Method and system for operating a display apparatus

• US 10,444,832 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schmidt, Eberhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Giesy, Adam R.
• Application Number:
  US15/795,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20180307307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30168 Image quality inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/391 Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a display apparatus (12), comprising the following steps: capture of image data from at least one part of the head of a user (14) (step 110), ascertainment of at least one parameter, which the user (14) can alter by moving at least one part of the head, from the image data captured in step a) (step 120), control of a visual representation on a display apparatus (12) on the basis of the ascertained at least one parameter (step 130), wherein the capture in step a) is taken as a basis for ascertaining at least one quality parameter (step 140) and the at least one quality parameter is taken as a basis for varying at least one resolution of at least one part of the visual representation (step 150). Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding computer program product and to a corresponding system for operating a display apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining image data of an eye of a user;

determining an eye tracking parameter based on the image data;

determining an accuracy parameter indicative of the accuracy of the eye tracking parameter; and

moving a movable element of a visual representation of a software application based on the eye tracking parameter and the accuracy parameter, wherein a movement speed of the movable element is based on the accuracy parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye tracking parameter includes a gaze point of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accuracy parameter is indicative of a measure of deviation between the determined eye tracking parameter and an actual value of the eye tracking parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the accuracy parameter includes determining a noise value of the image data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the accuracy parameter includes determining a difference between a first value of the eye tracking parameter obtained for a first time and a second value of the eye tracking parameter obtained for a second time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the accuracy parameter includes determining whether the image data includes a second eye of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes moving display of a selection device based on the eye tracking parameter, wherein the movement speed of the selection device is based on the accuracy parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes scrolling a representation, wherein the movement speed of scrolling the representation is based on the accuracy parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes moving a magnifier area based on the eye tracking parameter, wherein a movement speed of the magnifier area is based on the accuracy parameter.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

obtaining image data of an eye of a user;

determining an eye tracking parameter based on the image data;

determining an accuracy parameter indicative of the accuracy of the eye tracking parameter; and

moving a movable element of a visual representation of a software application based on the eye tracking parameter and the accuracy parameter, wherein a movement speed of the movable element is based on the accuracy parameter.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the accuracy parameter includes determining whether the image data includes a second eye of the user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes moving display of a selection device object based on the eye tracking parameter, wherein the movement speed of the selection device is based on the accuracy parameter.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes scrolling a representation, wherein a movement speed of scrolling the representation is based on the accuracy parameter.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein moving the movable element of the visual representation of the software application includes moving a magnifier area based on the eye tracking parameter, wherein the movement speed of the magnifier area is based on the accuracy parameter.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a camera to obtain image data of an eye of a user;

an eye tracker to determine an eye tracking parameter based on the image data and determine an accuracy parameter indicative of the accuracy of the eye tracking parameter; and

a display to present a visual representation of a software application including a movable element that is moved based on the eye tracking parameter and the accuracy parameter, wherein a movement speed of the movable element is based on the accuracy parameter.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the eye tracker is to determine the accuracy parameter by determining whether the image data includes a second eye of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the visual representation of the software application is controlled by moving display of selection object based on the eye tracking parameter, wherein a speed of the movement is based on the accuracy parameter.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movable element is moved by moving a selection device, wherein the movement speed of the selection device is based on the accuracy parameter.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movable element is moved by scrolling a representation, wherein the movement speed of scrolling the representation is based on the accuracy parameter.