Intelligent user mode selection in an eye-tracking system

• US 11,042,205 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2017
• Issued: 06/22/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Inventors: Elvesjo, John Mikael, Kingback, Anders, Troili, Gunnar, Skogo, Marten, Eskilsson, Henrik, Blixt, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Okebato, Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US15/785,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20180239412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A personal computer system comprises a visual display, an imaging device adapted to provide eye-tracking data by imaging at least one eye of a viewer of the visual display, and identifying means for recognizing the viewer with reference to one of a plurality of predefined personal profiles. The personal computer system further comprises an eye-tracking processor for processing the eye-tracking data. According to the invention, the eye-tracking processor is selectively operable in one of a plurality of personalized active sub-modes associated with said personal profiles. The sub-modes may differ with regard to eye-tracking related or power-management related settings. Further, the identifying means may sense an identified viewer'"'"'s actual viewing condition (e.g., use of viewing aids or wearing of garments), wherein the imaging device is further operable in a sub-profile mode associated with the determined actual viewing condition.

Claims

1. A system for indicating to a user a mode transition of an eye tracking arrangement, wherein the eye tracking arrangement has detected at least a first viewing condition and a second viewing condition, the system comprising:

an eye tracking device using at least one corneal reflection of at least one eye of the user for determination of eye position, gaze point or gaze angle of the user;

one or more processors configured to;

operate the eye tracking device in a first mode associated with the first viewing condition of the user, the first viewing condition corresponding to one of the presence or absence of a viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

detect, with the eye tracking device, a change to the second viewing condition of the user, the second viewing condition corresponding to the other of the presence or absence of the viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

compare the second viewing condition to a plurality of predefined mode profiles to identify a match to a predefined mode profile;

determine a transition from the first mode to the predefined mode profile, wherein the transition is personalized to the user;

notify the user when the second viewing condition matches the predefined mode profile and operation of the eye tracking device transitions from the first mode to the predefined mode profile based on the transition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predefined mode profiles comprise:

a plurality of modes for each known user of the eye tracking device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of modes for each known user comprise:

an active mode, a ready mode, and an idle mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the active mode, the ready mode, and the idle mode comprises:

a sub-profile related to a person wearing an accessory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a visual notification to be presented on a display.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a change in appearance of a digital element on a display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a tactile notification to be made to the user.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined mode profile comprises a plurality of sub-modes, and wherein the transition identifies one of the plurality of sub-modes based on a profile of the user.

8. A method for indicating to a user a mode transition of an eye tracking arrangement, wherein the eye tracking arrangement has detected at least a first viewing condition and a second viewing condition, the method comprising:

operating an eye tracking device that uses at least one corneal reflection of at least one eye of the user for determination of eye position, gaze position or gaze angle of the user, in a first mode associated with the first viewing condition of the user, the first viewing condition corresponding to one of the presence or absence of a viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

detecting, with the eye tracking device, a change to the second viewing condition of the user, the second viewing condition corresponding to the other of the presence or absence of the viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

comparing the second viewing condition to a plurality of predefined mode profiles to identify a match to a predefined mode profile;

determine a transition from the first mode to the predefined mode profile, wherein the transition is personalized to the user;

notifying the user when the second viewing condition matches the predefined mode profile and operation of the eye tracking device transitions from the first mode to the predefined mode profile based on the transition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a visual depiction to be presented on a display, wherein the visual depiction comprises an avatar representing the user transitioning from the first viewing state to the second viewing state.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein notifying the user comprises:

notifying the user prior to transitioning to the predefined mode profile associated with the second viewing state.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the change to a second viewing state comprises:

identifying a new user with facial recognition.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein notifying the user comprises:

producing a visual notification on a display.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of predefined mode profiles comprise:

an active mode wherein the eye tracking device is fully operable;

an idle mode wherein the eye tracking device is in a first power-saving mode; and

a ready mode wherein the eye tracking device functions in a second power-saving mode and wherein a wake-up time to transition to the active mode is shorter than a wake-up time to transition from the idle mode to the active mode.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein notifying the user comprises causing at least one of:

a tactile notification;

an audible notification;

or a visual notification.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a computing device for indicating to a user a mode transition of an eye tracking arrangement, wherein the eye tracking arrangement has detected at least a first viewing condition and a second viewing condition and, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

operating an eye tracking device that uses at least one corneal reflection of at least one eye of the user for determination of eye position, gaze point or gaze angle of the user, in a first mode associated with the first viewing condition of the user, the first viewing condition corresponding to one of the presence or absence of a viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

detecting, with the eye tracking device, a change to the second viewing condition, the second viewing condition corresponding to the other of the presence or absence of the viewing aid or garment worn by the user;

comparing the second viewing condition to a plurality of predefined mode profiles to identify a match to a predefined mode profile;

determine a transition from the first mode to the predefined mode profile, wherein the transition is personalized to the user;

notifying the user when the second viewing condition matches the predefined mode profile and operation of the eye tracking device transitions from the first mode to the predefined mode profile based on the transition.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein detecting the change to the second viewing condition comprises:

identifying a new user.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a tactile notification to be provided to the user.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing an audible notification to be provided to the user.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein notifying the user comprises:

causing a visual notification to be presented on a graphical user interface.