Adaptive Display Regions Using Gaze Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current computing platforms face challenges in efficiently presenting data on display screens due to limited screen area and bandwidth constraints, particularly in handheld devices and large screens, which affects the quality of video transmission and user interaction.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of gaze tracking technology to determine attended and unattended regions of the display screen, allowing for adaptive data processing and compression, thereby optimizing data transmission and reducing bandwidth requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the display screen area is increased to show more data, then the field of view and data presentation capability are improved, but the device size and portability are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay screen areaVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering different regions of the display at different resolutions. The foveal region (where the user is looking) is rendered at high resolution, while peripheral regions are rendered at lower resolution. This allows the display to present detailed information in the attended area without requiring the entire screen to be high-resolution, effectively increasing usable display area without proportionally increasing device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the spatial resolution of the display screen is increased to show more detail, then the data presentation quality is improved, but the bandwidth requirements and processing power are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay resolutionVSAvoidbandwidth requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system renders only the foveal region at high spatial resolution while rendering peripheral regions at lower resolution. This local quality approach ensures that detailed information is available only where the user is actually looking, significantly reducing the total quantity of data that needs to be transmitted and processed while maintaining perceptual quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic resolution adjustment based on real-time gaze tracking. As the user moves their eyes across the display, the high-resolution rendering region dynamically follows the gaze point. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high detail where needed while keeping overall bandwidth requirements manageable through continuous optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If gaze tracking technology is implemented to enable adaptive display, then the data presentation efficiency is improved, but the device complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata presentation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the existing camera and processor components of mobile devices for multiple functions. The camera serves both as a primary imaging sensor and as a gaze tracking sensor by analyzing eye position in captured frames. The processor handles both general computing tasks and gaze tracking analysis. This multi-functionality approach enables adaptive display without adding dedicated gaze tracking hardware, thereby improving data presentation efficiency while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2648604B1Adaptive displays using gaze tracking
Publication Date: 2021.12.22 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP2648604B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2648604B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP2648604B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Methods and systems for adapting a display screen output based on a display user's attention. Gaze direction tracking is employed to determine a sub-region of a display screen area to which a user is attending. Display of the attended sub-region is modified relative to the remainder of the display screen, for example, by changing the quantity of data representing an object displayed within the attended sub-region relative to an object displayed in an unattended sub-region of the display screen.