Electronic apparatus and method of controlling electronic apparatus
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023147493
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-07
AI Technical Summary
Viewers may not fully view the content prepared by the content provider, leading to premature navigation to the next page, which existing technologies, such as those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, are unable to address.
An electronic device equipped with control means to restrict page navigation until a predetermined gaze condition is met, based on user viewing information acquired through gaze detection technology.
Ensures that viewers visually engage with content as intended by the content provider, preventing premature page navigation and enhancing the viewing experience.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and a method for controlling an electronic device, and more particularly to a technique for performing control based on information about a user's line of sight. [Background technology]
[0002] Various types of content are known to be displayed, such as content for purchases (e.g., e-commerce), educational content (e.g., e-learning), and entertainment content (e.g., e-books). Technologies related to content display that use user gaze information have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that opens and closes a window or plays a haptic effect in response to the gaze of an image. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that calibrates gaze detection based on the distribution of gaze positions when reading a displayed document, and that notifies users according to the percentage of the document that has already been read. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-126773 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-111550 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, content viewers may move to the next page (screen) of content without fully viewing the text or images that the content provider has prepared in the hope that the viewer will fully view it. This problem cannot be solved even if the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are used.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that allows a viewer of content to view content in accordance with the intention of the content provider. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] A first aspect of the present invention is an electronic device having a control means for controlling the display of a page of content including multiple pages, and an acquisition means for acquiring gaze information of a user looking at the displayed page, wherein the control means restricts the displayed page from advancing to the next page based on the gaze information until a gaze condition, which is a predetermined condition regarding the user's gaze, is satisfied.
[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is a control method for an electronic device, comprising a control step of controlling to display a page of content including multiple pages, and an acquisition step of acquiring gaze information of a user looking at the displayed page, wherein the control step restricts the displayed page from advancing to the next page until a gaze condition, which is a predetermined condition regarding the user's gaze, is satisfied based on the gaze information.
[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device described above.A fourth aspect of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device described above. [Effects of the Invention]
[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to allow a viewer of content to view content in accordance with the intention of the content provider. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external view of a wearable device. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a wearable device. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example according to the third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a specific example of the operation according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While an example in which the present invention is applied to a wearable device such as a head-mounted display (HMD) will be described, electronic devices to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to wearable devices. For example, the present invention can also be applied to non-wearable display devices such as smartphones, tablet terminals, or notebook personal computers. The present invention can also be applied to information processing devices connected to a display device, such as a personal computer or server connected to an HMD.
[0012] FIG. 1 is an external view of a wearable device 10 as an example of an electronic device to which the present invention can be applied. Right display unit 160R is a display unit for the right eye, and left display unit 160L is a display unit for the left eye. Right display unit 160R and left display unit 160L each include an eyepiece 16, an EVF 29 (Electric Viewfinder), an infrared light-emitting diode 58, and an eyeball detection unit 161, which will be described later. When wearing wearable device 10, the user views an image displayed on right display unit 160R (right image) with their right eye, and views an image displayed on left display unit 160L (left image) with their left eye.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the wearable device 10.
[0014] The image processing unit 24 performs predetermined processing (for example, resizing processing such as pixel interpolation or reduction, and color conversion processing) on data from the memory control unit 15, which will be described later.
[0015] The memory control unit 15 controls the transmission and reception of data between the image processing unit 24, the memory 32, and the system control unit 50.
[0016] The memory 32 is a memory (video memory) for displaying images. The image data for display written in the memory 32 is displayed by the EVF 29 via the memory control unit 15.
[0017] The EVF 29 displays on a display such as an LCD or organic EL display in accordance with a signal from the memory control unit 15. By sequentially transferring and displaying image data stored in the memory 32 to the EVF 29, moving images can be played back and displayed.
[0018] The eyepiece 16 is an eyepiece of an eyepiece finder (a peer-type finder), and the user can view the image displayed on the EVF 29 through the eyepiece 16.
[0019] The nonvolatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, such as a Flash-ROM. The nonvolatile memory 56 stores various information (data) such as constants and programs for the operation of the system control unit 50. The programs referred to here are programs for executing the processes of various flowcharts, which will be described later.
[0020] The system control unit 50 is a control unit made up of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire wearable device 10. The system control unit 50 performs each process described below by executing programs recorded in nonvolatile memory 56. The system memory 52 is, for example, RAM, and the system control unit 50 loads various information (data) such as constants and variables for operation of the system control unit 50 and programs read from the nonvolatile memory 56 into the system memory 52. The system control unit 50 also controls each unit including the memory 32 and the EVF 29 to perform display control.
[0021] The system timer 53 is a timekeeping unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of a built-in clock.
[0022] The operation unit 70 is a variety of operation members that serve as an input unit that accepts operations from the user (user operations). The operation unit 70 includes, for example, a voice UI or a touchpad. The touchpad is mounted on the side (not shown) of the wearable device 10. The system control unit 50 can detect operations on the touchpad or the state of the touchpad. The coordinates of the position where a finger touches the touchpad are notified to the system control unit 50 via an internal bus, and the system control unit 50 determines what kind of user operation (touch operation) has been performed on the touchpad based on the notified information. The touchpad may be any of various types of touchpads, such as a resistive film type, a capacitive type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared type, an electromagnetic induction type, an image recognition type, and an optical sensor type.
[0023] The power switch 72 is an operating member that switches the power of the wearable device 10 on and off.
[0024] The power supply control unit 31 is composed of multiple components (circuits) including a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, and a switch circuit that switches between blocks to which electricity is applied, and detects whether a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery charge. The power supply control unit 31 also controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the system control unit 50, and supplies the required voltage for the required period to each unit, including the recording medium 200. The power supply unit 30 includes primary batteries such as alkaline batteries or lithium batteries, secondary batteries such as NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, or lithium-ion batteries, or an AC adapter.
[0025] The recording medium I / F 17 is an interface with a recording medium 200 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium for storing moving image files for playback or for recording viewing information, and includes a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk.
[0026] The communication unit 54 transmits and receives video signals or audio signals to and from external devices connected wirelessly or via a wired cable. The communication unit 54 can also transmit and receive data to and from an external database server. The communication unit 54 can also connect to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The communication unit 54 can also communicate with external devices via Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Bluetooth Low Energy. For example, the communication unit 54 receives download content from the external database 18.
[0027] The eyepiece detection unit 57 is a wearing detection sensor that detects whether the user is wearing the wearable device 10. The system control unit 50 can switch between starting (power on) and stopping (power off) the wearable device 10 depending on the state detected by the eyepiece detection unit 57. The eyepiece detection unit 57 may be configured to detect the approach of an object to the eyepiece 16, for example, using an infrared proximity sensor. When an object approaches, infrared light emitted from a light-emitting unit (not shown) of the eyepiece detection unit 57 is reflected and received by a light-receiving unit (not shown) of the infrared proximity sensor. The amount of received infrared light can also be used to determine the distance the object has approached from the eyepiece 16. Note that the infrared proximity sensor is just an example, and other sensors, such as a capacitance sensor, may be used for the eyepiece detection unit 57.
[0028] The eyeball detection unit 161 is composed of an eyeball detection lens 162, an event sensor 163, and an event data calculation unit 164, which will be described later. The eyeball detection unit 161 is capable of acquiring eyeball information relating to the state of the eyes (right eye 150R and left eye 150L) of the user looking through the viewfinder.
[0029] The infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting diode 58 is reflected by the user's eye, and the reflected infrared light passes through the eye detection lens 162 and forms an image on the imaging surface of the event sensor 163 .
[0030] The event sensor 163 is an event-based vision sensor that detects changes in the luminance of light incident on each pixel and outputs information about pixels where the luminance change occurred asynchronously with other pixels. The data output from the event sensor 163 includes, for example, the position coordinates of the pixel where the luminance change (event) occurred, the polarity (positive or negative) of the luminance change, and timing information corresponding to the time the event occurred. This data will be referred to as event data hereafter. Compared to synchronous frame-based sensors such as existing image capture units, the event sensor 163 eliminates redundancy in the output information and is characterized by high-speed operation, a high dynamic range, and low power consumption. However, because the event data (information about pixels where the luminance change occurred) is output asynchronously with other pixels, special processing is required to determine the correlation between the event data. To determine the correlation between the event data, the event data output from the event sensor 163 must be accumulated over a predetermined period of time and various arithmetic operations must be performed on the results.
[0031] The event data calculation unit 164 is a calculation unit for acquiring (detecting) eyeball information based on event data continuously and asynchronously output from the event sensor 163. For example, the event data calculation unit 164 accumulates event data generated over a predetermined period of time and processes the event data as a set of data to acquire eyeball information. By changing the accumulation time for accumulating the event data, it is possible to acquire multiple pieces of eyeball information with different generation rates. The eyeball information includes, for example, gaze position information regarding the gaze position (the position where the user is looking), saccade information regarding the direction or speed of saccades, and microsaccade information regarding the frequency or amplitude of microsaccades (amount of change in gaze position). The eyeball information may also be interpreted as gaze information regarding the user's gaze. The eyeball information may also include information regarding eyeball movements other than saccades and microsaccades, pupil information regarding pupil size or changes in that size, or blink information regarding the speed or frequency of blinks. These pieces of information are merely examples, and the eyeball information is not limited to these. The event data calculation unit 164 may map the event data for the accumulation time as one frame of image data based on the event occurrence coordinates (the position coordinates of the pixel where the luminance change (event) occurred), and perform image processing. With this configuration, eyeball information can be acquired from one frame of image data obtained by mapping the event data for the accumulation time using frame-based image processing.
[0032] The user state determination unit 165 determines whether or not the user is in a certain state based on the eyeball information obtained by the event data calculation unit 164. , is a determination unit that determines the state of the user. For example, the size (width) of the visible range or the degree of attention (bird's-eye view degree) can be determined from the frequency or amplitude of microsaccades. Here, the visible range may be interpreted as the gaze range, attention range, or focus range. The degree of attention is an index that is higher the narrower the visible range, and lower the wider it is. The bird's-eye view degree is defined as the antonym of the degree of attention. The user state determination unit 165 can be configured, for example, as a neural network that receives parameters related to eye information as input and outputs information related to the user's state (hereinafter referred to as user state information) as described above. However, the configuration of the user state determination unit 165 is not limited to the above configuration. The eye information used by the user state determination unit 165 and the determination results of the user state determination unit 165 are not limited to those described above.
[0033] The gaze input setting unit 166 sets whether the processing of the eyeball detection unit 161 is enabled or disabled via the system control unit 50. The gaze input setting unit 166 can also set parameters and conditions related to the processing of the event data calculation unit 164 and the user state determination unit 165. For example, the user can arbitrarily make these settings from a menu screen.
[0034] The system control unit 50 can also obtain information about the size and area of the EVF 29 in which an object is displayed. Furthermore, the eyeball detection unit 161 can also obtain information about the area of the EVF 29 at which the user is directing their gaze (gaze information). This allows the system control unit 50 to determine which object the user is looking at.
[0035] The display content analysis unit 171 analyzes the display content. For example, the display content analysis unit 171 acquires (downloads) content information using the communication unit 54 and detects the type, number, size, and position of displayed objects such as pictures, photographs, diagrams, or tables. The analysis method and the information obtained by the analysis are not limited to those described above. The analysis may include image processing such as template matching.
[0036] The read range detection unit 172 detects the read range of the content. The confirmation mode setting unit 173 sets the confirmation mode. There are no particular limitations on the method for setting the confirmation mode, but for example, the confirmation mode setting unit 173 sets the confirmation mode in accordance with a user operation on a menu screen. In this embodiment, any one of a plurality of confirmation modes including a careful reading mode and a skim reading mode can be set. In the careful reading mode, the conditions for determining that something has been read (read conditions) are strict, while in the skim reading mode, the read conditions are lenient.
[0037] Example 1 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4(A) to 4(D).
[0038] Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wearable device 10. Each process in the flowchart of Fig. 3 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the non-volatile memory 56 into the system memory 52, executing it, and controlling each functional block. When the user instructs the start of content display using the operation unit 70, the system control unit 50 starts the operation of Fig. 3. The content includes multiple pages whose display order is predetermined. Each page is composed of, for example, a combination of image data written in the memory 32.
[0039] In step S301, the system control unit 50 displays the Nth page of the content on the EVF 29. The Nth page may or may not be the first (first) page. For example, the Nth page may be the page that was last displayed when the content was viewed the previous time. Each page of the content, except for the last page, includes an object (item) for advancing the displayed page to the next page. Thereafter, An object for advancing the displayed page to the next page is referred to as a page forwarding object. When displaying content on the EVF 29, the system control unit 50 also displays a cursor on the EVF 29 indicating the user's operation position. The user can use the operation unit 70 to move the cursor displayed on the EVF 29.
[0040] In step S302, the system control unit 50 sets to ON the page forwarding prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52. If the page forwarding prohibition flag is not stored in the system memory 52, the system control unit 50 stores the page forwarding prohibition flag set to ON in the system memory 52.
[0041] In step S303, the system control unit 50 determines whether a gaze condition, which is a predetermined condition related to the user's gaze, is satisfied for the displayed page. This determination is made based on the gaze information acquired by the eyeball detection unit 161. The gaze condition information may be defined in the program, may be included in the content data, or may be managed separately from the program and the content.
[0042] In the first embodiment, it is assumed that a part of a page is predetermined as a judgment area. Furthermore, it is assumed that a gaze condition is predetermined for the judgment area. The judgment area is an area that a content provider wants a user (content viewer) to be able to fully (reliably) view. Information about the judgment area may be defined in a program, may be included in content data, or may be managed separately from the program and content. Information about the judgment area may be acquired by analyzing the page. One page may have one judgment area or multiple judgment areas. When one page has multiple judgment areas, multiple gaze conditions corresponding to the multiple judgment areas are predetermined. The gaze condition is, for example, a condition that the gaze is continuously directed at the judgment area corresponding to the gaze condition for a predetermined period of time or longer.
[0043] The system control unit 50 determines whether the line-of-sight conditions of all the judgment areas are satisfied for the displayed page. If the line-of-sight conditions of all the judgment areas are satisfied, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S304. If not (if there is a judgment area for which the line-of-sight conditions are not satisfied), the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S305.
[0044] It is preferable that multiple determination areas on a single page do not overlap. This prevents the determination condition of another determination area from being satisfied while the user is viewing a given determination area. The gaze condition is not limited to the above conditions. For example, the gaze condition may be that the user's gaze is directed toward the determination area corresponding to the gaze condition. The gaze condition may be that the total time the user's gaze is directed toward the determination area corresponding to the gaze condition is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. The gaze condition may be that the user's attention is focused on the determination area corresponding to the gaze condition. The method for determining whether the user's attention is focused on the determination area is not particularly limited. The determination of whether the user's gaze is focused on the determination area may be determined by determining whether the user's gaze is continuously directed toward the determination area for equal to or longer than a predetermined time, or by determining whether the total time the user's gaze is directed toward the determination area for equal to or longer than a predetermined time. The gaze condition may be that the user's gaze moves across the entire displayed page. The gaze condition may be any one of the above conditions, or a combination of two or more of them.
[0045] In step S304, the system control unit 50 sets the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 to OFF.
[0046] In step S305, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a user operation (page forwarding operation) for advancing the displayed page to the next page has been performed. For example, a user operation is to move the cursor displayed on the EVF 29 to a page forwarding object and tap the touchpad (a touch operation in which a user touches down and then immediately touches up). If a page forwarding operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S306; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S303.
[0047] In step S306, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 is off. If the page forward prohibition flag is off, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S308; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S307.
[0048] In step S307, the system control unit 50 issues a predetermined notification to the user. The predetermined notification is, for example, a notification that there is a determination area where the line of sight condition is not satisfied. Although the notification method is not particularly limited, in the first embodiment, the predetermined notification is issued using the EVF 29. Step S307 may be omitted.
[0049] In step S308, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page (page forward).
[0050] In step S309, the system control unit 50 determines whether to end the display of the content. If the display of the content is to be ended, the operation of FIG. 3 ends; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S302. For example, the system control unit 50 determines to end the display of the content when a user operation is performed to specify an end button included in the last page of the content or to close the window displaying the content. The system control unit 50 also determines to end the display of the content when a next page does not exist in step S308.
[0051] 4(A) to 4(D) are schematic diagrams showing examples of screens according to the first embodiment.
[0052] FIG. 4(A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S301 or step S308 of FIG. 3. The screen of FIG. 4(A) displays a page of e-learning content. The page of FIG. 4(A) includes an object 401 and an object 402. The object 401 is a page-back object for returning the displayed page to the previous page, and the object 402 is a page-forward object for advancing the displayed page to the next page. A cursor 403 indicating the user's operation position is overlaid on the page of FIG. 4(A). An area 404 on the page of FIG. 4(A) is a predetermined determination area. The dashed line indicating the determination area 404 is not displayed. When the touchpad of the operation unit 70 is tapped in the state shown in FIG. 4(A) (with the cursor 403 over the page-forward object 402), the system control unit 50 determines that a page-forward operation has been performed. Even if a page forwarding operation is performed, the system control unit 50 will not advance the displayed page to the next page unless the line-of-sight condition of the determination area 404 is satisfied. If a page forwarding operation is performed after the line-of-sight condition of the determination area 404 is satisfied, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page.
[0053] The content may be stored in memory 32 within wearable device 10, or may be stored on recording medium 200. The content may also be stored in an external database 18 on the Internet. In this case, any one page of the content is downloaded from the Internet via communication unit 54. The downloaded page is then displayed on EVF 29. The downloaded page data includes not only image and text data to be displayed, but also link information to other pages. When the page data is downloaded, information on the determination area for that page is also downloaded. The downloaded page data may include information on the determination area. Information on the line of sight conditions is also downloaded. Not only a single file containing data of multiple pages whose display order is predetermined, but also a collection of multiple pages connected by one or more link information corresponding to the predetermined display order may be interpreted as content containing multiple pages whose display order is predetermined.
[0054] FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S301 or step S308. The screen of FIG. 4B displays a page of content, which is a web electronic catalog. The page of FIG. 4B includes an object 405. The object 405 is a page forwarding object, and link information to the next page on the Internet is associated with the object 405. A cursor 406, indicating the user's operation position, is overlaid on the page of FIG. 4B. Areas 407 and 408 on the page of FIG. 4B are each predetermined judgment areas. The dashed lines indicating the judgment areas 407 and 408 are not displayed. In this way, multiple judgment areas may be set on a single page. When the touchpad of the operation unit 70 is tapped in the state shown in FIG. 4B (with the cursor 406 over the page forwarding object 405), the system control unit 50 determines that a page forwarding operation has been performed. Even if a page forwarding operation is performed, the system control unit 50 will not advance the displayed page to the next page unless both the line-of-sight conditions of the determination area 407 and the line-of-sight conditions of the determination area 408 are satisfied. If a page forwarding operation is performed after both the line-of-sight conditions of the determination area 407 and the line-of-sight conditions of the determination area 408 are satisfied, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page.
[0055] If a page forwarding operation is performed before the line-of-sight condition is satisfied, a predetermined notification is made in step S307 of FIG. 3. FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S307. In FIG. 4C, an image 409 indicating the presence of a determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied is displayed superimposed on the page. The image 409 is displayed for only a few seconds. By looking at the image 409, the user can understand that there is a portion that they have missed. Note that the notification method is not particularly limited as long as it can notify the user that a determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied exists. For example, the notification may be made using an image other than image 409, or may be made by audio.
[0056] FIG. 4(D) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S307. In FIG. 4(D), an image 410 indicating the presence of a determination area where the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied is displayed superimposed on the page. The image 410 is displayed for only a few seconds. The image 410 is displayed so as to indicate the determination area (avoiding the determination area). This allows the user to understand the determination area where the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. Note that the notification method is not particularly limited as long as it can notify the user of the determination area where the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. For example, the notification may be performed using an image other than the image 410, or may be performed by audio.
[0057] As described above, according to the first embodiment, advancing the displayed page to the next page is restricted until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. This allows the viewer of the content to view the content in accordance with the content provider's intention. For example, before advancing the displayed page to the next page, the viewer will view the area that the provider wants the viewer to view thoroughly (reliably). Note that in the first embodiment, the next page is restricted from being displayed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied, but the restriction method is not limited to this. For example, even if a page forwarding operation is performed when the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied, an administrator may be asked whether to allow the next page to be displayed. Even if the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied, the display of the next page may be permitted if the page forwarding operation is repeated a predetermined number of times or more. It is preferable that the next page can be displayed more easily when the line-of-sight condition is satisfied.
[0058] <Example 2> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In the first embodiment, the displayed page cannot be advanced to the next page even if a page forwarding operation is performed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. In the second embodiment, the page forwarding operation cannot be performed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied.
[0059] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wearable device 10. Each process in the flowchart of Fig. 5 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the non-volatile memory 56 into the system memory 52, executing it, and controlling each functional block. When the user instructs the start of content display using the operation unit 70, the system control unit 50 starts the operation of Fig. 5. The content includes multiple pages whose display order is predetermined. Each page is composed of, for example, a combination of image data written to the memory 32.
[0060] In step S501, similarly to step S301 in FIG. 3, the system control unit 50 displays the Nth page of the content on the EVF 29.
[0061] In step S502, the system control unit 50 disables the page forwarding operation (disabling the page forwarding operation). For example, the system control unit 50 displays the page forwarding object in gray out or hides the page forwarding object.
[0062] In step S503, similarly to step S302, the system control unit 50 sets the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 to ON.
[0063] In step S504, similar to step S303, the system control unit 50 determines whether the line-of-sight conditions for all determination areas are satisfied for the displayed page. If the line-of-sight conditions for all determination areas are satisfied, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S505; otherwise, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S506.
[0064] In step S505, similarly to step S304, the system control unit 50 sets the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 to OFF.
[0065] In step S506, similarly to step S306, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 is off. If the page forward prohibition flag is off, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S507; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S504.
[0066] In step S507, the system control unit 50 enables a page forwarding operation (enabling a page forwarding operation). For example, the system control unit 50 cancels the graying out of the page forwarding object or displays the page forwarding object.
[0067] In step S508, similarly to step S305, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a page forwarding operation has been performed. The system control unit 50 waits for a page forwarding operation to be performed, and if a page forwarding operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S509.
[0068] In step S509, similarly to step S308, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page (page forward).
[0069] In step S510, similarly to step S309, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not to end the display of the content. If the display of the content is to be ended, the operation in Fig. 5 ends; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S502.
[0070] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the page turning operation cannot be performed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied, thereby making it possible to suppress unnecessary page turning operations in a state where an area that should be viewed is overlooked.
[0071] Example 3 Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7(A), and 7(B). In the third embodiment, the saliency of the determination area is changed, and control is performed based on the display time of the page. Although a modified example of the second embodiment will be described, the characteristic operation of the third embodiment may be combined with the first embodiment. Saliency may be interpreted as the degree of prominence or visibility.
[0072] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wearable device 10. Each process in the flowchart of Fig. 6 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the non-volatile memory 56 into the system memory 52, executing it, and controlling each functional block. When the user instructs the start of content display using the operation unit 70, the system control unit 50 starts the operation of Fig. 6. The content includes multiple pages whose display order is predetermined. Each page is composed of, for example, a combination of image data written to the memory 32.
[0073] 5, in step S601, the system control unit 50 displays the Nth page of the content on the EVF 29. Furthermore, the system control unit 50 uses the system timer 53 to start measuring the time during which the Nth page is displayed on the EVF 29 (display time of the Nth page).
[0074] In step S602, similarly to step S502, the system control unit 50 disables page forwarding operations (disabling page forwarding operations).
[0075] In step S603, similarly to step S503, the system control unit 50 sets the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 to ON.
[0076] In step S604, the system control unit 50 performs processing to reduce the salience of a judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. For example, the system control unit 50 displays the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied in gray. This makes the region that the user views less noticeable and the region that the user does not view more noticeable, making it easier for the user to understand where to look. Note that, although the processing for the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied is described as relatively emphasizing the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied, this is not limited thereto. For example, the processing for the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied may increase the salience of the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied (the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied may be emphasized). Either the processing for the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied or the processing for the judgment region for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied may be performed, or both may be performed.
[0077] In step S605, similar to step S504, the system control unit 50 determines whether the line-of-sight conditions for all the determination areas are satisfied for the displayed page. If the line-of-sight conditions for all the determination areas are satisfied, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S609; otherwise, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S606.
[0078] In step S606, the system control unit 50 determines whether the display time of the current page (the page being displayed) has reached a first predetermined time T1. The display time of the current page may be interpreted as the time elapsed since the display of the page began. If the display time has reached the first predetermined time T1, the process proceeds to step S607, otherwise the process proceeds to step S610.
[0079] In step S607, the system control unit 50 notifies the user of a judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. In the third embodiment, a process for increasing the salience of a judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied is performed. For example, the system control unit 50 highlights the judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. This makes the area not viewed by the user stand out, making it easier for the user to understand where to look. At this time, the graying out in step S604 may be canceled. If the display time of the current page reaches the first predetermined time T1 while there is a judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied, it is highly likely that the user does not understand where to look. Therefore, the user is notified of the judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied.
[0080] The notification method is not particularly limited. For example, the gray-out of step S604 may be left unchanged, and the determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied may be highlighted. This makes the area not viewed by the user more noticeable. In step S604, a process may be performed to increase the salience of the determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. Then, in step S607, a process may be performed again to increase the salience of the determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. In step S607, a process may be performed to decrease the salience of the determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. This also makes the area not viewed by the user more noticeable. The determination area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied may be notified by sound.
[0081] In step S608, the system control unit 50 determines whether the display time of the current page has reached a second predetermined time T2. The second predetermined time T2 is longer than the first predetermined time T1. For example, the second predetermined time T2 is a time sufficient for many users to view all of the judgment areas. If the display time of the current page has reached the second predetermined time T2, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S609; otherwise, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S610. If it is determined that there is a judgment area for which the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied and the display time of the current page has reached the second predetermined time T2, it is highly likely that the user has sufficiently viewed the page (all of the judgment areas). Therefore, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S609 so that the displayed page can be advanced to the next page.
[0082] In step S609, similarly to step S505, the system control unit 50 sets the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 to OFF.
[0083] In step S610, similar to step S506, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the page forward prohibition flag stored in the system memory 52 is off. If the page forward prohibition flag is off, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S611; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S604.
[0084] In step S611, similarly to step S507, the system control unit 50 enables a page forwarding operation (enabling a page forwarding operation).
[0085] In step S612, similarly to step S508, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a page forwarding operation has been performed. The system control unit 50 waits for a page forwarding operation to be performed, and if a page forwarding operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S613.
[0086] In step S613, similarly to step S509, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page (page forward). The system timer 53 starts to measure the time during which the next page (the page to be newly displayed) is displayed on the EVF 29 (the display time of the next page).
[0087] In step S614, similarly to step S510, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not to end the display of the content. If the display of the content is to be ended, the operation in Fig. 6 ends; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S602.
[0088] 7(A) and 7(B) are schematic diagrams showing examples of screens according to the third embodiment.
[0089] FIG. 7(A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S604 of FIG. 6. The screen of FIG. 7(A) displays a page of content. The page of FIG. 7(A) includes a page back object 701 and a page forward object 702. A cursor 703 indicating the user's operation position is overlaid on the page of FIG. 7(A). As a result of the processing of step S602, the page forward object 702 is displayed in gray. Areas 704, 705, and 706 on the page of FIG. 7(A) are each predetermined judgment areas. The dashed lines indicating judgment areas 704 to 706 are not displayed. It is assumed that the line-of-sight condition for judgment area 704 is met, but the judgment conditions for judgment areas 705 and 706 are not met. Judgment area 704, for which the line-of-sight condition is met, is displayed in gray. As a result, areas that the user views become less noticeable, and areas that the user does not view become more noticeable, so that the user's gaze is naturally directed toward the areas that the user does not view.
[0090] FIG. 7(B) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S607 of FIG. 6. Similar to FIG. 7(A), the screen of FIG. 7(B) displays a page of content. The page of FIG. 7(B) includes a page back object 701 and a page forward object 702. A cursor 703 is placed over the page of FIG. 7(B). As a result of the processing of step S602, the page forward object 702 is displayed in gray. The page of FIG. 7(B) also includes determination areas 704 to 706. Assume that the line-of-sight conditions for determination areas 704 and 705 are met, but the determination condition for determination area 706 is not met. The determination area 706, whose line-of-sight conditions are not met, is displayed in highlight. This makes areas not viewed by the user stand out, and naturally draws the user's gaze toward the areas not viewed by the user.
[0091] As described above, according to the third embodiment, the saliency of the determination area is changed as appropriate. This makes it easier for the user to understand where to look. Furthermore, if the page display time is long, it is possible to advance the displayed page to the next page. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation where the user cannot advance the displayed page to the next page even though the user is fully viewing the page.
[0092] Example 4 A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 8, 9(A) to 9(G), and 10(A) to 10(C). In the fourth embodiment, processing changes depending on the confirmation mode.
[0093] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wearable device 10. Each process in the flowchart of FIG. 8 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 56 into the system memory 52, executing it, and controlling each functional block. When the user instructs the start of content display using the operation unit 70, the system control unit 50 starts the operation of FIG. 8. The content includes multiple pages whose display order is predetermined. Each page is composed of, for example, a combination of image data written in the memory 32.
[0094] In step S801, the system control unit 50 displays the Nth page of the content on the EVF 29.
[0095] In step S802, the system control unit 50 analyzes the displayed page using the display content analysis unit 171. For example, under the control of the system control unit 50, the display content analysis unit 171 acquires (downloads) content information using the communication unit 54 and detects the type, number, size, and position of displayed objects such as pictures, photographs, diagrams, or tables. The analysis method and the information obtained by the analysis are not limited to those described above. The analysis may include image processing such as template matching.
[0096] In step S803, the system control unit 50 determines whether the confirmation mode is the careful reading mode or the skim reading mode. If it is the careful reading mode, the process proceeds to step S804, and if it is the skim reading mode, the process proceeds to step S809. Note that confirmation modes other than the careful reading mode and the skim reading mode may be set.
[0097] In step S804, the system control unit 50 sets a gaze condition A and an object detection number condition OA corresponding to the at-a-glance reading mode. The gaze condition A includes a visible range condition A1 and a gaze position condition A2. The object detection number condition OA may be interpreted as part of the gaze condition A. The visible range condition A1 is a condition that at least a portion of the visible range (a portion or the entire visible range) is within a first determination range RA1. The visible range is detected by the user state determination unit 165. The gaze position condition A2 is a condition that the gaze position is within a second determination range RA2. The gaze position is detected by the eyeball detection unit 161. The first determination range RA1 and the second determination range RA2 are set based on the size and position of the object. If the displayed page includes multiple objects, the visible range condition A1 and the gaze position condition A2 are set for each of the multiple objects. The settings of the visible range condition A1 and the gaze position condition A2 may be interpreted as settings of the first determination range RA1 and the second determination range RA2. The object detection number condition OA is a condition that the number of objects (object areas) that satisfy the visible range condition A1 and the gaze position condition A2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (a predetermined number NA). Setting the object detection number condition OA may be interpreted as setting the predetermined number NA.
[0098] In step S805, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an object that satisfies the visible range condition A1 exists. If an object that satisfies the visible range condition A1 exists, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S806; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S808.
[0099] In step S806, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an object that satisfies the gaze position condition A2 exists. If an object that satisfies the gaze position condition A2 exists, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S807; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S808.
[0100] In step S807, the system control unit 50 uses the read range detection unit 172 to detect (set) the area (range) of the object that satisfies the visible range condition A1 and the eye gaze position condition A2 as the read range.
[0101] In step S808, the system control unit 50 determines whether the object detection number condition OA is satisfied. This determination is made by determining whether the number of read ranges on the displayed page (the number of objects that satisfy the visible range condition A1 and the gaze position condition A2) is equal to or greater than a predetermined number NA. If the object detection number condition OA is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S814; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S805.
[0102] In step S809, the system control unit 50 sets a line of sight condition B and an object detection number condition OB corresponding to the skim reading mode. The line of sight condition B includes a visible range condition B1 and a line of sight position condition B2. The object detection number condition OB may be interpreted as part of the line of sight condition B. The visible range condition B1 is a condition that at least a portion of the visible range (a portion or the entire visible range) is within a first determination range RB1. The line of sight position condition B2 is a condition that the line of sight is within a second determination range RB2. The first determination range RB1 and the second determination range RB2 are each set based on the size and position of an object. If the displayed page includes multiple objects, the visible range condition B1 and the line of sight position condition B2 are set for each of the multiple objects. The settings of the visible range condition B1 and the line of sight position condition B2 may be interpreted as the settings of the first determination range RB1 and the second determination range RB2. The object detection number condition OB is a condition that the number of objects (object regions) that satisfy the visible range condition B1 and the gaze position condition B2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number NB. Setting the object detection number condition OB may be interpreted as setting the predetermined number NB.
[0103] In the skim reading mode, page turning (switching to the next page) is performed under looser conditions than in the careful reading mode. For example, the first determination range RB1 may be set to a range wider than the first determination range RA1. The second determination range RB2 may be set to a range wider than the second determination range RA2. The predetermined number NB may be set to a number smaller than the predetermined number NA.
[0104] In step S810, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an object exists that satisfies the visible range condition B1. If an object exists that satisfies the visible range condition B1, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S811; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S813.
[0105] In step S811, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an object exists that satisfies the gaze position condition B2. If an object exists that satisfies the gaze position condition B2, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S812; otherwise, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S813.
[0106] In step S812, the system control unit 50 uses the read range detection unit 172 to detect (set) the area (range) of the object that satisfies the visible range condition B1 and the eye gaze position condition B2 as the read range.
[0107] In step S813, the system control unit 50 determines whether the object detection number condition OB is satisfied. This determination is to determine whether the number of read ranges on the displayed page (the number of objects that satisfy the visible range condition B1 and the eye gaze position condition B2) is equal to or greater than a predetermined number NB. If the object detection number condition OB is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S814; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S810.
[0108] In step S814, the system control unit 50 determines whether a predetermined time has passed or whether the visible range has changed. Time measurement begins, for example, when the object detection number condition OA or the object detection number condition OB is satisfied. The system control unit 50 waits for the predetermined time to pass or the visible range to change, and proceeds to step S815 if the predetermined time has passed or the visible range has changed.
[0109] In step S815, the system control unit 50 advances the displayed page to the next page (page forwarding). The method of page forwarding may differ depending on the confirmation mode. In the careful reading mode, page forwarding may be performed for all pages of the content, and in the skimming mode, page forwarding may be performed for some pages (representative pages) of the content. For example, in the careful reading mode, the displayed page may advance to the page one page later, and in the skimming mode, the displayed page may advance to the page five pages later.
[0110] In step S816, the system control unit 50 determines whether to end the display of the content.
[0111] 9(A) to 9(G) are schematic diagrams for explaining specific examples of operations according to Example 4. 9(A) and 9(B) are schematic diagrams showing an example of microsaccade information obtained by the eyeball detection unit 161 (event data calculation unit 164). 9(C) to 9(G) are schematic diagrams showing an example of a screen.
[0112] FIG. 9(A) is a graph showing an example of a microsaccade waveform when the visual field is relatively wide, and FIG. 9(B) is a graph showing an example of a microsaccade waveform when the visual field is relatively narrow. The vertical axis of FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) represents the pupil center position (the angle of rotation of the eyeball around the center of the eyeball), and the horizontal axis of FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) represents time. A microsaccade waveform is a waveform that shows the change in pupil center position when a microsaccade occurs. Portions 901 (FIG. 9(A)) and 903 (FIG. 9(B)) of the microsaccade waveform correspond to the timing of the microsaccade occurrence. As shown in FIG. 9(A), the wider the visual field, the larger the amplitude of the microsaccade tends to be, and the wider the visual field, the higher the oscillation of the microsaccade (the smaller the attenuation rate). Furthermore, as shown by the six microsaccades that occurred in period 902, the wider the visual field, the more frequently microsaccades occur. 9(B), the narrower the visual range, the smaller the amplitude of the microsaccades, and the narrower the visual range, the lower the oscillatory nature of the microsaccades (the greater the attenuation rate). Also, as can be seen from the fact that only three microsaccades occurred in period 904, which is the same length as period 902, the narrower the visual range, the lower the frequency of microsaccade occurrence. Because of these trends (the larger the visual range, the larger the microsaccades), the size (width) of the visual range can be estimated from the amplitude and frequency of microsaccade occurrence.
[0113] 9(C) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S801 or step S815 of FIG. 8. The screen of FIG. 9(C) displays a page 905 of content including non-text information such as pictures, photographs, diagrams, and tables, such as a magazine or comic. Area 906 (area surrounded by a dashed line) is a partial area of page 905. Objects 907 to 918 are objects such as photographs, headings, or sentences on page 905. The resolution of page 905 is not particularly limited, but here, the coordinates (horizontal position x, vertical position y) of the lower left corner of page 905 are set to (0, 0), and the coordinates of the upper right corner are set to (1280, 720).
[0114] FIG. 9(D) is a schematic diagram showing area 906, illustrating an example in which the careful reading mode is set. Area 919 (hatched area) is a first determination area RA1 corresponding to object 914, and area 920 (area surrounded by a dashed line) is a second determination area RA2 corresponding to object 914. Assume that second determination area 920 is an area (region) whose four corners are the coordinates (960, 380), (960, 500), (1260, 380), and (1260, 500). Area 921 (area surrounded by a dashed line) is the user's visible range, and position 922 is the user's gaze position. Assume that the coordinates of gaze position 922 are (1020, 450). Because a portion of visible range 921 is included in first determination area 919, visible range condition A1 is satisfied. Then, the gaze position condition A2 is also satisfied because the gaze position 922 is included in the second determination range 920. Therefore, in step S807, the area (range) of the object 914 is detected as the read range.
[0115] FIG. 9(E) is a schematic diagram showing the area 906 in which the careful reading mode is set. An example case will be shown below. Range 923 is the user's visible range, and position 924 is the user's gaze position. The coordinates of gaze position 924 are (900, 540). Because part of visible range 923 is included in first determination range 919, visible range condition A1 is satisfied. However, because gaze position 924 is not included in second determination range 920, gaze position condition A2 is not satisfied. Therefore, in step S807, the area (range) of object 914 is not detected as a read range.
[0116] FIG. 9(F) is a schematic diagram showing area 906, illustrating an example when the careful reading mode is set. Area 925 is the user's visible range. The user's gaze position is position 922. As in FIG. 9(D), gaze position 922 is included in second determination range 920, so gaze position condition A2 is satisfied. However, visible range 923 is not included in first determination range 919, so visible range condition A1 is not satisfied. Therefore, in step S807, the area (range) of object 914 is not detected as a read range.
[0117] FIG. 9(G) is a schematic diagram showing region 906, illustrating an example in which the skim reading mode is set. Region 926 is a first determination region RB1 corresponding to object 914, and region 927 is a second determination region RB2 corresponding to object 914. Assume that second determination region 927 is a region (region) whose four corners are the coordinates (850,300), (850,580), (1280,300), and (1280,580). The user's visible region is region 925, and the user's gaze position is position 922. Because a portion of visible region 925 is included in first determination region 926, visible region condition B1 is satisfied. Furthermore, because gaze position 922 is included in second determination region 927, gaze position condition B2 is also satisfied. Therefore, in step S812, the region (region) of object 914 is detected as a read region.
[0118] 10(A) to 10(C) are schematic diagrams showing an example of a screen according to the fourth embodiment. FIGS. 10(A) to 10(C) are schematic diagrams showing an example of a screen displayed on the EVF 29 in step S801 or step S815 of FIG. 8. The screens of FIGS. 10(A) to 10(C) display the above-described page 905. As described above, page 905 includes 12 objects 907 to 918. In FIGS. 10(A) to 10(C), a group of chapters is regarded as one object, but each line of text may also be regarded as one object. A star 1001 indicates an object detected as a read range. The star 1001 may or may not be displayed. The object detected as a read range may be made identifiable by other methods. The predetermined number NA, which is the threshold in the object detection number condition OA in the careful reading mode, and the predetermined number NB, which is the threshold in the object detection number condition OB in the skim reading mode, are not particularly limited, but here, the predetermined number NA is assumed to be 12, and the predetermined number NB is assumed to be 6. Therefore, the object detection number condition OA is a condition that all objects are detected as objects in the already-read range, and the object detection number condition OB is a condition that half of the objects are detected as objects in the already-read range.
[0119] 10A, all 12 objects are detected as objects in the read range. Both the object detection number condition OA and the object detection number condition OB are satisfied. Therefore, in both the careful reading mode (step S808) and the skimming mode (step S813), it is determined that viewing of page 905 is complete (page 905 has been fully viewed), and the process proceeds to step S814.
[0120] In FIG. 10B, seven objects are detected as objects in the read range. The object detection number condition OB is met, but the object detection number condition OA is not met. Therefore, in the skim reading mode (step S813), It is determined that viewing has been completed, and the process proceeds to step S814. However, in the careful reading mode (step S808), it is determined that viewing of page 905 has not been completed (page 905 has not been viewed sufficiently), and the process proceeds to step S805.
[0121] In Figure 10(C), two objects are detected as objects in the read range. Neither the object detection number condition OA nor the object detection number condition OB is satisfied. Therefore, in both the careful reading mode (step S808) and the skim reading mode (step S813), it is determined that viewing of page 905 is not complete. In the careful reading mode, the process proceeds to step S805, and in the skim reading mode, the process proceeds to step S810.
[0122] As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the process is changed depending on the confirmation mode, so that the user can confirm the content in the reading way that he / she prefers, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, the displayed page is automatically changed to the next page in response to the passage of a predetermined time or a change in the visible range, so that the user does not have to operate the operation member, thereby improving convenience.
[0123] The above-described embodiment (including modifications) is merely an example, and the present invention also includes configurations obtained by appropriately modifying or changing the configuration of the above-described embodiment within the scope of the gist of the present invention. The present invention also includes configurations obtained by appropriately combining the configurations of the above-described embodiment.
[0124] <Other embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.
[0125] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration, method, and program. (Configuration 1) a control means for controlling the display of a page of content including a plurality of pages; an acquisition means for acquiring line-of-sight information of a user viewing the displayed page; and The control means restricts the display page from proceeding to the next page until a line-of-sight condition, which is a predetermined condition related to the user's line of sight, is satisfied based on the line-of-sight information. An electronic device characterized by: (Configuration 2) The control means does not advance the displayed page to the next page even if a user operation to advance the displayed page to the next page is performed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. 2. The electronic device according to configuration 1. (Configuration 3) The control means controls the display so that a user operation to advance the displayed page to the next page cannot be performed until the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. 2. The electronic device according to configuration 1. (Configuration 4) The line-of-sight condition is set for a partial area of the displayed page. 4. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3. (Configuration 5) a plurality of gaze conditions corresponding to a plurality of regions on the displayed page are determined; The control means changes the page to be displayed to the next page until the plurality of line-of-sight conditions are satisfied. Restricts progress to 4. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3. (Configuration 6) a plurality of gaze conditions corresponding to a plurality of regions on the displayed page are determined; The control means restricts the display page from advancing to the next page until a line-of-sight condition corresponding to a predetermined number or more of the plurality of regions is satisfied. 4. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3. (Configuration 7) Any of a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode can be set, The control means In the first mode, restricting the display page from advancing to the next page until a line-of-sight condition for a first predetermined number of areas or more is satisfied; In the second mode, the display is restricted from advancing to the next page until a line-of-sight condition is satisfied for a second predetermined number of areas different from the first predetermined number. 7. The electronic device according to configuration 6. (Configuration 8) The regions do not overlap. 8. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 5 to 7. (Configuration 9) The gaze condition includes directing the gaze to an area corresponding to the gaze condition. 9. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 8. (Configuration 10) The gaze condition includes a condition that the total time during which the gaze is directed to the area corresponding to the gaze condition is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. 9. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 8. (Configuration 11) The gaze condition includes a condition that the gaze is continuously directed to an area corresponding to the gaze condition for a predetermined period of time or more. 9. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 8. (Configuration 12) The gaze condition includes paying attention to an area corresponding to the gaze condition. 9. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 8. (Configuration 13) The line-of-sight condition includes that at least a part of the visible range is within a first range and the line-of-sight position is within a second range. 9. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 8. (Configuration 14) The control means performs control so as to give a predetermined notification when a user operation to advance the displayed page to the next page is performed before the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. 14. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 13. (Configuration 15) The predetermined notification includes a notification of an area where the line of sight condition is not satisfied. 15. The electronic device according to configuration 14. (Configuration 16) The control means controls to notify the area where the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied when a first predetermined time has elapsed since the start of displaying the page and the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. 16. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 15. (Configuration 17) When a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time has elapsed since the start of displaying the page without the line-of-sight condition being satisfied, the control means controls the page to be displayed so as to proceed to the next page even if the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. 17. The electronic device according to configuration 16. (Configuration 18) The control means controls so as to increase the saliency of the area where the line-of-sight condition is not satisfied. 18. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 17. (Configuration 19) The control means controls so as to reduce the saliency of the region where the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. 19. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 4 to 18. (Configuration 20) Any of a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode can be set, The line of sight conditions are different between the first mode and the second mode. 20. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 19. (Configuration 21) The control means controls the page to be displayed to advance to the next page in response to the passage of a predetermined time or a change in the visible range after the line-of-sight condition is satisfied. 21. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 20. (Configuration 22) The electronic device is a head-mounted display. 22. The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 21. (method) a control step of controlling to display a page of content including a plurality of pages; an acquisition step of acquiring gaze information of a user viewing the displayed page; and A control method for an electronic device, characterized in that the control step restricts the display page from advancing to the next page until a gaze condition, which is a predetermined condition regarding the user's gaze, is met based on the gaze information. (program) A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 22. (medium) A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each means of the electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 22. [Explanation of symbols]
[0126] 10: Wearable device 50: System control unit
Claims
1. A control means for controlling the display of the portion of the content to be displayed, Acquisition means for acquiring the gaze information of the user viewing the displayed portion of the display, It has, The control means is If, before the gaze conditions relating to the user's gaze based on the gaze information are met, the user performs an operation to display a subsequent portion following the portion to be displayed in the content, a first notification prompting confirmation of the portion to be displayed is issued, and control is made to prevent the subsequent portion from being displayed. If the operation is performed after the aforementioned viewing conditions are met, the system will control the system to display the subsequent portion. An electronic device characterized by the following features.
2. The control means controls the system to issue a second notification, unlike the first notification, which highlights the area in the display target portion where the viewing conditions are not met, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of displaying the display target portion before the viewing conditions are met. The electronic device according to feature 1.
3. The subsequent portion is the portion that follows the portion to be displayed in the display order of the content. The electronic device according to feature 1.
4. The viewing conditions are defined for a portion of the displayed portion. The electronic device according to feature 1.
5. Multiple line-of-sight conditions are defined for each of the multiple regions in the displayed portion. The control means, if the user performs the operation before the plurality of viewing conditions are met, provides the first notification and controls the display so as not to show the subsequent portion. The electronic device according to feature 1.
6. Multiple line-of-sight conditions are defined for each of the multiple regions in the displayed portion. The control means, when the user performs the operation before the gaze conditions corresponding to a predetermined number or more of the plurality of regions are met, provides the first notification and controls the display so as not to show the subsequent portion. The electronic device according to feature 1.
7. One of several modes, including the first mode and the second mode, can be set. The control means is In the first mode, if the user performs the operation before the line-of-sight conditions for a predetermined number of areas are met, the first notification is given, and the subsequent portion is controlled not to be displayed. In the second mode, if the user performs the operation before the line-of-sight conditions for a second predetermined number of areas different from the first predetermined number are met, the first notification is given and the subsequent portion is controlled not to be displayed. The electronic device according to feature 6.
8. The aforementioned multiple regions do not overlap. The electronic device according to feature 5.
9. The aforementioned line of sight condition includes the fact that the line of sight is directed towards the region corresponding to the line of sight condition. The electronic device according to feature 4.
10. The aforementioned gaze condition includes the condition that the total time the gaze is directed towards the area corresponding to the gaze condition is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. The electronic device according to feature 4.
11. The aforementioned gaze condition includes the fact that the time for which the gaze has been continuously directed towards the region corresponding to the gaze condition is for a predetermined period of time or longer. The electronic device according to feature 4.
12. The aforementioned line-of-sight condition includes the region corresponding to the line-of-sight condition being the focus of attention. The electronic device according to feature 4.
13. The aforementioned line-of-sight conditions include that at least a portion of the viewing range is within the first range and the line-of-sight position is within the second range. The electronic device according to feature 4.
14. The electronic device according to claim 4, characterized in that the control means controls to change the display state of the region where the line of sight condition is satisfied.
15. The control means displays an image indicating the presence of a region where the line-of-sight condition is not met, superimposed on the region where the line-of-sight condition is not met. The electronic device according to feature 4.
16. The aforementioned content includes multiple pages, and the portion to be displayed is a page. The electronic device according to feature 1.
17. The aforementioned electronic devices include smartphones, tablet devices, and notebook personal computers. At least one selected from the group consisting of tuners. The electronic device according to feature 1.
18. The aforementioned electronic device is a head-mounted display. The electronic device according to feature 1.
19. A control step of controlling the display of the portion of the content to be displayed, A step to acquire the gaze information of the user viewing the displayed portion. It has, In the control step described above, If, before the gaze conditions relating to the user's gaze based on the gaze information are met, the user performs an operation to display a subsequent portion following the portion to be displayed in the content, a first notification prompting confirmation of the portion to be displayed is issued, and control is made to prevent the subsequent portion from being displayed. If the operation is performed after the aforementioned viewing conditions are met, the system will control the system to display the subsequent portion. A method for controlling electronic equipment characterized by the following features.
20. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 18.
21. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 18.