Method for tracking a user's eye to control an indicator on a touch screen and electronic device thereof

• US 9,817,475 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Don-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US14/660,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20150261295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method includes detecting a movement of an eye pupil in an eye tracking mode, moving an indicator on the screen according to the movement of the eye pupil, detecting a touch on a touch area, and in response to detecting the touch on the touch area, selecting an object on which the indicator is located, among the plurality of the objects on the screen. An electronic device includes a display configured to display displaying a plurality of objects on a screen, and a processor configured to detect a movement of an eye pupil through a camera in an eye tracking mode, move an indicator on the screen according to the movement of the eye pupil, detect a touch on the electronic device, and in response to detecting the touch, select an object on which the indicator is located, among the plurality of the objects on the screen.

Claims

1. A method for operating a handheld a electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of objects on a screen;

detecting an eye of a user of the electronic device;

in response to detecting the eye of the user, displaying an indicator and a predetermined touch area on the screen;

detecting a movement of the eye of the user of the electronic device;

moving the indicator on the screen according to the movement of the eye of the user of the electronic device;

detecting a touch on the predetermined touch area of the screen; and

in response to detecting the touch on the predetermined touch area of the screen, selecting an object on which the indicator is located, among the plurality of the objects on the screen,

wherein the predetermined touch area and the selected object are apart from each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a pointer, and an identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined touch area is located in a lower portion of the screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined touch area is displayed based on a state where the electronic device is gripped with a hand of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined touch area is configurable on the display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the touch is one of a single touch and a touch drag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator belongs to a first layer and the touch area belongs to a second layer different from the first layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined touch area is changed based on a size of a hand of the user or a state where the electronic device is gripped with a hand of the user.

9. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a display configured to display displaying a plurality of objects on a screen of the electronic device; and

a processor configured to;

detect an eye of a user of the electronic device;

in response to detecting the eye of the user, display an indicator and a predetermined touch area on the screen;

detect a movement of the eye of the user of the electronic device;

move the indicator on the screen according to the movement of the eye of the user of the electronic device;

detect a touch on the predetermined touch area of the screen of the electronic device; and

in response to detecting the touch on the predetermined touch area of the screen, select an object on which the indicator is located, among the plurality of the objects on the screen,

wherein the predetermined touch area and the selected object are apart from each other.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a pointer, and an identifier.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined touch area is located in a lower portion of the screen.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined touch area is displayed based on a state where the electronic device is gripped with a hand of the user.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined touch area is configurable on the display.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch is one of a single touch and a touch drag.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the indicator belongs to a first layer and the touch area belongs to a second layer different from the first layer.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined touch area is changed based on a size of a hand of the user or a state where the electronic device is gripped with a hand of the user.