Eye tracking using reverse-biased light-emitting diode devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020089318-A1
Application number	US-201916572966-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	Sep 17, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques related to eye tracking using reverse-biased light-emitting diode (LED) devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a viewing apparatus comprises a reverse-biased LED device that is positioned within a field-of-view of an eye. The reverse-biased LED device receives light reflected from the eye and generates signal based on the received light. The generated signal is used to determine a position of the eye.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a reverse-biased light-emitting diode (LED) device of a viewing apparatus, light reflected from an eye, the reverse-biased LED device being positioned within a field-of-view of the eye; generating, at the reverse-biased LED device, a signal based on the received light; and causing determination of a position of the eye based on the generated signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to receiving the light, transmitting the light toward the eye from a forward-biased LED device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
converting the forward-biased LED device into the reverse-biased LED device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device comprises a mesa-shaped optical element that intensifies the received light.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device is positioned on a transparent substrate in front of the eye.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the transparent substrate is a layer of a lens of the viewing apparatus.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein causing determination of the position of the eye comprises:
using the generated signal to determine an approximate position of the eye; and determining the position of the eye based on data collected from a non-LED sensor to refine the approximate position of the eye.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device is included in an array of reverse-biased LED devices positioned within the field-of-view.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewing apparatus is an artificial reality device.

10 . A viewing apparatus comprising:
a reverse-biased light-emitting diode (LED) device positioned within a field-of-view of an eye, the reverse-biased LED device being configured to:
receive light reflected from the eye;
generate a signal based on the received light; and
cause determination of a position of the eye based on the generated signal.

11 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a forward-biased LED device configured to transmit the light toward the eye prior to the reverse-biased LED device receiving the light.

12 . The viewing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the forward-biased LED device is converted into the reverse-biased LED device.

13 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device comprises a mesa-shaped optical element that intensifies the received light.

14 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device is positioned on a transparent substrate in front of the eye.

15 . The viewing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the transparent substrate is a layer of a lens of the viewing apparatus.

16 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the position of the eye is determined based on:
using the generated signal to determine an approximate position of the eye; and determining the position of the eye based on data collected from a non-LED sensor to refine the approximate position of the eye.

17 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the reverse-biased LED device is included in an array of reverse-biased LED devices positioned within the field-of-view.

18 . The viewing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the viewing apparatus is an artificial reality device.

19 . A system comprising:
a reverse-biased light-emitting diode (LED) device positioned within a field-of-view of an eye, the reverse-biased LED device being configured to:
receive light reflected from the eye;
generate a signal based on the received light; and
cause determination of a position of the eye based on the generated signal.

20 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
a forward-biased LED device for transmitting, from within the field-of-view of the eye, the light toward the eye prior to the light being reflected from the eye.

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Brennan Vincent
• Hughes Patrick Joseph
• Saketi Pooya
• Ouderkirk Andrew John
• Wall William Anthony

Classifications

• G06F3/013 Primary

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