US 2018/0007255 A1 · IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS THAT AUTOFOCUS BASED ON EYE-TRACKING

Abstract

Image capture systems, devices, and methods that automatically focus on objects in the user's field of view based on where the user is looking/gazing are described. The image capture system includes an eye tracker subsystem in communication with an autofocus camera to facilitate effortless and precise focusing of the autofocus camera on objects of interest to the user. The autofocus camera automatically focuses on what the user is looking at based on gaze direction determined by the eye tracker subsystem and one or more focus property(ies) of the object, such as its physical distance or light characteristics such as contrast and/or phase. The image capture system is particularly well-suited for use in a wearable heads-up display to capture focused images of objects in the user's field of view with minimal intervention from the user.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An image capture system comprising:

an eye tracker subsystem to sense at least one feature of an eye of a user and to determine a gaze direction of the eye of the user based on the at least one feature;
and
an autofocus camera communicatively coupled to the eye tracker subsystem, the autofocus camera to automatically focus on an object in a field of view of the eye of the user based on the gaze direction of the eye of the user determined by the eye tracker subsystem.

A method of operation of an image capture system, wherein the image capture system includes an eye tracker subsystem and an autofocus camera, the method comprising:

sensing at least one feature of an eye of a user by the eye tracker subsystem;
determining a gaze direction of the eye of the user based on the at least one feature by the eye tracker subsystem;
and
focusing on an object in a field of view of the eye of the user by the autofocus camera based on the gaze direction of the eye of the user determined by the eye tracker subsystem.

1 more element

A wearable heads-up display (“WHUD”) comprising:

a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user;
a display content generator carried by the support structure, the display content generator to provide visual display content;
a transparent combiner carried by the support structure and positioned within a field of view of the user, the transparent combiner to direct visual display content provided by the display content generator to the field of view of the user;
and
an image capture system that comprises:
an eye tracker subsystem to sense at least one feature of an eye of the user and to determine a gaze direction of the eye of the user based on the at least one feature;
and
an autofocus camera communicatively coupled to the eye tracker subsystem, the autofocus camera to automatically focus on an object in a field of view of the eye of the user based on the gaze direction of the eye of the user determined by the eye tracker subsystem.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image capture systems, devices, and methods that autofocus based on eye-tracking

Life of this patent

Image capture systems, devices, and methods that autofocus based on eye-tracking

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21