Dynamic Illuminator Control for Iris Recognition in AR Headsets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Iris authentication systems in VR and AR headsets face challenges in obtaining satisfactory image data due to reflective glints from illuminators, which occlude parts of the iris, leading to unsatisfactory image quality and potential spoofing issues.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically and selectively illuminates the eye using subsets of illuminators to capture multiple images, combining data to ensure full iris visibility and using glint patterns for anti-spoofing, while also cycling through illuminators to exclude reflections from glasses and lenses, and utilizing eye-tracking data for simultaneous iris recognition and eye-tracking operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If illuminators are used to illuminate the eye for capturing images, then image brightness is improved, but reflective glints occlude parts of the iris reducing image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the illumination task into multiple segments by using multiple illuminators positioned at different locations. Each illuminator creates glints in different positions, and by segmenting the iris capture into multiple images taken with different illuminator subsets, the system ensures that not all glints appear in all images, allowing clean iris regions to be captured in each image.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which illuminators to activate based on real-time conditions. The controller dynamically determines subsets of illuminators to illuminate the eye for capturing multiple images, adapting the illumination pattern to optimize iris visibility while minimizing glint interference in each captured image.
2Measurement precision
If multiple images are captured with different illuminator subsets to ensure full iris visibility, then iris recognition accuracy is improved, but processing time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple images with different illuminator subsets before iris recognition processing. This preliminary multi-image capture ensures that complete iris data is obtained upfront, allowing the recognition algorithm to work with comprehensive data rather than needing to retake images if initial capture is insufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges data from multiple images captured with different illuminator subsets to create a complete iris representation. By combining information from these multiple images, the system achieves comprehensive iris coverage and improved recognition accuracy while efficiently utilizing the captured data through image merging techniques.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system performs both iris recognition and eye-tracking operations, then functionality and user experience are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by using the same camera and illuminator system for both iris recognition and eye-tracking operations. The controller manages both functions through a unified architecture, allowing the device to perform authentication (iris recognition) and user interaction tracking (eye-tracking) without requiring separate dedicated hardware systems for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves iris recognition quality by ensuring all iris parts are visible, reduces processing resources, and enhances user experience by performing iris identification and eye-tracking efficiently without noticeable distinction, while providing effective anti-spoofing measures.
Implementation Method 1
The cornea of the eye reflects this light and creates corresponding reflective glints
Data Source
AI summary
An eye-tracking system (e.g., a virtual reality or augmented realty headset) can be used for eye tracking and for iris recognition. Illuminators used to illuminate eyes of a user during eye tracking can be selectively powered on and off in connection with capturing image information in order to obtain image information that suitably depicts an iris region of an eye of the user. This image information can be used to recognize the iris region and by so doing authenticate and/or identify the user.