Integrated Eye Tracking Lens for Wearable Gaze Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable devices, particularly in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) systems, lack effective eye tracking solutions that can accurately determine a user's gaze direction for improving user experience and system performance.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device system incorporating a primary lens with an integrated illuminator and image sensor, along with an interface to a processor, which illuminates the user's eye and detects reflected light to determine gaze direction, enabling improved eye tracking and dynamic adjustment of displayed content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If eye tracking is implemented in wearable devices, then user experience and interaction capability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the illuminator, image sensor, and primary lens into an integrated eye tracking system within the wearable device. This merging of multiple components into a unified system enables eye tracking functionality while managing device complexity through integrated design rather than separate additive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The eye tracking system serves multiple functions including gaze direction determination, foveated rendering control, power consumption management, and authentication. This multi-functionality approach improves adaptability and versatility by using a single integrated system for various purposes rather than separate dedicated systems for each function.
2Measurement precision
If eye tracking system with illuminator and image sensor is integrated into wearable device, then gaze direction detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the illuminator and image sensor within or on the primary lens structure, creating a compact integrated system. This nesting approach allows precise alignment of optical components while simplifying manufacturing by treating them as a unified assembly rather than separate components requiring individual precision mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements localized illumination and detection specifically at the eye region where needed, rather than requiring precision across the entire device. The illuminator and image sensor are positioned and configured to focus optical functionality locally at the user's eye, improving detection accuracy without requiring genome-wide manufacturing precision.
3Use of energy by moving object
If foveated rendering is implemented based on gaze tracking, then power consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts rendering quality and power consumption based on real-time gaze direction detection. The foveated rendering continuously adapts to the user's eye movements, maintaining high quality only in the foveal region while reducing quality in peripheral regions, creating a dynamic power management system that responds to user behavior rather than static configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The eye tracking system provides continuous feedback about gaze direction to the rendering engine, which then adjusts rendering parameters accordingly. This feedback loop enables automatic power optimization based on actual user viewing behavior, reducing the need for manual configuration or complex user-facing controls while achieving power savings.
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 solution enhances user experience by accurately tracking gaze direction, allowing for foveated rendering, reduced power consumption, and improved interaction with virtual objects, while also enabling features like iris recognition and gaze-based authentication.
Implementation Method 1
an illuminator, configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user
Implementation Method 2
an image sensor, configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining a gaze direction of a user of a wearable device is disclosed. The system may include a primary lens, an illuminator, an image sensor, and an interface. The illuminator may include a light guide, may be disposed at least partially on or in the primary lens, and may be configured to illuminate at least one eye of a user. The image sensor may be disposed on or in the primary lens, and may be configured to detect light reflected by the at least one eye of the user. The interface may be configured to provide data from the image sensor to a processor for determining a gaze direction of the user based at least in part on light detected by the image sensor.