Periodic motion-based visual stimulus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11409361-B2
Application number	US-202016780173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2020
Priority date	Feb 3, 2020
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A computer device is provided that includes a display device, and a sensor system configured to be mounted adjacent to a user's head and to measure an electrical potential near one or more electrodes of the sensor system. The computer device further includes a processor configured to present a periodic motion-based visual stimulus having a changing motion that is frequency-modulated for a target frequency or code-modulated for a target code, detect changes in the electrical potential via the one or more electrodes, identify a corresponding visual evoked potential feature in the detected changes in electrical potential that corresponds to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus, and recognize a user input to the computing device based on identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer device comprising:
a display device;
a sensor system configured to be mounted adjacent to a user's head and to measure an electrical potential near one or more electrodes of the sensor system; and
a processor configured to:
receive one or more parameters for a user interface;
determine a type of periodic motion-based visual stimulus and one or more characteristics based on the received one or more parameters for the user interface, wherein the type of periodic motion-based visual stimulus is included in a library of different types of periodic motion-based visual stimuli;
obtain, from the library of different types of periodic motion-based visual stimuli, a set of periodic motion-based visual stimuli based on the determined type and one or more characteristics;
present a periodic motion-based visual stimulus included in the set of periodic motion-based visual stimuli, wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus has a changing motion that is frequency-modulated for a target frequency or code-modulated for a target code;
detect changes in the electrical potential via the one or more electrodes;
identify a corresponding visual evoked potential feature in the detected changes in the electrical potential that corresponds to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus; and
recognize a user input to the computing device based on identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature.

2. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is code-modulated for a target code; and
wherein to identify the corresponding visual evoked potential feature, the processor is configured to identify a corresponding code in the detected changes in electrical potential that corresponds to the target code of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

3. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is frequency-modulated to change at the target frequency; and
wherein to identify the corresponding visual evoked potential feature, the processor is configured to identify a peak in a frequency domain of the detected changes in electrical potential at a corresponding frequency that corresponds to the target frequency of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

4. The computer device of claim 3 , wherein the target frequency of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus includes a fundamental frequency and one or more upper harmonic frequencies.

5. The computer device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to recognize the user input based on identifying peaks at corresponding frequencies that correspond to the fundamental frequency and the one or more upper harmonic frequencies of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

6. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus includes a periodic motion selected from the group consisting of a rotational motion, an oscillating motion, and a changing grating pattern.

7. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is a rapid serial visual presentation of images.

8. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the display device is a near-eye display device, and wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is an animated three-dimensional virtual object presented by the near-eye display device.

9. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein to recognize the user input, the processor is further configured to:
determine that the user is attending to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus based on a magnitude of the corresponding visual evoked potential feature; and
recognize the user input based on determining that the user is attending to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

10. The computer device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to present a plurality of periodic motion-based visual stimuli having different target frequencies or target codes, each periodic motion-based visual stimulus being associated with respective interface elements of a plurality of interface elements.

11. The computer device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a user attended periodic motion-based visual stimulus from among the plurality of periodic motion-based visual stimuli; and
recognize the user input to be directed to an interface element associated with the user attended periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

12. The computer device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics are selected from the group consisting of a differentiated frequency characteristic, a size characteristic, a visual contrast characteristic, and a positional separation characteristic.

13. A method comprising:
at a computer device having a processor and a sensor system configured to be mounted adjacent to a user's head and to measure an electrical potential near one or more electrodes of the sensor system:
receiving one or more parameters for a user interface;
determining a type of periodic motion-based visual stimulus and one or more characteristics based on the received one or more parameters for the user interface, wherein the type of periodic motion-based visual stimulus is included in a library of different types of periodic motion-based visual stimuli;
obtaining, from the library of different types of periodic motion-based visual stimuli, a set of periodic motion-based visual stimuli based on the determined type and one or more characteristics;
presenting a periodic motion-based visual stimulus included in the set of periodic motion-based visual stimuli, wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus has a changing motion that is frequency-modulated for a target frequency or code-modulated for a target code via a display device of the computer device;
detecting changes in the electrical potential via the one or more electrodes;
identifying a corresponding visual evoked potential feature in the detected changes in the electrical potential that corresponds to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus; and
recognizing a user input to the computing device based on identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is code-modulated for a target code; and
wherein identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature further comprises identifying a corresponding code in the detected changes in electrical potential that corresponds to the target code of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the periodic motion-based visual stimulus is frequency-modulated to change at the target frequency; and
wherein identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature further comprises identifying a peak in a frequency domain of the detected changes in electrical potential at a corresponding frequency that corresponds to the target frequency of the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein recognizing the user input further comprises:
determining that the user is attending to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus based on a magnitude of the corresponding visual evoked potential feature; and
recognizing the user input based on determining that the user is attending to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising presenting a plurality of periodic motion-based visual stimuli having different target frequencies or target codes, each periodic motion-based visual stimulus being associated

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Wilson Andrew D
• Si Mohammed Hakim
• Holz Christian
• Lee Adrian Kuo Ching
• Tashev Ivan Jelev
• Gamper Hannes
• Cutrell Edward Bryan
• Johnston David Emerson
• Emmanouilidou Dimitra
• Jalobeanu Mihai R

Classifications

• G01R19/0084

  Measuring voltage only · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/015 Primary

  Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title