Method of employing a gaze direction tracking system for control of a computer

• US 20090179853A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malvern Scientific Solutions Limited
• Original Assignee: Malvern Scientific Solutions Limited
• Inventors: Beale, Marc Ivor John
• Application Number:
  US11/903,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179853A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body operating or control means for prostheses A61F2/48, A61F2/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of employing a gaze direction tracking system for control of a computer comprises the steps of: providing a computer display incorporating a screen and at least one off-screen control target (1, 2, 3, 4); and eye-pointing by a user at the control target. The eye-pointing is detected by the gaze control tracking system so as to effect a predetermined control action in the computer.

Claims

1. A method of employing a gaze direction tracking system for control of a computer comprising the steps of:

providing a computer display incorporating a screen and at least one off-screen control target; and

eye-pointing by a user at the control target, whereby the eye-pointing is detected by the gaze control tracking system so as to effect a predetermined control action in the computer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control target includes means for indicating that a user has eye-pointed at the target and that the predetermined control action has been effected.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the indicating means comprises at least one light emitting diode.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the indicating means is illuminated to indicate that the predetermined control action has been effected.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the indicating means changes colour to indicate that the predetermined control action has been effected.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control target includes a target for engaging and disengaging the gaze control tracking system.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control target includes manually-operable switch means.

8. A method according to claim 1 including the step of calibrating the gaze control tracking system by eye-pointing to a point on the screen so as to cause a first marker to appear on the screen at a calculated location of eye-pointing and to cause a second marker to appear on the screen at a location offset from the first marker, and subsequently eye-pointing at the second marker so as to enable the gaze control system to calculate and update the location of the first marker.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one further control target is provided on the screen.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one further control target is provided in graphical form.

11. A method according to claim 1 and including the step of re-calibrating the gaze control system by applying a positional correction based on previously acquired calibration data.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the calibration data is acquired whilst the user was gazing at a predetermined location within a predetermined time prior to the positional correction being applied.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined location is a control target.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined location is within substantially 100 mm of the previous gaze position of the user.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined location is within substantially 50 mm of the previous gaze position of the user.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined time is within substantially one minute.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined time is within substantially ten seconds.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined time is within substantially two seconds.