Eye Tracking Smart Glasses Input System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current VR, AR, and MR technologies face inconvenience in user input methods, particularly in medical applications, where controlling devices and processing information is cumbersome due to limited visual input capabilities.

Innovation Solution

An eye tracking system for smart glasses that includes a pupil sensing unit, an eye tracking unit, and an input unit, which senses the user's pupil, tracks their eye movements, and selects input objects based on eye state information, allowing for size, shape, and movement direction changes of input objects, enhancing input accuracy and speed through automatic recommendation of words.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional input methods are used in VR/AR/MR, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput convenienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical input devices (keyboards, mice, buttons) with an eye-tracking based input system. The eye tracking unit detects pupil position and eye movement to control input objects, substituting mechanical actions with natural eye movements. This resolves the contradiction by providing intuitive operation without requiring complex physical input mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the eye tracking unit, control unit, and display unit that mediates between the user's eye movements and the input output. This intermediary layer translates subtle eye movements into meaningful input commands, enabling convenient operation while managing system complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If eye tracking is implemented, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput convenienceVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The eye tracking unit serves multiple functions: detecting pupil position, tracking eye movement, and determining gaze direction. By making the eye tracking system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate sensors for each function, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining high ease of operation.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the pupil sensing unit, eye tracking unit, and control unit into an integrated system. By merging these components, the patent reduces overall device complexity while achieving sophisticated eye-based input control, as the combined system shares processing resources and coordination mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If multiple target objects are displayed, then productivity improves, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput speedVSAvoideye targeting accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the display of target objects based on eye tracking feedback. When the user's eye is detected to be focused on a particular area, the system dynamically brings relevant objects to that location. This dynamic adaptation maintains measurement precision by ensuring the user is always looking at the intended target, while still displaying multiple objects to maintain high productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors eye position and uses this feedback to adjust the display of target objects. The control unit receives eye tracking data and modifies object positioning accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that even with multiple objects displayed, the system maintains precise measurement of user intent by adapting to real-time eye movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4043999B1Eye tracking system for smart glasses and method therefor
Publication Date: 2024.11.06 MEDITHINQ CO LTD
  • EP4043999B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4043999B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4043999B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides an eye tracking system including: a pupil sensing unit sensing a pupil of a user by at least one sensor embedded in smart glasses; a display unit including smart lenses to which a plurality of target objects is floated; an eye tracking unit tracking an eye through at least one sensor and acquiring eye state information of the user for the plurality of target objects; and an input unit performing an input after selecting a specific object in which the eye of the user stays for a predetermined time or more among the plurality of target objects as an input object based on the eye state information, in which at least one of a size, a color, and a movement direction of the input object is changed based on the eye state information of the user.