# US 11,307,646 B2 · Method and apparatus for acquiring information by capturing eye > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,646 B2 - Document ID: US11307646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/346,486 - Filed: 2017-11-03 - Published: 2020-02-13 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-04 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Dong-Hi Lee; Ki-Huk Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307646B2 ## CPC - G02B 27/0093: {with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking} - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - A61B 3/14: Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography - A61B 5/00: Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons - G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features} - G02B 27/0176: {characterised by mechanical features} - G06F 1/163: {Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt} - G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures - G06V 40/18: Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris - G06V 40/19: Sensors therefor - G02B 5/26: Reflecting filters (G02B5/28 takes precedence) - G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera} - G06F 2203/011: Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for acquiring information by capturing an eye or an area around an eye. A wearable electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may comprise: a light source; at least one lens; an optical surface disposed on a first side of the at least one lens; and a camera for receiving, through the at least one lens and the optical surface, light output from the light source and scattered by a subject located on a second side of the at least one lens. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wearable electronic device comprising: at least one lens; an optical surface positioned on a first side of the at least one lens; a display positioned on the optical surface; a light source configured to output light toward a subject located at a second side of the at least one lens, wherein the subject includes eyes and a surrounding area of the eyes of a user wearing the wearable electronic device; a camera configured to receive the light, which is output from the light source and scattered by the subject located on the second side of the at least one lens, through the at least one lens and the optical surface; at least one sensor configured to detect a distance between the subject and the wearable electronic device from a fixed inside portion of the wearable electronic device; a memory to store data related to at least one of a facial expression or an emotion; and at least one processor configured to: obtain, based on, at least in part, the light received by the camera, first information about the subject including a first distance from the fixed inside portion to the subject detected by the at least one sensor, identify a change in the first distance based on a second distance previously detected by the at least one sensor, obtain a first data related to at least one of a facial expression or an emotion stored in the memory, obtain second information including a second data related to at least one of a facial expression or an emotion corresponding to the change in the first distance, wherein the second data identified based on the first data, and control the display to display a virtual image obtained based on the second information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: identify an image corresponding to the light received by the camera; and control at least one of the light source, the at least one lens, the optical surface, or the camera, based on the identified image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: control the light source to irradiate infrared light to the subject; control the camera to receive the infrared light reflected from the optical surface in correspondence to the infrared light irradiated to the subject; and obtain the first information about the subject based on, at least in part, the infrared light received by the camera. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: periodically receive the first information including the first distance from the at least one sensor; identify a motion of the subject by using the received first information; and identify the change in the first distance about the subject based on the identified motion of the subject. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an input/output interface configured to electrically connect the wearable electronic device to a processor provided in a mobile electronic device attachable to or detachable from the wearable electronic device, wherein the processor is configured to: identify an image corresponding to the light received by the camera; and control at least one of the light source, the at least one lens, the optical surface, or the camera, based on the identified image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one display on an outer side of the wearable electronic device, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the at least one display to display an image corresponding to the light received by the camera. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the light source is positioned between the subject and the at least one lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the light source is positioned between the optical surface and the at least one lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one lens is positioned between the subject and the optical surface and comprises a convex lens. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the subject comprises an eye of a user wearing the wearable electronic device, and wherein the camera is further configured to obtain an image of the subject based on the first information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display positioned on the first side, wherein the optical surface is positioned on the display. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the optical surface is positioned on a display provided in a mobile electronic device attachable to or detachable from the wearable electronic device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the optical surface comprises a filter configured to penetrate visible light and reflect infrared light. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises an infrared camera configured to capture infrared light among light rays reflected from the optical surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a communication interface configured to communicate with a second wearable electronic device, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit the second information to the second wearable electronic device for display on the second wearable electronic device. ### Claim 16 A method of obtaining information by capturing an eye, the method comprising: obtaining first information about a subject based on, at least in part, light received by a camera, by using a wearable electronic device including: at least one lens, an optical surface positioned on a first side of the at least one lens, a light source configured to output light towards the subject located on a second side of the at least one lens and the camera configured to receive the light, which is output from the light source and scattered by the subject located on the second side of the at least one lens, through the at least one lens and the optical surface, at least one sensor configured to detect a first distance between the subject and the wearable electronic device from a fixed inside portion of the wearable electronic device, and a memory to store a first data related to at least one of a facial expression or an emotion data; identifying a change in the first distance based on a second distance previously detected by the at least one sensor; obtaining second information including a second data related to at least one of a facial expression or an emotion corresponding to the change in the distance, wherein the second data is identified based on the first data obtained from the memory; and displaying a virtual image obtained based on the second information on a display of the wearable electronic device, wherein the subject includes eyes and a surrounding area of the eyes of a user wearing the wearable electronic device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: identifying an image corresponding to the light received by the camera; and controlling at least one of the light source, the at least one lens, the optical surface or the camera, based on the identified image.