Saccade and vergence tracking for distance auto focus adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11169399-B2
Application number	US-201816213419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

Lenses and methods for adjusting the focus of a lens include dividing multiple light sensors in a lens into four quadrants. A position of the lens relative to occlusion along a top and bottom edge of the lens is determined based on numbers of bits in respective bit sequences from light sensors in respective regions of the lens. An optimal focal length for the lens is determined based on the position of the lens. The focal length of the lens is adjusted to match the optimal focal length.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting the focus of a lens, comprising:
determining a position of the lens relative to occlusion along a top and bottom edge of the lens based on numbers of bits in respective bit sequences from light sensors in respective regions of the lens;
determining an optimal focal length for the lens, using a processor, based on the position of the lens; and
adjusting the focal length of the lens to match the optimal focal length.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the optimal focal length of the lens comprises determining a direction of the lens based on identifying which light sensors register a high amount of light and which light sensors register a low amount of light.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the optimal focal length of the lens comprises determining an optimal focal length when the lens is directed downward that is shorter than an optimal focal length when the lens is directed forward or upward.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the optimal focal length of the lens comprises determining that the lens is directed downward if a number of light sensors on a lower edge of the lens in a low light state is greater than a number of light sensors on the lower edge of the lens that are in a low light state when the lens is directed forward.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the optimal focal length for the lens comprises powering the processor using power generated by the light sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the optimal focal length for the lens comprises determining a vergence of the lens and a second lens based on the positions of each lens.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly communicating the position of the lens to a second lens for determination of vergence.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein dividing the plurality of light sensors in a lens into four quadrants comprises rotating a bit sequence that represents all of the plurality of sensors to align with the center of an eye.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the position of the lens comprises determining drift of the lens away from a center point, wherein the position of the lens corrects for the determined drift.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the focal length of the lens is triggered by a predetermined pattern of change in the position of the lens or a predetermined pattern of occlusion.

11. A lens, comprising:
a plurality of light sensors around an outer edge of the lens;
an optical focus module, comprising a processor configured to determine a position of the lens relative to occlusion along a top and bottom edge of the lens based on numbers of bits in respective bit sequences from light sensors in respective regions of the lens, and to determine an optimal focal length for the lens based on the position of the lens; and
a lens focus control configured to adjust the focal length of the lens to match the optimal focal length.

12. The lens of claim 11 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to determine a direction of the lens based on identifying which light sensors register a high amount of light and which light sensors register a low amount of light.

13. The lens of claim 12 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to determine an optimal focal length when the lens is directed downward that is shorter than an optimal focal length when the lens is directed forward or upward.

14. The lens of claim 13 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to determine that the lens is directed downward if a number of light sensors on a lower edge of the lens in a low light state is greater than a number of light sensors on the lower edge of the lens that are in a low light state when the lens is directed forward.

15. The lens of claim 11 , further comprising a power source configured to use power generated by the light sensors.

16. The lens of claim 11 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to determine a vergence of the lens and a second lens based on the positions of each lens.

17. The lens of claim 11 , further comprising a wireless interface configured to wirelessly communicate the position of the lens to a second lens for determination of vergence.

18. The lens of claim 11 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to rotate a bit sequence that represents all of the plurality of sensors to align with the center of an eye.

19. The lens of claim 11 , wherein the optical focus module is further configured to determine drift of the lens away from a center point, wherein the position of the lens corrects for the determined drift.

20. The lens of claim 11 , wherein the lens focus control is further configured to adjust the focal length of the lens when triggered by a predetermined pattern of change in the position of the lens or a predetermined pattern of occlusion.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Kinser Emily R
• Knickerbocker John U
• Yu Roy R

Classifications

• B29D11/00807

  Producing lenses combined with electronics, e.g. chips · CPC title

• B29D11/00028

  Bifocal lenses; Multifocal lenses · CPC title

• G02C7/04

  Contact lenses for the eyes (disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00) · CPC title

• G02C7/083 Primary

  Electrooptic lenses · CPC title

• B29D11/00826

  with energy receptors for wireless energy transmission · CPC title