Out of focus notifications

• US 9,709,807 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Van Der Zaag, Bert, Blanco, Alejandro G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US14/931,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• 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 27/0093 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: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A head-mounted display for displaying out of focus notification. The head-mounted display includes a display projector, a lens system, and an eye tracking assembly capable of tracking a direction of an eye. The head-mounted display further includes an electronic processor that controls the display projector based on received data from the eye tracking assembly. The electronic processor determines, based on received data from the eye tracking assembly, at least one of a first focal distance, a second focal distance, and a third focal distance. The electronic processor controls the display projector to display an icon associated with a notification at the second focal distance. The second focal distance is out of focus with respect to the first focal distance. The electronic processor further controls the display projector to display information associated with the notification in response to changes in focal distance determined by the electronic processor.

Claims

1. A head-mounted display, comprising

a display projector;

a lens system;

an eye tracking assembly capable of tracking a direction of an eye; and

an electronic processor that controls the display projector, based on received data from the eye tracking assembly,

wherein the electronic processor determines, based on received data from the eye tracking assembly, at least one focal distance selected from the group consisting of a first focal distance, a second focal distance, and a third focal distance, and

wherein the electronic processor controls the display projector to display, on the lens system

an icon associated with a notification at the second focal distance, the second focal distance being out of focus with respect to the first focal distance, and

information associated with the notification in response to changes in focal distance determined by the electronic processor based on received data from the eye tracking assembly.

2. The head-mounted display of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the notification is displayed at the second focal distance when the electronic processor determines, based on received data from the eye tracking assembly, that the received data substantially corresponds to the second focal distance.

3. The head-mounted display of claim 1,

wherein the electronic processor determines, based on received data from the eye tracking assembly, that the received data substantially corresponds to the second focal distance,

wherein the information associated with the notification is displayed at the third focal distance when the electronic processor determines, based on later-received data from the eye tracking assembly, that the later-received data substantially corresponds to the third focal distance.

4. The head-mounted display of claim 1, wherein the third focal distance is substantially the same as the first focal distance.

5. The head-mounted display of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the icon includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a description of a situation, a code corresponding to a predetermined situation, and directions to a location.

6. A method of displaying information on a head-mounted display, the method comprising:

determining, with an eye tracking assembly and an electronic processor of the head-mounted display;

a first focal distance based on a first distance at which eyes are focused, and

a first location in a field of vision where the eyes are looking;

displaying, with a display projector and a lens system of the head-mounted display, an icon at a second location in the field of vision at a second focal distance, the second focal distance being out of focus with respect to the first focal distance;

determining, with the eye tracking assembly and the electronic processor of the head-mounted display, whether the eyes are looking at the second location in the field of vision and whether the eyes are focused at a second distance that is substantially the same as the second focal distance; and

displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information associated with the icon in the field of vision at at least one focal distance selected from the group consisting of the second focal distance and a third focal distance,

wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information at the third focal distance includes determining, with the eye tracking assembly and the electronic processor of the head-mounted display, the third focal distance based on a third distance at which the eyes are focused after the eyes have viewed the second location in the field of vision.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, the icon at the second location in the field of vision includes locating the second location in the field of vision at a predetermined minimum or greater distance from the first location in the field of vision.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information associated with the icon in the field of vision includes displaying information associated with the icon in the field of vision at the second location in the field of vision.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information associated with the icon in the field of vision includes:

determining, with the eye tracking assembly and the electronic processor, a third location in the field of vision where the eyes are looking after the eyes have moved from the second location in the field of vision, and

displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information at the third location in the field of vision.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, the icon at the second location in the field of vision includes displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, the icon at the second location at a predetermined size based on at least one selected from the group consisting of the first focal distance and the second focal distance.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the third focal distance includes determining that the third focal distance is substantially the same as the first focal distance.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying, with the display projector and the lens system of the head-mounted display, information associated with the icon in the field of vision includes displaying information that includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a description of a situation, a code corresponding to a predetermined situation, and directions to a location.

13. A head-mounted display, controlled at least in part by tracked eye movements of eyes of a user within a field of vision, the head-mounted display comprising:

at least one display projector;

a lens system;

an eye tracking assembly capable of tracking a direction of an eye; and

an electronic processor configured to

obtain data from the eye tracking assembly,

determine a first focal distance based on a first distance at which the eyes are focused,

determine a first location in the field of vision where the eyes are looking,

control the at least one display projector to display, on the lens system, an icon at a second location in the field of vision at a second focal distance, the second focal distance being out of focus with respect to the first focal distance,

determine whether the eyes are looking at the second location in the field of vision and whether the eyes are focused at a second distance that is substantially the same as the second focal distance, and

control the at least one display projector to display, on the lens system, at at least one focal distance selected from the group consisting of the second focal distance and a third focal distance, information associated with the icon in the field of vision,

wherein the third focal distance is determined based on a third distance at which the eyes are focused after the eyes have moved from the second location in the field of vision.

14. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the second location in the field of vision is located a predetermined minimum or greater distance from the first location in the field of vision.

15. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the icon is displayed at the second location in the field of vision.

16. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

determine a third location in the field of vision where the eyes are looking after the eyes have moved from the second location in the field of vision, and

control the at least one display projector to display, on the lens system, information associated with the icon at the third location in the field of vision.

17. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the icon is displayed at a predetermined size based on at least one selected from the group consisting of the first focal distance and the second focal distance.

18. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the third focal distance is substantially the same as the first focal distance.

19. The head-mounted display of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the icon includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a description of a situation, a code corresponding to a predetermined situation, and directions to a location.

20. The head-mounted display of claim 13, further comprising a transceiver that receives data from a mobile communication device;

wherein the transceiver receives a notification from the mobile communication device, and

wherein the electronic processor associates the notification with the icon.