Enhanced user eye gaze estimation

One or more computer storage media having a system embodied thereon including computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method for estimating user eye gaze, the system comprising:

• a data component that acquires a plurality of images of a user's eye and at least one image of at least part of the user's field of view;
• a gaze target component that determines at least one gaze target area in the at least one image of at least part of the user's field of view based on at least one of the plurality of images of the user's eye;
• an eye segmentation component that segments the plurality of images of the user's eye into a plurality of features according to a comprehensive segmentation model, the segmentation model including (1) the user's eye and (2) the region around the user's eye within approximately one and one half inches of the eyelids when open;
• a database of eye information and corresponding known gaze lines;
• and
• an estimation component that estimates an enhanced user eye gaze by:
• narrowing the database of eye information to a subset of the eye information having gaze lines corresponding to the at least one gaze target area determined by the gaze target component,
• comparing the segmented plurality of images of the user's eye with the narrowed subset of the eye information, wherein the eye information stored in the gaze database is also segmented according to the comprehensive segmentation model, and
• identifying the known gaze line of matching eye information in the subset of the eye information as an enhanced estimated user eye gaze.

A computer-implemented method for estimating user eye gaze in a head-mounted display system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

• acquiring a plurality of images of a user's eye;
• acquiring at least one image of at least part of the user's field of view;
• determining a first estimated gaze based on at least one of the plurality of images of the user's eye;
• identifying at least one virtual or real visual target in the at least one image of at least part of the user's field of view corresponding to the first estimated gaze;
• for each virtual or real visual target, determining a gaze target area in the user's field of view encompassing at least part of the corresponding virtual or real visual target;
• segmenting at least one of the plurality of images of the user's eye into a plurality of features according to a comprehensive segmentation model, the segmentation model including (1) the user's eye and (2) the region around the user's eye within approximately one and one half inches of the eyelids when open;
• accessing a database of eye information and corresponding known gaze lines;
• identifying a subset of the eye information in the database having known gaze lines within at least one of the determined gaze target areas;
• comparing the segmented features of the at least one of the plurality of images of the user's eye with the subset of the eye information stored in the database;
• and
• identifying the known gaze line of matching eye information in the database as an enhanced estimated gaze.