System and method for communication using eye movement

• US 6,163,281 A
• Filed: 06/24/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: William C. Torch
• Inventors: Torch, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/104,258
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 341/21, 341/20, 340/376, 340/575, 340/825.19, 250/336.1, 600/383, 600/546, 600/558, 600/211, 257/221, 702/75
• US Class Current: 341/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0066 with identification means for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0083 especially for waking up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/00 Systems using the reflection or reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 : Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 : indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 : Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A system and method for communication using movement of a person'"'"'s eye, including an emitter for directing light towards an eye, a sensor for detecting emitted light from the emitter, and a processor coupled to the sensor for converting sequential light intensity signals received from the sensor into a stream of data, and/or for converting the signals into an understandable message. A radio frequency transmitter transmits the stream of data to a remote location, such as to a receiving and processing unit, which may store the stream of data, display a message in the stream of data, or use a command in the stream of data to control a piece of equipment. A self-contained detection device is also provided that includes a frame adapted to be worn on a person'"'"'s head, and an emitter and a sensor, such as a solid state biosensor, on the frame for directing light towards and detecting light reflected off of the eye, respectively. A processor and a transmitter may be provided on the frame for converting an output signal from the sensor into a stream of data and for wirelessly transmitting the stream of data to a remote location.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the extent that a person'"'"'s eye is partially or completely closed as a function of time (PERCLOS), comprising:

an emitter for directing light towards an eye;

an array of vertically arranged sensors in a predetermined relationship with the emitter for detecting light from the emitter that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye or its eyelid, each sensor producing an output signal indicating when the respective portion of the eye is covered or not covered by the eyelid; and

a processor for converting the output signals from the array of sensors into a stream of data identifying the extent that the eye is closed.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the processor includes circuitry for calculating a measurable time related parameter based upon the output signals from the array of sensors, the time related parameter being selected from the group consisting of eyelid acceleration, eyelid deceleration, eyelid velocity, and PERCLOS.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured for monitoring a time delay between activation of successive sensors in the array.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a warning indicator coupled to the processor, the warning indicator being activated when a predetermined time delay between activation of successive sensors in the array is detected.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the array of sensors for transmitting the stream of data to a remote location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter is configured for transmitting identification data along with the stream of data.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a receiver at a remote location from the person for receiving the stream of data from the transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor configured for monitoring the stream of data for a predetermined eyelid movement event.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a warning indicator coupled to the processor, the warning indicator being activated when the processor detects the predetermined eyelid movement event.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined eyelid movement event comprises the eyelid being closed for a minimum predetermined duration.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined eyelid movement event comprises a predetermined tine delay between activation of successive sensors in the array.

11. A system for monitoring movement of a person'"'"'s eyelid, comprising:

a frame adapted to be worn on a person'"'"'s head;

an emitter on the frame for directing light towards an eye of the person when the frame is worn; and

an array of sensors mounted in a predetermined orientation on the frame for detecting light from the emitter that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye, the array of sensors producing output signals indicating whether the respective portions of the eye are covered by its eyelid.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the array of sensors comprises a linear array arranged vertically on the frame.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the array of sensor comprises a two-dimensional array.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the emitter and the array of sensors are disposed substantially laterally from one another on the frame.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a transmitter on the frame, the transmitter being coupled to the array of sensors for transmitting the output signals to a remote location.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is configured for transmitting identification data along with the output signals.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a receiver at a remote location from the person for receiving the output signals from the transmitter; and

a processor coupled to the receiver, the processor configured for monitoring the output signals for a predetermined eyelid movement event.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a warning indicator coupled to the processor, the warning indicator being activated when the processor detects the predetermined eyelid movement event.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined eyelid movement event comprises a predetermined time delay between activation of successive sensors in the array.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined eyelid movement event comprises the eyelid being closed for a minimum predetermined duration.

21. The system of claim 11, further comprising a processor on the frame, the processor being coupled to the array of sensors and configured for monitoring the output signals for a predetermined eyelid movement event.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a transmitter on the frame coupled to the processor, the transmitter being automatically activated by the processor to transmit a warning to a remote location when the processor detects the predetermined eyelid movement event.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the array of sensors are mounted in a fixed position on the frame.

24. A system for monitoring the extent that a person'"'"'s eye is partially or completely closed, comprising:

an emitter for directing light towards an eye; and

a two-dimensional array of sensors in a predetermined relationship with the emitter for detecting light from the emitter that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye or its eyelid, each sensor producing an output signal indicating whether the respective portion of the eye is covered or not covered by the eyelid.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a processor coupled to the array of sensors, the processor configured for converting the output signals into a stream of data indicating the percentage of surface area of the eye covered by the eyelid.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a processor coupled to the array of sensors, the processor configured for monitoring the output signals to determine a red reflex from a pupil of the eye to detect when the pupil is covered by the eyelid.