Portable eye tracking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9665172-B2
Application number	US-201414281616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A portable eye tracker device is disclosed which includes a frame, at least one optics holding member, and a control unit. The frame may be adapted for wearing by a user and include an eyeglass frame having a nose bridge. The at least one optics holding member may include at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user and at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The optics holding member may be coupled with the nose bridge. The control unit may be configured to control the at least one illuminator for the selective illumination of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user, and receive the image data from the at least one image sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable eye tracker device comprising:
a frame adapted for wearing by a user, wherein the frame comprises an eyeglass frame having a nose bridge;
at least one optics holding member, wherein:
at least one illuminator configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;
at least one image sensor configured to capture image data representing images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user; and
the optics holding member is coupled with the nose bridge; and

a control unit configured to:
control at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;
receive a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;
determine that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;
receive information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;
determine a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;
control at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of the second wavelength;
receive a second set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the second wavelength; and
determine the gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the second set of image data.

2. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
determine a gaze direction for the user based at least in part on the image data.

3. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optics holding member comprises a single member containing all illuminators and all image sensors.

4. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optics holding member is configured and disposed such that:
peripheral vision of the user is not obstructed.

5. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optics holding member further comprises:
at least one light limiting member to prevent light leakage from at least one illuminator to at least one image sensor.

6. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optics holding member further comprises:
at least one lens, each lens configured to direct light from one illuminator; and
at least one optical window, each optical window configured to allow light to reach one image sensor.

7. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein:
the portable eye tracker device further comprises a positioning device configured to determine a position of the portable eye tracker device; and
the control unit is further configured to determine a gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the image data and information received from the positioning device.

8. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
receive image data from the at least one image sensor;
determine a level of ambient light from the image data;
adjust a brightness or exposure time of the at least one illuminator based at least in part on the level of ambient light.

9. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display viewable by the user.

10. The portable eye tracker device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
receive image data from at least one of the plurality of image sensors representing images including areas besides the user's pupils.

11. A method of determining a gaze direction for a user, comprising:
activating at least one illuminator in an optics holding member coupled with a nose bridge of an eyeglass frame worn by a user to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;
controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;
receiving a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;
determining that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;
receiving information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;
determining a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;
controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of the second wavelength;
receiving a second set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the second wavelength; and
determining the gaze target area for the user based at least in part on the second set of image data.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one optics holding member comprises:
a single member containing all illuminators and all image sensors.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
preventing light leakage from at least one illuminator to at least one image sensor via a light limiting member in the optics holding member.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
directing light from at least one illuminator via a lens; and
allowing light to reach at least one image sensor via an optical window.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions thereon for determining a gaze direction for a user, the instructions executable by a processor for at least:
activating at least one illuminator in an optics holding member coupled with a nose bridge of an eyeglass frame worn by a user to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;
controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user using a light of a first wavelength;
receiving a first set of image data from at least one image sensor, wherein the first set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the user captured when at least one eye of the user is exposed to light of the first wavelength from the at least one illuminator;
determining that a gaze target area cannot be determined based on the first set of image data;
receiving information about ambient light illuminating at least one eye of the user;
determining a second wavelength based on the information about the ambient light, wherein the second wavelength is the same or different than the first wavelength;
controlling at least one illuminator to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one eye of the user;
receiving a second set of image data from at least one image sensor of the second subset, wherein the second set of image data represents images of at least a portion of at least one eye of the use

Assignees

• Tobii Ab

Inventors

• Engwall Erik
• Andersson Jonas
• Hainzl Richard
• Gustafsson Simon

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G06F3/013 Primary

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

• G06T2207/10152

  Varying illumination · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title

• H04R2201/40

  Details of arrangements for obtaining desired directional characteristic by combining a number of identical transducers covered by H04R1/40 but not provided for in any of its subgroups · CPC title