SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EYE GAZE DETERMINATION

• US 20140218281A1
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eyefluence, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eyefluence, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Amayeh, Gholamreza, Liu, Zhiming, Vacchina, Michael, Leblanc, Dave, Wood, Steve
• Application Number:
  US14/099,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218281A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/38 Releasing-devices separate from shutter integral with shutter G03B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for eye and gaze tracking determination. In one embodiment, a method for compensating for movement of a wearable eye tracking device relative to a user'"'"'s eye is provided that includes wearing a wearable device on a user'"'"'s head such that one or more endo-cameras are positioned to acquire images of one or both of the user'"'"'s eyes, and an exo-camera is positioned to acquire images of the user'"'"'s surroundings; calculating the location of features in a user'"'"'s eye that cannot be directly observed from images of the eye acquired by an endo-camera; and spatially transforming camera coordinate systems of the exo- and endo-cameras to place calculated eye features in a known location and alignment.

Claims

1. A method for eye tracking, comprising:

a) calibrating a wearable device before the wearable device is worn by a user;

b) placing the wearable device on a user'"'"'s head adjacent one or both of the user'"'"'s eyes;

c) calibrating the wearable device after placing the wearable device on the user'"'"'s head;

d) detecting at least one eye feature of a first eye of the user'"'"'s eyes;

e) performing a compensation algorithm; and

f) calculating a gaze direction of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) includes at least one of:

i) identifying one or more glints reflected off one or both eyes of the user; and

ii) calibrating between an endo-camera configured to acquire images of one eye of the user and an exo-camera configured to acquire images of the user'"'"'s surroundings.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) comprises computer vision methods.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein step a) is completed after manufacturing the wearable device and before first use of the wearable device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises at least one of estimating a head pose of the user wearing the wearable device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step e) comprises at least one of normalization, denormalization, and spatial transform to correct for movement between the eye and the eye tracking camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step f) comprises calculating a target region within a real or virtual surface or volume, which includes at least one of construction of a vector in space, mapping, and interpolation.

8. A system for eye tracking, comprising:

a wearable device configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s head;

an exo-camera on the wearable device configured to provide images of a user'"'"'s surroundings when the wearable device is worn by the user;

an endo-camera on the wearable device configured to provide images of a first eye of the user when the wearable device is worn by the user; and

one or more processors configured for;

a) calibrating a wearable device before the wearable device is worn by a user;

b) calibrating the wearable device after placing the wearable device on the user'"'"'s head;

c) detecting at least one eye feature of a first eye of the user'"'"'s eyes;

d) performing a compensation algorithm; and

e) calculating a gaze direction of the user.

9. A method for compensating for movement of a wearable eye tracking device relative to a user'"'"'s eye, comprising:

wearing a wearable device on a user'"'"'s head such that one or more endo-cameras are positioned to acquire images of one or both of the user'"'"'s eyes, and an exo-camera is positioned to acquire images of the user'"'"'s surroundings;

calculating the location of features in a user'"'"'s eye that cannot be directly observed from images of the eye acquired by an endo-camera; and

spatially transforming camera coordinate systems of the exo- and endo-cameras to place calculated eye features in a known location and alignment.