Eye detection apparatus and image display apparatus

• US 20060077558A1
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Saito, Yoshihiro, Urakawa, Takashi, Takagi, Akinari
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/11 for measuring interpupillary distance or diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

What is disclosed is an eye detection apparatus which can detect the pupil position accurately. The apparatus has an image taking unit that picks up an image of an eye and a pupil detection unit that detects the position of the pupil in the eye based on an image picked up by the image taking portion. The pupil detection unit determines the pupil position based on images picked up by the image taking unit in a plurality of states.

Claims

1. An eye detection apparatus comprising:

an image taking unit that picks up an image of an eye; and

a pupil detection unit that detects the position of the pupil in said eye based on a picked up image obtained by the image taking unit

wherein the image taking unit determines said pupil position based on picked up images obtained in a plurality of states by said image taking unit.

2. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of states include states that are different from each other in the direction of the line of sight of said eye.

3. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit that displays an index for fixing said direction of the line of sight while changing the display position of the index.

4. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a point-of-gaze detection unit that determines the position at which said eye gazes based on the display position of said index and said pupil position associated with the displayed position.

5. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of states include states that are different from each other in the position of said image taking unit relative to said eye with respect to the direction of an image taking optical axis.

6. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of states include states that are different from each other in the image taking magnification of said image taking unit.

7. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of states include states that are different from each other in the position of said image taking unit relative to said eye with respect to a direction orthogonal to an image taking optical axis.

8. An eye detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an interpupillary distance detection unit for determining the distance of left and right eyes based on said pupil position in each of said left and right eyes determined by said pupil detection unit.

9. An image display apparatus comprising:

an eye detection apparatus according to claim 1;

an image forming unit that forms an image;

an optical unit that guides light from the image forming element to an eye of an observer; and

a drive unit mechanically linked to said optical unit, the drive unit moving at least part of said optical unit relative to said eye based on information from said eye detection apparatus.

10. An image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said drive unit moves at least part of said optical unit in such a way that said pupil position and the position of the emerging optical axis of said optical unit substantially coincide with each other.

11. An image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the difference along a direction orthogonal to an image taking optical axis between said pupil position and a reference position in said picked up image determines the direction of the line of sight.