Back to results
US 11,144,755 B2Granted
Support glint for remote eye tracking
AssigneeTobii AB
InventorsJonas Sjöstrand, Anders Dahl, Mattias I Karlsson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and corresponding systems of controlling illuminators in an eye tracking system are disclosed. The system includes a first image sensor, a second image sensor, a first close illuminator arranged to capture bright pupil images by the first image sensor, a second close illuminator arranged to capture bright pupil images by the second image sensor and one or more far illuminators arranged to capture dark pupil images by the first image sensor and the second image sensor. In the methods main and support illuminators are controlled during exposure of a first and a second image sensor to produce enhanced contrast and glint position for eye/gaze tracking.
Claims13
A method of controlling illuminators in an eye tracking system, the method comprising:
- activating a main illuminator and a support illuminator during an exposure time of a first image sensor, wherein the main illuminator and the support illuminator are in an eye tracking system and wherein the main illuminator is one of a first close illuminator a second close illuminator, or one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators and wherein the first close illuminator and second close illuminator are to illuminate an eye for bright pupil image capture by an image sensor and the far illuminators are to illuminate the eye for dark pupil image capture;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the first image sensor;
- activating the main illuminator and the support illuminator during an exposure time of a second image sensor, wherein the main illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the second image sensor;
- wherein
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the first close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture a dark pupil image;
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the second close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- and
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture dark pupil images.
7 more elements
An eye tracking system comprising:
- a first image sensor;
- a second image sensor;
- a first close illuminator;
- a second close illuminator;
- one or more far illuminators;
- and
- circuitry configured to:
- activating a main illuminator and a support illuminator during an exposure time of the first image sensor, wherein the main illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators and wherein the first close illuminator and second close illuminator are to illuminate an eye for bright pupil image capture by an image sensor and the far illuminators are to illuminate the eye for dark pupil image capture;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the first image sensor;
- activating the main illuminator and the support illuminator during an exposure time of the second image sensor, wherein the main illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the second image sensor;
- wherein
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the first close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture a dark pupil image;
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the second close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- and
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture dark pupil images.
14 more elements
A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions, the instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- activating a main illuminator and a support illuminator during an exposure time of a first image sensor, wherein the main illuminator and the support illuminator are in an eye tracking system and wherein the main illuminator is one of a first close illuminator a second close illuminator, or one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators and wherein the first close illuminator and second close illuminator are to illuminate an eye for bright pupil image capture by an image sensor and the far illuminators are to illuminate the eye for dark pupil image capture;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the first image sensor;
- activating the main illuminator and the support illuminator during an exposure time of the second image sensor, wherein the main illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators, and wherein the support illuminator is one of the first close illuminator, the second close illuminator, or the one or more far illuminators;
- maintaining one of the first close illuminator or the second close illuminator deactivated during the exposure time of the second image sensor;
- wherein
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the first close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the first image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture a dark pupil image;
- the main illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the second close illuminator to capture a bright pupil image;
- and
- the support illuminator during the exposure time of the second image sensor is the one or more of the far illuminators to capture dark pupil images.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.