METHOD FOR OPERATING USER FUNCTIONS BASED ON EYE TRACKING AND MOBILE DEVICE ADAPTED THERETO

• US 20130135196A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KOH, Sanghyuk, OH, Saegee, PARK, Kyungdae, KANG, Jiyoung, PARK, Mijung, LEE, Chihoon
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

An eye tracking based user function controlling method and a mobile device adapted thereto are provided. A camera unit of a mobile device is activated while a specific user function is executed. A gaze angle of a user'"'"'s eye is acquired from an image obtained via the camera unit. An eye tracking function is executed in which execution state is controlled according to the gaze angle.

Claims

1. A method for operating user functions in a mobile device, comprising:

executing a specific user function;

activating a camera unit of the mobile device while the specific user function is executed;

acquiring a gaze angle of a user'"'"'s eye from an image acquired via the camera unit; and

executing an eye tracking function in which execution state of the user function is controlled according to the gaze angle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to activating the camera unit, determining whether the activated user function is associated with eye tracking, and if so, whether an eye tracking mode is activated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function comprises at least one of the following:

reducing a level of illumination of a display unit of the mobile device when the acquired gaze angle is a first gaze angle indicating that the user doesn'"'"'t gaze at the display unit;

turning off the display unit;

terminating the user function execution;

pausing the user function execution; and

setting or unlocking a touch lock of a touch panel of the display unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function further comprises:

disabling the camera unit if the display unit is turned off or the user function execution is terminated.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function further comprises at least one of the following:

if the acquired gaze angle is a second gaze angle indicating that the user gazes at the display unit, restoring an illumination level of the display unit to an original level of illumination;

turning on the display unit;

re-executing the user function;

resuming the user function execution that is paused; and

unlocking or setting a touch lock of the touch panel that is locked.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function comprises:

maintaining a current screen of the display unit when the acquired gaze angle is a second gaze angle indicating that the user gazes at a display unit of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquisition of a gaze angle comprises:

detecting presence of a face of a subject;

automatically focusing on the iris in the detected face; and

acquiring a gaze of the automatically focused irises of the subject.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function comprises:

when the acquired gaze angle is a second gaze angle indicating that the user gazes at a display unit of the mobile device in a state where a call connection request message is received, automatically establishing the call connection.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function comprises:

turning a page of e-book content when the acquired gaze angle is an gaze angle at which the user gazes at a certain point in a display unit of the mobile device where the e-book content is displayed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the execution of an eye tracking function comprises:

controlling a page turning interval speed according to a time period for which a gaze angle at which the user gazes at the same point in the display unit is acquired.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a camera unit that acquires images of a subject;

a controller configured to acquire a gaze angle of a user'"'"'s eye from an image acquired via the camera unit, and to execute an eye tracking function in which an execution state of a user function is controlled according to the gaze angle; and

a storage unit that stores data corresponding to the user function, and a program to track gaze angles of a user'"'"'s eye.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the storage unit stores a list of user functions associated with eye tracking.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising:

a display unit, wherein if the acquired gaze angle is a first gaze angle indicating that the user doesn'"'"'t gaze at the display unit, an illumination level of the display unit is reduced or the display unit is turned off.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the controller disables the camera unit if the display unit is turned off or the user function execution is terminated.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein, if the controller acquires a first gaze angle indicating that the user doesn'"'"'t gaze at the display unit over a preset period of time, it pauses or terminates the user function execution.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the controller:

sets or unlocks a touch lock of a touch panel of the display unit if the acquired gaze angle is a first gaze angle indicating that the user doesn'"'"'t gaze at the display unit; and

unlocks or sets a touch lock of a touch panel of the display unit if the acquired gaze angle is a second gaze angle indicating that the user gazes at the display unit.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the camera unit automatically focuses on the iris of the user'"'"'s eye during the acquisition of images of a subject.

18. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the controller automatically establishes a call connection, if the acquired gaze angle is a second gaze angle indicating that the user gazes at a display unit of the mobile device in a state where a call connection request message is received.

19. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the controller turns a page of e-book content when the acquired gaze angle is a gaze angle at which the user gazes at a certain point in a display unit of the mobile device where the e-book content is displayed.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the controller controls a page turning interval speed according to a time period at which a gaze angle at which the user gazes at the same point in the display unit is acquired.