Eye detection system for providing eye gaze tracking

• US 5,861,940 A
• Filed: 07/30/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Michael Geraint, Tombling, Craig, Brown, Robert George Watling, Mayhew, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US08/902,751
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 351/221, 351/210, 351/209, 351/211, 351/205, 351/200, 351/246
• US Class Current: 351/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

An eye detection system comprises a source, such as an infrared laser diodes for emitting a divergent beam of infrared radiation. A spatial light modulator is controlled so as to act as a deflector for scanning the beam. A detector detects radiation which is retro-reflected by the eye back along the path of the scanning beam. The deflection angle of the SLM and, for a position sensitive detector, the location of the center of illumination on the detector can be used to determine the angle to the center of the pupil of the eye. By subsequently detecting the angle to the glints corresponding to other sources and, the gaze position of the eye on a screen can be determined.

Claims

1. An eye detection system comprising:

a light source for emitting an incident beam of optical radiation,

a controllable deflector disposed in the path of the incident beam and operative in combination with the light source for producing a divergent scanning beam, and

a detector for detecting radiation reflected by an eye back along the path of the scanning beam.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflector comprises a controllable diffractive element.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the deflector comprises a spatial optical modulator.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the deflector further comprises a modulator controller for writing in the modulator an array of A×

B substantially identical patterns, each of which comprises an array of C×

D picture elements, where A, B, C and D are integers.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the modulator controller is arranged to select each of the identical patterns from (C×

D) different patterns for deflecting the scanning beam in (C×

D) different directions.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the different patterns is arranged to produce divergence in the scanning beam.

7. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the source is arranged to illuminate an array of C×

D picture elements of the modulator with the incident beam.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector is arranged to receive radiation deflected back towards the source by the deflector.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a beam splitter for directing radiation from the source to the deflector and for directing radiation from the deflector to the detector.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the detector comprises a detecting device disposed at the focus of a focusing optical system.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detecting device comprises a position sensitive detector.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the focusing optical system comprises a converging lens.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source is arranged to produce a divergent incident beam.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the source comprises a laser and the laser cooperates with a collimator and an aperture to produce the divergent incident beam.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source comprises a laser.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the laser comprises a laser diode.

17. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a scanning controller for causing the deflector to scan the scanning beam until the detector detects reflection from an eye.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the scanning controller is arranged, after detection of reflection from the eye, substantially to center a center of reflection from the eye in the scanning beam or with respect to the detector.

19. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one further source of optical radiation disposed remotely from the deflector.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one further source is arranged to emit a divergent beam.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one further source comprises a laser and the laser cooperates with a collimator and an aperture to produce the divergent beam.

22. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one further source comprises a laser.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least one laser comprises a laser diode.

24. A system as claimed in claim 19, comprising a source controller for illuminating the source and the at least one further source in sequence.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the source controller is arranged to illuminate each of the source and the at least one further source following detection by the detector of reflection from the eye of optical radiation from a previously illuminated one of the source and the at least one further source.

26. A system as claimed in claim 19, comprising a data processor for cooperating with the detector and the deflector to determine, from the angle between a predetermined direction and the direction from the deflector to the point of reflection at the eye of each of the source and the at least one further source, the eye gaze point on a surface in front of the eye.