Including Eye Movement Detection Patents (Class 351/209)
  • Publication number: 20130278899
    Abstract: The OculoKinetic Device is used to test an individual to evaluate brain functions and to identify the presence of a traumatic brain injury or disease which manifests itself through abnormal ocular responses to stimuli by using the high-speed tracking of an individual's eye movements, pupil size and reactivity, eye lid position and blink parameters and optionally along with other ocular elements, i.e., eyeball pressure, temperature, blood flow, etc. The eye movement stimulus protocol uses a target that moves in any direction of the two-dimensional plane and may use a color display or geometric shapes. In addition, the stimuli can be used in conjunction with cognitive testing, balance assessment, and other non-eye tests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: TBI Diagnostics LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A. Waldorf, Hirsch Handmaker
  • Patent number: 8562133
    Abstract: A simulator to be used in ophthalmological measurements includes a display apparatus and a control device. The control device is adapted to control the display apparatus in such a manner that the display apparatus displays an image that is adapted to simulate the arrangement of a pupillary midpoint relative to a reference structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: WaveLight GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Schmid, Berndt Warm
  • Patent number: 8562136
    Abstract: A visual display characterized by hidden reference illuminators is adapted to emit invisible light for generating corneo-scleral reflections on an eye watching a screen surface of the display. The tracking of such reflections and the pupil center provides input for gaze tracking. A method for equipping and an LCD with a reference illuminator are also provided. A system and method for determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display comprising reference illuminators are further provided. The determination of the gaze point may be based on an ellipsoidal cornea model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
    Inventors: Peter Blixt, Anders Hoglund, Bengt Rehnstrom, John Elvesjö
  • Patent number: 8551015
    Abstract: A system for quantifying and mapping visual salience to a visual stimulus, including a processor, software for receiving data indicative of a group of individual's ocular responses to a visual stimulus, software for determining a distribution of visual resources at each of at least two times for each of at least a portion of the individuals. The system further including software for determining and quantifying a group distribution of visual resources at each of the at least two times and software for generating a display of the group's distribution of visual resources to the visual stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Inventors: Warren Jones, Ami Klin
  • Patent number: 8547330
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing data being displayed on at least one monitor screen based on monitoring user's attention in relation to the monitor screen. In one embodiment, upon detecting that the user's attention is leaving at least a portion of a screen, the system may alert the user of such an event. Alternatively, the system could alert the user upon detecting a triggering condition while the user's attention is away from the at least a portion of the screen. The step of alerting the user may include modifying at least a portion of a display on a monitor not being viewed by the user. Additionally, the system may initiate preparation of a report including any data not being viewed by a user during the time period when the user is not viewing a portion of the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. Buck
  • Publication number: 20130242262
    Abstract: Improved wearable optics is disclosed. The wearable optics comprises a frame member and a lens. The wearable optics also includes circuitry within the frame member for enhancing the use of the wearable optics. A system and method in accordance with the present invention is directed to a variety of ways to enhance the use of eyeglasses. They are: (1) media focals, that is, utilizing the wearable optics for its intended purpose and enhancing that use by using imaging techniques to improve the vision of the user; (2) telecommunications enhancements that allow the eyeglasses to be integrated with telecommunication devices such as cell phones or the like; and (3) entertainment enhancements that allow the wearable optics to be integrated with devices such as MP3 players, radios, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: PERCEPT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Scott W. LEWIS
  • Patent number: 8529063
    Abstract: The invention relates to ophthalmic spectacles for characterizing a convergence of the eyes of a wearer. Each lens of the spectacles is provided with output sections for guiding a radiation towards the side areas of an eye of the carrier, in which the right and left portions of the corneal margin of said eye are in motion. The lens further comprises input sections for collecting the portions of said radiation reflected in said side areas of the eye. A computing unit is also combined with the spectacles in order to determine the convergence of the eyes of the wearer from detection signals measuring the portions of the radiation that are simultaneously collected by the input sections of the two lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventors: Thierry Bonnin, Thibault Brossier, Benjamin Rousseau
  • Publication number: 20130222764
    Abstract: A vision testing system comprises a image wavefront modulator, eye tracking system, focusing system using a spherical concave mirror, and a patient station. In various embodiments, the image wavefront modulator and the patient's eyes are positioned off axis with respect to the optical axis of the focusing mirror. Thus, optical elements in the wavefront modulator may automatically adjust to correct for aberrations introduced by the focusing system. Moreover, the optical elements may also be used to automatically correct for magnification errors introduced by movement of the patient within the patient testing station. Furthermore, the eye tracking system may be used to determine the errors introduced by movement of the patient eyes. Finally, the wavefront modulator may be used to produce an image on the patient's retina that accurately emulates an image that result if the patient was looking through a spectacle lens of a particular design during various gaze angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: DigitalVision, LLC
    Inventor: DigitalVision, LLC
  • Patent number: 8520051
    Abstract: The disclosure provides apparatuses for videoconferencing and a method of operation thereof. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: (1) a display substrate occupying less than an entirety of a viewing area, (2) an actuator configured to move the display substrate over the viewing area and (3) a camera having a field of view at least partially overlapping the viewing area and configured to capture a camera image through the viewing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Cristian A. Bolle, Gang Chen, Roland Ryf
  • Publication number: 20130215390
    Abstract: A system for measuring fitness for duty which includes a) a visual stimulus display b) eye monitoring equipment for measuring eye and eyelid movements c) a central processing unit and data storage device to collect and store the data from the eye monitoring equipment d) a data analysis device programmed to calculate one or more of the measures of blink latency, measures of the relative velocity of upper eyelid closing and opening movements during blinks, the product of the amplitude to velocity ratio of eyelid closing and opening, the duration of blinks, the variability of eyelid movements during blinks, the failure to respond appropriately with a voluntary blink following each said brief visual stimulus e) said data analysis device programmed to place the values for said measures into an algorithm for measuring fitness for duty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: OPTALERT PTY LTD
    Inventors: Murray Johns, Andrew Tucker
  • Patent number: 8506080
    Abstract: Methods and systems for unlocking a screen using eye tracking information are described. A computing system may include a display screen. The computing system may be in a locked mode of operation after a period of inactivity by a user. Locked mode of operation may include a locked screen and reduced functionality of the computing system. The user may attempt to unlock the screen. The computing system may generate a display of a moving object on the display screen of the computing system. An eye tracking system may be coupled to the computing system. The eye tracking system may track eye movement of the user. The computing system may determine that a path associated with the eye movement of the user substantially matches a path associated with the moving object on the display and switch to be in an unlocked mode of operation including unlocking the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, Adrian Wong, Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 8506079
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ophthalmic instrument and method for measuring, controlling, and handling aberrations (1) of the eyes (2, 3), which further simultaneously provide visual stimulants when operating same. The instrument consists of a single device for correcting aberrations (4) as well as a single aberration sensor (5), optically connected by an optical system (14). A lighting system (9) introduces beams of light into both eyes. The measurement, control, and handling of the aberrations (1), as well as the providing of visual stimulants (6), are simultaneously and binocularly (7, 8) carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Voptica S.L.
    Inventors: Enrique J. Fernández Martínez, Pedro Prieto Corrales, Pablo Artal Soriano
  • Patent number: 8506076
    Abstract: A method and system for producing a first spectacle lens for a specific situation of wear for correcting at least a first astigmatic refraction of a first eye of a wearer, which has a first cylinder reference axis ?0(1) in a reference direction of sight ?ez(1) of the first eye. According to the method and apparatus, a primary direction of sight ?e?(1,p) of the first eye for at least one primary evaluation point ib(1,p) of the first spectacle lens is determined and a corresponding primary direction of sight ?e?,k(2,p) of a second eye of the spectacle wearer that corresponds to the primary direction of sight ?e?(1,p) of the first eye in the specific situation of wear is also determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Rodenstock GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Becken, Andrea Welk, Anne Seidemann, Gregor Esser, Helmut Altheimer, Dietmar Uttenweiler
  • Patent number: 8500282
    Abstract: An apparatus consistent with the present invention comprises a sensor for receiving a signal representing eye tremor and a processor for monitoring eye tremor while receiving the signal. A method consistent with the present invention includes receiving a signal representing eye tremor, comparing the received signal representing eye tremor to at least one reference value, and classifying a patient's brain stem function using the comparison of the received signal representing eye tremor to at least one reference value. An embodiment consistent with the present invention includes an ocular micro tremor (OMT) sensor and associated signal processing hardware and software for clinical analyses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Boston Brainstem, Inc.
    Inventors: Ciaran Bolger, Steven W. Arms, Christopher P. Townsend, Kurt R. Smith
  • Patent number: 8500278
    Abstract: Apparatus for testing a subject's visual field includes a data processor, which can be provided by a general purpose computer, coupled to a pupil tracking system. The data processor is programmed to cause targets to be displayed at different locations on a display screen and to determine from the pupil tracking system whether the subject's pupil has moved in response to display of each target. In some embodiments, the pupil tracking system comprises an infrared camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Patrick Lo, Liang Chen, Chi Ho To
  • Patent number: 8500281
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for irradiating a beam at a user's eye gaze point and an operation method thereof. The apparatus includes an eye gaze point detecting part analyzing a movement of a user's pupils and detecting the user's eye gaze point, and a beam irradiation part irradiating a beam at the user's eye gaze point detected by the eye gaze point detecting part. The apparatus detects the user's current eye gaze point and irradiates the beam at the user's detected eye gaze point, thereby allowing for the performance of desired control with greater accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Chang Geun Ahn, Rae Man Park, Gun Yong Sung, Seon Hee Park
  • Patent number: 8491122
    Abstract: A solution for attaining high-precision and reproducible measurements during opthalmological biometry and imaging includes an illumination unit for producing a fixation marker, a device for transmitting the light of the produced fixation marker into the eye, a measurement device and a control unit. The illumination unit includes a device for the targeted change of the beam direction of the produced fixation marker. A camera for the detection of the line of vision of the eye is connected to the control unit. The control unit determines the sufficient congruity between detected line of vision and displayed beam direction of the produced fixation marker and, in dependence of the degree of probability of the congruity, triggers a measurement. The suggested arrangement is applicable for opthalmological diagnostic devices, which exhibit a camera and a measuring system, whereby measurements can be taken in all areas of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Martin Hacker, Scott A. Meyer
  • Publication number: 20130176534
    Abstract: A method for adaptively determining a model of visual performance of a test subject comprising the step of exposing a test subject to a plurality of trials. Each trial comprises the steps of identifying the stimulus pattern to test, generating a stimulus pattern on a display, determining whether the stimulus pattern generated an OKR, updating the model to incorporate the OKR results, and determining whether the updated model is acceptable. The trials can be iteratively repeated until the model for visual performance is acceptable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Baylor College of Medicine
    Inventor: Baylor College of Medicine
  • Publication number: 20130176533
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems help provide for tracking an eye. An exemplary method may involve: causing the projection of a pattern onto an eye, wherein the pattern comprises at least one line, and receiving data regarding deformation of the at least one line of the pattern. The method further includes correlating the data to iris, sclera, and pupil orientation to determine a position of the eye, and causing an item on a display to move in correlation with the eye position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, Thad Eugene Starner, Josh Weaver, Edward Allen Keyes
  • Patent number: 8449116
    Abstract: An electro-oculography estimating device includes: a distance obtaining unit which obtains a right-eye corneal distance, a right-eye retinal distance, a left-eye corneal distance, and a left-eye retinal distance; and an electro-oculography theoretical value calculating unit which calculates an electro-oculography theoretical value generated at the given three-dimensional positions, based on the right-eye corneal distance, the right-eye retinal distance, the left-eye corneal distance, and the left-eye retinal distance that are obtained by the distance obtaining unit, as an input into an electro-oculography model that is a function for calculating the electro-oculography theoretical value generated in the given three-dimensional spatial position, based on the right-eye corneal distance, the right-eye retinal distance, the left-eye corneal distance, and the left-eye retinal distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Sato, Toshiyasu Sugio
  • Publication number: 20130120712
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for determining eye position, wherein a light pattern is produced on the surface of an eye by means of a light source and an image of the light pattern produced on the eye is recorded by means of an image recording apparatus, wherein points of the transition region between the sclera and the iris of the eye are determined from the image of the light pattern by means of an image processing apparatus. The coordinates of the calculated points are calculated by triangulation or stereovision, and the position of the iris plane or a plane oriented parallel thereto is determined from said coordinates. The limbus of the eye and the center thereof can also be determined in three dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: CHRONOS VISION GMBH
    Inventor: Saso Spasovski
  • Patent number: 8434868
    Abstract: An eye-gaze tracking device, which detects a gaze direction of a user based on an electro-oculogram, includes: a drift estimating unit which estimates drift noise included in a set of observation voltages among observation voltages that are electro-oculograms generated in a living body and observed at the plurality of electrodes, based on a component outside an electro-oculography subspace that is an assembly of sets of electro-oculograms theoretically observed at a plurality of electrodes; and an eye-gaze tracking unit which detects the gaze direction of the user, based on a signal generated by removing, from the observation voltages, the drift noise estimated by the drift estimating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Sato, Toshiyasu Sugio
  • Patent number: 8434867
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for analyzing eye tracking data. The eye tracking data can represent a number of different scanpaths and can be analyzed, for example, to find patterns or commonality between the scanpaths. According to one embodiment, a method of analyzing eye tracking data can comprise receiving the eye tracking data which can include a plurality of scanpaths, each scanpath representing a sequence of regions of interest on a stimulus image. A dotplot can be generated and can include each of the plurality of scanpaths. One or more patterns within the eye tracking data can be identified based on the dotplot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Helfman, Joseph H. Goldberg
  • Patent number: 8430510
    Abstract: A noise reduction device includes: a saccade information obtaining unit that obtains saccade information from an electro-oculography original signal that indicates an electro-oculogram resulting from an eye movement of a user, the saccade information relating to a saccadic movement which is a rapid eyeball movement; a control unit that determines a filter property for reducing noise included in the electro-oculography original signal, on the basis of the saccade information obtained by the saccade information obtaining unit; and a filtering unit that reduces the noise included in the electro-oculography original signal using the filter property determined by the control unit, to output an electro-oculography signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Sugio, Daisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 8419654
    Abstract: An eye gaze tracking apparatus (100) includes: an electro-oculogram measuring unit that outputs an electro-oculogram original signal; a calibration index presenting unit (103) that presents a calibration index to a user; a saccade detection unit (104) that outputs an electro-oculogram change amount that is an amount of change in an electro-oculogram before or after a saccadic movement which is measured when a gaze-path position of the user moves to the calibration index; a calibration parameter calculating unit (105) that calculates a calibration parameter based on a position of the calibration index and an electro-oculogram change amount; and a calibration unit (101) that detects the gaze-path direction of the user from the electro-oculogram original signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Sugio, Daisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 8408706
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a gaze tracker for determining a gaze vector for a person, which comprises a 3D camera that and a picture camera that image the person and a controller that processes images acquired by the cameras to determine a gaze direction and origin for the gaze vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Giora Yahav
  • Patent number: 8405610
    Abstract: A device and computer-readable media are provided for controlling a mobile device by eye movement. Namely, embodiments of the present invention rely on electrooculographical and blink-sensing techniques to detect eye movement, where the eye movement can indicate that a user wishes to perform an action on a mobile device. The mobile device may be a cell phone, a portable digital assistant, or some other communications device. This invention is primarily directed for use by people who have physical impairments preventing them from operating mobile devices in a traditional way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Joshua Cole
  • Patent number: 8403483
    Abstract: An implantable system for determining the accommodation requirement in an artificial accommodation system by optical measurement of the pupil diameter and the surrounding luminance, including at least one optical system, at least one data acquisition system that does not contact the ciliary muscle and measures a diameter of the pupil and luminance around at least one eye as a physical control signal for the accommodation requirement, at least one data processing system for generating an actuating signal for the optical system from the detected physical control signals or for the purpose of switching to the standby mode, at least one energy supply system, and at least one fixing system. The system has one sensor or a plurality of sensors with sensor elements for measuring the pupil diameter and the surrounding luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, Universitat Rostock
    Inventors: Simon Klink, Georg Bretthauer, Rudolf Guthoff, Ulrich Gengenbach, Mark Bergemann, Torsten Koker, Wolfgang Rückert
  • Patent number: 8398239
    Abstract: An eye tracking system includes a transparent lens, at least one light source, and a plurality of light detectors. The transparent lens is adapted for disposal adjacent an eye. The at least one light source is disposed within the transparent lens and is configured to emit light toward the eye. The at least one light source is transparent to visible light. The plurality of light detectors is disposed within the transparent lens and is configured to receive light that is emitted from the at least one light source and is reflected off of the eye. Each of the light detectors is transparent to visible light and is configured, upon receipt of light that is reflected off of the eye, to supply an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Horning, Thomas Ohnstein, Bernard Fritz
  • Publication number: 20130057829
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a device for performing a gaze field sobriety test are disclosed. The device includes a housing. A light source is affixed in or on the housing. The light source generates light during at least a portion of the gaze field sobriety test. A speaker positioned in or on the housing generates sounds during at least a portion of the gaze field sobriety test. A power source is coupled to the speaker and the light source. An input is positioned on the housing. The input is selectable by a test administrator to initiate an audible sound through the speaker at a predetermined time interval during at least a portion of the gaze field sobriety test. The audible sound provides an indication to the test administrator during the gaze field sobriety test to assist in proper performance of the gaze field sobriety test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: ENFORCEMENT INNOVATIONS
    Inventor: Enforcement Innovations
  • Patent number: 8388135
    Abstract: An ophthalmological biometric or image-producing system and method for detection and analysis of measurement data including a measurement arrangement with an illumination unit for illuminating the eye with at least one measurement beam, a signal detection unit for the detection of the light portions scattered or reflected back from the eye, a central control unit with an output unit, and a pattern generating unit which includes an optical scan unit, a control unit as well as a position sensor for measuring the realized deflections of the optical scan unit, whereby control unit, optical scan unit and position sensor can form a control circuit. Thereby, the position sensor, except for the connection within the possible control circuit, includes a connection to a unit of the measurement arrangement for optimizing measurement value logging or to the central control unit for correcting the biometric measurements or tomograms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Martin Hacker, Thomas Pabst, Ralf Ebersbach, Gerard Antkowiak, Wilfried Bissmann, Matthias Reich
  • Publication number: 20130044291
    Abstract: A visual fatigue level measuring device includes: a video presenting unit which presents 3D video; a test period determining unit which determines two or more time periods each of which is for a test for measuring a level of visual fatigue; an eye movement obtaining unit which obtains data indicating eye movements of left and right eyes of a player with respect to the presented video; an eye movement extracting unit which extracts, from the obtained eye movement data, eye movement data in each of the two or more time periods determined by the test period determining unit; an eye movement comparing unit which compares eye movements in the two or more time periods based on the extracted data; and a fatigue level determining unit which determines the level of visual fatigue of the player based on the comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130027665
    Abstract: An optical system (100) for following ocular movements of an individual includes: an acquisition module (190) designed so as to acquire an image (Im) of the two eyes (22, 22d, 22g) of the individual, an optical element of transmission (110d, 110g), to the acquisition module, of two images (lm_d, lm_g) of respectively each eye which together correspond to a discontinuous region (24d, 24g) of the face, by multiple reflections along two optical routes (TOd, TOg) devoid of any semireflecting mirror. The optical routes further include optical input paths (114d, 114g) opposite respectively each eye, which are parallel to one another and to an optical axis (Z) of the acquisition module, and the optical element of transmission is configured so as to bring the two images closer together so that the acquisition module acquires the two images simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: E(YE) BRAIN
    Inventors: Frederic Bernert, Mickael Maillard, Serge Kinkingnehun
  • Patent number: 8360578
    Abstract: Two collimated light beams are directed towards an eye to provide two reflection spots. The collimated light beams are advantageously provided by a diffractive beam expander. The reflection spots and the pupil of the eye are monitored by an imaging unit. The collimated beams are at different angles with respect to the imaging unit. The gaze direction is determined based on the angles, the positions of the reflections spots, and the position of the pupil. Thanks to the use of the two collimated beams, the detected gaze direction is substantially independent of the size of the eye, independent of the lateral position of the eye, and independent of the distance between the imaging unit and the eye. The detected gaze angle may be used for selecting between options displayed by a virtual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Ville Nummela
  • Publication number: 20130021578
    Abstract: A learning-based visual attention prediction method is disclosed. The method includes a correlation relationship between the fixation density and at least one feature information being learned by training, followed by a test video sequence of test frames being received. Afterward, at least one tested feature map is generated for each test frame based on the feature information. Finally, the tested feature map is mapped into a saliency map, which indicates the fixation strength of the corresponding test frame, according to the correlation relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicants: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Homer H. Chen, Su-Ling Yeh, Tai-Hsiang Huang, Wen-Fu Lee, Ling-Hsiu Huang
  • Patent number: 8356899
    Abstract: A sleepiness sign detection apparatus, includes: a head movement detection unit configured to detect a head movement to generate a head movement data; an eye movement detection unit configured to detect an eye movement to generate an eye movement data; an ideal eye movement angular velocity calculation unit configured to calculate an ideal eye movement angular velocity based on the head movement data generated by the head movement detection unit; an eye-rotation angular velocity calculation unit configured to calculate an eye-rotation angular velocity based on the eye movement data generated by the eye movement detection unit; and a sleepiness sign detection unit configured to detect vestibule-ocular reflex (VOR) from the ideal eye movement angular velocity and the eye-rotation angular velocity, and determine a sign of sleepiness based on the vestibule-ocular reflex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Chubu University Educational Foundation
    Inventor: Yutaka Hirata
  • Patent number: 8355544
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include a method for retinal image analysis implemented in a medical system with one or more processors comprising the method steps of: (a) locating an optical disk on the retinal images and establishing a plurality of circumferences centered at the disk; (b) detecting a plurality of vessels within a region defined by said circumferences' radii using a crease-based algorithm; (c) extracting a plurality of vessel segments based on a deformable models (snakes) algorithm; and d) automatically classifying the vessels and computing clinical parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignees: Universidade da Coruna-Otri, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Servicio Galego de Saude (Sergas)
    Inventors: Francisco Gómez-Ulla de Irazazábal, Manuel Francisco González Penedo, Antonio Pose Reino, Noelia Barreira Rodríguez, Marcos Ortega Hortas, María José Carreira Nouche, Antonio Mosquera González
  • Publication number: 20130010259
    Abstract: For optical coherence tomography engines a method for eliminating the effects of the movement of the eye on the optical coherence tomography scan calculates the motion of the eye from an image from an auxiliary scanning system and compares a reference region to a corresponding region in the image associated with the next frame, with the change in position sensing the motion of the eye. This is followed by utilizing this sensed motion to generate accurate offsets for the scanning mirror patterns of the OCT engine. Additionally, scan skipping is utilized to obviate the effects of rapid eye movement that occur at rates faster than the image acquisition rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Matthew Carnevale
  • Patent number: 8348426
    Abstract: An optical image measurement device is configured to form a tomographic image at each of a plurality of cross sections of a measurement object, and the optical image measurement device comprises: an image processor configured to execute an arithmetic operation based on a tomographic image at one cross section of the plurality of cross sections and another tomographic image at each of one or more cross sections other than the one cross section, thereby forming a new tomographic image at the one cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventors: Hisashi Tsukada, Hiroyuki Aoki, Yasufumi Fukuma, Tsutomu Kikawa
  • Patent number: 8348428
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for characterizing square wave jerks in the eye movements of a person, which may provide a powerful tool in the differential diagnosis of oculomotor and neurological disease. The method includes the steps of a) providing a sequence of saccades, b) identifying pairs of consecutive saccades of the sequence, c) determining whether each saccade of each identified pair is opposite the direction of the other saccade and, if not, then discarding the pair, d) determining whether a magnitude of each saccade of each identified pair is comparable and, if not, then discarding the pair, e) determining whether the pair of saccades of each identified pair are temporally related by a predetermined time period and, if not, then discarding the pair and f) collecting any remaining pairs of saccades as square wave jerks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Dignity Health
    Inventors: Susana Martinez-Conde, Stephen L. Macknik, Xoana Troncoso, Jorge Otero-Millan
  • Patent number: 8342687
    Abstract: Provided is a method of determining a gaze point of an eye watching a visual display controllable by a display signal. The method comprises generating a display signal using a graphics card in order for the visual display to produce a screen pattern; receiving a signal encoding an image of the eye including a corneo-scleral reflection of the screen pattern; and determining, based on in part the geometry of said reflection, a gaze point of the eye, wherein said determining a gaze point includes utilizing the graphics card as a parallel processor. The image of the eye may be received directly at the graphics card. The graphics card may extract image features in the eye images. Reference illuminators may be used, and the screen pattern may be interlaced with a distinctive reference pattern. Further provided are a gaze-tracking system and a personal computer system adapted to determine a gaze point of a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
    Inventors: Peter Blixt, Miroslav Kobetski, Anders Hoglund
  • Patent number: 8343067
    Abstract: A system for quantifying and mapping visual salience to a visual stimulus, including a processor, software for receiving data indicative of a group of individual's ocular responses to a visual stimulus, software for determining a distribution of visual resources at each of at least two times for each of at least a portion of the individuals. The system further including software for determining and quantifying a group distribution of visual resources at each of the at least two times and software for generating a display of the group's distribution of visual resources to the visual stimulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventors: Warren Jones, Ami Klin
  • Patent number: 8337019
    Abstract: A system for testing visual fields comprising a display for presenting a visual stimulus and an eye tracker for tracking movement of at least one of a patient's eyes to determine its position in three dimensions without requiring the patient to wear any tracking equipment. A computer controls the position of the stimulus on the display and causes it to move by an amount that is a function of the tracked three-dimensional position of the patient's eye and a visual field position that is to be tested. Changes to the position of the stimulus and any corresponding tracked eye movement are used to assess the patient's visual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: University Court of the University of Edinburgh
    Inventors: Ian Murray, Robert Minns, Brian Fleck, Harry Brash
  • Patent number: 8333475
    Abstract: An electro-oculography measuring device includes: an electro-oculography measuring unit configured to measure an electro-oculography original signal; a view capturing unit configured to capture a view picture; a drift estimation processing unit configured to estimate a drift signal; and a subtractor which subtracts the drift signal from the electro-oculography original signal to output an electro-oculography signal, and the drift estimation processing unit includes: an electro-oculography change amount calculating unit configured to calculate an electro-oculography change amount; a motion vector estimating unit configured to estimate a motion vector of a moving object included in the view picture; a drift change amount estimating unit configured to estimate a drift change amount assuming that a change in a gaze direction follows a motion of the moving object; and a drift estimating unit configured to estimate the drift signal by adding the drift change amount to a past drift signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Sugio, Daisuke Sato
  • Publication number: 20120307207
    Abstract: Method for determining deviations between coordinate systems of different technical systems, comprising the steps of determining a coordinate position of a reference feature of a test object in the coordinate system (u,v) of a first of the technical systems, the attachment of at least one test feature to the test object, with the test feature being attached in the coordinate system of a second of the technical systems at a coordinate position that is determined in dependence on the determined coordinate position of the reference feature, the determination of a coordinate position of at least one test feature and/or at least one feature derived from it in the coordinate system (u,v) of the first technical system, and determination of deviations between the coordinate systems of the first and second technical system, at least on the basis of: (a) the determined coordinate position of at least one test feature and/or of at least one feature derived from it in the coordinate system (u,v) of the first technical sy
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Mario Abraham, Johannes Agethen, Mario Klafke, Joachim Matschnigg
  • Patent number: 8322855
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for determining the visual behavior of a person. The inventive method comprises the following steps consisting in: recording the movement of the individual's head, recording the movement of his/her eyes, determining the relative orientation of the eye in relation to the head, and determining the amount of time for which the eye is maintained in each orientation. The aforementioned amount of time is determined by collecting the records of orientations in finite intervals and counting the number of records (frequency) in each interval. Said orientations are specified using angular co-ordinates for both the head and the eye. The data are detected and processed with the aid of a device comprising light emitters (51) which are fixed to the head, cameras (63) and a screen (611, 612) for attracting the individual's gaze. The results from the method are used in order to customize the design of a lens for spectacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: INDO Internacional S.A.
    Inventors: Antonia Giménez Carol, Carmen Prieto Pin, Juan Carlos Dursteler López, Josep Salvador Solaz Sanahuja, Begoña Mateo Martinez, Rosa Maria Porcar Seder
  • Patent number: 8322856
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving communications between humans and devices. The invention provides a method of modulating operation of a device, comprising: providing an attentive user interface for obtaining information about an attentive state of a user; and modulating operation of a device on the basis of the obtained information, wherein the operation that is modulated is initiated by the device. Preferably, the information about the user's attentive state is eye contact of the user with the device that is sensed by the attentive user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Queen's University at Kingston
    Inventors: Roel Vertegaal, Jeffrey S. Shell
  • Patent number: 8317327
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a system for identifying a user by observing irregularities on the surface of an eyeball of the user includes a topography system and a gaze tracking system. The topography system obtains one or more discernable features of the eyeball and stores the one or more discernable features. The gaze tracking system observes the irregularities, compares the irregularities to the one or more discernable features, and identifies the user if the irregularities and the one or more discernable features match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: LC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dixon Cleveland, Arthur W. Joyce, III
  • Patent number: 8292433
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving communications between humans and devices. The invention provides a method of modulating operation of a device, comprising providing an attentive user interface for obtaining information about an attentive state of a user; and modulating operation of a device on the basis of the obtained information, wherein the operation that is modulated is initiated by the device. Preferably, the information about the user's attentive state is eye contact of the user with the device that is sensed by the attentive user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Queen's University at Kingston
    Inventor: Roel Vertegaal
  • Patent number: 8267517
    Abstract: An eye movement measurement apparatus 1 measures movement of a cornea 101 by imaging a corneal reflection light image L2 generated as a result of irradiating the cornea 101 with infrared light L1. The eye movement measurement apparatus 1 includes: an imaging section 5 having a sensor section 51 including a plurality of pixels arrayed two-dimensionally, for generating imaging data including the corneal reflection light image L2 made incident on the sensor section 51; a bright spot position operation section 6 that calculates a position of the corneal reflection light image L2 in the imaging data; and a tremor signal operation section 7 that generates a third data string indicating a tremor component included in movement of the cornea 101 by calculating a difference between a first data string concerning temporal changes in position of the corneal reflection light image L2 and a second data string obtained by smoothing the first data string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Suzuki, Haruyoshi Toyoda, Munenori Takumi, Naohisa Mukozaka