Eye movement measuring device and eye movement analysis system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10874357-B2
Application number	US-201916376363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2019
Priority date	Oct 11, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

An eye movement measuring device for detecting an eyeball-state/movement including: an eyeball photographing device configured to take a photograph of an eyeball; and an eye movement detecting unit configured to detect eye movement based on eyeball image as a photograph taken with the eyeball photographing device, the eyeball photographing device including an eyeball illuminating unit configured to illuminate an eyeball of a subject including a driver with illumination light, an eyeball image imaging unit configured to obtain eyeball image as a result of imaging the illuminated eyeball, and an arranging unit configured such that, when the eyeball photographing device is worn by the subject, the eyeball illuminating unit is arranged in a position where the eyeball can be irradiated with the illumination light, and the eyeball image imaging unit is arranged in a position where the eyeball image can be obtained as a result of the imaging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eyeball movement measuring device for detecting a state and a movement of an eyeball, the device comprising:
an eyeball photographing device configured to take a photograph of an eyeball; and
an eyeball movement detecting unit configured to detect eyeball movement based on eyeball image as a photograph taken with the eyeball photographing device, wherein
the eyeball photographing device comprises
an eyeball illuminating unit configured to illuminate an eyeball of a subject, who includes a driver, with illumination light as invisible light,
an eyeball image imaging unit configured to obtain eyeball image as a result of imaging the eyeball illuminated by the eyeball illuminating unit, and
an arranging unit configured such that, when eyeglasses are worn by the subject,
the eyeball illuminating unit is arranged with respect to the worn eyeglasses in a position where the eyeball can be irradiated with the illumination light as invisible light, and
the eyeball image imaging unit is arranged with respect to the worn eyeglasses in a position where the eyeball image can be obtained as a result of imaging the eyeball, and wherein the eyeball image imaging unit comprises a filter configured to absorb or reflect at least a portion of ambient light as visible light passing through a lens arranged in front of the eyeball with respect to the worn eyeglasses, and selectively allow the illumination light as invisible light emitted by the eyeball illuminating unit to pass therethrough.

2. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a reflecting unit configured to
allow visible light to pass therethrough, while reflect the illumination light as invisible light of the eyeball illuminating unit so as to guide the reflected illumination light toward the eyeball, and
reflect eyeball image, to be captured by the eyeball image imaging unit, toward the eyeball image imaging unit, wherein,

the arranging unit is further configured such that, with respect to the reflecting unit,
the eyeball illuminating unit is arranged in a position where the eyeball can be irradiated with the reflected illumination light, and
the eyeball image imaging unit is arranged in a position where the eyeball image can be obtained as a result of capturing the reflected eyeball image, and wherein

the eyeball image imaging unit obtains the eyeball image of the eyeball illuminated by the eyeball illuminating unit, as a result of capturing the reflected eyeball image of the eyeball irradiated with the reflected illumination light, through the reflecting unit, from a back or a side with respect to the eyeball.

3. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the arranging unit includes overglasses.

4. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the arranging unit includes clip-on glasses.

5. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination light emitted by the eyeball illuminating unit includes near-infrared light as invisible light.

6. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination light emitted by the eyeball illuminating unit includes near-infrared light as invisible light.

7. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination light emitted by the eyeball illuminating unit includes ultraviolet light as invisible light.

8. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination light emitted by the eyeball illuminating unit includes ultraviolet light as invisible light.

9. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 5 , wherein the reflecting unit includes a reflecting film configured to selectively reflect near-infrared light.

10. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 6 , wherein the reflecting unit includes a reflecting film configured to selectively reflect near-infrared light.

11. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 9 , wherein a lens of any one of a group of: eyeglasses; overglasses; and clip-on glasses is made of material absorbing near-infrared rays.

12. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 10 , wherein a lens of any one of a group of: eyeglasses; overglasses; and clip-on glasses is made of material absorbing near-infrared rays.

13. The eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein an irradiating direction of the illumination light as invisible light from the eyeball illuminating unit and a visual field direction of the eyeball image imaging unit are substantially the same as each other.

14. An eyeball movement analysis system comprising:
an eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 1 ; and
a human state sensing unit configured to sense a state including a consciousness state of a subject, who includes a driver, based on eyeball movement detected by the eyeball movement detecting unit.

15. An eyeball movement analysis system comprising:
an eyeball movement measuring device according to claim 2 ; and
a human state sensing unit configured to sense a state including a consciousness state of a subject, who includes a driver, based on eyeball movement detected by the eyeball movement detecting unit.

16. The eyeball movement analysis system according to claim 14 , wherein said system is used for the driver of a vehicle, and wherein the human state sensing unit senses the consciousness state including a degree of arousal and a degree of carelessness of the driver.

17. The eyeball movement analysis system according to claim 16 , further comprising a warning unit configured to warn the driver with a warning including a voice and vibration, when the human state sensing unit determines that the consciousness state of the driver is a predetermined state.

Assignees

• Tokai Optical Co Ltd
• Chubu Univ Educational Foundation
• Nac Image Tech Inc
• Tokai Rika Co Ltd
• Kk Tokai Tika Denki Seisa Kusho

Inventors

• Suzuki Eiji
• Hirata Yutaka
• Nakamura Shogo
• Ueda Shinichi
• Yamamoto Masaya

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• G02C7/10

  Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses · CPC title

• G02C7/00

  Optical parts (characterised by the material G02B1/00) · CPC title