Patents by Inventor Christopher Charles AHOLT
Christopher Charles 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).
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Patent number: 11972042Abstract: A gaze detection assembly comprises a plurality of infrared (IR) light emitters configured to emit IR light toward a user eye and an IR camera configured to sequentially capture IR images of the user eye. A controller is configured to, during a reference frame, control the plurality of IR light emitters to emit IR light toward the user eye with a reference intensity distribution. During the reference frame, an IR image is captured depicting a first glint distribution on the user eye. Based at least in part on the first glint distribution, during a subsequent frame, the plurality of IR light emitters are controlled to emit IR light toward the user eye with a subsequent intensity distribution, different than the reference intensity distribution. During the subsequent frame, a second IR image is captured depicting a second glint distribution on the user eye.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Benjamin Eliot Lundell, David C Rohn, Curtis Alan Tesdahl, Marko Bezulj, Christopher Charles Aholt, Navid Poulad
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Patent number: 11867915Abstract: A device includes a frame configured to be supported in front of a user eye. The frame has a first side facing the user eye and a second side opposite the first side and facing an environment. A light emitting diode is supported by the frame to emit light. The light emitting diode is obscured by an opaque material from an observer in front of the user in the environment. A light deflector is supported by the frame to direct the emitted light from the light emitting diode towards the user eye.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Jessie Cindy Maikim, Christopher Charles Aholt, James Peele Terrell, Jr., Jordan Christopher Jur, Joel Steven Kollin
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Patent number: 11852824Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to using an array of hot mirrors in an eye-imaging system. One example provides a head-mounted display system, comprising a frame, an eye-imaging camera supported on the frame, a switchable hot mirror array comprising a plurality of switchable hot mirrors configured to direct light reflecting from an eye toward the eye-imaging camera, and a controller configured to control switching of a reflectivity of each of the plurality of switchable hot mirrors.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Benjamin Eliot Lundell, Joel Steven Kollin, Ishan Chatterjee, Maria Esther Pace, Mark Theodore Bolas, Bernard Charles Kress, Robert Thomas Held, Andreas Georgiou, Christopher Charles Aholt
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Publication number: 20230314803Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to using an array of hot mirrors in an eye-imaging system. One example provides a head-mounted display system, comprising a frame, an eye-imaging camera supported on the frame, a switchable hot mirror array comprising a plurality of switchable hot mirrors configured to direct light reflecting from an eye toward the eye-imaging camera, and a controller configured to control switching of a reflectivity of each of the plurality of switchable hot mirrors.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2022Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Benjamin Eliot LUNDELL, Joel Steven KOLLIN, Ishan CHATTERJEE, Maria Esther PACE, Mark Theodore BOLAS, Bernard Charles KRESS, Robert Thomas HELD, Andreas GEORGIOU, Christopher Charles AHOLT
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Publication number: 20230244077Abstract: One disclosed example provides a near-eye display device. The near-eye display device comprises an eye tracking system configured to determine a position of an eye of a user relative to the near-eye display device, and a waveguide including at least an input coupler and an output coupler, the output coupler including a plurality of zones, each zone activatable via a dynamically controllable output coupling element of the zone. The near-eye display device further comprises an image source configured to output image light to the input coupler, and a controller configured to selectively activate one or more zones of the output coupler based at least on the position of the eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2022Publication date: August 3, 2023Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Joel Steven KOLLIN, Ishan CHATTERJEE, Benjamin Eliot LUNDELL, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Maria Esther PACE, Andreas GEORGIOU, Robert Thomas HELD, Mark Theodore BOLAS
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Patent number: 11663739Abstract: A computer-implemented method of field calibrating a device is disclosed. In one example, a reference image is acquired, via an infrared camera, while the device is in a factory-calibrated state. The reference image measures a factory-calibrated spatial relationship of one or more infrared-visible fiducial markers of the device relative to the infrared camera while the device is in the factory-calibrated state. Later, a field image is acquired, via the infrared camera. The field image measures an updated spatial relationship of the one or more infrared-visible fiducial markers relative to the infrared camera. The device is field calibrated based on the reference image and the field image.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Paulo Ricardo Dos Santos Mendonca, Christopher Charles Aholt, Christopher Maurice Mei, Rayna Demaster-Smith
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Publication number: 20230119633Abstract: The disclosed techniques provide enhanced eye tracking systems utilizing joint estimation of biological parameters and hardware parameters. By the use of joint estimation of biological parameters, e.g., direction and position of an eye, with concurrent estimation of hardware parameters, e.g., camera position or camera direction, a system can self-calibrate and provide eye tracking estimations that can allow a system to accommodate for deformations and other changes of a device. The disclosed techniques include a method to model changes of a device, as well as detect and compensate for them while the eye-tracking device is in normal use, thereby preserving the performance of the system without requiring a factory-calibration procedure to be repeated.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2021Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Paulo Ricardo DOS SANTOS MENDONCA, Rayna DEMASTER-SMITH, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Christopher Maurice MEI
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Publication number: 20220397956Abstract: A gaze detection assembly comprises a plurality of infrared (IR) light emitters configured to emit IR light toward a user eye and an IR camera configured to sequentially capture IR images of the user eye. A controller is configured to, during a reference frame, control the plurality of IR light emitters to emit IR light toward the user eye with a reference intensity distribution. During the reference frame, an IR image is captured depicting a first glint distribution on the user eye. Based at least in part on the first glint distribution, during a subsequent frame, the plurality of IR light emitters are controlled to emit IR light toward the user eye with a subsequent intensity distribution, different than the reference intensity distribution. During the subsequent frame, a second IR image is captured depicting a second glint distribution on the user eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2021Publication date: December 15, 2022Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Benjamin Eliot LUNDELL, David C. ROHN, Curtis Alan TESDAHL, Marko BEZULJ, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Navid POULAD
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Publication number: 20220317461Abstract: A device includes a frame configured to be supported in front of a user eye. The frame has a first side facing the user eye and a second side opposite the first side and facing an environment. A light emitting diode is supported by the frame to emit light. The light emitting diode is obscured by an opaque material from an observer in front of the user in the environment. A light deflector is supported by the frame to direct the emitted light from the light emitting diode towards the user eye.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2021Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Jessie Cindy MAIKIM, Christopher Charles AHOLT, James Peele Terrell, JR., Jordan Christopher JUR, Joel Steven KOLLIN
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Publication number: 20220292718Abstract: A computer-implemented method of field calibrating a device is disclosed. In one example, a reference image is acquired, via an infrared camera, while the device is in a factory-calibrated state. The reference image measures a factory-calibrated spatial relationship of one or more infrared-visible fiducial markers of the device relative to the infrared camera while the device is in the factory-calibrated state. Later, a field image is acquired, via the infrared camera. The field image measures an updated spatial relationship of the one or more infrared-visible fiducial markers relative to the infrared camera. The device is field calibrated based on the reference image and the field image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2021Publication date: September 15, 2022Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Paulo Ricardo DOS SANTOS MENDONCA, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Christopher Maurice MEI, Rayna DEMASTER-SMITH
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Patent number: 11347056Abstract: A color correction mask programmatically generated in software on an HMD device is applied to a gaze region on a display field of view (FOV) on a head-mounted display (HMD) device to optimize system resources while rendering a display. Eye monitoring sensors are utilized to track movement of a user's eyes while the user operates the HMD device to determine a gaze position of the user's eyes on the display FOV. Using the determined gaze position, a dynamic foveal gaze region is sized around the gaze position so that the foveal portion of the display FOV is color-corrected, that is, color non-uniformities are reduced or eliminated. In other implementations, a gaze-based weighting mode is implemented in which measurements of the user's full eye or eye orbit are utilized to color correct a larger surface area of the display FOV relative to the foveal color correction mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2018Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Steven John Robbins, Christopher Charles Aholt, Andrew Kilgour Juenger, Nicholas Mark Cirucci
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Patent number: 10706281Abstract: The disclosure herein describes controlling focal parameters of a head mounted display based on an estimated user age to account for increasing likelihood of presbyopia as user age increases. The head mounted display uses eye tracking sensors to collect ocular metric data associated with ocular features of a user's eye and a user age estimate is calculated based on analysis of the ocular metric data using a machine learning algorithm and an ocular metric data set. Further, a confidence value of the user age estimate is calculated based on the analysis of the ocular metric data. Then, focal parameters of the visual display of the head mounted display are controlled based on the user age estimate and confidence value. The described focal control method provides a seamless, automated way for a head mounted display system to adjust settings to provide a sharp, in-focus user experience for users of all ages.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Robert Thomas Held, Richard Zachary Robinson, Christopher Charles Aholt
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Publication number: 20200064631Abstract: A color correction mask programmatically generated in software on an HMD device is applied to a gaze region on a display field of view (FOV) on a head-mounted display (HMD) device to optimize system resources while rendering a display. Eye monitoring sensors are utilized to track movement of a user's eyes while the user operates the HMD device to determine a gaze position of the user's eyes on the display FOV. Using the determined gaze position, a dynamic foveal gaze region is sized around the gaze position so that the foveal portion of the display FOV is color-corrected, that is, color non-uniformities are reduced or eliminated. In other implementations, a gaze-based weighting mode is implemented in which measurements of the user's full eye or eye orbit are utilized to color correct a larger surface area of the display FOV relative to the foveal color correction mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Steven John ROBBINS, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Andrew Kilgour JUENGER, Nicholas Mark CIRUCCI
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Publication number: 20200050824Abstract: The disclosure herein describes controlling focal parameters of a head mounted display based on an estimated user age to account for increasing likelihood of presbyopia as user age increases. The head mounted display uses eye tracking sensors to collect ocular metric data associated with ocular features of a user's eye and a user age estimate is calculated based on analysis of the ocular metric data using a machine learning algorithm and an ocular metric data set. Further, a confidence value of the user age estimate is calculated based on the analysis of the ocular metric data. Then, focal parameters of the visual display of the head mounted display are controlled based on the user age estimate and confidence value. The described focal control method provides a seamless, automated way for a head mounted display system to adjust settings to provide a sharp, in-focus user experience for users of all ages.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: Robert Thomas HELD, Richard Zachary ROBINSON, Christopher Charles AHOLT
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Publication number: 20190204910Abstract: Via a near-eye display, one or more pre-saccade image frames are displayed to a user eye. Based on a detected movement of the user eye, the user eye is determined to be performing a saccade. One or more saccade-contemporaneous image frames are displayed with a temporary saccade-specific image effect not applied to the pre-saccade image frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2018Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Robert Thomas HELD, Christopher Maurice MEI, Christopher Charles AHOLT, Nava Kayla BALSAM, Shivkumar SWAMINATHAN, Jeffrey N. MARGOLIS