Methods and apparatuses for configuring artificial retina devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to detect configuration commands from waveforms received at a retina prosthesis device for calibrating the device are described. The device can comprise an array of pixel units to receive light to stimulate neuron cells to cause an effect of visual sensation from the light. The pixel units may have configurable parameters for the stimulation to the neuron cells. The configurable parameters may be updated according to the configuration commands detected without requiring micro processor and non-volatile memory in the device. The stimulation may be generated according to the updated configurable parameters to improve the effect of visual sensation from the light including compensation for the physiological and environmental variations and drifts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A machine-implemented method to calibrate a retina prosthesis device, the method comprising:
 receiving diagnostic commands from an interface at the a retina prosthesis device, wherein the device comprises an array of pixel units to receive light to stimulate neuron cells to cause an effect of visual sensation from the light, and wherein the pixel units have configurable parameters for the stimulation to the neuron cells;   sending data related to electric characteristics of the neuron cells via the interface according to the diagnostic commands;   detecting configuration commands received at the interface subsequent to sending the data;   updating the configurable parameters according to the configuration commands detected; and   generating the stimulation according to the updated configurable parameters to improve the effect of visual sensation from the light.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interface is based on wireless signals carrying power to wireles sly power the device and wherein the configuration commands are embedded within the wireless signals. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting mode change commands at the interface for the device to enter a neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic commands includes at least one sampling command during the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the electrical characteristics are sensed a plurality of times according the sample command. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the data includes the electrical characteristics sensed for the plurality of times. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the configuration commands are received subsequent to sending the data in the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the configuration commands depend on the data sent in the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         9 . A non-statutory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of calibrating a retina prosthesis device, the method comprising:
 receiving diagnostic commands from an interface at the a retina prosthesis device, wherein the device comprises an array of pixel units to receive light to stimulate neuron cells to cause an effect of visual sensation from the light, and wherein the pixel units have configurable parameters for the stimulation to the neuron cells;   sending data related to electric characteristics of the neuron cells via the interface according to the diagnostic commands;   detecting configuration commands received at the interface subsequent to sending the data;   updating the configurable parameters according to the configuration commands detected; and   generating the stimulation according to the updated configurable parameters to improve the effect of visual sensation from the light.   
     
     
         10 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the interface is based on wireless signals carrying power to wireles sly power the device and wherein the configuration commands are embedded within the wireless signals. 
     
     
         11 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises detecting mode change commands at the interface for the device to enter a neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         12 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the diagnostic commands includes at least one sampling command during the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         13 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical characteristics are sensed a plurality of times according the sample command. 
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the data includes the electrical characteristics sensed for the plurality of times. 
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the configuration commands are received subsequent to sending the data in the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the configuration commands depend on the data sent in the neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         17 . A retina prosthesis device, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method of calibrating the retina prosthesis device, the method comprising:
 receiving diagnostic commands from an interface at the a retina prosthesis device, wherein the device comprises an array of pixel units to receive light to stimulate neuron cells to cause an effect of visual sensation from the light, and wherein the pixel units have configurable parameters for the stimulation to the neuron cells, 
 sending data related to electric characteristics of the neuron cells via the interface according to the diagnostic commands, 
 detecting configuration commands received at the interface subsequent to sending the data, 
 updating the configurable parameters according to the configuration commands detected, and 
 generating the stimulation according to the updated configurable parameters to improve the effect of visual sensation from the light. 
   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the interface is based on wireless signals carrying power to wireles sly power the device and wherein the configuration commands are embedded within the wireless signals. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises detecting mode change commands at the interface for the device to enter a neuron identification mode. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the diagnostic commands includes at least one sampling command during the neuron identification mode.