Eye tracking for resource and power management

• US 6,526,159 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nickerson, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIRE, GREGORY M
• Application Number:
  US09/224,411
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/117, 382/165, 382/181, 382/190, 382/199, 345/7, 345/156-158, 351/209-210, 351/246
• US Class Current: 382/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing resources. The apparatus includes a pattern recognition block to receive the video signal comprising an eye image and to generate a first signal indicating an orientation of the eye image; and an operating system to manage resources depending on the first signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a pattern recognition block to receive a video signal comprising an eye image and to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

an association generation block to receive the first signal and to generate an association between one of a plurality of display devices and the orientation of the eye image; and

an operating system to change the resources allocated to the display device depending on the association.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a pattern recognition block to receive a video signal comprising an eye image and to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

an association generation block to receive the first signal and to generate an association between an application and the orientation of the eye image; and

an operating system to change computer resources allocated to the application depending on the association.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a pattern recognition block to receive a video signal comprising an eye image and to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

an association generation block to receive the first signal and to generate an association between an application and the orientation of the eye image; and

an operating system to change a priority level of the application depending on the association.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the operating system changes computer resources allocated to the application in relation to the change in the priority level of the application.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a pattern recognition block to receive a video signal comprising an eye image and to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

an operating system to change a priority level of an application in response to the first signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the operating system changes computer resources allocated to the application in relation to the change in the priority level of the application.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal comprising an eye image;

performing pattern recognition on the eye image to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

forming an association between one of a plurality of display devices and the orientation of the eye image indicated by the first signal; and

changing resources allocated to the display device depending on the association.

13. A machine accessible medium having stored thereon data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 7.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal comprising an eye image;

performing pattern recognition on the eye image to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

forming an association between an application and the orientation of the eye image indicated by the first signal; and

changing computer resources allocated to the application depending on the association.

14. A machine accessible medium having stored thereon data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 8.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal comprising an eye image;

performing pattern recognition on the eye image to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image;

forming an association between an application and the orientation of the eye image indicated by the first signal; and

changing a priority level of the application depending on the association.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising changing computer resources allocated to the application in relation to the change in the priority level of the application.

15. A machine accessible medium having stored thereon data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 9.

16. The machine accessible medium of claim 15 having stored thereon further data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 10.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal comprising an eye image;

performing pattern recognition on the eye image to generate a first signal indicating one of a plurality of orientations of the eye image; and

changing a priority level of an application in response to the first signal.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising changing computer resources allocated to the application in relation to the change in the priority level of the application.

17. A machine accessible medium having stored thereon data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 11.

18. The machine accessible medium of claim 17 having stored thereon further data, which when accessed by a machine causes the machine to perform the method of claim 12.