Eyewear Eye-Direction Sensing Using Ambient Light Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for determining eyeball direction are energy-consuming, bulky, and unreliable, especially in varying ambient light conditions, making them unsuitable for long-term wear in ophthalmic or augmented reality devices.
Innovation Solution
An eyewear system with three light sensors, each with a field of view between 0.006 and 0.22 steradians, oriented towards the user's face to measure ambient light reflected or scattered by the face, using photodetectors to determine eyeball direction without embedded light sources, combined with a processing unit for reliable determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If array-type image sensors are used to capture pupil images for determining eyeball direction, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases and device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of determining eyeball direction from the complex array-type image sensor system. By using simple light sensors that detect ambient light reflected from the eye, the solution removes unnecessary imaging components while retaining the core functionality of eye direction detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical imaging system (array sensors capturing pupil images) with a simpler photodetection system. Instead of using complex image capture and processing mechanisms, the invention uses light sensors to detect reflected ambient light patterns, substituting a mechanical imaging approach with a optical detection approach.
2Measurement precision
If array-type image sensors are used to capture pupil images for determining eyeball direction, then measurement precision is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of determining eyeball direction from the complex array-type image sensor system. By using simple light sensors that detect ambient light reflected from the eye, the solution removes unnecessary imaging components while retaining the core functionality of eye direction detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical imaging system (array sensors capturing pupil images) with a simpler photodetection system. Instead of using complex image capture and processing mechanisms, the invention uses light sensors to detect reflected ambient light patterns, substituting a mechanical imaging approach with a optical detection approach.
3Reliability
If light sources are added to emit infrared light towards the user's eye, then reliability of eyeball direction determination is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system self-sufficient by utilizing ambient light already present in the environment. Instead of requiring external light sources to illuminate the eye, the system uses naturally available ambient light that is reflected from the user's face and eye, making the device independent of additional power-consuming illumination components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of requiring additional light sources (which increase energy consumption) into a benefit by utilizing the ambient light that is already present. The system turns the availability of environmental light into a useful resource for eye direction detection, eliminating the need for extra illumination.
4Reliability
If light sources are added to emit infrared light towards the user's eye, then reliability of eyeball direction determination is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system self-sufficient by utilizing ambient light already present in the environment. Instead of requiring external light sources to illuminate the eye, the system uses naturally available ambient light that is reflected from the user's face and eye, making the device independent of additional power-consuming illumination components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of requiring additional light sources (which increase energy consumption) into a benefit by utilizing the ambient light that is already present. The system turns the availability of environmental light into a useful resource for eye direction detection, eliminating the need for extra illumination.
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
The system achieves low energy consumption and high reliability in determining eyeball direction by utilizing ambient light reflection, reducing the need for internal light sources and minimizing energy demands while maintaining accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
measuring ambient light that is reflected or scattered by the user's face
Implementation Method 2
measuring ambient light that is reflected or scattered by the user's face
Implementation Method 3
each of the light sensors being configured for outputting for each determination of the eye direction, at least one measured light intensity value
Data Source
AI summary
An eyewear is adapted for fitting a user's face and for determining an eye direction of a user's eye. The eyewear is provided with at least three light sensors each configured for outputting a measured light intensity value that corresponds to ambient light originating from surroundings of the user outside the eyewear and reflected or scattered by the user's eye. Processing circuitry of the eyewear determines the eye direction from the measured light intensity values.