EYE-TRACKING ENABLED WEARABLE DEVICES

• US 20170316264A1
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Inventors: Gustafsson, Simon, Kingbck, Anders, Blixt, Peter, Hainzl, Richard, Skog, Mrten
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• 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 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 : for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 : Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device is disclosed. The system may include a primary lens, an illuminator, an image sensor, and an interface. The illuminator may include a light guide, may be disposed at least partially on or in the primary lens, and may be configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user. The image sensor may be disposed on or in the primary lens, and may be configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user. The interface may be configured to provide data from the image sensor to a processor for determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on light detected by the image sensor.

Claims

1. A system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device, wherein the system comprises:

a primary lens;

an illuminator disposed at least partially on or in the primary lens, wherein;

the illuminator comprises a light guide; and

the illuminator is configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user;

an image sensor disposed on or in the primary lens, wherein the image sensor is configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user; and

an interface configured to provide data from the image sensor to a processor for determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on light detected by the image sensor.

2. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the image sensor is no larger than about 1 millimeter by about 1 millimeter by about 1 millimeter.

3. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the image sensor is disposed within a cavity in the primary lens.

4. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 3, wherein:

an additional substance having a substantially similar refractive index to the primary lens is disposed within the cavity so as to smooth a surface of the primary lens.

5. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the image sensor comprises a sensor disposed on a flexible printed circuit; and

a width and a length of the flexible printed circuit is orientated orthogonally to a viewing surface of the primary lens.

6. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

a terminal end of the illuminator is no larger than about 1 millimeter by about 1 millimeter by about 1 millimeter.

7. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the illuminator is disposed at least partially within a cavity in the primary lens.

8. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 7, wherein:

an additional substance having a substantially similar refractive index to the primary lens is disposed within the cavity so as to smooth a surface of the primary lens.

9. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein the illuminator further comprises:

an optical fiber.

10. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein the illuminator further comprises:

a reflective surface within the cavity to reflect light from the illuminator toward the at least one eye of the user.

11. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein the illuminator further comprises:

a secondary lens disposed at a surface of the primary lens to refract light from the illuminator toward the user.

12. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein the illuminator further comprises:

a light source.

13. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 12, wherein the light source is selected from a group consisting of:

a light emitting diode; and

a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser.

14. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the primary lens is configured to focus light toward the image sensor.

15. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein:

the primary lens is configured to disperse light from the illuminator toward the at least one eye of the user.

16. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 1, wherein the primary lens comprises:

a Fresnel lens.

17. A system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device, wherein the system comprises:

a primary lens;

an illuminator disposed at least partially on or in the primary lens, wherein the illuminator is configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user;

an image sensor disposed on or in the primary lens, wherein the image sensor is configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user; and

an interface configured to provide data from the image sensor to a processor for determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on light detected by the image sensor.

18. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 17, wherein the system further comprises:

a display device.

19. A system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device, wherein the system comprises:

a primary lens;

a display device disposed on a first side of the primary lens;

an illuminator disposed at least partially on or in a second side of the primary lens, wherein the illuminator is configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user;

an image sensor disposed on or in the second side of the primary lens, wherein the image sensor is configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user; and

an interface configured to provide data from the image sensor to a processor for determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on light detected by the image sensor.

20. The system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device of claim 19, wherein:

the illuminator comprises a light guide.