Viewing verification systems

• US 8,696,121 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evan K. Fram
• Original Assignee: Evan K. Fram
• Inventors: Fram, Evan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/227,301
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 351/200, 351204-205, 351/210
• US Class Current: 351/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A viewing verification system is disclosed that allows a user to view an image by providing a viewer for the image, determining the space bounded by the foveal-vision of the user, verifying whether substantially the entire meaningful portion of the image has been correlated to the space bounded by the foveal vision of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of an image on a display of a computing device;

receiving information from an eye tracker indicating at least a gaze direction of a user of the computing device;

based on at least the received gaze direction, determining, by the computing device, a foveal vision portion of the image, wherein the foveal vision portion is a portion of the image that is viewed by a foveal vision area of the user;

determining, by the computing device, that respective portions of the image have been adequately viewed in response to determining that the respective portions have been included in the foveal vision portion of the image; and

determining, by the computing device, whether the entire image has been adequately viewed by the user, wherein the entire image has been adequately viewed by the user if at least a meaningful portion of the image has been adequately viewed by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining that respective portions of the image have been adequately viewed comprises monitoring and updating respective time periods that portions of the image are in the foveal vision portion of the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein respective portions of the image are determined to have been adequately viewed in response to the respective portion having been in the foveal vision portion of the image for at least a predetermined time period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

marking the image as read in response to determining that at least the meaningful portion of the image has been adequately viewed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining that respective portions of the image have been adequately viewed comprises determining whether respective portions of the image have been viewed according to one or more display settings.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the display settings comprises one or more of a magnification level, a window type, or a window level.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting an attempt to mark the image as read and determining that the image has not been adequately viewed, providing a visual and/or audible message indicating that the image has not been adequately viewed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing one or more preferences associated with the user that indicate one or more of an area of foveal vision of the user or a predetermined time period for which respective portions of the image must be included in the foveal vision portion of the image in order to determine that respective portions have been adequately viewed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, the meaningful portion of the image.

10. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute instructions in order to cause the computing system to;

selectively display portions of respective images of a group of images;

receive information from an eye tracker indicating at least a gaze direction of a user of the computing device;

based on at least the received gaze direction, determine a foveal vision portion of one or more images displayed, wherein the foveal vision portion is a portion of the one or more images that is viewed by a foveal vision area of the user;

determine that respective portions of images have been adequately viewed in response to determining that the respective portions have been included in the foveal vision portion of the one or more images displayed; and

determine whether the entire group of images has been adequately viewed by the user, wherein the entire group of images is determined to be adequately viewed if at least meaningful portions of respective images of the group of images have been adequately viewed by the user.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the group of images comprises a medical image series.

12. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the group of images comprises images acquired at different times.

13. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said selectively displaying portions of respective images of the group of images is controlled by input from the user.

14. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the group of images comprises images of a luggage item.

15. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the group of images comprises images acquired from a security scanner, word processing documents, security scan x-rays, security videos, security photographs, satellite photographs, images viewed by air traffic controllers, or images displayed on computer displays to pilots.

16. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to determine the meaningful portion of the group of images.

17. The computing system of claim 14, wherein said determining whether the group of images has been adequately viewed by the user is performed in response to the luggage item at least partially moving past an image acquisition device, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the computing system to initiate pausing of movement of the luggage item in response to determining that not all relevant portions of the images of the group of images have been adequately viewed by the user.

18. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the group of images is only determined to be adequately viewed if at least some of the images are displayed with more than one grayscale or color map.

19. A computing system comprising:

a storage device storing software instructions;

one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions stored on the storage device in order to cause the computing system to;

display at least a portion of an image on a display of a computing device;

receive information from an eye tracker indicating at least a gaze direction of a user of the computing device;

based on at least the received gaze direction, determine a foveal vision portion of the image, wherein the foveal vision portion is a portion of the image that is viewed by a foveal vision area of the user;

determine that respective portions of the image have been adequately viewed in response to determining that the respective portions have been included in the foveal vision portion of the image; and

determine whether the entire image has been adequately viewed by the user, wherein the entire image has been adequately viewed by the user if at least a meaningful portion of the image has been adequately viewed by the user.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein said determining that respective portions of the image have been adequately viewed comprises monitoring and updating respective time periods that portions of the image are in the foveal vision portion of the image.

21. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the computing system to automatically determine the meaningful portion of the image.