Eye gaze detection with multiple light sources and sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430040-B2
Application number	US-201414154542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

The subject disclosure is directed towards eye gaze detection based upon multiple cameras and/or light sources. The cameras and/or light sources are configured to provide eye gaze detection for a device display at different orientations, at different tilt angles, at different user positions, at different user distances, and so on. Also described is a controller that selectively controls light source power and camera on/off state to provide images of the eye having sufficient quality for eye gaze detection and/or to conserve power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a display;
a plurality of cameras positioned proximate the display, the plurality of cameras comprising:
a first camera on a first edge adjacent the display; and
a second camera on a second edge adjacent the display;

at least one light source configured to output light that generates corneal reflections when reflected by an eye;
an image processing component coupled to the plurality of cameras, the image processing component configured to:
receive from the first camera a first image of the eye captured by the first camera; and
receive from the second camera a second image of the eye captured by the second camera, the first and second images comprising the corneal reflections for use by the image processing component in eye gaze detection; and

a controller configured to selectively turn off one of the first and second cameras based on a sharpness detection of the first and second images of the eye by the image processing component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is incorporated into a device that is configured to change content rendering orientation of at least some displayed output in conjunction with a current orientation of the device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras are angled relative to the display, and wherein the first and second cameras are angled differently relative to one another.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second cameras have different focal lengths relative to one another.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first camera is embedded into the first edge and the second camera is embedded into the second edge.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is embedded into an edge adjacent the display.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is incorporated into one of the following: a tablet computing device, a laptop computer, a smartphone, or a handheld computing device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is incorporated into one of the following: a television or a computer monitor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of infrared light sources, and wherein the controller is further configured to selectively turn off or reduce an intensity of at least one of the plurality of infrared light sources.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source and the first camera comprises a unitary assembly, the at least one light source comprising a plurality of infrared light sources that surround the first camera.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second edge is not parallel to the first edge.

12. A system comprising:
a plurality of infrared light sources, the plurality of infrared light sources configured to output infrared light that generates corneal reflections when reflected by an eye;
a plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras, the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras configured to capture the corneal reflections as a plurality of images of the eye for use in eye gaze detection; and
a controller configured to selectively turn off at least one infrared-sensitive camera of the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras based on a sharpness detection of respective images of the plurality of images of the eye.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an image processing component, wherein the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras are coupled to the image processing component to provide the plurality of images of the eye to the image processing component.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least two of the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras are angled differently relative to one another.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least two of the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras have different focal lengths relative to one another.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to reduce an intensity of at least one of the plurality of infrared light sources.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of infrared-sensitive cameras comprise two infrared-sensitive cameras located on a common edge adjacent a display.

18. A method comprising:
receiving image data corresponding to a plurality of images of a human eye, the plurality of images captured by at least two cameras;
combining the image data into eye feature data;
providing the eye feature data to a gaze detection algorithm;
determining a sharpness of respective images of the plurality of images; and
based on the sharpness determination, selectively turning off one of the at least two cameras.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
turning off or reducing power to a light source based upon a quality of the eye feature data captured in the respective images of the plurality of images.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
projecting light onto the human eye using at least one light source, the light generating corneal reflections when reflected by the human eye.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Zhang Zhengyou
• Gupta Anoop
• Cai Qin

Classifications

• G06F3/013 Primary

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

• A61B3/113

  for determining or recording eye movement · CPC title

• G06V40/19

  Sensors therefor · CPC title

• G06V40/193

  Preprocessing; Feature extraction · CPC title

• G06F1/3231

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title