Diagnostic system having gaze tracking

• US 20060112334A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Inventors: Fedorovskaya, Elena A., Endrikhovski, Serguei, Simon, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,396,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method of modifying a portion of a digital image. In one arrangement, a digital image is displayed on a display, and the gaze data of a user viewing the image on the display is determined. The portion of the image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a gaze region is then determined. The identified gaze region is modified to generate a modified gaze region, and the resulting modified gaze region is displayed on the display.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a portion of a digital image, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the digital image on a display;

(b) determining gaze data of a user viewing the image displayed on the display;

(c) determining the portion of the image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a gaze region;

(d) modifying the identified gaze region to generate a modified gaze region; and

(e) displaying the modified gaze region on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified gaze region is displayed such that the modified gaze region is superimposed on the image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of (b) through (e) are repeated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of (d) and (e) are repeated, and the identified gaze region is modified differently each time step (d) is accomplished.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing annotation data for the identified gaze region; and

associating the annotation data with the identified gaze region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

modifying the identified gaze region to generate a modified gaze region; and

displaying the modified gaze region on the display.

6. A method of annotating a portion of a digital image, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the digital image on a display;

(b) determining gaze data of a user viewing the image displayed on the display;

(c) determining the portion of the image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a gaze region;

(d) providing annotation data for the identified gaze region; and

(e) associating the annotation data with the identified gaze region.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying the identified gaze region.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying a visual indicator on the display or on the digital image indicating the association of the annotation data with the identified gaze region.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of providing an audible indicator indicating the association of annotation data with the identified gaze region.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of (b) through (e) are repeated.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of (d) and (e) are repeated.

13. A method of modifying and annotating a portion of a digital image, comprising the steps of:

displaying the digital image on a display;

determining gaze data of a user viewing the image displayed on the display;

determining the portion of the image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a gaze region;

modifying the identified gaze region to generate a modified gaze region;

providing annotation data for the identified gaze region;

associating the annotation data with the modified gaze region;

providing an audible or visual indicator indicating the association of the annotation data with the modified gaze region; and

displaying the modified gaze region on the display.

14. A method for comparing image portions of at least two images, comprising the steps of:

displaying a first digital image on a display;

determining gaze data of a user viewing the first digital image displayed on the display;

determining the portion of the first digital image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a first gaze region;

accessing a second digital image;

determining, in the second digital image, a second region corresponding to the first gaze region; and

displaying the first and second gaze regions on the display.

15. A method of displaying computer aided detection information of a digital image, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the digital image on a display;

(b) accessing the computer aided-detection information associated with the displayed digital image;

(c) determining gaze data of a user viewing the image displayed on the display;

(d) determining a portion of the image being viewed by the user corresponding to the determined gaze data to identify a gaze region of the image; and

(e) displaying, on the display, the computer aided detection information corresponding to the identified gaze region of the image.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the computer aided detection information and the digital image are displayed simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the display includes two image areas proximate each other, and the digital image is displayed in one of the two image areas and the computer aided detection information is displayed in the other of the two image areas.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the computer aided detection information is displayed in overlapping relation with the digital image.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the computer aided detection information and the digital image are alternately displayed in a single image area of the display under the control of the user.