Eyetrack-driven illumination and information display

• US 5,835,083 A
• Filed: 05/30/1996
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce, Nielsen, Jakob, Glass, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US08/655,134
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 348/730, 364/707, 345/211, 345/1-2, 345/156, 345/214, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An eyetracker is used to control power to an electrical device such as a computer display screen so that power consumption is reduced when a user'"'"'s eyes and therefore a user'"'"'s attention are not directed to the device. A motion detector activates a proximity detector and/or an IR detector to ensure that power is applied only when a user is actually present.

Claims

1. Apparatus for automatically applying power to a computer controlled device, comprising:

a. a motion detector;

b. a proximity detector, activated by said motion detector detecting motion;

c. a switch connected to a source of power and to said computer controlled device and controlled by said motion detector and said proximity detector for applying power to said computer controlled device when the proximity detector detects an object within a predetermined distance from the computer controlled device while activated by said motion detector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a power off timer, activated when power is applied to said computer controlled device and reset by said motion detector detecting motion for controlling said switch to remove power from said computer controlled device when the timer times out.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said computer controlled device is a computer having a display.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an eyetracker for limiting power consumption when the eyetracker indicates that a computer user has directed user attention to something other than said display.

5. A method for automatically applying power to a computer controlled device, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing the step of detecting motion;

b. providing an element for performing the step of detecting proximity of objects to said device; and

c. providing an element for performing the step of applying power to said device when an object is within a predetermined distance from the computer controlled device within a predetermined period of time after motion has been detected.

6. A computer system comprising:

a. a network;

b. a plurality of computers connected to said network;

c. at least a particular one of said plurality of computers equipped with

c.1. a motion detector;

c.2. a proximity detector, activated by said motion detector detecting motion; and

c.3. a switch connected to a source of power and to said one of the plurality of computers and controlled by said motion detector and said proximity detector for applying power to said at least a particular one of said plurality of computers when the proximity detector detects an object within a predetermined distance from the said at least a particular one of said plurality of computers while activated by said motion detector.

7. A computer program product for applying power to a computer controlled device, comprising:

a. a computer readable memory medium; and

b. a computer program including;

b.1 instructions for detecting motion;

b.2 instructions for detecting proximity of objects to said device; and

b.3 instructions for applying power to said device when an object is within a predetermined distance from the computer controlled device within a predetermined period of time after motion has been detected.