PORTABLE EYE TRACKING DEVICE

• US 20160328016A1
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Jonas, Kingbck, Anders, Gustafsson, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 10,389,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/32 for obtaining desired directional characteristic only specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/40 Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups

Abstract

A portable eye tracker device is disclosed which includes a frame, at least one optics holding member, a movement sensor, and a control unit. The frame may be a frame adapted for wearing by a user. The at least one optics holding member may include at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, and at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The movement sensor may be configured to detect movement of the frame. The control unit may be configured to control the at least one illuminator for the selective illumination of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, receive the image data from the image sensors, and receive information from the movement sensor.

Claims

1. A portable eye tracking device comprising:

a frame adapted for wearing by a user;

a plurality of illuminators, wherein each illuminator is configured to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user upon activation;

an image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

a control unit configured to;

activate one or more of the plurality of illuminators to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

receive the image data from the image sensor, wherein the image data represents at least one image of at least one eye of the user illuminated by the one or more of the plurality of illuminators; and

determine a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on the image data.

2. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only one illuminator.

3. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only one illuminator per eye of the user.

4. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only a subset of the plurality of illuminators.

5. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of illuminators comprises;

a first subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a first eye of the user; and

a second subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a second eye of the user; and

activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises;

activating at least one of the first subset of illuminators; and

activating at least one of the second subset of illuminators.

6. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein:

prior to activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, the control unit determines that the gaze direction cannot be determined from image data previously received.

7. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, further comprising:

a movement sensor configured to detect movement of the frame.

8. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning device configured to determine a position of the frame.

9. The portable eye tracking device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display viewable by the user.

10. The portable eye tracking device of claim 9, wherein:

information and/or graphics are displayed on the display; and

determining the gaze direction of the user comprises determining a location of a gaze on the display.

11. The portable eye tracking device of claim 10, wherein:

the information and/or graphics are changed based at least in part on the location of the gaze on the display.

12. A method for determining a gaze direction of a user, comprising:

activating one or more of a plurality of illuminators on a frame worn by a user to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

receiving image data from an image sensor on the frame worn by the user, wherein the image data represents at least one image of at least one eye of the user illuminated by the one or more of the plurality of illuminators; and

determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on the image data.

13. The method for determining a gaze direction of a user of claim 12, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only one illuminator.

14. The method for determining a gaze direction of a user of claim 12, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only one illuminator per eye of the user.

15. The method for determining a gaze direction of a user of claim 12, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only a subset of the plurality of illuminators.

16. The method for determining a gaze direction of a user of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of illuminators comprises;

a first subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a first eye of the user; and

a second subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a second eye of the user; and

activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises;

activating at least one of the first subset of illuminators; and

activating at least one of the second subset of illuminators.

17. The method for determining a gaze direction of a user of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, determining that the gaze direction cannot be determined from image data previously received.

18. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions thereon for determining a gaze direction for a user, the instructions executable by a processor for at least:

activating one or more of a plurality of illuminators on a frame worn by a user to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

receiving image data from an image sensor on the frame worn by the user, wherein the image data represents at least one image of at least one eye of the user illuminated by the one or more of the plurality of illuminators; and

determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on the image data.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only one illuminator per eye of the user.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises:

activating only a subset of the plurality of illuminators.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the plurality of illuminators comprises;

a first subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a first eye of the user; and

a second subset of illuminators configured to illuminate a second eye of the user; and

activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators comprises;

activating at least one of the first subset of illuminators; and

activating at least one of the second subset of illuminators.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further executable for at least:

prior to activating one or more of the plurality of illuminators to illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, determining that the gaze direction cannot be determined from image data previously received.