical pulses. Parameters of each the acoustic signals and the electrical pulses are adjusted in order for the acoustic signals to be coupled to the electrical pulses. These parameters can also be adjusted based on patient feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventors: Yong D. Zhao, Jennifer Jinping Zhao
  • Patent number: 11534095
    Abstract: Flexible implant for electrically recording or stimulating a nerve structure, said flexible implant comprising: a first layer of electrically insulating diamond; an electrode of electrically conductive doped diamond, in contact with the first layer of electrically insulating diamond; an electrically conductive layer in contact with the electrode and the first layer, so as to define a conductive track for the electrode; and a second layer of electrically insulating diamond, at least in contact with the electrically conductive layer and a remaining portion of the first layer, all of the above arranged such that: electrically insulating diamond/electrically conductive doped diamond sealing is provided at the electrode (3) by resumption of epitaxial growth; and the electrically conductive layer is encapsulated by the electrode (3), the first layer and the second layer, at the electrode and over the entirety of the remaining surface thereof except over an area defining an electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventors: Emmanuel Scorsone, Lionel Rousseau
  • Patent number: 11521377
    Abstract: A landslide recognition method based on Laplacian pyramid remote sensing image fusion includes: performing original remote sensing image reconstruction based on extracted local features and global features of remote sensing images through a Laplacian pyramid fusion module to generate a fused image, constructing a deep learning semantic segmentation model through a semantic segmentation network, labeling the fused image to obtain a dataset of landslide disaster label map, and training the deep learning semantic segmentation model by the dataset, and then storing when a loss curve is fitted and a landslide recognition accuracy of remote sensing image of the deep learning semantics segmentation model meets a requirement by modifying a structure of the semantic segmentation network and adjusting parameters of the deep learning semantics segmentation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF INFORMATION SCI. & TECH., NATIONAL CLIMATE CENTER
    Inventors: Guojie Wang, Zhen Dong, Zifan Liang, Aiqing Feng, Guofu Wang, Yanjun Wang, Buda Su
  • Patent number: 11484716
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial retinal stimulator and an artificial retinal device which are for providing image jittering. The artificial retinal stimulator for providing the image jittering includes: a photodiode configured to sense light stimulation and generate a current based on an intensity of the stimulation; a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse to be provided to a corresponding stimulation electrode on the basis of the current coming from the photodiode; a switch configured to connect an output terminal of the pulse generator and ground; and a jittering switch configured to determine whether to transfer the generated pulse to the corresponding stimulation electrode or to transfer to a stimulation electrode corresponding to another artificial retinal stimulator. According to the present disclosure, an image jittering function capable of emulating an eye blinking effect is provided, so that it is possible to enable a low vision patient to see images better.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION, GACHON UNIVERSITY OF INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Seong Woo Kim, Jung Suk Kim
  • Patent number: 11452867
    Abstract: Electrical stimulation of neural activity in the neural innervation of the spleen that is associated with neurovascular bundles provides a useful way to treat acute medical conditions, such as trauma, hemorrhaging and shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Matteo Donega, Daniel John Chew, Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 11446496
    Abstract: Stimulation of neural activity in a nerve supplying the spleen, wherein the nerve is adjacent to the splenic artery at a position where the splenic artery is not in direct contact with the pancreas, can modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules levels, thereby reducing inflammation and providing ways of treating disorders, such as disorders associated with inflammation. The invention provides improved ways of reducing inflammation with minimized off-target effects, in particular surgical trauma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Galvani Bioelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Margarita J. Vervoordeldonk, Eric Irwin, Daniel John Chew, Matteo Donega, Cindy Cleypool, Isha Gupta
  • Patent number: 11399930
    Abstract: Systems and methods for psycho-signal processing. According to an aspect, a method includes receiving a visual representation of a subject. The method also includes performing a structured motion operation on the received visual representation to generate a modified visual representation of the subject. The method further includes presenting, via a user interface, the modified visual representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventor: Sina Farsiu
  • Patent number: 11298266
    Abstract: The present invention is a depth sensing visual prosthesis. By depth sensing objects within an image, items located at a certain depths from the user can be removed to declutter an image. The resulting image presents only objects within a range of depth from the visual prosthesis user. Depth sensing can be accomplished in various ways including structured light, time of flight, or preferably, a stereo camera pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Arup Roy, Avraham I. Caspi, Gislin Dagnelie, Greg Seifert, Paul Gibson
  • Patent number: 11097105
    Abstract: A pulse current generation circuit (100) for neural stimulation includes an analogue signal receiving device (101) for receiving an analogue signal; an analogue-to-digital converter (102) for converting the analogue signal into a digital control signal; a current signal controller (103) for producing, according to the digital control signal, pulse current parameters for generating bidirectional pulse current signals; and a current generator (104) for generating, according to the pulse current parameters, bidirectional pulse current signals for neural stimulation, and the current generator can generate pulse currents of different precisions according to the pulse current parameters. In addition, the present invention further relates to a charge compensation circuit, a charge compensation method, and an implantable electrical retina stimulator using the pulse current generation circuit or the charge compensation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SIBIONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Xia, Yu Zhao, Yu Lin, Xianwen Fang, Zhi Chen
  • Patent number: 11096614
    Abstract: A method for providing a neural interface system. At least one primary metallization layer is deposited on a substrate. The primary metallization layer has a thickness. A monolayer of nanospheres is deposited in a substantially uniform distribution. The nanospheres contact an upper surface of the primary metallization layer. The upper surface of the primary metallization layer not contacted by the nanospheres is treated to form a plurality of undulating structures having a substantially uniform arrangement. The treating comprises etching recesses part-way through the thickness of exposed portions of the primary metallization layer from the upper surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Neuronexus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Seymour
  • Patent number: 11030749
    Abstract: An image-processing apparatus including: an image processor including circuitry or a hardware processor that operates under control of a stored program, the image processor being configured to execute processes including: a saliency-map calculating process that calculates saliency maps on a basis of at least one type of feature quantity obtained from an input image; a salient-region-identifying process that identifies a salient region by using the saliency maps; a salient-region-score-calculating process that calculates a score of the salient region by comparing a distribution of values of the saliency map in the salient region and a distribution of values of the saliency map in a region other than the salient region; and a saliency-evaluating process that evaluates the saliency of the salient region on a basis of the score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Oniki
  • Patent number: 11007367
    Abstract: An electrotherapeutic device for treating a visual disease using microcurrent stimulation is provided. The device includes a signal generator in which a waveform controller digitally controls a waveform signal source so as to generate a waveform in which one or more waveform parameters (e.g., pulse width, pulse period, pulse position, pulse coding, peak current amplitude, duty cycle, and/or pulse shape) are varied in accordance with a protocol for treating a visual disease. The device also includes an applicator connected to the signal generator and configured to apply the waveform to at least one stimulation point within an eye region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: NOVA OCULUS CANADA MANUFACTURING ULC
    Inventor: George D. O'Clock
  • Patent number: 10944290
    Abstract: A transmitter coil inductively couples to a receiver coil contained in a contact lens. In one approach, the transmitter coil is contained in a headgear, for example a head band. When the user wears the headgear, the transmitter coil is positioned on a side of the user's head and between the user's ear and the user's eye opening. In one implementation, a head band loops from one ear behind the user's head to the other ear, and also extends slightly forward of each ear. The transmitter coil(s) may be located in the portion of the headband that extends forward of each ear. This places the transmitter coil close to the receiver coil, typically within 40-50 mm of the user's eye opening, while still maintaining an unobtrusive aesthetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Tectus Corporation
    Inventors: Ramin Mirjalili, Hawk Yin Pang, Richard Gioscia, Michael West Wiemer
  • Patent number: 10918856
    Abstract: A graphene bio-device for electrotherapy, includes: a flexible substrate; An electrode made of graphene on the flexible substrate; and an insulation layer on the graphene electrode; wherein the graphene bio-device comprises electrodes for ground, reference, recording and stimulation, wherein the graphene bio-device is measured corticography with low noise and alleviated seizure signals successfully by imposing electrical stimulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: gBrain Inc.
    Inventors: Sunggu Yang, Jong-Hyun Ahn, Jejung Kim, Wonho Lee, Minpyo Kang
  • Patent number: 10898713
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved system for use of eye tracking including spatial mapping percepts in a visual prosthesis by presenting an electrically induced precept through a visual prosthesis, requesting a subject look to the direction of the percept and tracking their eye movement. Eye movement is both faster and more accurate than asking a visual prosthesis user to point to the location of a percept. This method can be beneficial in a retinal prosthesis, but is particularly useful in a cortical visual prosthesis where visual cortex does not match the retinotopic map. Methods are presented for calibrating an eye tracker. Eye tracking hardware may also be used for blanking video information base on the subject's natural blink reflex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Avraham I Caspi, Jessy D Dorn, Arup Roy, Robert J Greenberg
  • Patent number: 10895679
    Abstract: An optical structure and corresponding process of manufacture for light guide optical elements (LOEs) which guide light by reflection at major surfaces. The structure further includes light directing surfaces for coupling light out of the LOE, obliquely inclined with respect to the major surfaces. The optical structure is formed from a stack of multiple optically transparent layers each of which has a surface pattern of regions configured as light directing surfaces which are arranged in an X-Z plane in a spaced-apart relationship along at least the X-axis with optically transparent regions between them. The layers are stacked along a Y-axis so that each of the surface patterns is located at an interface between two adjacent layers and the patterns of the layers are aligned with a shift of a predetermined value along one or both of the X-axis and Z-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: LUMUS LTD.
    Inventors: Yuval Ofir, Edgar Friedmann, Meir Tzion Bitan
  • Patent number: 10863897
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of suppressing an increase in a load on a subject and obtaining a captured image of the subject with higher image quality. An imaging unit reduces a light amount and performs imaging of the fundus of the eye so as to generate a plurality of fundus images. A biological information alignment processing unit aligns fundus images by using biological information of a subject. A super-resolution processing unit superimposes an aligned input image on a previous super-resolution result image so as to generate a new super-resolution result image. The super-resolution processing unit stores or outputs the super-resolution result image in a storage unit or from an output unit, and supplies the super-resolution result image to a super-resolution result image buffer so as to be stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Seiji Kobayashi, Takuya Kishimoto, Tomoyuki Ootsuki
  • Patent number: 10845621
    Abstract: A transmitter coil inductively couples to a receiver coil contained in a contact lens. In one approach, the transmitter coil is contained in a headgear, for example a head band. When the user wears the headgear, the transmitter coil is positioned on a side of the user's head and between the user's ear and the user's eye opening. In one implementation, a head band loops from one ear behind the user's head to the other ear, and also extends slightly forward of each ear. The transmitter coil(s) may be located in the portion of the headband that extends forward of each ear. This places the transmitter coil close to the receiver coil, typically within 40-50 mm of the user's eye opening, while still maintaining an unobtrusive aesthetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Tectus Corporation
    Inventors: Ramin Mirjalili, Hawk Yin Pang, Richard Gioscia, Michael West Wiemer
  • Patent number: 10786670
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved visual prosthesis including a video processing unit with user controls optimized for use by blind individuals. The controls include easily identifiable shapes. The controls are programmable to provide improved usability with a simple tactile interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J Greenberg, Arup Roy
  • Patent number: 10780262
    Abstract: A method of assembling an implantable electrode array from a coupon (108) formed from plastically deformable material. Layers of material are disposed on the coupon to form the electrodes (48) and conductors (62) of one or more electrode arrays. Sections of the coupon on which the electrodes and conductors are removed, along with the electrodes and conductors to form the electrode arrays. The removed sections of the coupon thus function as plastically deformable carriers (74) for the arrays (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Brindley, John Janik
  • Patent number: 10610695
    Abstract: Described here are devices, systems, and methods for increasing tear production by stimulating the cornea, conjunctiva, and/or subconjunctiva. In some variations, the devices may be in the form of a contact lens. The contact lens may comprise a lens body and a stimulator chip, where the stimulator chip is embedded in the lens body. An external power source wirelessly transmits energy to the stimulator chip, where the stimulator chip may convert the energy to an electric waveform to stimulate the cornea, conjunctiva, and/or subconjunctiva. Stimulation may activate the lacrimal reflex to increase tear production. The devices and systems for increasing tear production may be used in methods of treating dry eye, reducing the symptoms of tired eye, increasing comfort for contact lens wearers, and extending the number of years a contact lens user can wear contacts. Also described are methods of manufacturing a contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Oculeve, Inc.
    Inventors: James Donald Loudin, Manfred Franke, Daniel N. Hamilton, Anand Doraiswamy, Douglas Michael Ackermann
  • Patent number: 10576270
    Abstract: Example devices and methods of tongue stimulation for communication of information to a user are disclosed herein. In an example, a tongue stimulation device may include a body configured to be placed entirely within a mouth of the user and atop the tongue of the user. An array of electro-tactile elements may be distributed on the body, wherein each of the electro-tactile elements is configured to stimulate an area of the tongue adjacent the electro-tactile element. A wireless receiver coupled to the body may be configured to receive stimulation information wirelessly from outside the mouth of the user. At least one processing unit coupled to the body may be configured to transform the received stimulation information into a stimulation signal for each of the electro-tactile elements, and to provide the stimulation signals to the electro-tactile elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: John D. Williams, Joel A. Moritz, Leslie M. Stone-Roy
  • Patent number: 10503074
    Abstract: A method of making a device includes providing a fluorinated material layer over the device substrate having one or more target areas for patterning. One or more lift-off structures are formed at least in part by developing a first pattern of one or more open areas in the fluorinated material layer in alignment with the one or more target areas by contact with a developing agent including a fluorinated solvent which dissolves the fluorinated material at a first rate. After patterning, the lift-off structures are removed by contact with a lift-off agent including a fluorinated solvent wherein the lift-off agent dissolves the fluorinated material at a second rate that is at least 150 nm/sec and higher than the first rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Orthogonal, Inc.
    Inventors: John Andrew Defranco, Charles Warren Wright, Douglas Robert Robello, Frank Xavier Byrne, Diane Carol Freeman, Terrence Robert O'Toole
  • Patent number: 10485482
    Abstract: A carbon nanotube (CNT) based electrode and method of making the same is disclosed. The CNT based electrode can have a microelectrode made substantially from a substantially inert metal, a first CNT sheet and a second CNT sheet, wherein the first and second CNT sheets are embedded in a collagen film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Ray Baughman, Raquel Robles, Mario Romero-Ortega, Aswini Kanneganti, Young-tae Kim, Ryan Landrith
  • Patent number: 10459229
    Abstract: Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user's body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Elizabeth Samec, John Graham Macnamara, Christopher M. Harrises, Brian T. Schowengerdt, Rony Abovitz, Mark Baerenrodt
  • Patent number: 10445402
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a memory, one or more hardware engines, and a processor. The memory may be configured to store a feature map pyramid comprising an original feature map and a plurality of scaled feature maps. The one or more hardware engines may be configured to perform pooling operations utilizing power of two down sampling. The processor may be configured to generate the feature map pyramid from the original feature map using said one or more hardware engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Wang, Wei Fang, Leslie D. Kohn
  • Patent number: 10426598
    Abstract: A visual image processing method is based on received spatial field information (302) from a spatial field sensor (116). A data store (804) is accessed, which contains a sensor map data structure (206) comprising a set of predefined regions (208) within a spatial field corresponding with the information received via the sensor input. Each predefined region is associated in the data structure with one or more of a set of stimuli (204) applicable to a biological visual system, and each stimulus corresponds with a visual percept (210). The spatial field information associated with each region is processed to generate stimulus control information which is applied to select, from within the sensor map data structure, stimuli from the set of stimuli for application to the biological visual system. Output stimulus signals (310) are generated, which are suitable for application to the biological visual system based upon the selected stimuli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Monash University
    Inventor: Wai Ho Li
  • Patent number: 10426958
    Abstract: Described here are devices and methods for increasing ocular mucin and other tear protein release using intranasally delivered electrical stimulation. Generally, the devices may deliver electrical stimulation to the nasal mucosa. Intranasal stimulation may trigger degranulation of conjunctival goblet cells, which in turn releases secretory mucins into the tear fluid. The intranasal stimulation may also trigger release of lysozyme, lactoferrin, and other tear proteins into the aqueous layer of the tear film. The methods may further comprise obtaining feedback relating to the efficacy of the delivered electrical stimulation by measuring impedance or an electromyogram (EMG) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Oculeve, Inc.
    Inventors: James Donald Loudin, Manfred Franke, Douglas Michael Ackermann
  • Patent number: 10371945
    Abstract: Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user's body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Elizabeth Samec, John Graham Macnamara, Christopher M. Harrises, Brian T. Schowengerdt, Rony Abovitz, Mark Baerenrodt
  • Patent number: 10350410
    Abstract: A device is provided for stimulating neurons that includes a non-invasive stimulation unit that generates stimuli in multiple stimulation channels. The stimulation unit generates the stimuli to stimulate a neuron population in the brain and/or spinal cord of a patient using the stimulation channels in different locations. Moreover, the device includes a control unit that controls the stimulation unit to repeatedly generates sequences of the stimuli with the order of the stimulation channels in which stimuli are generated within a sequence being constant for 20 or more successively generated sequences before it is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Alexander Tass, Magteld Zeitler
  • Patent number: 10345590
    Abstract: Configurations are disclosed for a health system to be used in various healthcare applications, e.g., for patient diagnostics, monitoring, and/or therapy. The health system may comprise a light generation module to transmit light or an image to a user, one or more sensors to detect a physiological parameter of the user's body, including their eyes, and processing circuitry to analyze an input received in response to the presented images to determine one or more health conditions or defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicole Elizabeth Samec, John Graham Macnamara, Christopher M. Harrises, Brian T. Schowengerdt, Rony Abovitz, Mark Baerenrodt
  • Patent number: 10328255
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of generating visual percepts using conformal electrode arrays. The electrode arrays can be placed into the ventricular system or cerebral venous sinuses, which function as minimally invasive techniques for precise spatial and temporal localization of electrical activity within the brain, and precise electrical stimulation of brain tissue, to diagnose and restore function in conditions caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The disclosure further comprises a system for using these arrays to generate time-varying electric fields to stimulate the visual pathways of the brain, including the optic radiations and the occipital cortex, in ways that lead to visual perception.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Precision NeuroTechnologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin I. Rapoport, Demetrios Papageorgiou, Jason Chen
  • Patent number: 10293162
    Abstract: A method for providing electrical stimulation to a user, the method comprising: providing an electrical stimulation device, in communication with a controller, at a head region of the user; with the electrical stimulation device, providing a stimulation treatment having a waveform configured for neuromodulation in the user; with the controller, performing an adjustment to the stimulation treatment, wherein performing the adjustment includes: generating a transformed waveform with application of a transfer function to the waveform, wherein the transfer function scales the waveform and selectively attenuates extreme waveform values while maintaining a frequency characteristic of the waveform in the transformed waveform; and applying the transformed waveform with the electrical stimulation device, thereby modulating the stimulation treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Halo Neuro, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Wingeier