Methods and Apparatuses for Compensating for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Abstract

A system and methods for compensating for retinitis pigmentosa for a user include using a head-mounted and user-controllable device that can minify the image to more closely match the user's reduced field of view. The user may adjust the amount of minification and may also adjust the magnification of the image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable vision-enhancement system wearable by a user, said system comprising:
 a memory including a stored program;   a camera mounted on said user aimed to view the scene in front of the user and operable to obtain input video images of said scene;   a processor programmed to execute the stored program to change said input video images into a stream of output video images;   a screen disposed to display said output video images for viewing by the user;   and a user-operable controller for generating an input to said processor by which the size of the output video images is adjusted,   such that, when said stored program is executed by said processor and the user operates said user-operable controller, a size of said output video images of said scene on said screen is adjusted.   
     
     
         2 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 1 , where the size of said output video images occupies less than a 35 degree field of view of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 2 , where said less than a 35 degree field of view of the user is between 15 and 30 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 2 , where said less than a 35 degree field of view of the user is 15 degrees, is 20 degrees, is 25 degrees, or is 30 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user-operable controller for generating an input to said processor by which the magnification of the output video images is adjusted,   such that, when said stored program is executed by said processor and the user operates said controller, the user adjusts the magnification said output video images within the adjusted size of said output video images.   
     
     
         6 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user-operable controller for generating an input to said processor by which the maximum light intensity of the output video images is adjusted,   such that, when said stored program is executed by said processor and the user operates said controller, the user adjusts the intensity of light of said output video images on said screen.   
     
     
         7 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 1 , further comprising a headset and an electronic device attached to said headset, where said camera, said processor, and said screen are components of said electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 7 , where said electronic device is removably attached to said headset. 
     
     
         9 . The portable vision-enhancement system of  claim 7 , where said electronic device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         10 . A method for compensating for retinitis pigmentosa for a user using a system including a camera, a processor, and a screen, said method comprising:
 accepting a stream of video images from the camera;   processing the accepted stream of video images in the processor into a stream of output video images;   accepting an input from the user;   and adjusting the size of the output video images on the screen according to the accepted input.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , where the adjusting adjusts the size of the output video images of scene on the screen to occupy less than a 35 degree of the field of view of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , where the less than a 35 degree of the field of view of the user is between 15 and 30 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , where the less than a 35 degree of the field of view of the user is 15 degrees, is 20 degrees, is 25 degrees, or is 30 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 accepting an input from the user to adjust the magnification of the output video images on the screen.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 accepting an input from the user to adjust the intensity of light of the output video images on the screen.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , where said camera, processor, and screen are contained in a smartphone.