Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080284980 | Eye Tracker Having an Extended Span of Operating Distances - The present invention relates to automatic registration and tracking of the eyes of at least one subject. An optical system, including a lens structure, a mask and an image sensor, receives incoming light from a scene containing the subject and directs at least a portion of this light towards the image sensor, which registers spatially distributed light and thus produces primary data. The mask is adapted to alter a basic optical transfer function of the lens structure and the image sensor into an enhanced optical transfer function, which is substantially less sensitive to variations of an unknown distance between the optical system and the subject than the basic optical transfer function. The processing unit is adapted to receive the primary data and process this data to produce resulting eye-tracking data representing a position estimate of the at least one eye and/or a gaze direction for the at least one eye. | 11-20-2008 |
20090315827 | GENERATION OF GRAPHICAL FEEDBACK IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM - The present invention relates to control of a computer system, which includes a data processing unit, a display and an eye tracker adapted to register a user's gaze point with respect to the display. The data processing unit is adapted to present graphical information on the display, which includes feedback data reflecting the user's commands entered into the unit. The data processing unit is adapted to present the feedback data such that during an initial phase, the feedback data is generated based on an absolute position of the gaze point. An imaging device of the system is also adapted to register image data representing movements of a body part of the user, and to forward a representation of the image data to the data processing unit. Hence, during a phase subsequent to the initial phase, the data is instead generated based on the image data. | 12-24-2009 |
20100328444 | ADAPTIVE CAMERA AND ILLUMINATOR EYETRACKER - An eye tracker includes at least one illuminator for illuminating an eye, at least two cameras for imaging the eye, and a controller. The configuration of the reference illuminator(s) and cameras is such that, at least one camera is coaxial with a reference illuminator and at least one camera is non-coaxial with a reference illuminator. The controller is adapted to select one of the cameras to be active to maximize an image quality metric and avoid obscuring objects. The eye tracker is operable in a dual-camera mode to improve accuracy. A method and computer-program product for selecting a combination of an active reference illuminator from a number of reference illuminators, and an active camera from a plurality of cameras are provided. | 12-30-2010 |
20110013007 | EYE DETECTION UNIT USING SEQUENTIAL DATA FLOW - The invention generally relates to systems and methods for eye detection for use in, for example, installations and systems for tracking eyes and gaze angle/directions. The system includes a plurality of eye detection units connected to an image sensor. The eye detection units are adapted to receive regions of picture elements of a digital image frame substantially in parallel and wherein the eye detection units are adapted to operate substantially in parallel, each eye detection unit being adapted to receive a specified region of the picture elements of at least one digital image frame and including an eye feature extraction module adapted to perform a eye feature extraction process on the received picture elements to identify predetermined eye features. An eye data generating module is adapted to receive information of potential identified eye features including picture element coordinates for the identified eye features, and the received region of picture elements, and generate eye data based on the information of potential eye features, wherein the eye data is generated if identified eye features fulfil predetermined conditions, and transfer generated eye data and the received regions of picture elements to a processing module, and wherein a data flow of the eye data and the region of picture elements of a digital image frame is substantially parallel. | 01-20-2011 |
20110069277 | VISUAL DISPLAY WITH ILLUMINATORS FOR GAZE TRACKING - A visual display characterized by hidden reference illuminators is adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input for gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. A system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display comprising reference illuminators are further provided. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model. | 03-24-2011 |
20120327101 | VISUAL DISPLAY WITH ILLUMINATORS FOR GAZE TRACKING - A visual display characterized by hidden reference illuminators is adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input for gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. A system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display comprising reference illuminators are further provided. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model. | 12-27-2012 |
20140062868 | VISUAL DISPLAY WITH ILLUMINATORS FOR GAZE TRACKING - A visual display includes hidden reference illuminators adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input to gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. Also provides are a system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display that includes reference illuminators. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model. | 03-06-2014 |
20140180619 | HARDWARE CALIBRATION OF EYE TRACKER - A gaze tracking device is calibrated to a display unit by presenting graphical guide objects on an active area thereof, which designate distinctive features reflecting how the device may be positioned n a first side of a frame of the display unit. User commands move the objects on the display's active area in a first direction parallel to the first side of the frame. A position value designating an actual position for the gaze tracking device on the first side of the frame is assigned based on a current position of the graphical guide objects on the active area. An offset value is calculated based on the assigned position value and a known measure of the active area. The offset value represents a distance in the first direction between a well-defined point of the gaze tracking device and a well-defined point of the first side. Width and height measures reflecting a physical extension of the active area are also determined and stored in response to a user input confirmation command together with the offset value, so that the values can be used when determining a user's gaze point on the active area. | 06-26-2014 |
20140247208 | INVOKING AND WAKING A COMPUTING DEVICE FROM STAND-BY MODE BASED ON GAZE DETECTION - Waking a computing device from a stand-by mode may include determining a wake zone relative to a display device and, when the computing device is in stand-by mode, detecting a gaze point relative to the display device. In response to determining that the gaze point is within the wake zone, a wake command is generated and passed to a program module, such as the operating system, to cause the program module to wake the computing device from the stand-by mode. When the computing device is not in stand-by mode, another gaze point may be detected and, in response to determining that the other gaze point is within the vicinity of a selectable stand-by icon, the stand-by command is generated and passed to the program module to cause the program module to place the computing device into the stand-by mode. | 09-04-2014 |
20140247215 | DELAY WARP GAZE INTERACTION - A computer system can be controlled with non-contact inputs, such as eye-tracking devices. A visual indicator can be presented on a display to indicate the location where a computer function will take place (e.g., a common cursor). The visual indicator can be moved to a gaze target in response to continued detection of an action (e.g., touchpad touch) by a user for a predetermined period of time. The delay between the action and the movement of the visual indicator can allow a user time to “abort” movement of the visual indicator. Additionally, once the visual indicator has moved, the visual indicator can be controlled with additional precision as the user moves gaze while continuing the action (e.g., continued holding of the touchpad). | 09-04-2014 |
20140247232 | TWO STEP GAZE INTERACTION - A computer system can be controlled with non-contact inputs, such as eye-tracking devices. A computer can enlarge a portion of a display adjacent a first gaze target in response to detecting a first action (e.g., pressing a touchpad). The computer can then allow a user to position a second gaze target in the enlarged portion (e.g., by looking at the desired location) and perform a second action in order to perform a computer function at that location. The enlarging can allow a user to identify a desired location for a computer function (e.g., selecting an icon) with greater precision. | 09-04-2014 |
20140268055 | Eye/Gaze Tracker and Method of Tracking the Position of an Eye and/or a Gaze Point of a Subject - An eye/gaze tracker with first and second light sources each configured to illuminate an eye of a subject and controlled to selectively emit light towards the eye in such a manner that within an operation sequence the eye is illuminated by the first light source during at least one first interval and by the second light source during at least one second interval. An image sensor has a plurality of photodiodes each of which is associated with first and second charge storages configured to store electric charges based on an amount of light reaching the photodiode. At least one switch of the image sensor is controlled such that the electric charges are stored in the first charge storage as a result of the illumination during the at least one first interval and in the second charge storage as a result of the illumination during the at least one second interval. | 09-18-2014 |
20140320531 | COMPUTER GRAPHICS PRESENTATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A data processing unit generates graphics data that are sent to a display screen of a head-mountable structure worn by a user. Thereby, the user can observe the image data, which reflect a virtual reality environment implemented by the data processing unit, namely image data representing a field of view as seen by the user from a particular position and in a particular direction in the virtual reality environment. The head-mountable structure includes a first light source projecting a well-defined light pattern on a light-reflecting surface. The data processing unit is associated with an image registering unit recording image data representing the first well-defined light pattern. The data processing unit calculates the graphics data based on the image data. | 10-30-2014 |
20140320688 | Power Efficient Image Sensing Apparatus, Method of Operating the Same and Eye/Gaze Tracking System - An image sensing apparatus has a light sensitive area and a control unit. The light sensitive area registers image data in response to an incoming amount of light, and is operable in an active mode wherein image data can be read out there from as well as in a standby mode wherein image data cannot be read out. The control unit produces a control signal setting the light sensitive area to operate in the active mode and the standby mode respectively in a cyclic manner during an operation period, which preferably encompasses multiple data frame read-outs of image data from the light sensitive area. | 10-30-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090315827 | GENERATION OF GRAPHICAL FEEDBACK IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM - The present invention relates to control of a computer system, which includes a data processing unit, a display and an eye tracker adapted to register a user's gaze point with respect to the display. The data processing unit is adapted to present graphical information on the display, which includes feedback data reflecting the user's commands entered into the unit. The data processing unit is adapted to present the feedback data such that during an initial phase, the feedback data is generated based on an absolute position of the gaze point. An imaging device of the system is also adapted to register image data representing movements of a body part of the user, and to forward a representation of the image data to the data processing unit. Hence, during a phase subsequent to the initial phase, the data is instead generated based on the image data. | 12-24-2009 |
20100328444 | ADAPTIVE CAMERA AND ILLUMINATOR EYETRACKER - An eye tracker includes at least one illuminator for illuminating an eye, at least two cameras for imaging the eye, and a controller. The configuration of the reference illuminator(s) and cameras is such that, at least one camera is coaxial with a reference illuminator and at least one camera is non-coaxial with a reference illuminator. The controller is adapted to select one of the cameras to be active to maximize an image quality metric and avoid obscuring objects. The eye tracker is operable in a dual-camera mode to improve accuracy. A method and computer-program product for selecting a combination of an active reference illuminator from a number of reference illuminators, and an active camera from a plurality of cameras are provided. | 12-30-2010 |
20110013007 | EYE DETECTION UNIT USING SEQUENTIAL DATA FLOW - The invention generally relates to systems and methods for eye detection for use in, for example, installations and systems for tracking eyes and gaze angle/directions. The system includes a plurality of eye detection units connected to an image sensor. The eye detection units are adapted to receive regions of picture elements of a digital image frame substantially in parallel and wherein the eye detection units are adapted to operate substantially in parallel, each eye detection unit being adapted to receive a specified region of the picture elements of at least one digital image frame and including an eye feature extraction module adapted to perform a eye feature extraction process on the received picture elements to identify predetermined eye features. An eye data generating module is adapted to receive information of potential identified eye features including picture element coordinates for the identified eye features, and the received region of picture elements, and generate eye data based on the information of potential eye features, wherein the eye data is generated if identified eye features fulfil predetermined conditions, and transfer generated eye data and the received regions of picture elements to a processing module, and wherein a data flow of the eye data and the region of picture elements of a digital image frame is substantially parallel. | 01-20-2011 |
20110069277 | VISUAL DISPLAY WITH ILLUMINATORS FOR GAZE TRACKING - A visual display characterized by hidden reference illuminators is adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input for gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. A system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display comprising reference illuminators are further provided. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model. | 03-24-2011 |
20120327101 | VISUAL DISPLAY WITH ILLUMINATORS FOR GAZE TRACKING - A visual display characterized by hidden reference illuminators is adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input for gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. A system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display comprising reference illuminators are further provided. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model. | 12-27-2012 |