ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH GAZE DETECTION CAPABILITIES
First Claim
1. A method for minimizing power consumption in a portable electronic device that has a display and gaze detection circuitry, the method comprising:
- performing a video playback operation in which video is displayed on the display;
with the gaze detection circuitry, determining whether a user'"'"'s gaze is directed towards the portable electronic device; and
when it is determined that the user'"'"'s gaze is not directed towards the portable electronic device, pausing the video playback operation.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device may have gaze detection capabilities that allow the device to detect when a user is looking at the device. The electronic device may implement a power management scheme using the results of gaze detection operations. When the device detects that the user has looked away from the device, the device may dim a display screen and may perform other suitable actions. The device may pause a video playback operation when the device detects that the user has looked away from the device. The device may resume the video playback operation when the device detects that the user is looking towards the device. Gaze detector circuitry may be powered down when sensor data indicates that gazed detection readings will not be reliable or are not needed.
497 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for minimizing power consumption in a portable electronic device that has a display and gaze detection circuitry, the method comprising:
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performing a video playback operation in which video is displayed on the display; with the gaze detection circuitry, determining whether a user'"'"'s gaze is directed towards the portable electronic device; and when it is determined that the user'"'"'s gaze is not directed towards the portable electronic device, pausing the video playback operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for using a portable electronic device having an accelerometer and gaze detection circuitry, the method comprising:
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with the accelerometer, determining whether a measured acceleration level for the portable electronic device has exceeded a given threshold value; and when it has been determined that the acceleration level of the portable electronic device has exceeded the given threshold value, disabling the gaze detection circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A portable electronic device comprising:
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an image sensor that captures images of a user; and circuitry that processes the captured images to determine whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device, wherein the circuitry is configured to suspend captured image processing operations when user activity with the portable electronic device is detected. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a display; an image sensor that captures images of a user; a user input device that receives input from the user; and circuitry that processes the captured images to determine whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device, wherein the circuitry is configured to; power the display at a first brightness level when it is determined that the user is looking at the portable electronic device; and turn off the display after a given period of time has elapsed in which no input has been received from the user by the user input device, wherein the given period of time begins when it is determined that the user has looked away from the portable electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for using a portable electronic device having a display, a user input device, and gaze detection circuitry, the method comprising:
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with the gaze detection circuitry, determining whether a user'"'"'s gaze is directed towards the portable electronic device; when it is determined that the user'"'"'s gaze is not directed towards the portable electronic device, reducing power to the display; and when the user input device receives input from a user and power to the display has been reduced, increasing power to the display so that the display is at a first brightness level. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a display; an image sensor that captures images of a user; and circuitry that processes the captured images to determine whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to operate in; an active mode in which the display is powered at a first brightness level; a partial standby mode in which the display is powered at a second brightness level that is less than the first brightness level; and a full standby mode in which the display screen and at least part of the circuitry that processes the captured images are powered down. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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- 29. The portable electronic device defined in claim 27 wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to switch from operating in the partial standby mode to operating in the full standby mode after a given period of time has elapsed in which no input has been received from the user by the user input device.
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29-1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a display; an image sensor that captures images of a user; a processor; and circuitry that processes the captured images to determine whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to operate in; a first mode in which the display is powered at a first brightness level; and a second mode in which power to the display and the processor is reduced.
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Specification