System controller for variable-optic electronic ophthalmic lens

Abstract

A system controller for an ophthalmic lens comprising an electronic system which actuates a variable-focus optic is disclosed herein. The system controller is part of an electronic system incorporated into the ophthalmic lens. The electronic system includes one or more batteries or other power sources, power management circuitry, one or more sensors, clock generation circuitry, control algorithms and circuitry, and lens driver circuitry. The controller including multiple state machines configured as digital logic gates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:
 an electronic system incorporated into an ophthalmic device configured for use in at least one of in or on the eye;   a system controller incorporated into the electronic system for controlling the operation thereof, the system controller being configured to implement a master state machine that receives at least one signal and outputs at least one signal;   electronic circuitry incorporated into the electronic system, the electronic circuitry being operatively associated with and providing power to the system controller, the electronic circuitry including one or more power sources and one or more of clock generation circuits or inputs; and   at least one actuator configured to receive the at least one output from the system controller.   
     
     
         2 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic device comprises a contact lens. 
     
     
         3 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the contact lens comprises a soft contact lens. 
     
     
         4 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the contact lens comprises a hybrid soft/rigid contact lens. 
     
     
         5 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic device comprises an intraocular lens. 
     
     
         6 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ophthalmic device comprises a punctal plug. 
     
     
         7 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the master state machine is implemented in hardware. 
     
     
         8 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the master state machine is implemented in software. 
     
     
         9 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the master state machine is implemented in a combination of hardware and software. 
     
     
         10 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the system controller comprises one or more subsystems. 
     
     
         11 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more subsystems comprises a clock and reset generator subsystem. 
     
     
         12 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more subsystems comprises a digital blink detection subsystem. 
     
     
         13 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more subsystems comprises a digital receiver subsystem. 
     
     
         14 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more subsystems comprises a charge-pump voltage multiplier controller subsystem. 
     
     
         15 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the master state machine in combination with the clock and reset generator subsystem is configured to provide enable and clock signals to one or more of the subsystems to activate them in sequence and then deactivate them upon completion of operation to minimize power consumption. 
     
     
         16 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the clock and reset generator subsystem comprises a low-frequency clock source and counter. 
     
     
         17 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the system controller is configured to have only the low-frequency clock source and counter in an active state upon a reset, at a startup, and/or between a sampling and an actuation action. 
     
     
         18 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the clock and reset generator circuit is configured to provide a state machine clock and a state machine reset to the master state machine and periodically activate the master state machine. 
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first sensor and a first sensor signal path, wherein the master state machine is configured to periodically enable the first sensor and the first sensor signal path and receive a sensor signal having a value or sequence of values, and wherein the activation period corresponds to a predetermined sample rate of the first sensor and first sensor signed path. 
     
     
         20 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a second sensor and a second sensor signal path, wherein the master state machine is configured to enable the second sensor and the second sensor signal path upon detecting a unique predetermined value or sequence of values from the first sensor and first sensor signal path. 
     
     
         21 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the first sensor and the first sensor signal path comprises a photosensor and photosensor signal path and the sensor signal comprises a value indicating an incident light level on the photosensor. 
     
     
         22 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the predetermined sequence of values represents a blink pattern. 
     
     
         23 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the master state machine enables a lens driver upon detection of a first blink pattern. 
     
     
         24 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the master state machine enables at least one of a light or electromagnetic receiver upon detection of a second blink pattern. 
     
     
         25 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic system further comprises a subsystem having a high-speed clock configured to provide a “done” signal indicating completion of its operations to the master state machine. 
     
     
         26 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the high-speed clock signal is disabled by the subsystem when the subsystem completes its operations. 
     
     
         27 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises power management circuitry. 
     
     
         28 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises one or more high voltage generators. 
     
     
         29 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises one or more switching circuits. 
     
     
         30 . The ophthalmic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises one or more sensors.