Unlocking a screen using eye tracking information

• US 8,506,080 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Raffle, Hayes Solos, Wong, Adrian, Geiss, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): HASAN, MOHAMMED A
• Application Number:
  US13/539,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 351200-246
• US Class Current: 351/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

Methods and systems for unlocking a screen using eye tracking information are described. A computing system may include a display screen. The computing system may be in a locked mode of operation after a period of inactivity by a user. Locked mode of operation may include a locked screen and reduced functionality of the computing system. The user may attempt to unlock the screen. The computing system may generate a display of a moving object on the display screen of the computing system. An eye tracking system may be coupled to the computing system. The eye tracking system may track eye movement of the user. The computing system may determine that a path associated with the eye movement of the user substantially matches a path associated with the moving object on the display and switch to be in an unlocked mode of operation including unlocking the screen.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving eye tracking information associated with eye movement of a user of a computing system from an eye tracking system coupled to the computing system, wherein the computing system is in a first mode of operation;

based on the eye tracking information, determining that a path associated with the eye movement substantially matches a path of a displayed moving object, wherein determining that the path associated with the eye movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object comprises adjusting the path associated with the eye movement based on a location of a gaze axis of an eye with respect to a reference axis associated with the eye tracking system; and

in response to determining that the path associated with the eye movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object, causing the computing system to enter a second mode of operation, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a state of increased responsiveness to user-input as compared to the first mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system includes a wearable computing system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising rendering the displayed moving object on a head-mounted display (HMD) coupled to the wearable computing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the path associated with the eye movement comprises applying a transform to the path associated with the eye movement, and wherein the transform comprises an offset associated with a shift in the gaze axis of the eye with respect to the reference axis associated with the eye tracking system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the path associated with the eye movement comprises applying a transform to the path associated with the eye movement, and wherein the transform comprises a rotational adjustment associated with a rotation in the gaze axis of the eye with respect to the reference axis associated with the eye tracking system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye movement comprises eye-pupil movement, wherein determining that the path associated with the eye movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object comprises determining that a path associated with the eye-pupil movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving mode information indicating an attempt to change a mode of operation of the computing system from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation; and

enabling the eye tracking system, based on the mode information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye tracking system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor the eye movement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the path of the displayed moving object is randomly generated by the computing system.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving eye tracking information associated with eye movement of a user of the computing device from an eye tracking system coupled to the computing device, wherein the computing device is in a first mode of operation;

based on the eye tracking information, determining that a path associated with the eye movement substantially matches a path of a displayed moving object, wherein determining that the path associated with the eye movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object comprises adjusting the path associated with the eye movement based on a location of a gaze axis of an eye with respect to a reference axis associated with the eye tracking system; and

in response to determining that the path associated with the eye movement substantially matches the path of the displayed moving object, causing the computing device to enter a second mode of operation, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a state of increased responsiveness to user-input as compared to the first mode of operation.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computing device includes a wearable computer, and wherein the instructions are further executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising causing a head-mounted display coupled to the wearable computer to render the displayed moving object.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving mode information indicating an attempt to change a mode of operation of the computing device from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation; and

enabling the eye tracking system, based on the mode information.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the function of receiving the mode information indicating the attempt comprises receiving gesture information associated with head motion.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein adjusting the path associated with the eye movement comprises applying a transform to the path associated with the eye movement, wherein the transform includes one or more of:

(i) an offset associated with a shift in the gaze axis with respect to the reference axis associated with the eye tracking system, (ii) a rotational adjustment associated with a rotation in the gaze axis of the eye with respect to the reference axis, and (iii) a scale factor associated with a distance between the eye of the user and a reference point on the eye tracking system.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the offset, the rotational adjustment, and the scale factor are stored on the computing device as calibration parameters, and wherein the calibration parameters are associated with causing the path associated with the eye movement of the user to substantially match the path of the displayed moving object.

16. A system comprising:

a wearable computer including a head-mounted display (HMD), wherein the wearable computer is operable to be in a first mode of operation;

an eye tracking system in communication with the wearable computer, wherein the eye tracking system is configured to track eye movement of a user of the wearable computer; and

a processor coupled to the wearable computer and in communication with the eye tracking system, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive eye tracking information associated with the eye movement from the eye tracking system, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the eye tracking information based on a location of a gaze axis of an eye with respect to a reference axis associated with the HMD;

based on the eye tracking information, determine that the eye movement is associated with reading a text displayed on the HMD; and

in response to determining that the eye movement is associated with reading the text, cause the wearable computer to enter a second mode of operation, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a state of increased responsiveness to user-input as compared to the first mode of operation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the eye movement is associated with reading the text by determining that gaze movements associated with the eye movement substantially match a predetermined spatial-temporal pattern of gaze locations associated with reading the text displayed on the HMD.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive mode information indicative of an attempt to change a mode of operation of the wearable computer from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation; and

enable, based on the mode information, the eye tracking system so as to receive the eye tracking information associated with the eye movement from the eye tracking system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a sensor coupled to the wearable computer, wherein the processor is configured to receive, from the sensor, the mode information indicative of the attempt to change the mode of operation of the wearable computer.