Unitized, vision-controlled, wireless eyeglass transceiver

• US 8,531,355 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TelepathEye, Inc.
• Inventors: Maltz, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYAN, MIHIR K
• Application Number:
  US12/842,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0116 comprising devices for correcting chromatic aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• 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: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A device allowing a user to inconspicuously send and receive wireless messages, often short text messages. The device may have an outward appearance resembling standard eyeglasses or sun glasses, and comprise a built in wireless transceiver and an optical display that enables the user to inconspicuously view incoming wireless text messages. The device allows the user to inconspicuously transmit outgoing text messages by a process in which the user simply moves his or her eyes and gazes at various display targets. The device'"'"'s eye tracking systems and software track the motion and gaze of the user'"'"'s eyes, and convert this gaze into message symbols and system control commands. The device then transmits the resulting messages using its transceiver. In a preferred embodiment, the device is self-contained and operates, when placed on the user'"'"'s head, without the need of external battery packs or external transceivers.

Claims

1. A self-contained, head-mountable, vision-controlled device for wirelessly transmitting and receiving text information in an inconspicuous manner using only eye-gaze direction control, comprising:

a head-mountable frame configured to hold a lens in front of an eye of a user;

at least one user eye-tracking sensor positioned to optically track gaze direction of one or both eyes of the user;

at least one processor programmed to execute eye tracking executable code and control executable code to rotate a virtual surface interface using only eye gaze direction mediated commands;

at least one optical system configured to render a virtual image of a visual display viewable by a user of said device, said optical system spatially positioned within a boundary defined by said lens in front of the eye of the user;

wherein said visual display displays at least one target for a symbol intended for wireless transmission when said eye of the user is directed toward said target, said target being positioned on a rotating virtual surface spinning perpendicular to the user'"'"'s eye gaze direction;

at least one wireless transceiver mounted on said frame, said wireless transceiver receiving wireless information and transmitting said wireless information to said optical system;

at least one battery mounted on said frame to power said at least one eye tracking sensor, said at least one processor, said at least one wireless transceiver, and said at least one visual display; and

wherein said at least one processor programmed to execute said executable eye tracking code, and said executable control code causing said eye-tracking and display device to transmit wireless information by tracking the gaze direction of said eye of said user with said eye tracking sensor, and using only the gaze direction of said eye of said user as input translating the gaze direction of said eye of said user into rotating or moving said virtual surface to display at least one symbol or command, selecting said at least one symbol or command, constructing text to be transmitted, and transmitting said text using said at least one wireless transceiver.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said lens is free of optical correction characteristics, or wherein said lens includes optical correction characteristics customized to the optical correction needs of said eye of said user.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said eye tracking sensor comprises at least one near infrared light source and at least one video camera or sensor configured to detect near infrared light;

wherein said at least one near infrared light source is configured to shine near infrared electromagnetic radiation into at least one eye of said user; and

wherein said at least one video camera or sensor is configured to focus on said at least one eye of said user.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said optical system comprises a beam splitter and a converging lens or converging mirror.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said visual display is selected from any of the following, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), Organic light emitting diode displays (OLED), or Electronic paper displays.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said transceiver is selected from any of the following, Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiFi, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, EV-DO, DECT-IS136/TDMA, iDEN, GSM EDGE 2-way-wireless-messaging FM transmissions, or other wireless communications modalities that transmit signals beyond a radius of approximately 300 feet.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said head-mounted frame has the appearance of an eyeglasses frame.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is configured to allow said user to select using only eye gaze direction commands which said at least one symbol or command to use by gazing at a non-moving control target, in response to which said processor is configured to rotate or moves said virtual surface spinning perpendicular to the user'"'"'s eye gaze direction, thus bringing into view various symbols or commands on said virtual surface that were not previously in view, thus allowing said user to then select the user desired symbols or commands by gazing at said user desired symbols or commands.

9. The device of claim 1, further displaying an eye gaze selectable list of recipient email addresses, telephone numbers, control elements, short phrases, alternative alphabets, or numbers on said rotating or moving virtual surface.

10. A self-contained, head-mountable, vision-controlled device for wirelessly transmitting and receiving text information to and from a user in an inconspicuous manner using only eye gaze direction control, comprising:

a head-mountable frame configured to hold a lens in front of an eye of the user;

at least one user eye-tracking sensor mountable on said frame, said eye tracking sensor comprising at least one near infrared light source and at least one video camera or sensor configured to detect near infrared light;

wherein said at least one near infrared light source is configured to emit near infrared electromagnetic radiation onto at least one eye of said user;

and wherein said at least one video camera or sensor is configured to focus onto said at least one eye of said user;

at least one processor programmed to execute executable eye tracking code and executable control code to rotate a virtual surface interface using only eye gaze direction mediated commands;

at least one visual display and optical system mountable on said frame;

said optical system comprising a beam splitter and a converging lens or converging mirror, said optical system configured to generate a virtual image of said visual display viewable by the user of said device and said optical system spatially dimensioned within a periphery of said lens in front of the eye of the user;

wherein said visual display displays at least one target for a symbol intended for wireless transmission when said eye of said user is directed at said target, said target being positioned on a rotating virtual surface spinning perpendicular to the user'"'"'s eye gaze direction;

at least one wireless transceiver mountable to said frame;

at least one battery mounted on said frame to power said at least one eye tracking sensor, said at least one processor, said at least one wireless transceiver, and said at least one visual display;

wherein said wireless transceiver wirelessly receives information and wirelessly transmits said information to said visual display; and

wherein said at least one processor, said executable eye tracking code, and said executable control code directing said eye-tracking and display device to wirelessly transmit information by optically tracking the eye gaze direction of said eye of said user via said eye tracking sensor, and using only the eye gaze direction of said user as input, translating the gaze direction of said eye of said user into rotating or moving said virtual surface to display at least one symbol or command, selecting said at least one symbol or command, constructing text to be transmitted, and transmitting said text using said at least one wireless transceiver; and

wherein said device is configured to allow said user to select which said at least one symbol or command to use by gazing at a non-moving control target, in response to which said processor is configured to rotate or move said virtual surface, thus bringing into view various symbols or commands on said virtual surface that were not previously in view, thus allowing said user to then select the user desired symbols or commands by gazing at said user desired symbols or commands.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said lens is free of optical correction characteristics, or wherein said lens includes optical correction characteristics customized to the optical correction needs of the eye of the user.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said visual display includes any of the following, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), Organic light emitting diode displays (OLED), or Electronic paper displays.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein said transceiver is selected from any of the following, Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiFi, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, EV-DO, DECT-IS136/TDMA, iDEN, GSM EDGE 2-way-wireless-messaging FM transmissions, or other wireless communications modalities that transmit signals beyond a radius of approximately 300 feet.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein said head-mounted frame is shaped and dimensioned as an eyeglasses frame.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein said lens includes any of the following properties, non-reflective, reflective, clear, optically dark sunglass lens, or transition lens that becomes optically dark in response to UV light.

16. The device of claim 10, further displaying an eye gaze selectable list of recipient email addresses, telephone numbers, control elements, short phrases, alternative alphabets, or numbers on said rotating or moving virtual surface.

17. A self-contained, head-mountable, vision-controlled device for transmitting and receiving wireless text information by a user in an inconspicuous manner using only eye gaze direction control, comprising:

a head-mounted frame configured to hold a lens in front of an eye of the user;

wherein said head-mounted frame has the appearance of an eyeglasses frame;

wherein said lens is free of optical correction characteristics, or wherein said lens includes optical correction characteristics customized to the optical correction needs of the user;

at least one user eye-tracking sensor coupleable to said frame, said eye tracking sensor comprising at least one near infrared light source and at least one video camera or sensor configured to detect near infrared light;

wherein said at least one near infrared light source is configured to emit near infrared electromagnetic radiation into said eye of said user;

and wherein said at least one video camera or sensor is configured to capture an optical property of said eye of said user;

at least one processor programmed to execute executable eye tracking code and executable control code to rotate a virtual surface interface using only eye gaze direction mediated commands;

at least one visual display and optical system couplable to said frame;

wherein said visual display is selected from any of the following, Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), Organic light emitting diode displays (OLED), or Electronic paper displays;

said optical system comprising a beam splitter and a converging lens or converging mirror;

said optical system configured to generate a virtual image of said visual display viewable by said user, said optical system further configured to spatially fit within a boundary defined by said lens in front of the eye of the user;

wherein said visual display displays at least one target for a symbol intended for wireless transmission when said eye of said user is directed at said target, said target being positioned on a rotating virtual surface spinning perpendicular to the user'"'"'s eye gaze direction;

at least one wireless transceiver coupleable to said frame;

at least one rechargeable battery mounted on said frame to power said at least one eye tracking sensor, said at least one processor, and said at least one visual display;

wherein said wireless transceiver wirelessly receives information and wirelessly transmits said information to said visual display; and

wherein said at least one processor, said executable eye tracking code, and said executable control code direct said device to wirelessly transmit information by optically tracking the eye gaze direction of the eye of said user in response to said eye tracking sensor, and using only the eye gaze direction of said user as input translating the motion gaze direction of said eye of said user into rotating or moving said virtual surface to display at least one symbol or command, selecting said at least one symbol or command, constructing text to be transmitted, and transmitting said text using said at least one wireless transceiver;

wherein said device is configured to allow said user to select which said at least one symbol or command to use by gazing at a non-moving control target, in response to which said processor is configured to rotate or move said virtual surface, thus bringing various symbols or commands on said virtual surface that are not previously into view into view, thus allowing said user to then select the user desired symbols or commands by gazing at said user desired symbols or commands; and

wherein said transceiver is selected from any of the following Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiFi, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, EV-DO, DECT-IS136/TDMA, iDEN, GSM EDGE 2-way-wireless-messaging FM transmissions, or other wireless communications modalities that transmit signals beyond a radius of approximately 300 feet.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said lens comprises a reflective lens or optically dark sunglass lens.

19. The device of claim 17, further displaying an eye gaze selectable list of recipient email addresses, telephone numbers, control elements, short phrases, alternative alphabets, or numbers on said rotating or moving virtual surface.