18355965. Electronic Devices With Gaze Trackers simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)

Electronic Devices With Gaze Trackers

Organization Name

Apple Inc.

Inventor(s)

Chih Jen Chen of San Jose CA (US)

Brian S Lau of Sacramento CA (US)

Cameron A Harder of San Francisco CA (US)

David A Kalinowski of Davis CA (US)

Electronic Devices With Gaze Trackers - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18355965 titled 'Electronic Devices With Gaze Trackers

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a head-mounted device that uses infrared light to track a user's point of gaze.

• The device includes a housing with openings for lenses and displays that output images.
• Waveguides overlap the lenses to receive and direct the images to eye boxes aligned with the lenses.
• Infrared light sources supply infrared light to the waveguides, which have localized output couplers that direct infrared light towards the eye surface to produce an eye glint.
• A gaze tracker infrared camera captures images of the eye glints to determine the user's point of gaze.

Potential Applications

This technology could be used in virtual reality systems, augmented reality applications, eye-tracking research, and assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of accurately tracking a user's point of gaze in a head-mounted device, allowing for more intuitive and responsive interactions in various applications.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved user experience, enhanced interaction capabilities, and potential advancements in eye-tracking technology for a variety of fields.

Original Abstract Submitted

A head-mounted device may include a housing having openings that receive lenses. Displays may output images. Waveguides that overlap the lenses may receive the images from the displays and may direct the images to eye boxes that are aligned with the lenses. Infrared light sources such as infrared light-emitting diodes or lasers may be used to supply infrared light to the waveguides. Each waveguide may have multiple localized output couplers that overlap the lenses. The localized output couplers of each lens each direct a beam of the infrared light out of the waveguide towards an eye surface in the eye box associated with that lens to produce an eye glint. A gaze tracker infrared camera may captured images of the eye glints to determine a user's point of gaze.