Gaze detection using secondary input

• US 10,437,328 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nelson, Dwayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Seng Heng
• Application Number:
  US15/716,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20190094957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Methods of operating an electronic gaming machine are provided. Methods include operating a wagering game on the electronic gaming machine by displaying a game window associated with the wagering game on an electronic display screen of the electronic gaming machine, receiving, using at least one data capture camera device, gaze direction data corresponding to a player, receiving a secondary input from the player, the secondary input being received, evaluating the gaze direction data of the player and the secondary input, performing, by the electronic gaming machine, at least one operation or modification responsive to evaluating gaze direction data and the secondary input.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic gaming machine, comprising:

operating a wagering game on the electronic gaming machine, wherein operating the wagering game on the electronic gaming machine comprises;

displaying a game window associated with the wagering game on an electronic display screen of the electronic gaming machine;

receiving, using at least one data capture camera device, gaze direction data corresponding to a player;

receiving a secondary input from the player, the secondary input being received without the at least one data capture camera device;

evaluating the gaze direction data of the player and the secondary input, wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises comparing the gaze direction data of the player to a user interface portion to determine an accuracy of the gaze direction data; and

performing, by the electronic gaming machine, at least one operation or modification responsive to evaluating gaze direction data and the secondary input,

wherein responsive to the gaze direction data corresponding to a location other than a given location of the user interface portion, the method further comprising determining that the gaze direction data includes an error.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secondary input comprises a physical touch received from the player via the user interface portion that defines a button having the given location,

wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises comparing the gaze direction data of the player to the given location of the user interface portion that defines the button to determine an accuracy of the physical touch.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the gaze direction data includes gaze direction data that was received during a first time interval that begins before the physical touch is received and continues at least until the time that the physical touch is received,

wherein responsive to the gaze direction data corresponding to the location other than the given location of the user interface portion, the method further comprising determining that the physical touch was an accidental physical touch from the player.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein comparing the gaze direction data of the player to the given location of the user interface portion comprises:

determining a location difference between the gaze direction data and the given location of the user interface portion; and

comparing the location difference between the gaze direction data and the given location of the user interface portion to a location difference threshold, and

wherein the method further comprises, responsive to the location difference being greater than the location difference threshold, determining that the physical touch was the accidental physical touch from the player.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein comparing the gaze direction data of the player to the given location of the user interface portion comprises:

determining a location difference between the gaze direction data and the given location of the user interface portion; and

comparing the location difference between the gaze direction data and the given location of the user interface portion to a location difference threshold, and

wherein the method further comprises, responsive to the location difference being at or below the location difference threshold, determining that the gaze direction data includes an error.

6. The method according to claim 5, responsive to determining that the gaze direction data includes the error, performing a calibration adjustment corresponding to the error.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the secondary input comprises receiving a voice communication from the player via an audio input device, and

wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises determining that a combination of the voice communication and the gaze direction data correspond to a control input to the electronic gaming machine.

8. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the control input is identified by the gaze direction data,

wherein the control input is validated based on the voice communication, and

wherein, responsive to the control input being validated, the at least one operation or modification corresponding to the control input is performed by the electronic gaming machine.

9. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the control input comprises first control input data and second control input data,

wherein the first control input data includes the gaze direction data,

wherein the second control input data includes voice communication from the player, and

wherein, responsive to receiving the first control input data and the second control input data, the at least one operation or modification corresponding to the control input is performed by the electronic gaming machine.

10. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the first control input data includes an identification of a portion of the electronic display screen that includes a display corresponding to an element of the wagering game, and

wherein the second input content includes a relative input that includes data corresponding to the first control input data.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the secondary input comprises receiving a gesture input from the player via a gesture detector that is configured to generate gesture data, and

wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises determining that a combination of the gesture data and the gaze direction data corresponds to a control input to the electronic gaming machine.

12. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the control input is identified by the gaze direction data,

wherein the control input is validated based on the gesture data, and

wherein, responsive to the control input being validated, the at least one operation or modification corresponding to the control input is performed by the electronic gaming machine.

13. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the control input comprises first control input data and second control input data,

wherein the first control input data includes the gaze direction data,

wherein the second control input data includes the gesture data, and

wherein, responsive to receiving the first control input data and the second control input data, the at least one operation or modification corresponding to the control input is performed by the electronic gaming machine.

14. The method according to claim 13,

wherein the first control input data includes an identification of a portion of the electronic display screen that includes a displayed portion corresponding to an element of the wagering game,

wherein the second input content includes a relative input that includes data corresponding to the first control input data.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein receiving the gesture input that from the player via a gesture detector that is configured to generate gesture data comprises receiving head movement data corresponding to the movement of a player'"'"'s head.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the secondary input comprises receiving, by the electronic gaming machine, mobile device data from a mobile device that corresponds to the player.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mobile device data is generated by the mobile device responsive to the mobile device receiving a mobile device input from the player, and

wherein the mobile device input received from the player is received via a button, a graphical user interface, a motion input, a voice input and/or image data.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises determining that a combination of the mobile device data and the gaze direction data corresponds to a control input to the electronic gaming machine.

19. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the control input is identified by the gaze direction data,

wherein the control input is validated based on the mobile device data, and

wherein, responsive to the control input being validated, the at least one operation or modification corresponding to the control input is performed by the electronic gaming machine.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mobile device data comprises mobile device image data corresponding to the player,

wherein the gaze direction data comprise gaze camera image data corresponding to the player,

wherein evaluating the gaze direction data and the secondary input comprises comparing the gaze camera image data and the mobile device image data to confirm an association between the mobile device and the player.