# US 2019/0377410 A1 · Method for Operating an Eye Tracking Device for Multi-User Eye Tracking and Eye Tracking Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0377410 A1 - Document ID: US20190377410A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/526,386 - Filed: 2019-07-30 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-13 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Fabian Wanner; Matthias Nieser; Kun Liu; Walter Nistico - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190377410A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/1686: {the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera} - G06F 3/0425: {using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386)} - G06V 40/18: Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris - G06V 40/19: Sensors therefor - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for operating an eye tracking device (10) for multi¬user eye tracking, wherein images (24) of a predefined capturing area (14) of the eye tracking device (10) are captured by means of an imaging device (12) of the eye tracking device (10) and the captured images (24) are processed by means of a processing unit (16) of the eye tracking device (10). If a first user (26a) and a second user (26b) are present in the predefined capturing area (14) of the eye tracking device (10), a first information relating to the first user (26a) and a second information relating to the second user (26b) are determined on the basis of the captured images (24) by processing the images (24). Furthermore the images (24) are captured successively in a predeterminable time sequence. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 A method comprising: capturing a first set of one or more images; determining a value of a user search parameter based on one or more numbers of detected users in the first set of one or more images; capturing a second set of a plurality of images; classifying, based on the user search parameter, each of the second set of the plurality of images into one or more of a plurality of states comprising a user search state and an eye tracking state; performing, for each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state, eye tracking upon a representation of a detected user; and searching, in each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the user search parameter is based on a number of currently detected users. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images is less likely to be classified into the user search state when the number of currently detected users is greater. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the user search parameter is based on an average number of detected users over a predetermined time period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images is less likely to be classified into the user search state when the average number of detected users is less. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the user search parameter is based on a variation in the number of detected users over a predetermined time period. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images is less likely to be classified into the user search state when the variation in the number of detected users is less. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images is classified into the eye tracking state when there are one or more detected users in the first set of one or more images. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising performing, for a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state, eye tracking upon multiple representations of multiple detected users. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein performing, for a particular one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state, eye tracking upon a representation of a detected user is based on a spatial portion of the particular one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein searching, in a first one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of a user includes searching a first spatial portion of the first one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein searching, in a second one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of a user includes searching a second spatial portion, different than the first spatial portion, of the second one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein capturing the second set of the plurality of images is based on the classifying based on the user search parameter each of the second set of the plurality of images. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein a resolution or an illumination of the capturing is based on the classifying. ### Claim 29 An apparatus comprising: an imaging system configured to capture a first set of one or more images and a second set of a plurality of images; a processor configured to: determine value of a user search parameter based on one or more numbers of detected users in the first set of one or more images; classify, based on the user search parameter, each of the second set of the plurality of images into one or more of a plurality of states comprising a user search state and an eye tracking state; perform, for each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state, eye tracking upon a representation of a detected user; and search, in each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of user. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the user search parameter is based on at least one of a number of currently detected users, an average number of detected users over a predetermined time period, or a variation in the number of detected users over a predetermined time period. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is configured to search, in a first one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of a user by searching a first spatial portion of the first one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor is configured to search, in a second one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of a user by searching a second spatial portion, different than the first spatial portion, of the second one of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the imaging system is configured to capture the second set of the plurality of images is based on the classifying, based on the user search parameter, each of the second set of the plurality of images. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein a resolution of a camera of the imaging system or an illumination of a light source of the imaging system is based on the classifying. ### Claim 35 A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising: capturing a first set of one or more images; determining a value of a user search parameter based on one or more numbers of detected users in the first set of one or more images; capturing a second set of a plurality of images; classifying, based on the user search parameter, each of the second set of the plurality of images into one or more of a plurality of states comprising a user search state and an eye tracking state; performing, for each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the eye tracking state, eye tracking upon a representation of a detected user; and searching, in each of the second set of the plurality of images classified into the user search state, for a representation of user.