Eye Patents (Class 348/78)
  • Patent number: 8957956
    Abstract: According to one example embodiment, a process and system include a camera used to capture a sequence of illuminated images of an subject, wherein the images are stored in frames. The focus point is changed for each image captured so that the focus point sweeps from a far to a near end of a sweep range, in discrete steps or continuous motion, so that successive images have slightly overlapping depths of field. The sweep range and overlapping depths of field provide that at least one image is well focused on the iris of the eye of the subject. In one other example embodiment, one or more of the images are illumined with a illumination fired for a respective captured image. In another embodiment, the sweep range is determined at least in part using a range finder or is otherwise controlled to determine a position of the subject so that the sweep range starts and stops a desired distance in front of and behind the subject, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Edward Determan, Jan Jelinek
  • Publication number: 20150042776
    Abstract: Embodiments provide rapid detection of specular reflection patterns in eye images, which can then be analyzed to determine the quality of the image for biometric analysis. For example, systems and methods receive at least one image of an eye from an image capture system. The image capture system includes a camera and one or more illuminators that direct light at the eye while the camera captures the at least one image. The eye reflects the light from the illuminators to create a specular reflection pattern in the at least one image. The specular reflection pattern is located/identified and a quality of the at least one image of the eye, e.g., a focus measure, is determined based on the specular reflection pattern. A location of iris texture in the at least one image may be identified according to a location of the specular reflection pattern and analyzed for a focus measure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Matthew Davis
  • Publication number: 20150042777
    Abstract: A perusing determination device includes, a processor; and a memory which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute, detecting a movement direction of line-of-sight of a user who reads a document; counting a first number of times in which the movement direction of the line-of-sight is reversed from a direction in which the document is to be read; and determining whether or not the user peruses the document, based on the first number and a second number of times in which the movement direction of the line-of-sight is reversed that is to be satisfied at a time of perusing and is defined based on a feature of the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Akinori Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8953042
    Abstract: If an iris or a pupil is detected as being positioned in a right area, a vehicle-mounted device identifier of a vehicle-mounted device identifying apparatus identifies a vehicle-mounted device group, which is disposed in an area that is on the right side of an area that is identified based on a facial direction detected by a facial direction detector. If the iris or the pupil is detected as being positioned in a left area, the vehicle-mounted device identifier identifies a vehicle-mounted device group, which is disposed in an area that is on the left side of an area that is identified based on the facial direction. If the iris or the pupil is detected as being positioned in a central area, the vehicle-mounted device identifier identifies a vehicle-mounted device group, which is disposed in an area that is identified based on the facial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Ueda, Akio Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150035963
    Abstract: A dual-camera apparatus derives dimensional measurements of an object. The apparatus comprises a pair of digital cameras each comprising a lens and capable of producing an image of the object. A ratio of known distance units to pixels is established for the apparatus and applied to images generated by each of the digital cameras. The lenses are spaced apart at a first known distance. In operation, the first known distance and the established ratio provide a trigonometric basis for ascertaining distances between at least two features on the object. A calibration template can be used to establish the ratio of known distance units to pixels. The object can be a human subject, and the at least two features can be associated with the human subject's eyes, the human subject's feet, and/or other human body parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Bradley Kirschner, Brandon Hass, Kiet Pham
  • Patent number: 8947515
    Abstract: An apparatus for identifying active access, by a viewer, of a source containing an advertisement includes a video capture device for recording user interaction in an area and a video processor electrically coupled to the video capture device. The video processor is configured to analyze the video obtained by the video capture device. The video process analysis includes identification of active access, by the viewer, of the source containing the advertisement. The source is electrically decoupled from the video capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Andrew Forsyth Glew, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150029322
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an optical axis vector of an eye in a three-axis coordinate system. An ellipse equation defining an iris disc corresponding to the eye, is determined on an XY plane of the three-axis coordinate system. A set of equations is derived based on the ellipse equation corresponding to a plurality of edge points of the iris disc in the three-axis coordinate system. An estimated iris diameter is iteratively calculated until a difference between the estimated iris diameter and a predetermined iris diameter is less than a threshold. The iterative calculation includes calculating a composite optical axis vector of the eye in the three-axis coordinate system based on solutions for the iris diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard R. Ragland, PhaniKumar K. Bhamidipati, Sten Jorgen Ludvig Dahl
  • Publication number: 20150029323
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, configured to determine a characteristic of glasses based on a first contour position and a second contour position, the first contour position indicating a contour position of a face that appears without the glasses and being detected from an obtained face image data of a user, and the second contour position indicating a contour position of the face that appears through the glasses and being detected from the obtained face image data of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi NAGAO
  • Publication number: 20150022650
    Abstract: A network camera with an iris detection function and an iris detection method are provided. The network camera may include a machine body connected to a first iris or a second iris. The machine body may include a detection unit, a test signal generation unit, and a processing unit. The detection unit may include a test signal output terminal and a test signal receiving terminal. The test signal generation unit electrically connected to the detection unit may generate a first test signal and output the first test signal to the first iris or the second iris through the test signal output terminal. The test signal receiving terminal may receive a second test signal from the first iris or the second iris. The processor unit connected to the detection unit may generate a warning signal according to the second test signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Yen-Chieh HUANG
  • Patent number: 8937552
    Abstract: An environment associated with at least one crew member is identified, and a line-of-sight associated with the at least one crew member is determined. An alarm is generated when the line-of-sight remains within a predetermined area for an elapsed time that exceeds a first predetermined temporal threshold associated with the identified environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey L. Williams
  • Patent number: 8934005
    Abstract: A system and method that measures an optical focus of a distant optical imaging system (EYE), in particular the ocular accommodation of a distant human subject. A luminous pattern of light (P1, A1) is projected by a projector (P) in focus (A2) at a known focal plane (FPL1) in front of the distant optical imaging system (EYE), and an image of the reflection of the pattern (A3) on a sensor surface of the distant optical imaging system (EYE), for instance the retina of an eye, is recorded by a camera (CAM) having an optical axis (AXCAM) coinciding at least partly with or situated close to the optical axis (AXP) of the projection device (P). The sharpness of the luminous pattern (A3) reflected from the sensor surface (retina) is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Frederik Jan De Bruijn, Ruud Vlutters, Harold Agnes Wilhelmus Schmeitz, Tommaso Gritti
  • Publication number: 20150009313
    Abstract: There is provided a visual line detection device including at least one light source configured to radiate light to an eyeball of a user observing a display surface through at least one optical member, and an imaging unit configured to acquire a captured image of the eyeball used to detect a visual line of the user on the display surface by detecting reflected light of the light from the eyeball. The reflected right from the eyeball passes through at least the optical member installed in an optical path along which the light from the display surface travels from the display surface to the eyeball of the user, and is incident on the imaging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: TAKURO NODA, SAYAKA WATANABE, SHINICHI HASENO, KENTA KATAGATA
  • Publication number: 20150009314
    Abstract: A method and an electronic device are provided in association with iris recognition. The electronic device includes a camera module that obtains a Near-Infrared Ray (NIR) image, and a controller that converts the NIR image into an integral image, detects at least one candidate eye region from the integral image using at least one mask, detects a pupil region and an eyebrow region from the at least one candidate eye region, and to detect an eye region based on the pupil region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Woon-Tahk SUNG, Jae-Hee KIM, Byung-Jun SON, Kang-Ryoung PARK, Taek-Seong JEONG, Dong-Ik KIM
  • Publication number: 20150002650
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an eye gaze detecting device includes a drive controller and a detector. The drive controller is configured to move an optical axis direction of an image pick-up module configured to pick up an image of an outside environment facing a display screen of a display by using a drive system. The detector is configured to detect an eye gaze direction of a viewer when image information picked up by the image pick-up module every time the drive controller moves the optical axis direction includes the face of the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshimura, Shinji Kuno, Yoshiyasu Itoh, Satoshi Takezaki
  • Publication number: 20140375789
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a see-through head-mounted display system. In one embodiment, the see-through head-mounted display system comprises a freeform prism, and a display device configured to emit display light through the freeform prism to an eye of a user. The see-through head-mounted display system may also comprise an imaging device having an entrance pupil positioned at a back focal plane of the freeform prism, the imaging device configured to receive gaze-detection light reflected from the eye and directed through the freeform prism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Xinye Lou, Scott McEldowney, Steve Robbins
  • Publication number: 20140375788
    Abstract: An involuntary action adjusted by the accommodation of the crystalline lens of the eye provides the data to the embedded algorithm to get the new image. Instead of the user performing a voluntary action to control the embedded algorithm, an involuntary action by the user is used to control the embedded algorithm allowing the user to automatically adjust the Plane of Depth (POD) for a Light Field Photograph (LFP) image or an eyeglass image. The adjustment of eyeglass image is used by an accommodation system to control the mechanical system of lenses in an eyeglass to automatically focus the glasses over a range of PODs. In addition, a voluntary far/near button can be used manually to adjust the POD for both the LFP image and the eyeglass adjustment. The variation of the crystalline thickness to adjust the focus of nearby and distant objects is called accommodation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Thaddeus John Gabara
  • Publication number: 20140375790
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for a see-through head-mounted display system. In one embodiment, the see-through head-mounted display system comprises a freeform prism, and a display device configured to emit display light through the freeform prism to an eye of a user. The see-through head-mounted display system may also comprise an imaging device having an entrance pupil positioned at a back focal plane of the freeform prism, the imaging device configured to receive gaze-detection light reflected from the eye and directed through the freeform prism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Steve Robbins, Scott McEldowney, Xinye Lou, David Nister, Drew Steedly, Quentin Simon Charles Miller, David D. Bohn, James Peele Terrell, JR., Andrew C. Goris, Nathan Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20140375791
    Abstract: When a user watching television does not send a command for operating the television within a predetermined time period, the television detects whether the user enters a sleep status or has left a detectable range of the television. The detection result is utilized as a reference for rendering the television to enter a hibernation mode to prevent unnecessary power consumption of the television.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Hung-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 8913119
    Abstract: The short distance iris recognition camera of the present invention has a prism, installed on top of a guide for an infrared LED light, which has an inclined surface and a protrusion part, thereby enhancing the degree of uniformity in brightness around an iris, and thus enhancing iris recognition, and also effectively preventing static electricity from being delivered to internal devices. To accomplish this, the camera for iris recognition according to the present invention comprises a sensor and accessory circuits, a lens, and a lighting source including a white light and an infrared LED light. The lighting source is spaced apart from the lens centerline by a set length. The object plane of the lens is located where the iris is located, and is spaced apart by a set length L from the end of the lens. In practice, the object plane comprises the area around the lens centerline. The phase surface of the lens is an image sensor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: ARIA Hightech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Yong Choi, Deok Yong Ko
  • Patent number: 8913118
    Abstract: Multispectral images, including ultraviolet light and its interactions with ultraviolet light-interactive compounds, can be captured, processed, and represented to a user. Ultraviolet-light related information can be conveniently provided to a user to allow the user to have awareness of UV characteristics and the user's risk to UV exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas Nathan Millikan
  • Patent number: 8913004
    Abstract: The determination of a gaze direction or field of view of a user with respect to a computing device can control aspects of the device, such as to reduce power or resource consumption. A computing device can include an imaging element and software for locating aspects of a user's facial features relative to the device, such that an orientation of the user's features relative to the device can be determined. Various actions on the device can be executed based at least in part upon a determined gaze direction of the user. In some embodiments, a display element of the device can turn off, and one or more inputs can be disabled, when the user is not looking at the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Bozarth, Kenneth M. Karakotsios, Jeffrey P. Bezos
  • Publication number: 20140362202
    Abstract: A system for tracking a gaze of a driver of a vehicle includes a tracking device, a processor, a memory, and a display. The tracking device is configured to track a gaze of a driver of a vehicle. The processor is in electronic communication with the tracking device. The memory is in electronic communication with the processor. The memory includes programming code configured to be executed by the processor. The programming code is configured to determine in real-time a duration of the gaze of the driver of the vehicle tracked by the tracking device. The display is in electronic communication with the processor. The display is configured to display a symbol showing the determined duration, or a portion of the determined duration, of the gaze of the driver of the vehicle as determined by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Dean Tschirhart, Dale O. Cramer, Anthony Joseph Ciatti
  • Publication number: 20140362201
    Abstract: A system enables two different users to independently view and listen to two completely different programs being displayed concurrently on the same display (e.g., in a split screen mode), or on multiple displays that are visible by different users, by sending the audio signal of one of the programs being displayed to the headphone device of the user currently looking at that program being displayed on the display. In one embodiment, the headphone device includes a camera mounted on the headphone device that is positioned to detect and/or track eye movements/positions or other movements of the user wearing the headphone device to determine which program that user is currently looking at.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Phuc H. Nguyen, Christopher William Bruhn
  • Patent number: 8908047
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for obtaining a video quality parameter and an electronic device. The method includes dividing a target video segment into at least one video subsegment, where duration of every video subsegment is at least time perceivable by human eyes; obtaining a video quality parameter of the video subsegment; and processing the video quality parameter of the video subsegment, and obtaining a video quality parameter of the target video segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lina Sun, Qingpeng Xie, Dong Li, Fuzheng Yang, Liang Zhou, Chang Huang
  • Publication number: 20140354794
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines an exceptional frame of a plurality of frames forming a moving image captured by an ophthalmic apparatus including an aberration correction device, and applies image processing of a blood vessel area for a frame, among the plurality of frames, which has not been determined as the exceptional frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 8902070
    Abstract: A monitoring system and method for monitoring and/or predicting drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle or a machinery operator are provided. A set of infrared, IR, or near infrared, NIR, light sources, is arranged such that an amount of the light emitted from the light source incidents on an eye of the driver or operator. The light that impinges on the eye of the driver or operator forms a virtual image of the signal sources on the eye including the sclera and/or cornea. An image sensor obtains consecutive images capturing the reflected light, wherein each image will contain glints from at least a subset or all of the light sources. A drowsiness index can be determined based on the extracted information of the glints of the sequence of images, wherein the drowsiness index indicates a degree of drowsiness of the driver or operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
    Inventors: Miroslav Kobetski, Peter Blixt, Johnny Holmberg, John Mikael Elvesjo
  • Patent number: 8896682
    Abstract: A system and method for automated detection of age related macular degeneration and other retinal abnormalities which may have a retinal scanner capable of obtaining retinal data from a subject. The retinal scanner may be coupled to a central processing unit (CPU) which may have memory storing CPU-executable instructions which may detect retinal abnormalities. When the CPU receives retinal data from the retinal scanner, the system may perform CPU-executable instructions for detecting retinal abnormalities. The system may analyze the retinal data to determine one or more healthy areas and, based on the analyzed healthy area, the system may detect abnormalities in the retinal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Neil Bressler, Philippe Martin Burlina, David Eric Freund
  • Patent number: 8890946
    Abstract: A scene illumination system is provided that produces spatially uniform or controlled brightness levels for machine vision applications. The system includes a camera, multiple light sources that preferentially illuminate different regions within the camera's field-of-view, and a processing unit coupled to the camera and light sources. Focal regions of the light sources within the camera's field-of-view are sampled to determine average regional brightness and compared to target brightness levels. The processing unit controls the light sources to increase or decrease illumination levels to converge toward the target brightness levels within the field-of-view. This modulation of the light sources may be repeated with successive video images until target brightness levels are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Eyefluence, Inc.
    Inventors: Nelson G. Publicover, Jason Heffernan
  • Patent number: 8890865
    Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus for subpixel rendering is provided. A display, with an image processing apparatus, may adjust a pixel value of a subpixel based on the position of the subpixel relative to a position of an eye of a viewer. The image processing apparatus may display a three-dimensional (3D) image on a light field display, based on the adjusted pixel value of the subpixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju Yong Park, Dong Kyung Nam
  • Publication number: 20140333748
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an electronic apparatus and method. The electronic includes a photography lens, an eyeball recognition sensor, and a controller. The photography lens acquires an image signal from a subject. The eyeball recognition sensor senses movement of a user's eyeball. The controller recognizes opening and closing of the user's eyelid based on eyeball monitoring information transmitted from the eyeball recognition sensor, and performs a device driving control operation for a reference time period for which the user's eyelid is in a closed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Min Kim, Sang Min Lee
  • Publication number: 20140333747
    Abstract: In a system for supervising the safety on a site with at least one movable object, a drowsiness detection system is arranged at the movable object for supplying data related to a drowsiness state of an operator of the movable object. A monitoring system remote from the movable object receives the drowsiness state related data and logs and/or evaluates this drowsiness state related data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: SAFEMINE AG
    Inventors: Urban Mader, Peter Arnold Stegmaier, Urs Martin Rothacher
  • Publication number: 20140333749
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines an exceptional frame of a plurality of frames of a moving image of an eye based on the image features of each frame, and changes a moving image forming method based on the determined exceptional frame. For example, the image forming apparatus generates a new moving image by extracting a frame sequence including frames extracted from the moving image not to include a frame which has been determined as an exceptional frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventor: Hiroshi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20140327754
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for compensating for sub-optimal orientation of an iris imaging apparatus during image capture. The iris imaging apparatus of the invention comprises an iris camera and a deviation sensor. The deviation sensor may be configured to detect deviations between a current orientation of the iris camera and a predetermined optimal orientation for the iris camera. Responsive to a detected deviation a correction is effected to compensate for the detected deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Delta ID Inc.
    Inventor: Salil Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20140327753
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for positioning an iris for iris image capture. An iris image sensor is configured to have an image capture region defining an intended position of the subject's iris for image capture. An optical system comprising a reflective element is disposed such that, responsive to positioning of the subject's iris within the image capture region, the optical system forms a subject viewable in-focus upright image of the subject's iris. The optical system may be configured such that length of an optical path between the intended position of the subject's iris during image capture and the reflective element is less than half of a near point distance. The optical system may be further configured such that a distance between the image capture region and the in-focus upright image formed by the optical system is greater than or equal to the near point distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Delta ID Inc.
    Inventor: Salil Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20140327755
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for positioning an iris for iris image capture. An iris image sensor is configured to have an image capture region defining an intended position of the subject's iris for image capture. A feedback object and an optical system are provided. In one aspect, the optical system may comprise a lens element disposed such that, responsive to positioning of the subject's iris within the image capture region, the optical system forms a subject viewable in-focus upright image of the feedback object. In another aspect, the optical system may comprise an occluder, configured such that responsive to positioning of the subject's iris partially or wholly outside the image capture region, the optical system occludes at least a portion of the feedback object from the subject's view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Delta ID Inc.
    Inventor: Salil Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20140320624
    Abstract: In a method for regulating images displayed on a display screen of an electronic device, the electronic device includes an image capturing unit and driving unit. An adjustment mode of the display screen is preset through a user setting interface displayed on the display screen, and the image capturing unit captures an image of a scene in front of the display screen when the user presses a regulation button of a remote controller. The method analyzes a viewing angle and a viewing direction of the user when the user views the display screen, and determines a regulating angle and a regulating direction related to the display screen according to the viewing angle and the viewing direction. The display screen or the image displayed on the display screen is rotated through the regulating angle and the regulating direction according to the adjustment mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: HOU-HSIEN LEE, CHANG-JUNG LEE, CHIH-PING LO
  • Patent number: 8872910
    Abstract: An embodiment of an eye-view image recording apparatus includes an eyeglass frame, at least one first optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing an image corresponding to a field of view of a user, and at least one second optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for tracking movement of at least one eye of the user to determine a direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed. The eye-view image recording apparatus further includes at least one processor for receiving the determination of the direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed, and generating a subset of the captured image based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Masoud Vaziri
  • Publication number: 20140313306
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for cross-sensor iris matching are described herein. One method includes capturing a first image of an iris using a first sensor, capturing a second image of an iris using a second sensor, and determining whether the iris in the first image matches the iris in the second image based on characteristics of the first sensor and the second sensor and image quality of the first image and the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sharath Venkatesha, Scott McCloskey
  • Publication number: 20140313308
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for tracking a gaze based on a camera array are provided. The apparatus may include a camera array including a plurality of cameras, and a plurality of light sources for the plurality of cameras, a light source controller to control the plurality of light sources so that the plurality of cameras capture a bright pupil image and a dark pupil image of a user, a detector to detect a position of a pupil center of the user, and a position of a glint caused by reflection of the plurality of light sources from the captured bright pupil image and the captured dark pupil image, and an estimator to estimate an interest position of eyes of the user by tracking a gaze direction of the eyes, based on the detected position of the pupil center and the detected position of the glint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiying WANG, Ji Yeun KIM, Shuzheng GAO
  • Publication number: 20140313307
    Abstract: An electronic device and an unlocking method in the electronic device are provided. The electronic device includes a display unit configured to display at least one function icon on a lock screen, at least one camera, and a controller configured to recognize a face based on data received from the at least one camera in response to a request for unlocking, to select a function icon to be executed from among the at least one function icon, to perform unlocking based on the facial recognition, and to execute, simultaneously with the unlocking, a function corresponding to the selected function icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-Woong OH, Gyu-Cheol CHOI
  • Publication number: 20140313309
    Abstract: A drowsiness estimation device comprises an imaging unit 1, a regional temperature calculation unit 6, and a weighted subtraction unit 7. The imaging unit 1 obtains visible spectrum image data in a visible spectrum capture mode and obtains infra-red image data indicating a surface body temperature distribution for a subject's body in an infra-red capture mode. The regional temperature calculation unit 6 detects a temperature of an ocular centre region within the surface body temperature distribution indicated by the infra-red image data. The weighted subtraction unit 7 applies a correction to a temperature parameter for drowsiness estimation, based on the detected ocular centre region temperature. A drowsiness estimation for the user is then performed according to the corrected parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventor: Masatoshi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8866896
    Abstract: Disclosed is a biological body state assessment device capable of accurately assessing an absentminded state of a driver. The biological body state assessment device first acquires face image data of a face image capturing camera, detects an eye open time and a face direction left/right angle of a driver from face image data, calculates variation in the eye open time of the driver and variation in the face direction left/right angle of the driver, and performs threshold processing on the variation in the eye open time and the variation in the face direction left/right angle to detect the absentminded state of the driver. The biological body state assessment device assesses the possibility of the occurrence of drowsiness of the driver in the future using a line fitting method on the basis of an absentminded detection flag and the variation in the eye open time, and when it is assessed that there is the possibility of the occurrence of drowsiness, estimates an expected drowsiness occurrence time of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Hatakeyama
  • Publication number: 20140307077
    Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for acquiring an image of a subject's iris, within the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Near infrared radiation is generated from an incandescent light source, having wavelengths spread across 700 nm to 900 nm. The iris is illuminated for imaging by directing the generated near infrared radiation along an optical path between the incandescent light source and an intersection of a field of view region and depth of field region of an iris camera. Near infrared radiation scattered by the iris and transmitted along the iris camera's optical axis is received at the iris camera. An image of the iris is then acquired at the iris camera, based on radiation scattered by the iris and received at the iris camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Delta ID Inc.
    Inventor: SALIL PRABHAKAR
  • Publication number: 20140307078
    Abstract: A method to determine an ophthalmic tissue structure comprises measuring image data for a range of depths corresponding to a target point in an eye with an axial scanner with a probe; determining an image information by an imaging processor from the image data; identifying a tissue pathology corresponding to the target point by the processor from the image information; and signaling a user by a user indicator based on the identified tissue pathology. A corresponding apparatus comprises an axial scanner with a probe to measure image data for a range of depths corresponding to a target point in an eye; a processor to determine an image information from the image data, and to identify a tissue pathology corresponding to the target point from the image information; and a user indicator to signal a user based on the identified tissue pathology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven T. Charles, Michael James Papac, Michael Yadlowsky
  • Patent number: 8860796
    Abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems for imaging an eye are provided including a source having an associated source arm path and a reference arm having an associated reference arm path coupled to the source path, the reference arm path having an associated reference arm path length. A sample having an associated sample arm path coupled to the source arm and reference arm paths is provided. A reference arm path length adjustment module is coupled to the reference arm. The reference arm path length adjustment module is configured to automatically adjust the reference arm path length such that the reference arm path length is based on an eye length of the subject. Related methods and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Bioptigen, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric L. Buckland, Robert H. Hart, Glenn A. Myers, Joseph A. Izatt
  • Patent number: 8854447
    Abstract: Embodiments provide methods and systems for adjusting audio output based on eye tracking input. In some embodiments, a memory stores data defining a boundary based on a coordinate system. The boundary corresponds to a display element of displayed content. An input receives data indicating coordinates of a gaze point location of a user viewing the displayed content. A processor compares the received coordinates of the gaze point location to the boundary corresponding to the display element to determine whether the gaze point location is inside the boundary corresponding to the display element. In response to determining that the gaze point location is inside the boundary corresponding to the display element, the processor adjusts an audio setting of the displayed content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: United Video Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Conness, Phil Golyshko, Thomas Woods, Shrirang Nilkanth Jambhekar, Melvin Grefalda, Richard Bullwinke, Minah Oh
  • Patent number: 8854446
    Abstract: A method of capturing image data for iris code based identification of vertebrates, including humans, comprises the steps of: recording a digital image of an eye with a camera equipped with at least two light sources that have a fixed spatial relationship to an object lens of the camera; locating the eye in the digital image by detecting a specularity pattern that is created by reflection of light from said at least two light sources at a cornea of the eye; and calculating information on the position of the camera relative to the eye on the basis of said fixed spatial relationship between the light sources and the object lens and on the basis of said specularity pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Iristrac, LLC, SRI International
    Inventors: James Russell Bergen, Oleg Naroditsky
  • Publication number: 20140293033
    Abstract: A corneal imaging device provided with an optical system for photographing a corneal portion of an eye, the optical system including an illumination optical system configured to irradiate illumination light toward a cornea and a light receiving optical system placed in a position inclined with respect to an optical axis of the illumination optical system configured to receive reflection light from the cornea by a photodetector, wherein the corneal imaging device includes light-limiting means provided in an optical path of the optical system for photographing the corneal portion of the eye and configured to limit light asymmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Michihiro Takii
  • Patent number: 8848032
    Abstract: The imaging device includes a template selector, a synthesis area selector for selecting a synthesis area for panoramic image in the selected template, a moving image acquiring unit, a detector for detecting/outputting the movement of the imaging device as movement information, a panoramic image producer for producing the panoramic image being a still image corresponding to the synthesis area from the moving images and the detected movement, a synthesized image producer for sequentially synthesizing the panoramic image into the synthesis area during moving image acquisition to produce/renew a synthesized image, a display for sequentially displaying the produced/renewed synthesized image on a display screen, and a storage for storing the template and the moving images, the panoramic image, and/or the synthesized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Yamaji
  • Patent number: 8847771
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining an inattentive state of an operator of a vehicle and for providing information to the operator of the vehicle by obtaining face images of the operator of the vehicle, obtaining images of an environment of the vehicle, determining one or more areas of interest in the environment of the vehicle based on the images of the environment, obtaining, from a relevance and priority database, relevance and priority values corresponding to the one or more areas of interest, determining a probability of attention of the operator of the vehicle to the one or more areas of interest based on the images of the environment and the relevance and priority values, determining an attention deficiency based on the determined probability of attention and the face images, and providing the information to the operator of the vehicle based on the determined attention deficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Pujitha Gunaratne, Richard W. Backs