Patent ID: 7113828

Claim:
A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient, comprising: an electrode array having a plurality of electrodes which apply electrical stimulation pulse signals to cells constituting a retina of an eye of the patient, the electrodes including first electrodes and second electrodes; a photographing unit which photographs an object to be recognized by the patient to provide at least one photograph frame of the object; a converting unit which converts photographic data transmitted from the photographing unit to data for electrical stimulation pulse signals; and a control unit which outputs the electrical stimulation pulse signals through each electrode based on the data for electrical stimulation pulse signals, the control unit simultaneously outputting a portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals only through the first electrodes during a first time period so as not to simultaneously output another portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals through the second electrodes that are arranged within a distance from the first electrodes whereby the portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals outputted through the first electrodes will not interfere with the another portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals outputted through the second electrodes, the control unit switching from outputting the portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals through the first electrodes to outputting the another portion of the electrical stimulation pulse signals through only the second electrodes during a second time period, the control unit completely terminating the outputting of the electrical stimulation pulse signals through all of the first and second electrodes whereby each photograph frame provided by the photographing unit results in electrical stimulation pulse signals applied to the first and second electrodes in a time division manner.