Patents by Inventor William C. Torch

William C. Torch 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: 7515054
    Abstract: Biosensor, communicator, and/or controller apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring movement of a person's eye. The apparatus includes a device configured to be worn on a user's head, a light source for directing light towards one or both eyes of the user, one or more image guides on the device for viewing one or both eyes of the user, and one or more cameras carried on the device and coupled to the image guides for acquiring images of the eyes and/or the user's surroundings. The apparatus may include a cable and/or a transmitter for transmitting image data from the camera to a remote location, e.g., to processor and/or display for analyzing and/or displaying the image data. A system including the apparatus may be used to monitor one or more oculometric parameters, e.g., pupillary response, and/or to control a computer using the user's eyes instead of a mouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Publication number: 20090058660
    Abstract: Biosensor, communicator, and/or controller apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring movement of a person's eye. The apparatus includes a device configured to be worn on a user's head, a light source for directing light towards one or both eyes of the user, one or more image guides on the device for viewing one or both eyes of the user, and one or more cameras carried on the device and coupled to the image guides for acquiring images of the eyes and/or the user's surroundings. The apparatus may include a cable and/or a transmitter for transmitting image data from the camera to a remote location, e.g., to processor and/or display for analyzing and/or displaying the image data. A system including the apparatus may be used to monitor one or more oculometric parameters, e.g., pupillary response, and/or to control a computer using the user's eyes instead of a mouse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: 7488294
    Abstract: Biosensor, communicator, and/or controller apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring movement of a person's eye. The apparatus includes a device configured to be worn on a user's head, a light source for directing light towards one or both eyes of the user, one or more image guides on the device for viewing one or both eyes of the user, and one or more cameras carried on the device and coupled to the image guides for acquiring images of the eyes and/or the user's surroundings. The apparatus may include a cable and/or a transmitter for transmitting image data from the camera to a remote location, e.g., to processor and/or display for analyzing and/or displaying the image data. A system including the apparatus may be used to monitor one or more oculometric parameters, e.g., pupillary response, and/or to control a computer using the user's eyes instead of a mouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Publication number: 20090018419
    Abstract: Biosensor, communicator, and/or controller apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring movement of a person's eye. The apparatus includes a device configured to be worn on a user's head, a light source for directing light towards one or both eyes of the user, one or more image guides on the device for viewing one or both eyes of the user, and one or more cameras carried on the device and coupled to the image guides for acquiring images of the eyes and/or the user's surroundings. The apparatus may include a cable and/or a transmitter for transmitting image data from the camera to a remote location, e.g., to processor and/or display for analyzing and/or displaying the image data. A system including the apparatus may be used to monitor one or more oculometric parameters, e.g., pupillary response, and/or to control a computer using the user's eyes instead of a mouse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: 6542081
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring movement of a person's eye, e.g., to monitor drowsiness. The system includes a frame that is worn on a person's head, an array of emitters on the frame for directing light towards the person's eye, and an array of sensors on the frame for detecting light from the array of emitters. The sensors detect light that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye or its eyelid, thereby producing output signals indicating when the respective portions of the eye is covered by the eyelid. The emitters project a reference frame towards the eye, and a camera on the frame monitors movement of the eye relative to the reference frame. This movement may be correlated with the signals from the array of sensors and/or with signals from other sensors on the frame to monitor the person's level of drowsiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Publication number: 20010028309
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring movement of a person's eye, e.g., to monitor drowsiness. The system includes a frame that is worn on a person's head, an array of emitters on the frame for directing light towards the person's eye, and an array of sensors on the frame for detecting light from the array of emitters. The sensors detect light that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye or its eyelid, thereby producing output signals indicating when the respective portions of the eye is covered by the eyelid. The emitters project a reference frame towards the eye, and a camera on the frame monitors movement of the eye relative to the reference frame. This movement may be correlated with the signals from the array of sensors and/or with signals from other sensors on the frame to monitor the person's level of drowsiness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: 6246344
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for voluntary and involuntary communication by means of transmitting, receiving, interpreting, and displaying messages detected and generated by relative eyelid movement, particularly by using the differences in reflectivity of the human eye and eyelid to produce the messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: 6163281
    Abstract: A system and method for communication using movement of a person's eye, including an emitter for directing light towards an eye, a sensor for detecting emitted light from the emitter, and a processor coupled to the sensor for converting sequential light intensity signals received from the sensor into a stream of data, and/or for converting the signals into an understandable message. A radio frequency transmitter transmits the stream of data to a remote location, such as to a receiving and processing unit, which may store the stream of data, display a message in the stream of data, or use a command in the stream of data to control a piece of equipment. A self-contained detection device is also provided that includes a frame adapted to be worn on a person's head, and an emitter and a sensor, such as a solid state biosensor, on the frame for directing light towards and detecting light reflected off of the eye, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: 5748113
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for communication by means of transmitting, receiving, and displaying messages generated by eyelid movement, particularly by using the differences in reflectivity of the human eye and eyelid to produce the messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Inventor: William C. Torch
  • Patent number: RE39539
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring movement of a person's eye, e.g., to monitor drowsiness. The system includes a frame that is worn on a person's head, an array of emitters on the frame for directing light towards the person's eye, and an array of sensors on the frame for detecting light from the array of emitters. The sensors detect light that is reflected off of respective portions of the eye or its eyelid, thereby producing output signals indicating when the respective portions of the eye is covered by the eyelid. The emitters project a reference frame towards the eye, and a camera on the frame monitors movement of the eye relative to the reference frame. This movement may be correlated with the signals from the array of sensors and/or with signals from other sensors on the frame to monitor the person's level of drowsiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Inventor: William C. Torch