Patents by Inventor Andrew B. Watson
Andrew B. Watson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240045502Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display and an eye tracker. The display includes one or more foveated areas. In the embodiment, the eye tracker is configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more eyes of a user on the display. The electronic device also includes processing circuitry operatively coupled to the display. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to receive an indication of a motion associated with the gaze from the eye tracker. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a previous location associated with the gaze during a previous frame and a target position associated with the gaze during a target frame. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to expand one or more foveated areas of the display adjacent a previous position of the gaze of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventors: Yang Li, Alexandre Chapiro, Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Yi-Pai Huang, Chaohao Wang, Andrew B. Watson, Pretesh A. Mascarenhas
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Publication number: 20230418372Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determine a gaze behavior state to identify gaze shifting events, gaze holding events, and loss events of a user based on physiological data. For example, an example process may include obtaining eye data associated with a gaze during a first period of time (e.g., eye position and velocity, interpupillary distance, pupil diameters, etc.). The process may further include obtaining head data associated with the gaze during the first period of time (e.g., head position and velocity). The process may further include determining a first gaze behavior state during the first period of time to identify gaze shifting events, gaze holding events, and loss events (e.g., one or more gaze and head pose characteristics may be determined, aggregated, and used to classify the user's eye movement state using machine learning techniques).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson, Tim H. Cornelissen, Alexander G. Berardino
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Publication number: 20230400921Abstract: An electronic device may have a display for displaying image content. Head-mounted support structures in the device may be used to support the display. The electronic device may have an eye monitoring system that detects eye saccades and eye blinks. Control circuitry in the electronic device may coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the saccades and blinks. By making adjustments to display circuitry and image content during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, potentially visually obtrusive changes to displayed images can be hidden from a user of the electronic device. Adjustments to display operation may help reduce burn-in effects, may help reduce power consumption, and may otherwise improve device performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2023Publication date: December 14, 2023Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 11822715Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display and an eye tracker. The display includes one or more foveated areas. In the embodiment, the eye tracker is configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more eyes of a user on the display. The electronic device also includes processing circuitry operatively coupled to the display. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to receive an indication of a motion associated with the gaze from the eye tracker. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a previous location associated with the gaze during a previous frame and a target position associated with the gaze during a target frame. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to expand one or more foveated areas of the display adjacent a previous position of the gaze of the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yang Li, Alexandre Chapiro, Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Yi-Pai Huang, Chaohao Wang, Andrew B. Watson, Pretesh A. Mascarenhas
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Publication number: 20230333649Abstract: An electronic device that includes a display and an eye tracker configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more of a user's eyes across the display is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the display and configured to foveate one or more areas of the display according to the eye tracking data. If the eye tracking data input is lost, the processing circuitry is configured to recover from the loss of eye tracking data by changing one or more aspects of the foveated areas (e.g., size, resolution, etc.) until a threshold is satisfied. As time elapses since loss of eye tracking, the foveated areas move toward a center or a salient region of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Can Jin, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 11789529Abstract: An electronic device that includes a display and an eye tracker configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more of a user's eyes across the display is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the display and configured to foveate one or more areas of the display according to the eye tracking data. If the eye tracking data input is lost, the processing circuitry is configured to recover from the loss of eye tracking data by changing one or more aspects of the foveated areas (e.g., size, resolution, etc.) until a threshold is satisfied. As time elapses since loss of eye tracking, the foveated areas move toward a center or a salient region of the display.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Can Jin, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 11782503Abstract: An electronic device may have a display for displaying image content. Head-mounted support structures in the device may be used to support the display. The electronic device may have an eye monitoring system that detects eye saccades and eye blinks. Control circuitry in the electronic device may coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the saccades and blinks. By making adjustments to display circuitry and image content during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, potentially visually obtrusive changes to displayed images can be hidden from a user of the electronic device. Adjustments to display operation may help reduce burn-in effects, may help reduce power consumption, and may otherwise improve device performance.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Publication number: 20230244364Abstract: Approaches for presenting user cues based on distance between an electronic device and an object are described. In some examples, content is displayed. First sensor data is received, which is indicative of a first distance between the electronic device and the object. A first version of a user cue relating to the first distance may be presented. Second sensor data is received, which is indicative of a second distance between the electronic device and the object. A second version of the user cue relating to the second distance may be presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Laura L. Walker, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson, Tim H. W. Cornelissen
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Publication number: 20230239586Abstract: Tracking an eye characteristic (e.g., gaze direction or pupil position) of a user's eyes by staggering image capture and using a predicted relationship between the user's eyes between eye captures to predict that eye's eye characteristic between those eye captures. Images of a user's eyes are captured in a staggered manner in the sense that the images of second eye are captured between the capture times of the images of the first eye and vice versa. An eye characteristic of the first eye at the capture times is determined based on the images of the first eye at those times. In addition, the eye characteristic of that first eye is predicted at additional times between captures based on a predicted relationship between the eyes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 11681415Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing near-view notification techniques. In some instances, a viewing distance with respect to a display screen of an electronic device may be determined. In accordance with a determination that the viewing distance is above a distance threshold, content may be presented on the display screen. In accordance with a determination that the viewing distance is under a distance threshold, until the viewing distance returns to being above the distance threshold, a visual notification may be displayed. The visual notification may disrupt the content presented on the display screen.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Laura L. Walker, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson, Tim H. W. Cornelissen
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Publication number: 20220130350Abstract: An electronic device that includes a display and an eye tracker configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more of a user's eyes across the display is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the display and configured to foveate one or more areas of the display according to the eye tracking data. If the eye tracking data input is lost, the processing circuitry is configured to recover from the loss of eye tracking data by changing one or more aspects of the foveated areas (e.g., size, resolution, etc.) until a threshold is satisfied. As time elapses since loss of eye tracking, the foveated areas move toward a center or a salient region of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2022Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Can Jin, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 11244660Abstract: An electronic device that includes a display and an eye tracker configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more of a user's eyes across the display is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the display and configured to foveate one or more areas of the display according to the eye tracking data. If the eye tracking data input is lost, the processing circuitry is configured to recover from the loss of eye tracking data by changing one or more aspects of the foveated areas (e.g., size, resolution, etc.) until a threshold is satisfied. As time elapses since loss of eye tracking, the foveated areas move toward a center or a salient region of the display.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2021Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Can Jin, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson
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Publication number: 20220011858Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a display and an eye tracker. The display includes one or more foveated areas. In the embodiment, the eye tracker is configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more eyes of a user on the display. The electronic device also includes processing circuitry operatively coupled to the display. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to receive an indication of a motion associated with the gaze from the eye tracker. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a previous location associated with the gaze during a previous frame and a target position associated with the gaze during a target frame. In the embodiment, the processing circuitry is configured to expand one or more foveated areas of the display adjacent a previous position of the gaze of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Yang Li, Alexandre Chapiro, Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Yi-Pai Huang, Chaohao Wang, Andrew B. Watson, Pretesh A. Mascarenhas
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Publication number: 20210287633Abstract: An electronic device that includes a display and an eye tracker configured to collect eye tracking data regarding a gaze of one or more of a user's eyes across the display is disclosed herein. The electronic device includes processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the display and configured to foveate one or more areas of the display according to the eye tracking data. If the eye tracking data input is lost, the processing circuitry is configured to recover from the loss of eye tracking data by changing one or more aspects of the foveated areas (e.g., size, resolution, etc.) until a threshold is satisfied. As time elapses since loss of eye tracking, the foveated areas move toward a center or a salient region of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2021Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Can Jin, Nicolas Pierre Marie Frederic Bonnier, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson
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Publication number: 20210018979Abstract: An electronic device may have a display for displaying image content. Head-mounted support structures in the device may be used to support the display. The electronic device may have an eye monitoring system that detects eye saccades and eye blinks. Control circuitry in the electronic device may coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the saccades and blinks. By making adjustments to display circuitry and image content during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, potentially visually obtrusive changes to displayed images can be hidden from a user of the electronic device. Adjustments to display operation may help reduce burn-in effects, may help reduce power consumption, and may otherwise improve device performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Patent number: 10890968Abstract: An electronic device may have a foveated display, an eye-tracking system and a head movement detection system. The eye-tracking system may gather information on a user's point of regard on the display while the head movement detection system may capture information regarding the rotation of the observer's head. Based on the point-of-regard information, head rotation information, image data, the type of eye/head movement that is underway, and/or tiredness information, control circuitry in the electronic device may produce image data for a display, with areas of different resolutions and(or) visual quality. A full-resolution and(or) quality portion of the image may overlap the point of regard. One or more lower resolution portions of the image may surround the full-resolution portion. The control circuitry may include a gaze prediction system for predicting the movement of the user's gaze during a saccade.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Andrew B. Watson, Nicolas P. Bonnier, Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Alexander G. Berardino, Elijah H. Kleeman
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Patent number: 10802585Abstract: An electronic device may have a display for displaying image content. Head-mounted support structures in the device may be used to support the display. The electronic device may have an eye monitoring system that detects eye saccades and eye blinks. Control circuitry in the electronic device may coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the saccades and blinks. By making adjustments to display circuitry and image content during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, potentially visually obtrusive changes to displayed images can be hidden from a user of the electronic device. Adjustments to display operation may help reduce burn-in effects, may help reduce power consumption, and may otherwise improve device performance.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2019Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Publication number: 20200133453Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing near-view notification techniques. In some instances, a viewing distance with respect to a display screen of an electronic device may be determined. In accordance with a determination that the viewing distance is above a distance threshold, content may be presented on the display screen. In accordance with a determination that the viewing distance is under a distance threshold, until the viewing distance returns to being above the distance threshold, a visual notification may be displayed. The visual notification may disrupt the content presented on the display screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Laura L. Walker, Jiaying Wu, Andrew B. Watson, Tim H. W. Cornelissen
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Publication number: 20200019238Abstract: An electronic device may have a display for displaying image content. Head-mounted support structures in the device may be used to support the display. The electronic device may have an eye monitoring system that detects eye saccades and eye blinks. Control circuitry in the electronic device may coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the saccades and blinks. By making adjustments to display circuitry and image content during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, potentially visually obtrusive changes to displayed images can be hidden from a user of the electronic device. Adjustments to display operation may help reduce burn-in effects, may help reduce power consumption, and may otherwise improve device performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventors: Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Andrew B. Watson
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Publication number: 20190339770Abstract: An electronic device may have a foveated display, an eye-tracking system and a head movement detection system. The eye-tracking system may gather information on a user's point of regard on the display while the head movement detection system may capture information regarding the rotation of the observer's head. Based on the point-of-regard information, head rotation information, image data, the type of eye/head movement that is underway, and/or tiredness information, control circuitry in the electronic device may produce image data for a display, with areas of different resolutions and(or) visual quality. A full-resolution and(or) quality portion of the image may overlap the point of regard. One or more lower resolution portions of the image may surround the full-resolution portion. The control circuitry may include a gaze prediction system for predicting the movement of the user's gaze during a saccade.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Yashas Rai Kurlethimar, Andrew B. Watson, Nicolas P. Bonnier, Mehmet N. Agaoglu, Alexander G. Berardino, Elijah H. Kleeman