Electronic vision aid device

Claim 1

A visual sensory aid system for the partially sighted, comprising: a portable imager for wearing on the face in the same manner as, and in place of, eyeglasses; electronic circuitry for detecting and processing incident light from an image source into patterns corresponding to said image source, displayed on an inner surface of said sensory aid so as to impinge on those areas of the eyes which still retain sight ability; and means for shaping the visual image imparted to conform to the particular shape of the blind spot of each eye of the wearer.

Claim 10

A device for providing to a wearer of said device a selected amount of compensation for a visual disfunction known as macular degeneration, comprising: a housing for wearing on the face in the same manner as, and in place of, eyeglasses; an exterior mounting member for mounting a selected number of devices which generate an electrical voltage when impinged upon by light; an interior mounting member for mounting a selected number of devices which emit light upon application of an electrical voltage thereto; electronic circuitry for receiving electrical voltage values analogous to light intensity from said voltage generating devices, processing said values in accordance with stored electronic instruction codes, and transmitting new voltage values resultant of said processing to a selected number of said light emitting devices; means for selectively shaping the pattern of light emitted by a totality of said light emitting devices so as to conform to the shape of the blind spot of each eye of the wearer of the device; means for selectively altering said light pattern created by said totality of light emitting devices so as to provide a circumferential overlap effect of the actual image as compared to that perceived by the wearer of the device; feedback means for monitoring the position of the focal point of each eye of the wearer of the device; means for selectively altering said light pattern so as to redirect said focal point of each eye back to an optimum location; and power supply means for supplying energizing electrical power to said electronic circuit.

Claim 11

A device for providing to a wearer of said device a selected amount of compensation for a visual disfunction known as macular degeneration, comprising: a housing for wearing on the face in the same manner as, and in place of, eyeglasses; an exterior mounting member for mounting a selected number of devices which generate an electrical voltage when impinged upon by light; an interior mounting member for mounting a selected number of devices which emit light upon application of an electrical voltage thereto; electronic circuitry for receiving electrical voltage values analogous to light intensity from said voltage generating devices, processing said values in accordance with stored electronic instruction codes, and transmitting new voltage values resultant of said processing to a selected number of said light emitting devices; means for selectively shaping the pattern of light emitted by a totality of said light emitting devices so as to conform to the shape of the blind spot of each eye of the wearer of the device; means for selectively altering said light pattern created by said totality of light emitting devices so as to provide a circumferential overlap effect of the actual image as compared to that perceived by the wearer of the device; feedback means for monitoring the position of the focal point of each eye of the wearer of the device; means for selectively altering said light pattern so as to redirect said focal point of each eye back to an optimum location; and power supply means for supplying energizing electrical power to said electronic circuit.