Preventive eye care for mobile device users

• US 9,921,647 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Su, Yan, Shunguo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US15/267,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20180081428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/08 Biomedical applications

Abstract

A method for preventing vision damage to a user viewing a screen of a mobile device is presented. The method may include collecting viewing condition data. The method may also include retrieving an eye health profile associated with the user. The method may then include retrieving eye health guidelines. The method may further include determining a maximum reading time based on the collected viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines. The method may also include determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds a current reading time. The method may then include performing a preventive action in response to determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

Claims

1. A method for preventing vision damage to a user viewing a screen of a mobile device, the method comprising:

collecting viewing condition data;

retrieving an eye health profile associated with the user;

retrieving eye health guidelines;

determining a maximum reading time based on the collected viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds a current reading time; and

performing a preventive action in response to determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein viewing condition data is selected from the group consisting of an ambient lighting value, a user movement value, a user position value, a screen brightness value, and a screen contrast value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye health profile comprises a data structure containing a user age field, a user eye disease field, and a user vision problem data field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the preventive action is selected from the group consisting of turning the screen off and presenting a warning dialog box on the screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing condition data is collected by at least one sensor connectively coupled to the mobile device, and wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a light sensor, an accelerometer, and a front-facing camera sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that viewing conditions have changed;

collecting new viewing condition data;

determining a new maximum reading time based on the collected new viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

determining that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time; and

performing a preventive action in response to determining that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye health guidelines are selected from the group consisting of at least one medical journal, eye care practices, eye health research, and a physician recommendation.

8. A computer system for preventing vision damage to a user viewing a screen of a mobile device, comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising;

collecting viewing condition data;

retrieving an eye health profile associated with the user;

retrieving eye health guidelines;

determining a maximum reading time based on the collected viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds a current reading time; and

performing a preventive action in response to determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein viewing condition data is selected from the group consisting of an ambient lighting value, a user movement value, a user position value, a screen brightness value, and a screen contrast value.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the eye health profile comprises a data structure containing a user age field, a user eye disease field, and a user vision problem data field.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the preventive action is selected from the group consisting of turning the screen off and presenting a warning dialog box on the screen.

12. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the viewing condition data is collected by at least one sensor connectively coupled to the mobile device, and wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a light sensor, an accelerometer, and a front-facing camera sensor.

13. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that viewing conditions have changed;

collecting new viewing condition data;

determining a new maximum reading time based on the collected new viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

determining that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time; and

performing a preventive action in response to determining that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

14. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the eye health guidelines are selected from the group consisting of at least one medical journal, eye care practices, eye health research, and a physician recommendation.

15. A computer program product for preventing vision damage to a user viewing a screen of a mobile device, comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage medium and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to collect viewing condition data;

program instructions to retrieve an eye health profile associated with the user;

program instructions to retrieve eye health guidelines;

program instructions to determine a maximum reading time based on the collected viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

program instructions to determine that the determined maximum reading time exceeds a current reading time; and

program instructions to perform a preventive action in response to determining that the determined maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein viewing condition data is selected from the group consisting of an ambient lighting value, a user movement value, a user position value, a screen brightness value, and a screen contrast value.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the eye health profile comprises a data structure containing a user age field, a user eye disease field, and a user vision problem data field.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the preventive action is selected from the group consisting of turning the screen off and presenting a warning dialog box on the screen.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the viewing condition data is collected by at least one sensor connectively coupled to the mobile device, and wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of a light sensor, an accelerometer, and a front-facing camera sensor.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

program instructions to determine that viewing conditions have changed;

program instructions to collect new viewing condition data;

program instructions to determine a new maximum reading time based on the collected new viewing condition data, the retrieved eye health profile, and the retrieved eye health guidelines;

program instructions to determine that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time; and

program instructions to perform a preventive action in response to determining that the determined new maximum reading time exceeds the current reading time.