Identification and/or authentication of a user using gaze information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10192109-B2
Application number	US-201615131542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

According to the invention a system for authenticating a user of a device is disclosed. The system may include a first image sensor, a determination unit, and an authentication unit. The first image sensor may be for capturing at least one image of at least part of a user. The determination unit may be for determining information relating to the user's eye based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor. The authentication unit may be for authenticating the user using the information relating to the user's eye.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eye tracking system for authenticating a user of a device, the system comprising:
a first image sensor for capturing at least one image of at least part of a user;
a determination unit for determining information relating to an eye of the user based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor;
an authentication unit for authenticating the user using the information relating to the eye of the user; and
a profile unit for:
loading an eye tracking calibration profile based on the user being authenticated by the authentication unit, the eye tracking calibration profile storing an offset, the offset being between a fovea of the eye of the user relative to an optical axis or between the fovea and a corneal curvature of the eye of the user;
performing a login procedure using the eye tracking calibration profile and gaze information determined by the determination unit as part of the login procedure, wherein the login procedure comprises:
presenting one or more virtual objects;
receiving, from the determination unit, the gaze information that defines characteristics of the eye when viewing the one or more virtual objects; and
confirming the characteristics of the eye with eye information from the eye tracking calibration profile; and

altering future gaze information of the eye of the user based at least in part on the eye tracking calibration profile, the future gaze information determined by the determination unit as part of tracking the eye of the user after completion of the login procedure.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is further for determining whether the user is alive based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit uses a glint from a cornea of the eye of the user in an image captured by the first image sensor.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit uses a series of images captured by the first image sensor to determine that a gaze direction of the user is static.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit
determines a presence of a pupil in a first image captured by the first image sensor to a second image captured by the first image sensor, wherein the first image was captured while a first illuminator co-axial with the first image sensor was active, and the second image was captured while a second illuminator not co-axial with the first image sensor was active; and
compares the first image captured by the first image sensor to the second image captured by the first image sensor.

6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit determines head pose information for the user.

7. The system according to claim 2 , further comprising a second image sensor for capturing at least one image of at least part of the user.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the determination unit compares a first image captured by the first image sensor with a second image captured by the second image sensor.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the eye tracking calibration profile further stores an offset between a gaze direction determined by an eye tracker and an actual gaze direction of the user.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the eye tracking profile is part of a user profile that, when activated, influences the behavior of a computer application running on a computer.

11. A method for authenticating a user of a device, the method comprising:
capturing at least one image of at least part of the user with a first image sensor;
determining information relating to an eye of the user based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor;
authenticating the user using the information relating to the eye of the user;
loading an eye tracking calibration profile based on authenticating the user, the eye tracking calibration profile storing an offset, the offset being between a fovea of the eye of the user relative to an optical axis or between the fovea and a corneal curvature of the eye of the user;
performing a login procedure using the eye tracking calibration profile and gaze information determined as part of the login procedure, wherein the login procedure comprises:
presenting one or more virtual objects;
receiving the gaze information that defines characteristics of the eye when viewing the one or more virtual objects; and
confirming the characteristics of the eye with eye information from the eye tracking calibration profile; and

altering future gaze information of the eye of the user based at least in part on the eye tracking calibration profile, the future gaze information determined as part of tracking the eye of the user after completion of the login procedure.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises determining whether the user is alive based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining the information relating to the eye of the user comprises:
determining a presence of a pupil in a first image captured by the first image sensor to a second image captured by the first image sensor, wherein the first image was captured while a first illuminator co-axial with the first image sensor was active, and the second image was captured while a second illuminator not co-axial with the first image sensor was active; and
comparing the first image captured by the first image sensor to the second image captured by the first image sensor.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises capturing at least one image of at least part of the user with a second image sensor.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon for authenticating a user of a device, wherein the instructions are executable by one or more processors for at least:
capturing at least one image of at least part of the user with a first image sensor;
determining information relating to an eye of the user based at least in part on at least one image captured by the first image sensor;
authenticating the user using the information relating to the eye of the user;
loading an eye tracking calibration profile based on authenticating the user, the eye tracking calibration profile storing an offset, the offset being between a fovea of the eye of the user relative to an optical axis or between the fovea and a corneal curvature of the eye of the user;
performing a login procedure using the eye tracking calibration profile and gaze information determined as part of the login procedure, wherein the login procedure comprises:
presenting one or more virtual objects;
receiving the gaze information that defines characteristics of the eye when viewing the one or more virtual objects; and
confirming the characteristics of the eye with eye information from the eye tracking calibration profile; and

altering future gaze information of the eye of the user based at least in part on the eye tracking calibration profile, the future gaze information determined as part of tracking the eye of the user after completion of the login procedure.

16. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising, after loading the eye tracking calibration profile:
capturing other images of at least part of the user;
detecting a presence of a different user within a range of the first image sensor based at least in part on the other images;
receiving infor

Assignees

• Tobii Ab

Inventors

• Skogö Mårten
• Hainzl Richard
• Jönsson Henrik
• Vennström Anders
• George-Svahn Erland
• Elvesjö John

Classifications

• G06K9/00597

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00906

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00604 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00617

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F21/316 Primary

  by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour · CPC title