Patents Assigned to TOBII AB
  • Patent number: 11327313
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for displaying an image with a specific depth of field. The method comprises the steps of obtaining information data related to a focal distance adapted to a user gazing at a display, determining a pupil size of said user, estimating a depth of field of said user's eyes based on said focal distance and said pupil size, and rendering an image based on said depth of field to be displayed on said display. Further, the present disclosure relates to a system, a head-mounted display and a non-transitory computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventor: Denny Rönngren
  • Publication number: 20220137704
    Abstract: Images of an eye are captured by a camera. For each of the images, gaze data is obtained and a position of a pupil center is estimated in the image. The gaze data indicates a gaze point and/or gaze direction of the eye when the image was captured. A mapping is calibrated using the obtained gaze data and the estimated positions of the pupil center. The mapping maps positions of the pupil center in images captured by the camera to gaze points at a surface, or to gaze directions. A further image of the eye is captured by the camera. A position of the pupil center is estimated in the further image. Gaze tracking is performed using the calibrated mapping and the estimated position of the pupil center in the further image. These steps may for example be performed at a HMD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Tiesheng Wang, Gilfredo Remon Salazar, Yimu Wang, Pravin Kumar Rana, Johannes Kron, Mark Ryan, Torbjorn Sundberg
  • Patent number: 11320974
    Abstract: Visualizable data are obtained that represent a scene with at least one object. The visualizable data describe the scene as seen from a position. First and second measures are determined, which represent extensions of one of the objects in a smallest and a largest dimension respectively. An object aspect ratio is calculated that represents a relationship between the first and second measures. Based on the object aspect ratio, a selection margin is assigned to the object. The selection margin designates a zone outside of the object within which zone the object is validly selectable for manipulation in addition to an area of the object shown towards a view thereof as seen from the position. Thus, it is made easier to manipulatable the visualizable data in response to user input, for instance in the form of gaze-based selection commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Robin Thunström, Staffan Widegarn Åhlvik
  • Publication number: 20220130107
    Abstract: A method for determining a focus target of a user's gaze in a three-dimensional (“3D”) scene is disclosed. The method may include determining a first gaze direction of a user into a 3D scene, where the 3D scene includes a plurality of components. The method may also include executing a first plurality of line traces in the 3D scene, where each of the first plurality of Line traces is in proximity to the first gaze direction. The method may further include determining a confidence value for each component intersected by at least one of the first plurality of line traces. The method may additionally include identifying as a focus target of the user the component having the highest confidence value of all components intersected by at least one of the first plurality of line traces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventor: Fredrik Lindh
  • Publication number: 20220129067
    Abstract: A system and a method for determining a gaze direction of a user viewing a scene is provided. The system comprises a camera for obtaining an image of at least one of the user's eyes, a depth information detection device for obtaining depth data related to the image, and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to define a surface at a predetermined position relative to the user's eye based on the depth data, obtain a normalized image by projecting the image onto the surface and determine a normalized gaze direction based on the normalized image. The processing unit is further configured to determine a gaze direction based on the normalized gaze direction and the depth data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Oscar Danielsson, Daniel Johansson Torneus
  • Patent number: 11308321
    Abstract: There is provided a method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for performing three-dimensional, 3D, position estimation for the cornea center of an eye of a user, using a remote eye tracking system, wherein the position estimation is reliable and robust also when the cornea center moves over time in relation to an imaging device associated with the eye tracking system. This is accomplished by generating, using, and optionally also updating, a cornea movement filter, CMF, in the cornea center position estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: David Masko, Magnus Ivarsson, Niklas Ollesson, Anna Redz
  • Patent number: 11294460
    Abstract: A method for detecting an eye event of a user using an eye tracking system, the method comprising capturing a first image of a first eye of a user, capturing an image of a second eye of the user a first period after capturing the first image of the first eye and a second period before capturing a next image of the first eye, capturing a second image of the first eye the second period after capturing the image of the second eye, determining that an eye event has occurred based on a difference between the first and second images of the first eye, and performing at least one action if it is determined that that an eye event has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventor: Andreas Klingström
  • Publication number: 20220100455
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for interaction with devices containing dual displays, and in particular, to systems and methods for enabling or altering the functionality of a secondary display based on a user's attention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Sourabh PATERIYA, Deepak Akkil, Onur Kurt, Erland George-Svahn
  • Publication number: 20220083799
    Abstract: An eye tracking system is provided that detects the presence of problematic blobs in an image captured by the system and removes these problematic blobs by switching off illuminators. Problematic blobs may be those obscuring the pupil of the eye of the user. Each blob is detected in a first image by the use of at least one first criterion, and then an illuminator is switched off. After the illuminator is switched off, at least one second criterion is used to identify blobs in a subsequent image. This process may be repeated until the illuminator causing the problematic blob is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Viktor Wase, Erik Ljungzell, Mark Ryan, Chiara Giordano, Rickard Lundahl, Pravin Kumar Rana
  • Patent number: 11275437
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding apparatus for mitigating motion sickness in a virtual reality VR/augmented reality (AR) system using a head mounted display (HMD) are disclosed. The method comprises receiving data from a sensor indicating a current orientation of the HMD in real space, and superimposing a visual indication on a display of the HMD. The visual indication provides visual information to a user of the current orientation of the HMD in real space. Furthermore, methods and corresponding apparatuses are disclosed of calculating gaze convergence distance in an eye tracking system, and of gaze based virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) menu expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Andreas Klingström, Per Fogelström, Andrew Ratcliff
  • Patent number: 11270499
    Abstract: A method for determining a focus target of a user's gaze in a three-dimensional (“3D”) scene is disclosed. The method may include determining a first gaze direction of a user into a 3D scene, where the 3D scene includes a plurality of components. The method may also include executing a first plurality of line traces in the 3D scene, where each of the first plurality of line traces is in proximity to the first gaze direction. The method may further include determining a confidence value for each component intersected by at least one of the first plurality of line traces. The method may additionally include identifying as a focus target of the user the component having the highest confidence value of all components intersected by at least one of the first plurality of line traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventor: Fredrik Lindh
  • Patent number: 11269405
    Abstract: A method for determining correspondence between a gaze direction and an environment around a wearable device is disclosed. The wearable device may include an eye tracking device and an outward facing image sensor. The method may include receiving an input parameter and at least one scene image from the outward facing image sensor. The method may further include determining, with at least the eye tracking device, at least one gaze direction of a wearer of the wearable device at a point in time corresponding to when the scene image was captured by the outward facing image sensor. The method may additionally include determining, based at least in part on the input parameter, that a particular scene image includes at least a portion of a predefined image. The method may moreover include determining, based on the at least one gaze direction, at least one gaze point on the particular scene image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: André Lovtjärn, Jesper Högström, Jonas Högström, Rasmus Petersson, Mårten Skogö, Wilkey Wong
  • Patent number: 11269190
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lens for eye-tracking applications. The lens comprises a first protective layer, arranged to face towards the eye to be tracked when the lens is used for eye-tracking. It also comprises at least one light source, at least partly arranged in the first protective layer, arranged to emit a first light from the first protective layer in a direction towards the eye. Moreover, it comprises at least one image capturing device, at least partly arranged in the first protective layer, arranged to receive the first light within the first protective layer. The lens further comprises an absorptive layer, arranged on the far side of the first protective layer seen from the eye to be tracked when the lens is used for eye-tracking, adapted to be absorptive for wavelengths of the majority of the first light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Axel Tollin, Daniel Ljunggren
  • Patent number: 11256087
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an eye tracking device for tracking movements of an eye comprising, a viewing plane for displaying a projection of an image to the eye of a user, an image module placed on a same side of the viewing plane as the eye, at least one illuminator for illuminating the eye, a control unit adapted to receive an image captured by the image module, and calculate a viewing angle of the eye, a holographic optical element (HOE), wherein a HOE is placed between the eye and the viewing plane, wherein the image module is adapted to capture an image of the HOE, and wherein the HOE is adapted to direct at last a first portion of incident light reflected from the eye, in a first angle towards the image module, the first angle being different from an angle of the incidence of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii Ab
    Inventors: Daniel Tornèus, Peter Schef, Magnus Arvidsson, Peter Blixt, Fredrik Mattinson
  • Patent number: 11256327
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eye tracking device comprising one or more illuminators, each illuminator comprising a light emitting side, and each illuminator being connected to a first circuitry carrier, an imaging module connected to a second circuitry carrier wherein the image module comprises optical arrangements. The plurality of illuminators, the imaging module and the circuitry carriers are embedded without gaps in a first material. The invention further relates to methods for manufacturing an eye tracking device with over-molded components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Eli Lundberg, Richard Hainzl, Daniel Tornéus
  • Patent number: 11259010
    Abstract: Images of an eye are captured at respective time instances by a camera of a head-mounted device. For each time instance, a position of a center of corneal curvature is estimated using an image captured at that time instance, a position of a pupil center is estimated using an image captured at that time instance, and a line is determined through the estimated corneal curvature center position and the estimated pupil center position. A first estimated position of a center of the eye is computed based on the lines determined for time instances in a first time period. A second estimated position of the center of the eye is computed based on the lines determined for time instances in a second time period. Relocation of the head-mounted device relative to a user's head is detected based on the first and second estimated positions of the eye center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Tiesheng Wang, Pravin Kumar Rana, Yimu Wang, Mark Ryan
  • Patent number: 11249547
    Abstract: Images of an eye are captured by a camera. For each of the images, gaze data is obtained and a position of a pupil center is estimated in the image. The gaze data indicates a gaze point and/or gaze direction of the eye when the image was captured. A mapping is calibrated using the obtained gaze data and the estimated positions of the pupil center. The mapping maps positions of the pupil center in images captured by the camera to gaze points at a surface, or to gaze directions. A further image of the eye is captured by the camera. A position of the pupil center is estimated in the further image. Gaze tracking is performed using the calibrated mapping and the estimated position of the pupil center in the further image. These steps may for example be performed at a HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Tiesheng Wang, Gilfredo Remon Salazar, Yimu Wang, Pravin Kumar Rana, Johannes Kron, Mark Ryan, Torbjörn Sundberg
  • Publication number: 20220043509
    Abstract: A system configured to enable operation of an apparatus based on the gaze of a user, the system comprising a processor, and a memory comprising instructions executable by the processor, wherein the system is configured to determine a gaze region of a user among a plurality of regions associated with the apparatus, wherein the plurality of regions comprises at least one primary gaze region and at least one secondary gaze region and perform at least one action based on the determination of the gaze region, wherein the system is configured to determine the gaze region using a first gaze estimation algorithm and/or a second gaze estimation algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Anders Dahl, Tommaso Martini, Oscar Danielsson, Mårten Nilsson, Patrik Barkman
  • Patent number: 11243607
    Abstract: A method of identifying scleral reflections in an eye tracking system is disclosed. A glint is identified in an image from an image sensor, wherein the glint is a representation in the image of a reflection of light from a cornea of the eye of the user or from a sclera of the eye of the user. A first pixel intensity of the glint is determined, a second pixel intensity of neighbor pixels of the glint is determined, and an absolute value of the difference between the first pixel intensity of the glint and the second pixel intensity of the neighbor pixels of the glint is determined. The glint is identified as a representation of a reflection from the sclera of the eye of the user on condition that the determined absolute value of the difference is below a predetermine threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Pravin Kumar Rana, Yimu Wang
  • Patent number: 11232594
    Abstract: The invention is related to a method for calibrating an eye tracking device within a head-mounted display (HMD) comprising the steps of acquiring with the HMD via an image sensor, at least one optical target image from an optical target, wherein the optical target contains image points in a pattern, indexing image points within the optical target image wherein the image points are indexed by, selecting a rigid region of the optical target image, assigning indices to image points within the rigid region, fitting a polynomial approximation function to at least one column and one row of the image points of the region, predicting the location of at least one image point using the fitted polynomial approximation function, assigning the predicted image point an index, inputting indexed image points into an optimization algorithm that calculates a hardware calibration of the HMD, and writing hardware calibration values calculated from the optimization algorithm to the HMD unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Tobii AB
    Inventors: Pravin Kumar Rana, Macarena Garcia Romero, Yimu Wang, Rickard Lundahl