Determining a viewing distance for a computing device

• US 9,042,605 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gossweiler, Richard, Corrado, Gregory Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhatnagar, Anand
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, SOO JIN
• Application Number:
  US13/768,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/04 Interpretation of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/04 Adaptation of rangefinders for combination with telescopes or binoculars
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A method, computer readable storage device, and apparatus for determining the distance a computing device is located from a user'"'"'s face. An image of an individual is obtained. A first pupil location and a second pupil location are identified based on the obtained image. A first distance between the identified first and second pupil location is determined. A second distance between the individual and the computing device is determined based on the determined first distance between the identified first and second pupil locations.

Claims

1. A method, comprising;

obtaining, at a mobile computing device, an image of an individual;

identifying, at the mobile computing device, a first pupil location and a second pupil location based on the obtained image;

calculating at the mobile computing device, a current first distance between the first pupil location and the second pupil location;

comparing, via the mobile computing device, the current first distance to a list of stored, previously measured first distances;

determining, at the mobile computing device, a second distance between the individual and the mobile computing device based on what fraction of the stored, previously measured first distances fall below the current first distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting, at the mobile computing device, based on the second distance, a content displayed on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined second distance is 0.0 when the measured first distance is less than a smallest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined second distance is 1.0 when the measured first distance is greater than a largest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined second distance is 0.5 when the measured first distance is equal to a median value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon at least one instruction that when executed by a processor, is to cause the processor to:

obtain an image of an individual;

identify a first pupil location and a second pupil location based on the obtained image;

calculate a current first distance between the first pupil location and the second pupil location;

compare the current first distance to a list of stored, previously measured first distances; and

determine a second distance between the individual and the mobile computing device based on what fraction of the stored, previously measured first distances fall below the current first distance.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the at least one instruction is to further cause the processor to:

adjust, based on the determined second distance, a content displayed on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determined second distance is 0.0 when the measured first distance is less than a smallest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determined second distance is 1.0 when the measured first distance is greater than a largest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determined second distance is 0.5 when the measured first distance is equal to a median value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory to store at least one instruction that when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to;

obtain an image of an individual;

identify a first pupil location and a second pupil location based on the obtained image;

calculate a current first distance between the first pupil location and the second pupil location;

compare the current first distance to a list of stored, previously measured first distances; and

determine a second distance between the individual and the mobile computing device based on what fraction of the stored, previously measured first distances fall below the current first distance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one instruction is to further cause the at least one processor to:

adjust, based on the determined second distance, a content displayed on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determined second distance is 0.0 when the measured first distance is less than a smallest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determined second distance is 1.0 when the measured first distance is greater than a largest value in the stored history of measured first distance values.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determined second distance is 0.5 when the measured first distance is equal to a median value in the stored history of measured first distance values.