Portable eye tracking device

• US 9,665,172 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Inventors: Engwall, Erik, Hainzl, Richard, Andersson, Jonas, Gustafsson, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Nan-Ying
• Application Number:
  US14/281,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20150061996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• 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 2027/0178 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: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/32 for obtaining desired directional characteristic only specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/40 Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups

Abstract

A portable eye tracker device is disclosed which includes a frame, at least one optics holding member, and a control unit. The frame may be adapted for wearing by a user and include an eyeglass frame having a nose bridge. The at least one optics holding member may include at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user and at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The optics holding member may be coupled with the nose bridge. The control unit may be configured to control the at least one illuminator for the selective illumination of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, and receive the image data from the at least one image sensor.

Claims

1. A portable eye tracker device comprising:

a frame adapted for wearing by a user, wherein the frame comprises an eyeglass frame having a nose bridge;

at least one optics holding member, wherein;

at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user; and

the optics holding member is coupled with the nose bridge; and

a control unit configured to;

control at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;

receive a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;

determine that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;

receive information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;

determine a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;

control at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of the second wavelength;

receive a second set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the second wavelength; and

determine the gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the second set of image data.

2. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine a gaze direction for the user based at least in part on the image data.

3. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optics holding member comprises a single member containing all illuminators and all image sensors.

4. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optics holding member is configured and disposed such that:

peripheral vision of the user is not obstructed.

5. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optics holding member further comprises:

at least one light limiting member to prevent light leakage from at least one illuminator to at least one image sensor.

6. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optics holding member further comprises:

at least one lens, each lens configured to direct light from one illuminator; and

at least one optical window, each optical window configured to allow light to reach one image sensor.

7. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein:

the portable eye tracker device further comprises a positioning device configured to determine a position of the portable eye tracker device; and

the control unit is further configured to determine a gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the image data and information received from the positioning device.

8. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive image data from the at least one image sensor;

determine a level of ambient light from the image data;

adjust a brightness or exposure time of the at least one illuminator based at least in part on the level of ambient light.

9. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display viewable by the user.

10. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

receive image data from at least one of the plurality of image sensors representing images including areas besides the user'"'"'s pupils.

11. A method of determining a gaze direction for a user, comprising:

activating at least one illuminator in an optics holding member coupled with a nose bridge of an eyeglass frame worn by a user to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;

receiving a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;

determining that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;

receiving information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;

determining a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;

controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of the second wavelength;

receiving a second set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the second wavelength; and

determining the gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the second set of image data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one optics holding member comprises:

a single member containing all illuminators and all image sensors.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

preventing light leakage from at least one illuminator to at least one image sensor via a light limiting member in the optics holding member.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

directing light from at least one illuminator via a lens; and

allowing light to reach at least one image sensor via an optical window.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions thereon for determining a gaze direction for a user, the instructions executable by a processor for at least:

activating at least one illuminator in an optics holding member coupled with a nose bridge of an eyeglass frame worn by a user to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;

receiving a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;

determining that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;

receiving information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;

determining a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;

controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;

receiving a second set of image data from at least one image sensor of the second subset, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the second wavelength; and

determining the gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the second set of image data.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one optics holding member comprises:

a single piece containing all of the plurality of illuminators and all of the plurality of image sensors.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one optics holding member is configured to:

preventing light leakage from at least one illuminator to at least one image sensor via a light limiting member in the optics holding member.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one optics holding member is configured to:

direct light from at least one illuminator via a lens; and

allow light to reach at least one image sensor via an optical window.