Visual field calculation apparatus and method for calculating visual field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120403-A1
Application number	US-201614996057-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Aug 8, 2013
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A visual field calculation apparatus capable of accurately calculating a visual field range of a user without using a complex configuration is provided. The visual field calculation apparatus includes a saccade detector that detects a saccade on the basis of a first gaze direction detected at a first timing and a second gaze direction detected at a second timing, a saccade speed calculator that calculates speed of the saccade on the basis of a time difference between the first timing and the second timing, the first gaze direction, and the second gaze direction, and a visual field range calculator that calculates a displacement vector of a saccade whose speed exceeds a first threshold, and calculates an area including a final point of the displacement vector as the visual field range of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A visual field calculation apparatus comprising:
a saccade detector that detects a saccade on the basis of a first gaze direction detected at a first timing and a second gaze direction detected at a second timing; a saccade speed calculator that calculates speed of the saccade on the basis of a time difference between the first timing and the second timing, the first gaze direction, and the second gaze direction; and a visual field range calculator that calculates a displacement vector of a saccade whose speed exceeds a first threshold, and calculates an area including an initial point and a final point of the displacement vector as the visual field range of the user.

2 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first threshold is a value according to a saccade displacement, and the first threshold becomes larger as the saccade displacement becomes larger, the saccade displacement being length of the displacement vector of the saccade.

3 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a model holder that holds a visual field model having a certain predetermined shape, wherein the visual field range calculator calculates the visual field range of the user by enlarging or reducing the visual field model on the basis of the initial point and the final point of the displacement vector.

4 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the visual field model includes at least any of a circle, an ellipse for which a ratio of a major axis and a minor axis is set to a certain value, and an arbitrary shape for which a reference point is defined.

5 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a visual field calculation time setter that sets a saccade detection period, in which a saccade is detected, wherein the visual field calculation time setter estimates a second point in time when the visual field range of the user has changed before a first point in time when the calculation of the visual field range of the user has started, and wherein the visual field calculation time setter sets a period from the second point to the first point as the saccade detection period.

6 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a face direction detector that detects a direction of the user's face, wherein the visual field range calculator calculates, for each saccade, a difference in the direction of the user's face between a point in time when the saccade starts and a point in time when the saccade ends as a face direction displacement, wherein the visual field range calculator extracts, from among saccades extracted on the basis of the first threshold, only a saccade whose face direction displacement is equal to or smaller than a second threshold as a saccade in an effective visual field, and wherein the visual field range calculator calculates a displacement vector of the saccade in the effective visual field and calculates, on the basis of the displacement vector, an effective visual field range, which is a range in which the user is able to receive information only by moving the user's eyes without moving the user's face.

7 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the effective visual field range is used as a range in which certain information is subjected to augmented reality display.

8 . The visual field calculation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a determiner that outputs information to a display if it is determined that the user is missing an obstacle on the basis of a gaze direction of the user and a visual field range of the user.

9 . A method for calculating a visual field by which a visual field range of a user is calculated in a visual field calculation system including a detector that detects a gaze direction of the user, the method comprising:
detecting a saccade on the basis of a first gaze direction detected by the detector at a first timing and a second gaze direction detected by the detector at a second timing; calculating speed of the saccade on the basis of a time difference between the first timing and the second timing, the first gaze direction, and the second gaze direction; extracting a saccade whose speed exceeds a first threshold; and calculating a displacement vector of the extracted saccade and calculating an area including an initial point and a final point of the displacement vector as the visual field range of the user.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mochizuki Makoto
• Emura Koichi
• Matsuse Tetsuo
• Ito Hayashi

Classifications

• G06F3/01

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B3/024

  for determining the visual field, e.g. perimeter types · CPC title

• A61B3/113 Primary

  for determining or recording eye movement · CPC title

• A61B5/6893

  Cars · CPC title

• G02B2027/0123

  comprising devices increasing the field of view · CPC title