Gaze-Controlled Zoom and Pan for Immersive Display Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for intuitive mechanisms to control the display of objects within virtual, augmented, and mixed reality scenes, particularly in controlling the zoom and pan based on user gaze direction to maintain focus on objects of interest.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that determine the user's gaze direction to identify objects of interest, adjusting the zoom and pan accordingly, with options to zoom in or out, pan to similar objects, or maintain the current zoom level if the new object is similar in size or category, and default to a default zoom if no object of interest is detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual controls are provided for adjusting display parameters in VR/AR/MR, then user control capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complexity of controlling multiple parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The display system automatically adjusts zoom level and pan parameters based on gaze detection without requiring manual user input. The system serves itself by using the user's natural gaze behavior to control display parameters, eliminating the need for complex manual control interfaces while maintaining intuitive operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors user gaze direction and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust display parameters. The gaze detection system provides real-time feedback about user attention, which automatically triggers appropriate zoom and pan adjustments, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to user needs without manual intervention.
2Ease of operation
If automatic gaze-based control is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity worsens due to additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The gaze detection system serves multiple functions: it identifies objects of interest, determines user attention direction, and triggers display parameter adjustments. By making the gaze detection mechanism multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate control sensors and processing systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining intuitive operation.
3Measurement precision
If zoom level is continuously adjusted based on gaze, then object focus is improved, but loss of information worsens as surrounding context becomes invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The zoom level is dynamically adjusted based on the user's gaze behavior and the duration of gaze at a particular object. Rather than continuous adjustment, the system applies zoom changes only when gaze persistence thresholds are met, allowing the display to maintain appropriate context while focusing on objects of interest. This dynamic approach balances focus precision with context preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies zoom adjustments partially - only when gaze duration exceeds a threshold indicating genuine interest in an object. This prevents excessive zooming that would lose context, while still providing sufficient zoom to focus on important objects. The partial application of zoom based on gaze persistence optimizes the balance between focus and context.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer readable medium are described, including: presenting a current image on a display, the current image having a current zoom level directed towards a current object of interest; determining whether a user's gaze is directed beyond the current object of interest to a new object of interest and, if so, panning or zooming to the new object of interest and making the new object of interest the current object of interest; and determining whether a user's gaze is directed beyond the current object of interest but not to a new object of interest and, if so, zooming to default zoom level in which there is no current object of interest.