Patents Assigned to Seeing Machines Limited
  • Patent number: 11941894
    Abstract: A disclosed monitoring system includes infrared light sources that illuminate a subject in a sequenced manner and a camera that captures images of the subject during periods in which the subject is illuminated by one of the light sources. The system includes a processor that analyzes captured images to determine a brightness measure of the images, and a controller controls output power of the infrared light sources in response to the brightness measure. In response to the processor detecting a brightness measure below a predetermined brightness threshold, the controller is configured to switch off or reduce an output illumination intensity of one of the infrared light sources. A disclosed method further determines whether an emission source is occluded by modulating an intensity of an electromagnetic emission source, detecting whether the modulation pattern is present in captured images, and determining that the emission source is occluded based on the detected modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventor: Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 11455810
    Abstract: A disclosed system is configured to estimate an attention state of a subject within a scene. An imaging camera captures digital images of the subject and one or more light sources illuminate the subject during a period in which the digital images are captured. The system also includes a processor that processes the captured images to generate subject attention data of the subject. The processor further generates a primary visual attention ray of the subject from current subject attention data; generates a distribution of visual attention rays having an origin common to the primary visual attention ray; projects the visual attention rays onto a digital representation of the scene having a plurality of predefined regions of interest; determines an intersection of the projected visual attention rays with one or more of the regions of interest; and based on the intersection, estimates an attention state of the subject's attention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: Timothy James Henry Edwards, John Noble
  • Patent number: 11431889
    Abstract: Described herein is an imaging system (200) for a driver monitoring system (100). The imaging system (200) includes a light source (108) for generating an input light beam (202) and projecting the input light beam (202) along a path towards a driver (102) of a vehicle. System (200) also includes a dielectric metasurface (201) positioned within the path of the input light beam (202). The metasurface (201) has a two dimensional array of surface elements configured to impose predetermined phase, polarization and/or intensity changes to the input light beam (202) to generate an output light beam (204) for illuminating the driver (102). System (200) further includes an image sensor (106) configured to image reflected light (208) being light from the output light beam (204) that is reflected from the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventor: John Noble
  • Patent number: 11386709
    Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for performing eye tracking. One embodiment provides a system (100) including a camera (106) for capturing images of a vehicle driver's (102) eye and light emitting diodes (LEDs—108 and 110) configured to selectively illuminate the driver's eye during image capture by the camera (106). A processor (118) is configured to process at least a subset of the captured images to determine one or more eye tracking parameters of the subjects eye and to determine one or more illumination characteristics of the images. A controller (120) is configured to send an LED control signal to the LEDs (108 and 110) to control the drive current amplitude and pulse time of the LEDs (108 and 110). The controller (120) selectively adjusts the drive current amplitude and/or pulse time based on the determined illumination characteristics of a previous captured image or images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventor: John Noble
  • Patent number: 11223381
    Abstract: Described herein is a mount (1) for supporting a mobile device (3) having a wireless transceiver (60) within a vehicle (5) having a driver. The mount (1) includes a body (7) having a supporting formation (9) adapted to releasably support the mobile device (3) in a supported operative position within the vehicle (5). The mount (1) also includes an electrical interface (25) for connecting to an external power source, the interface (25) being positioned to engage a complementary electrical port (27) of the mobile device (3) when the mobile device (3) is in the operative position to supply power to the mobile device (3). The mount (1) and the mobile device (3) collectively define an illumination device (29, 31) and a first camera (33) that cooperate to obtain predetermined performance information about the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: Timothy James Henry Edwards, Ken Kroeger
  • Patent number: 11144756
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems of distinguishing between a glance event and an eye closure event in a subject monitoring system. A method includes capturing a number of images of the subject's face including at least one eye of the subject over a period of time; processing the images to determine a closure state of at least one eye; detecting potential eye closure events in which the closure state of at least one eye is determined to be in a closed state; for corresponding detected potential eye closure event, determining a head pitch angle of the subject and classifying the potential eye closure event as a glance event if a head pitch angle of the subject is detected to change by an angle greater than a predetermined head pitch angle and otherwise classifying the potential eye closure event as an eye closure event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: John Noble, Grant Grubb
  • Patent number: 11017558
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of registering a position and an orientation of one or more cameras in a camera imaging system. The method includes: receiving, from a depth imaging device, data indicative of a three dimensional image of the scene. The three dimensional image is calibrated with a reference frame relative to the scene. The reference frame includes a reference position and reference orientation. A three dimensional position of each of the cameras within the three dimensional image is determined relative to the reference frame. An orientation of each camera is determined to relative to the reference frame. The position and orientation of each camera is combined to determine a camera pose relative to the reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: John Noble, Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 10909721
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods of determining a pose of a camera within a vehicle scene. In one embodiment, a method includes the initial step of capturing an image of the vehicle scene from the camera. At step, reference data indicative of the vehicle scene is loaded, the reference data includes positions and orientations of known features within the vehicle scene. Next, at step, the geometric appearance of one or more of the known features is identified within the image. Finally, at step, the three dimensional position and orientation of the camera relative to the known features identified in step c) is determined from the geometric appearance, and a pose of the camera within the vehicle scene is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: John Noble, Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 10878237
    Abstract: A method includes: capturing, from one or more imaging devices, a sequence of time separated images of the subject's face including one or both of the subject's eyes; processing the images to detect specular reflections present in the images, and determining a two dimensional position of any detected specular reflections; characterizing the detected specular reflections into corneal reflections and non-corneal reflections; upon detection of at least one corneal reflection, performing a first eye gaze tracking procedure based on the relative positions of the at least one corneal reflection and at least one reference eye feature; upon detection of no corneal reflections, performing a second eye gaze tracking procedure on one or both eyes of the subject based on the estimation of head pose of the subject; and outputting eye gaze vectors of one or both eyes from the first or second eye gaze tracking procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: Sebastien Rougeaux, Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 10726576
    Abstract: A method includes capturing images of a vehicle driver's face from a driver facing camera and images of a forward road scene from a forward facing camera. The images are analyzed to derive gaze direction data in a vehicle frame of reference. The gaze direction data are statistically collated to determine a frequency distribution of gaze angles. One or more peaks in the frequency distribution are identified and associated with corresponding reference points in the images to determine one or more reference gaze positions in the vehicle frame of reference. The one or more reference gaze positions are correlated with a position of the reference points in a forward facing camera frame of reference to determine a camera pose of a forward facing camera in the vehicle frame of reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventors: John Noble, Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 10552675
    Abstract: A method of determining the position of eyeballs within an image, the method including the steps of: (a) capturing a time series of image frames illuminated in a predetermined temporal manner by at least two spaced apart light sources, by at least one imaging sensor; (b) processing the image frames to determine specular reflection locations in the image frames; and (c) utilising the time series evolution of the location of the specular reflections to isolate corneal reflections from the determined specular reflection locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Sebastien Rougeaux
  • Patent number: 10521683
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for actively illuminating and capturing images of an object, such as a driver of a vehicle to reduce glare. The system includes a video imaging camera orientated to generate images of the subject object (e.g., eye(s)) in successive video frames. The system also includes first and second light sources operable to illuminate the object one at a time. The system further includes a processor for processing the image by performing a functional operation to reduce glare in the image. The system may remove glare caused by the illuminators and by external energy sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventors: Grant Grubb, Sebastien Rougeaux
  • Patent number: 10321055
    Abstract: A method of reducing the illumination power requirements for an object tracking system, the method including the steps of: (a) determining a current location of the object within a scene; (b) for a future frame: determining a band around the object of interest; determining a start and stop time for when the rolling shutter detector will be sampling the band; and illuminating the object only while the rolling shutter detector is sampling the band; (c) for a future frame predicting the location of the object relative to the tracking system; determining the ambient light levels; and illuminating the object with the minimum optical power required for the object to be imaged suitably for tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Publication number: 20190156100
    Abstract: A method includes: capturing, from one or more imaging devices, a sequence of time separated images of the subject's face including one or both of the subject's eyes; processing the images to detect specular reflections present in the images, and determining a two dimensional position of any detected specular reflections; characterizing the detected specular reflections into corneal reflections and non-corneal reflections; upon detection of at least one corneal reflection, performing a first eye gaze tracking procedure based on the relative positions of the at least one corneal reflection and at least one reference eye feature; upon detection of no corneal reflections, performing a second eye gaze tracking procedure on one or both eyes of the subject based on the estimation of head pose of the subject; and outputting eye gaze vectors of one or both eyes from the first or second eye gaze tracking procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: SEEING MACHINES LIMITED
    Inventors: Sebastian Rougeaux, Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 10271042
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of calibrating a display in a head-mounted display system. The system includes a frame for maintaining the display in front of the user's eyes, and one or more lenses disposed between the display and the user's eyes. The method is configured to be performed by a computer processor associated with the head mounted display system and includes the steps of: a) generating a first image on the display based on predetermined parameters, the image including a two dimensional calibration structure identifiable by the user; b) receiving user input to generate a corrected image on the display; c) deriving calibration data based on the received user input and the predetermined parameters; and d) applying the calibration data to subsequent images generated on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Sebastian Rougeaux
  • Publication number: 20160353094
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of calibrating a display in a head-mounted display system. The system includes a frame for maintaining the display in front of the user's eyes, and one or more lenses disposed between the display and the user's eyes. The method is configured to be performed by a computer processor associated with the head mounted display system and includes the steps of: a) generating a first image on the display based on predetermined parameters, the image including a two dimensional calibration structure identifiable by the user; b) receiving user input to generate a corrected image on the display; c) deriving calibration data based on the received user input and the predetermined parameters; and d) applying the calibration data to subsequent images generated on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Sebastian Rougeaux
  • Publication number: 20160210497
    Abstract: A method of determining the position of eyeballs within an image, the method including the steps of: (a) capturing a time series of image frames illuminated in a predetermined temporal manner by at least two spaced apart light sources, by at least one imaging sensor; (b) processing the image frames to determine specular reflection locations in the image frames; and (c) utilising the time series evolution of the location of the specular reflections to isolate corneal reflections from the determined specular reflection locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Sebastian Rougeaux
  • Publication number: 20160198091
    Abstract: A method of reducing the illumination power requirements for an object tracking system, the method including the steps of: (a) determining a current location of the object within a scene; (b) for a future frame: determining a band around the object of interest; determining a start and stop time for when the rolling shutter detector will be sampling the band; and illuminating the object only whilst the rolling shutter detector is sampling the band; (c) for a future frame predicting the location of the object relative to the tracking system; determining the ambient light levels; and illuminating the object with the minimum optical power required for the object to be imaged suitably for tracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventor: Timothy James Henry Edwards
  • Patent number: 8982046
    Abstract: A method of calibrating the eye gaze direction of a user, the method including the steps of: (a) monitoring a user's eye gaze direction whilst carrying out a series of predetermined tasks, each of the tasks having an expected subject gaze direction; and (b) correlating the user's eye gaze direction with the expected direction for a statistically significant period of time; (c) calculating, from the correlating step, a series of likely eye gaze direction usage parameters associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Seeing Machines Limited
    Inventors: Timothy James Henry Edwards, Nicholas John Langdale-Smith