System for classifying an individual's gaze direction
First Claim
1. A system to classify the gaze direction of an individual observing a number of surrounding objects, comprising:
- means for observing the head pose of an individual;
means for generating a number of templates corresponding to different gaze directions of said individual as said individual looks in different gaze directions;
means for matching an image of said individual with the template which is most similar in appearance;
means utilizing said matched templates for generating a pose-space histogram recording the frequency of different head poses over a predetermined period of time, said histogram recording as peaks over time frequently viewed directions towards said number of surrounding objects, with each peak labelled utilizing a qualitative description of the environment around said individual;
means coupled to said head pose observing means and said pose-space histogram for determining that peak which most closely corresponds to the current gaze direction of said individual, whereby gaze direction is classified without direct measurement of head position or eye direction.
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Abstract
A system is provided to classify the gaze direction of an individual obseng a number of surrounding objects. The system utilizes a qualitative approach in which frequently occurring head poses of the individual are automatically identified and labelled according to their association with the surrounding objects. In conjunction with processing of eye pose, this enables the classification of gaze direction. In one embodiment, each observed head pose of the individual is automatically associated with a bin in a "pose-space histogram". This histogram records the frequency of different head poses over an extended period of time. Given observations of a car driver, for example, the pose-space histogram develops peaks over time corresponding to the frequently viewed directions of toward the dashboard, toward the mirrors, toward the side window, and straight-ahead. Each peak is labelled using a qualitative description of the environment around the individual, such as the approximate relative directions of dashboard, mirrors, side window, and straight-ahead in the car example. The labelled histogram is then used to classify the head pose of the individual in all subsequent images. This head pose processing is augmented with eye pose processing, enabling the system to rapidly classify gaze direction without accurate a priori information about the calibration of the camera utilized to view the individual, without accurate a priori 3D measurements of the geometry of the environment around the individual, and without any need to compute accurate 3D metric measurements of the individual'"'"'s location, head pose or eye direction at run-time.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system to classify the gaze direction of an individual observing a number of surrounding objects, comprising:
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means for observing the head pose of an individual; means for generating a number of templates corresponding to different gaze directions of said individual as said individual looks in different gaze directions; means for matching an image of said individual with the template which is most similar in appearance; means utilizing said matched templates for generating a pose-space histogram recording the frequency of different head poses over a predetermined period of time, said histogram recording as peaks over time frequently viewed directions towards said number of surrounding objects, with each peak labelled utilizing a qualitative description of the environment around said individual; means coupled to said head pose observing means and said pose-space histogram for determining that peak which most closely corresponds to the current gaze direction of said individual, whereby gaze direction is classified without direct measurement of head position or eye direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification