Eye imaging in head worn computing

• US 9,811,159 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Border, John N., Nortrup, Edward H., Lohse, Robert Michael, Haddick, John D., Osterhout, Ralph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Jr., Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US14/525,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• 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 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• 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 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1033 having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for imaging, recognizing, and tracking of a user'"'"'s eye that is wearing a HWC. Aspects further relate to the processing of images reflected from the user'"'"'s eye and controlling displayed content in accordance therewith.

Claims

1. A head-worn computer, comprising:

a camera adapted to capture a plurality of reflected images of an eye of a person wearing the head-worn computer to determine a plurality of positions of the eye, wherein the head-worn computer comprises a see-through display adapted to display a digitally presented content simultaneously with a view of the surrounding environment, wherein the camera is positioned to capture the reflected images of the eye through a common optical axis with the digitally presented content and the surrounding environment in-line with the eye of the user;

a processor adapted to identify a pupil reaction pattern from the plurality of reflective images of the eye, wherein the processor is further adapted to determine if the pupil reaction pattern matches a pre-defined health condition pattern; and

the processor further adapted to communicate a health alert in response to a match.

2. The head-worn computer of claim 1, further comprising a lighting system adapted to irradiate the eye with infrared (IR) light during a period of time when the plurality of reflected images are being captured such that the processor identifies the pupil reaction during a known lighting condition.

3. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the camera is located proximate the see-through display.

4. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the see-through computer display is a reflective display and the reflected image of the eye of the person reflects off of the see-through display prior to being captured by the camera.

5. The head-worn computer of claim 1, further comprising a reflective surface positioned between the see-through display and the camera, wherein the camera captures the reflected image of the eye of the person after it reflects off of the reflective surface.

6. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the see-through display is a front lit reflective image display.

7. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the image display is an emissive display.