SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING THE POINT OF GAZE OF AN OBSERVER

• US 20130002846A1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: De Bruijn, Frederik Jan, Van Bree, Karl Catharina, Gritti, Tommaso
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/78
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications

Abstract

A system for tracking the point of gaze of an observer observing an object comprises a camera for recording an image of an eye of the observer, comprises a means for providing a luminous marker, and means for analyzing the image of the eye to determine the reflection of the marker on the eye and the centre of the pupil. The relative positions of the corneal reflection of the marker and the pupil centre are measured. The marker is repositioned, in dependence on the determined relative positions, to improve correspondence between the corneal reflection of the marker and the pupil centre.

Claims

1. System for tracking the point of gaze of an observer observing an object, wherein the system comprises a device for recording an image of an eye of the observer, comprises a means for providing a luminous marker on or associated with the observed object, and a means for determining from the image a corneal reflection of the marker on the eye and the centre of the pupil, wherein the system comprises a means for determining relative positions of the corneal reflection of the marker and the pupil centre and a means for repositioning the marker dependent on the determined relative positions.

2. System as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a display device and the position of the marker is related to the display device.

3. System as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display device and the means for providing a marker are integrated into a single device.

4. System as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display device and the means for providing a marker are separate devices.

5. System as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for providing a marker comprises a transparent shield positioned in front of an image screen of the display device.

6. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for providing a marker provides an infrared (IR) marker.

7. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the marker is shaped in a pattern.

8. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system comprises a means to provide the marker and reposition the marker directly on a scene or in or on transparent plate in front of a scene.

9. System as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transparent plate is a windshield of a vehicle.

10. System as claimed in claim 9 wherein the transparent plate is a shop window.

11. System as claimed in claim 3, wherein the display device comprises a means for providing a marker in an image displayed on a display screen of the display device.

12. System as claimed in claim 11, wherein the marker is an IR marker.

13. System as claimed in claim 11, wherein the system comprises a Liquid Crystal Display device which has an infrared (IR) backlight and a visible light backlight.

14. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for providing a marker comprise a transparent OLED screen for providing a marker.

15. System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system is arranged to track the gaze of more than one observer by providing more than one marker for more than one observer.

16. Method for tracking the point of gaze of an observer observing an object, wherein the method comprises recording an image of an eye of the observer, providing a luminous marker on or associated with the observed object, and determining from the image a corneal reflection of the marker and the centre of the pupil, wherein relative positions of the corneal reflection of a marker and the pupil centre are determined, and the marker is repositioned dependent on the determined relative positions.

17. Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the marker is shaped in a pattern.

18. Method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the marker is provided in or on a transparent plate.