Eye tracking control of vehicle entertainment systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A video display unit comprising:
- a display surface configured to display images to a user;
a light emitter configured to illuminate eyes of the user while seated in front of the video display unit;
a camera configured to output a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes;
a processor configured to process the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, and to control at least one function for how images are displayed on the display surface responsive to the determined viewing location; and
a camera angle actuator configured to rotate a viewing angle of the camera relative to the display surface,wherein the processor is further configured to process the video signal to detect a location of the user'"'"'s face relative to the camera, and to control the camera angle actuator to rotate the camera toward the user'"'"'s face to receive reflections from the illuminated eyes.
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Abstract
An in-flight entertainment system includes a video display unit facing a user seat. The video display unit includes a display surface that displays images to a user who is seated on the user seat. A light emitter illuminates eyes of the user. A camera outputs a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes. A processor processes the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, and controls at least one function for how images are displayed on the display surface responsive to the determined viewing location.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A video display unit comprising:
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a display surface configured to display images to a user; a light emitter configured to illuminate eyes of the user while seated in front of the video display unit; a camera configured to output a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes; a processor configured to process the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, and to control at least one function for how images are displayed on the display surface responsive to the determined viewing location; and a camera angle actuator configured to rotate a viewing angle of the camera relative to the display surface, wherein the processor is further configured to process the video signal to detect a location of the user'"'"'s face relative to the camera, and to control the camera angle actuator to rotate the camera toward the user'"'"'s face to receive reflections from the illuminated eyes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 15)
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3. A video display unit comprising;
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a display surface configured to display images to a user; a light emitter configured to illuminate eyes of the user while seated in front of the video display unit; a camera configured to output a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes; and a processor configured to; process the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, display a plurality of user selectable indicia on the display surface, wherein a user'"'"'s selection of different ones of the user selectable indicia causes the processor to perform a corresponding different function controlling how images are displayed on the display surface; detect that the user has selected a first one of the user selectable indicia in response to determining that the viewing location corresponds to a location of the first user selectable indicia for at least a threshold selection dwell time display the user selectable indicia with no less than a defined minimum dimensional size value on the display surface; determine detection accuracy over a plurality of user'"'"'s attempted selections of at least one of the user selectable indicia; and control the defined minimum dimensional size value of the user selectable indicia displayed on the display surface in response to the determined detection accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 16)
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7. A video display unit comprising:
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a display surface configured to display images to a user; a light emitter configured to illuminate eyes of the user while seated in front of the video display unit; a camera configured to output a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes; an acceleration sensor that generates a vibration signal that is indicative of an amount of vibration experienced by the display surface, wherein the video display unit is part of an in-flight entertainment system and the display surface is attached to a back surface of a user seat to display images to a user who is seated on another user seat facing the user seat; and a processor configured to; process the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, display a plurality of user selectable indicia on the display surface, wherein a user'"'"'s selection of different ones of the user selectable indicia causes the processor to perform a corresponding different function controlling how images are displayed on the display surface; detect that the user has selected a first one of the user selectable indicia in response to determining that the viewing location corresponds to a location of the first user selectable indicia for at least a threshold selection dwell time; display the plurality of user selectable indicia with no less than a defined minimum dimensional size value on the display surface; and enlarge the defined minimum dimensional size of the plurality of user selectable indicia concurrently displayed on the display surface from a first value to a second value in response to detecting a threshold amount of vibration indicated by the vibration signal. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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8. A video display unit comprising:
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a display surface configured to display images to a user; a light emitter configured to illuminate eyes of the user while seated in front of the video display unit; a camera configured to output a video signal containing reflections from the illuminated eyes; a processor configured to process the video signal to determine a viewing location on the display surface at which the eyes are directed, and to control at least one function for how images are displayed on the display surface responsive to the determined viewing location; a plurality of the light emitters spaced apart and arranged horizontally across the video display unit to form a horizontal array; and a plurality of the light emitters spaced apart and arranged vertically along the video display unit to form a vertical array, wherein the processor is further configured to sequentially pulse different ones of the light emitters and to process the video signal to identify one of the light emitters in the horizontal array that creates a brightest eye reflection and to identify one of the light emitters in the vertical array that creates a brightest eye reflection, and to determine the viewing location on the display surface responsive to the identified ones of the light emitters in the horizontal and vertical arrays that create the brightest eye reflections. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18)
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Specification