US6769770B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Computer-based 3D visual field testing with peripheral fixation points
Assignee: California Institute of Technology
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Filing: 2002-06-25
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Granted: 2004-08-03
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Expires: 2022-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for electronically performing a visual field test for a patient. A visual field test pattern including a peripheral fixation point is displayed to the patient on an electronic display device and the patient's responses to the visual field test pattern are recorded. A visual field representation is generated from the patient's responses. The visual field representation is then used as an input into a variety of diagnostic processes. In one embodiment of the invention, a series of visual test patterns of varying contrast levels or colors are presented to a patient in order to construct a three-dimensional visual field representation wherein contrast sensitivity is plotted as the Z-axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Wolfgang Fink
- 👤 Alfredo A. Sadun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:31
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B3/00; A61B3/0016; A61B3/0041; A61B3/0058; A61B3/02; A61B3/022; A61B3/024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of varying contrast levels and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting a visual field test pattern with a peripheral fixation point to the patient using an electronic display device, the visual field test pattern presented at a contrast level selected from the plurality of varying contrast levels; b) receiving a corresponding patient response signal; and generating a visual field representation using the plurality of contrast levels and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of varying contrast levels and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting a visual field test pattern with a peripheral fixation point to the patient using an electronic display device, the visual field test pattern presented at a contrast level selected from the plurality of varying contrast levels; b) receiving a corresponding patient response signal; and generating a visual field representation using the plurality of contrast levels and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral fixation point is a variable peripheral fixation point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual field test pattern is a grid of substantially orthogonal lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein a grid spacing within the grid of substantially orthogonal lines is at least 1.0 arc minutes of the patient's visual field.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual field representation is a three-dimensional graphical representation of the visual field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual field representation is a statistical description of the patient's visual field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio between the loss of contrast sensitivity over degrees of visual field taken perpendicularly to a steepest slope of visual field loss.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio between the loss of contrast sensitivity over degrees of visual field taken perpendicularly to a shallowest slope of visual field loss.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio of an area of the visual field defect at a highest measured contrast sensitivity versus an area of the visual field defect at a lowest measured contrast sensitivity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising: storing a time series of patient response signals for a patient; and using the time series of patient response signals to monitor the visual field in the patient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising: storing a set of a patient response signals for a known visual field defect cause; and comparing a patient's patient response signal to the set of patient response signals to determine the cause of the patient's visual field defects.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: presenting a cursor within the visual field test pattern; and updating the position of the cursor within the visual field test pattern using the patient response signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying the presentation of the visual field test pattern while receiving the patient response signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the visual field test patterns vary in color.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the order of presentation of the visual field test patterns is random with respect to the varying contrast levels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the order of presentation of the plurality of visual field test patterns is according to the varying contrast levels.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of selected contrast levels and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting an Amsler visual field test pattern including a peripheral fixation point at a selected contrast level to the patient using an electronic display device; b) receiving corresponding patient response signals from a patient input device operated by the patient; generating a three-dimensional graphical visual field representation using the plurality of selected contrast levels and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of selected contrast levels and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting an Amsler visual field test pattern including a peripheral fixation point at a selected contrast level to the patient using an electronic display device; b) receiving corresponding patient response signals from a patient input device operated by the patient; generating a three-dimensional graphical visual field representation using the plurality of selected contrast levels and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for measuring a patient's visual field using a visual field test pattern having a peripheral fixation point, comprising: an electronic visual field test pattern display device; a patient response input device; a visual field tester operably coupled to the visual field test pattern display device and the patient response input device; and a visual field representation generator operably coupled to the visual field tester.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for measuring a patient's visual field using a visual field test pattern having a peripheral fixation point, comprising: an electronic visual field test pattern display device; a patient response input device; a visual field tester operably coupled to the visual field test pattern display device and the patient response input device; and a visual field representation generator operably coupled to the visual field tester.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the peripheral fixation point is a variable peripheral fixation point.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the visual field test pattern is a grid of substantially orthogonal lines.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein a grid spacing within the grid of substantially orthogonal lines is at least 1.0 arc minutes of the patient's visual field.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the visual field representation is a three-dimensional graphical representation of the visual field.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the visual field representation includes a statistical description of the patient's visual field.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio between the loss of contrast sensitivity over degrees of visual field taken perpendicularly to a steepest slope of visual field loss.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio between the loss of contrast sensitivity over degrees of visual field taken perpendicularly to a shallowest slope of visual field loss.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the statistical description of the patient's visual field includes a ratio of an area of the visual field defect at a highest measured contrast sensitivity versus an area of the visual field defect at a lowest measured contrast sensitivity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , the apparatus further comprising: a patient response database for storing a time series of patient response signals received from a patient using the patient input device; and a patient response history generator for monitoring the visual field in the patient using the time series of patient response signals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , the apparatus further comprising: a patient response database for storing a set of of patient response signals received from patients using a patient input device; and a diagnostics generator for comparing a patient response signal to the set of patient response signals to determine the cause of the patient's visual field defects.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the visual test pattern further includes a cursor responsive to patient response signals received from the patient response input device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the visual test pattern includes a plurality of visual field test patterns with varying contrast levels.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the order of presentation of the plurality of visual field test patterns is random with respect to the varying contrast levels.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the order of presentation of the plurality of visual field test patterns is according to the varying contrast levels.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the visual test patterns are presented in varying colors.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the patient response input device is a touch sensitive screen.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the patient response input device is a pointing device.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the tester is operably coupled to the electronic display device and the patient response input device through a communications network.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of colors and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting a visual field test pattern including a fixation point to the patient using an electronic display device, the visual field test pattern presented in a color selected from the plurality of varying contrast levels; b) receiving a corresponding patient response signal; and generating a visual field representation using the plurality of colors and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of measuring a patient's visual field, comprising: repeating steps a and b for a plurality of colors and a plurality of corresponding patient response signals: a) presenting a visual field test pattern including a fixation point to the patient using an electronic display device, the visual field test pattern presented in a color selected from the plurality of varying contrast levels; b) receiving a corresponding patient response signal; and generating a visual field representation using the plurality of colors and the plurality of corresponding patient response signals.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the fixation point is a variable fixation point.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the visual field test pattern is a grid of substantially orthogonal lines.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 39 , wherein a grid spacing within the grid of substantially orthogonal lines is at least 1.0 arc minutes of the patient's visual field.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the visual field representation is a three-dimensional graphical representation of the visual field.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 37 , further comprising: presenting a cursor within the visual field test pattern; and updating the position of the cursor within the visual field test pattern using the patient response signal.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the order of presentation of the visual field test patterns is random with respect to the colors.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 37 , wherein the order of presentation of the plurality of visual field test patterns is according to the colors.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-08-03 | 2008-02-02 | 2008-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-08-03 | 2012-02-02 | 2012-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-08-03 | 2016-02-02 | 2016-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |