Patents by Inventor Chris Aholt

Chris Aholt 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).

  • Patent number: 10757328
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of low-latency, low-power eye tracking. In some embodiments, the eye tracking method operates a first sensor having a first level of power consumption that tracks positions of an eye of a user. In response to detection that the eye does not change position for a time period, the method stops operation of the first sensor and instead operates a second sensor that detects a change of position of the eye. The second sensor has a level of power consumption lower than the level of power consumption of the first sensor. Once the eye position changes, the second sensor resumes operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Vaibhav Thukral, Chris Aholt, Christopher Maurice Mei, Bill Chau, Nguyen Bach, Lev Cherkashin, Jaeyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 10248199
    Abstract: Examples relating to calibrating an estimated gaze location are disclosed. One example method comprises monitoring the estimated gaze location of a viewer using gaze tracking data from a gaze tracking system. Image data for display via a display device is received, the image data comprising at least one target visual and target visual metadata that identifies the at least one target visual. The target visual metadata is used to identify a target location of the at least one target visual. The estimated gaze location of the viewer is monitored and a probability that the viewer is gazing at the target location is estimated. The gaze tracking system is calibrated using the probability, the estimated gaze location and the target location to generate an updated estimated gaze location of the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Weerapan Wilairat, Vaibhav Thukral, David Nister, Morgan Kolya Venable, Bernard James Kerr, Chris Aholt
  • Publication number: 20180184002
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of low-latency, low-power eye tracking. In some embodiments, the eye tracking method operates a first sensor having a first level of power consumption that tracks positions of an eye of a user. In response to detection that the eye does not change position for a time period, the method stops operation of the first sensor and instead operates a second sensor that detects a change of position of the eye. The second sensor has a level of power consumption lower than the level of power consumption of the first sensor. Once the eye position changes, the second sensor resumes operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Vaibhav Thukral, Chris Aholt, Christopher Maurice Mei, Bill Chau, Nguyen Bach, Lev Cherkashin, Jaeyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20170336867
    Abstract: Examples relating to calibrating an estimated gaze location are disclosed. One example method comprises monitoring the estimated gaze location of a viewer using gaze tracking data from a gaze tracking system. Image data for display via a display device is received, the image data comprising at least one target visual and target visual metadata that identifies the at least one target visual. The target visual metadata is used to identify a target location of the at least one target visual. The estimated gaze location of the viewer is monitored and a probability that the viewer is gazing at the target location is estimated. The gaze tracking system is calibrated using the probability, the estimated gaze location and the target location to generate an updated estimated gaze location of the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Weerapan Wilairat, Vaibhav Thukral, David Nister, Morgan Kolya Venable, Bernard James Kerr, Chris Aholt
  • Patent number: 9727136
    Abstract: Examples relating calibrating an estimated gaze location are disclosed. One example method comprises monitoring the estimated gaze location of a viewer using gaze tracking data from a gaze tracking system. Image data for display via a display device is received and, without using input from the viewer, at least one target visual that may attract a gaze of the viewer and a target location of the target visual are identified within the image data. The estimated gaze location of the viewer is compared with the target location of the target visual. An offset vector is calculated based on the estimated gaze location and the target location. The gaze tracking system is calibrated using the offset vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Weerapan Wilairat, Vaibhav Thukral, David Nister, Morgan Kolya Venable, Bernard James Kerr, Chris Aholt
  • Publication number: 20150331485
    Abstract: Examples relating calibrating an estimated gaze location are disclosed. One example method comprises monitoring the estimated gaze location of a viewer using gaze tracking data from a gaze tracking system. Image data for display via a display device is received and, without using input from the viewer, at least one target visual that may attract a gaze of the viewer and a target location of the target visual are identified within the image data. The estimated gaze location of the viewer is compared with the target location of the target visual. An offset vector is calculated based on the estimated gaze location and the target location. The gaze tracking system is calibrated using the offset vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Weerapan Wilairat, Vaibhav Thukral, David Nister, Morgan Kolya Venable, Bernard James Kerr, Chris Aholt