SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GAZE TRACKING

• US 20150185834A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Wingrove, Theodore Charles, Morris, Paul O., Entsminger, Kyle
• Application Number:
  US14/559,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185834A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/149 Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for gaze tracking is disclosed herein. The system includes a tracking device to detect a gaze associated with a user onto either a first feature or a second feature; and a controller, based on a detection of the gaze onto a first feature, configured to associate a mode of operation with a first function, and based on a detection of the gaze onto the second feature, configured to associate the mode of operation with a second function.

Claims

1. A system for gaze tracking, comprising:

a tracking device to detect a gaze associated with a user onto either a first feature or a second feature; and

a controller, based on a detection of the gaze onto a first feature, to associate a mode of operation with a first function, and based on a detection of the gaze onto the second feature, to associate the mode of operation with a second function.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to switch the associated mode of operation from the first function to the second function, based on the tracking device detecting a switch of the user'"'"'s gaze from the first feature to the second feature.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the controller switches the associated mode in response to the user'"'"'s gaze occurring for at least a predetermined time amount.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the first function and the second function are two of the following:

an entertainment system, a HVAC system, a GPS system, a window control system.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an input device, and the mode of operation is controlled via the input device based on the detected gaze.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mode of operation is associated with a specific graphical user interface based on the detected gaze.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the mode of operation is associated with a specific graphical user interface based on the detected gaze.

8. The system according to claim 5, where the input device is coupled to a toggle switch.

9. A method for gaze tracking, comprising:

detecting a user'"'"'s focus on either a first feature or a second feature; and

activating a mode of operation associated with a first function based on a detection of the user'"'"'s focus onto the first feature, and activating the mode of operation associated with a second function based on a detection of the user'"'"'s focus onto the second feature.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising switching the associated mode of operation from the first function to the second function, based on the tracking device detecting a switch of the user'"'"'s gaze from the first feature to the second feature.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising switching the associated mode in response to the user'"'"'s gaze occurring for at least a predetermined time amount on the second feature.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first function and the second function are two of the following:

an entertainment system, a HVAC system, a GPS system, a window control system.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising wherein the mode of operation is controlled via an input device based on the detected gaze.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the mode of operation is associated with a specific graphical user interface based on the detected gaze.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the mode of operation is also associated with a specific graphical user interface based on the detected gaze.

16. The method according to claim 14, where the input device is coupled to a toggle switch.