Line-of-sight detecting device and apparatus including the same

A line-of-sight detecting device comprising:

• a receiving sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for receiving an image of an eyeball of a viewer;
• first selection means for setting, in said receiving means, a plurality of first block areas, each of said first block areas including a number of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each of said plurality of first block areas outputting a value on the basis of the output of the photoelectric conversion elements included in the block area, and for selecting a first particular block area, satisfying a predetermined condition based on the values output from said plurality of first block areas;
• second selection means which, when said first selection means determines that there is no first particular block area satisfying the predetermined condition among said plurality of first bock areas, sets, in said receiving sensor, a plurality of second block areas, each of said second block areas including a smaller number of photoelectric conversion elements as compared to each said first block area, each of said plurality of second block areas outputting a value on the basis of the outputs of the photoelectric conversion elements included in that block area, and selects a second particular block area, satisfying a predetermined condition based on the output values from said plurality of second block areas;
• and
• line-of-sight detection means for performing image processing at least on those photoelectric conversion elements which are included in one of said first and second particular block areas, respectively, selected by said first and second selection means.

A line-of-sight detecting device comprising:

• a receiving sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for receiving an image of an eyeball of a viewer;
• first selection means for setting, in said receiving sensor, a plurality of first block areas, each of said first block areas including a number of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each of said plurality of first block areas outputting a value on the basis of the output of the photoelectric conversion elements included in that block area, and for selecting a first particular block area satisfying a predetermined condition, based on the values output from said plurality of first block areas;
• second selection means for setting in said receiving sensor, a plurality of second block areas, each of said second block areas including a smaller number of photoelectric conversion elements as compared to each said first block area, each of said plurality of second block areas outputting a value on the basis of the outputs of the photoelectric conversion elements included that block area, and for selecting a second particular block area satisfying the predetermined condition, based on the output values from said plurality of second block areas;
• determination means for determining one of said first and second selection means in response to a predetermined situation;
• and
• line-of-sight detection means for performing image processing at least on those photoelectric conversion elements which are included in one of said first and second particular block areas respectively selected by said first and second selection means.

An apparatus having a line-of-sight detecting device comprising:

• a receiving sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for receiving an image of an eyeball of a viewer;
• block area setting means for setting in said receiving sensor a plurality of block areas, each block area including a number of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and each block area outputting a value on the basis of the output of the photoelectric conversion elements constituting that block area;
• selection means for selecting a particular block area satisfying a predetermined condition based on the values output from said block areas;
• and
• line-of-sight detecting means for executing image processing at least on those photoelectric conversion elements which are included in said particular block selected by said selection means,
• wherein said block area setting means changes the number of photoelectric conversion elements constituting one block area in response to another predetermined condition.

An apparatus having a line-of-sight detecting device comprising:

• a receiving sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for receiving an image of an eyeball of a viewer;
• first selection means for setting, in said receiving sensor, a plurality of first block areas, each of said first block areas including a number of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and each block area outputting a value of the photoelectric conversion elements included in that block area, and for selecting a first particular block area satisfying a predetermined condition, based on the values output from said plurality of first block areas;
• second selection means which, when said first selection means determines that there is no first particular block area satisfying the predetermined condition among said plurality of first block areas, sets, in said receiving sensor, a plurality of second block areas, each of said second block areas including a smaller number of photoelectric conversion elements as compared to each said first block area, each of said plurality of second block areas outputting a value on the basis of the outputs of the photoelectric conversion elements included in that block area, and selects a second particular block area, satisfying the predetermined condition, based on output values from said plurality of second block areas;
• and
• line-of-sight detection means for performing image processing on those photoelectric conversion elements, which are included in one of said first and second particular block areas respectively selected by said first and second selection means.

A line-of-sight detecting device comprising:

• a receiving sensor having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for receiving an image of an eyeball of a viewer;
• block area setting means for setting in said receiving sensor a plurality of block areas each having a predetermined unit area, each block area including a number of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and each block area outputting a value;
• selection means for selecting a particular block area satisfying a predetermined condition, based on the values output from said block areas;
• and
• line-of-sight detection means for performing image processing at least on those photoelectric conversion elements which are included in said particular block area to thereby detect the line-of-sight of the viewer,
• wherein said block area setting means changes said unit area with which said receiving sensor is divided into said plurality of block areas in accordance with a predetermined situation.