Eyewear determining facial expressions using muscle sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11792500-B2
Application number	US-202016822361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2020
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

Eyewear having a sensor configured to sense electrical signals generated from user muscle movements to determine user facial expressions. The facial expressions are processed to provide a user input to the eyewear, to take an action such as taking an image using a camera, and to determine a user biometric such as by performing an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). In an example, a user can raise an eyebrow to instruct the eyewear to take an image, and squint an eye to lighten/darken a shade of an optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Eyewear, comprising:
a frame;
an optical member supported by the frame;
a temple coupled to the frame;
a sensor coupled to the temple and configured to sense facial muscle movement and generate electrical signals indicative of the facial muscle movement, wherein the sensor comprises two electrodes located in the temple proximate the frame, wherein the two electrodes are configured to make contact with a single temple of a user when the eyewear is worn by the user; and
a processor configured to process the electrical signals and determine a facial expression, wherein the processor is configured to perform a function comprising adjusting the optical member in response to the determined facial expression, wherein the processor is further configured to take an electrocardiogram of a user via the two electrodes used to determine the facial expression.

2. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to map the determined facial expression to different eyewear actions or functions.

3. A method of using eyewear, comprising:
a frame;
an optical member supported by the frame;
a temple coupled to the frame;
a sensor coupled to the temple and configured to sense facial muscle movement and generate electrical signals indicative of the facial muscle movement, wherein the sensor comprises two electrodes located in the temple proximate the frame, wherein the two electrodes are configured to make contact with a single temple of a user when the eyewear is worn by the user; and
a processor;
comprising the processor processing the electrical signals and determining a facial expression using the two electrodes;
the processor performing a function comprising adjusting the optical member as a function of the determined facial expression; and
the processor further measuring an electrocardiogram of a user via the two electrodes used to determine the facial expression.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sensor is located in the temple.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor maps the determined facial expression to different eyewear actions or functions.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code which, when executed, is operative to cause a processor of eyewear having a frame, an optical member, a temple, and a sensor coupled to the temple and configured to sense facial muscle movement and generate electrical signals indicative of the facial muscle movement, wherein the sensor comprises two electrodes located in the temple proximate the frame, wherein the two electrodes are configured to make contact with a single temple of a user when the eyewear is worn by the user, to perform the steps:
determining, by the processor, a facial expression based on the generated electrical signals using the two electrodes;
adjusting the optical member as a function of the determined facial expression; and
determining, by the processor, an electrocardiogram of a user via the two electrodes used to determine the facial expression.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is located in the temple.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , further comprising code operative to perform the step of processing, by the processor, to map the determined facial expression to different eyewear actions or functions.

9. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the electrocardiogram is initiated upon determining the presence of the user wearing the eyewear.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the electrocardiogram is initiated upon determining the presence of the user wearing the eyewear.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the electrocardiogram is initiated upon determining the presence of the user wearing the eyewear.

Assignees

• Moubedi Shaheen
• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Moubedi Shaheen

Classifications

• H04N23/611 Primary

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• G02B27/0093

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02C11/10 Primary

  Electronic devices other than hearing aids · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title