Gaze Tracking Using Back-of-Display Light Emission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaze tracking methods in electronic devices are affected by the environment around the eyes, such as eyelids or eyelashes, due to the placement of light-emitting devices on the side of the device, leading to inaccuracies in determining the user's gaze direction.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device incorporates light-emitting devices positioned on the back of the display, emitting optical signals that are reflected by the user's eyes, allowing for accurate gaze tracking using cameras positioned to correspond with the display regions for each eye, thereby minimizing environmental interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the light-emitting device is positioned on the side of the electronic device, then the device structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but the gaze tracking accuracy deteriorates due to interference from eyelids and eyelashes
Solution Approach 1:
The light-emitting device is repositioned from the side placement (horizontal dimension) to the back of the display (depth dimension), changing the spatial arrangement to eliminate interference from eyelids and eyelashes while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel serves as an intermediary medium, allowing optical signals to pass through it to reach the user's eyes, thereby enabling accurate gaze tracking without direct side placement of light-emitting devices
2Device complexity
If the light-emitting device is positioned on the side of the electronic device, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of gaze tracking deteriorates due to environmental interference
Solution Approach 1:
Relocating the light-emitting device to the back of the display in the depth dimension eliminates environmental interference from eyelids and eyelashes, improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
3Device complexity
If the light-emitting device emits optical signals from the side, then the device structure is simpler, but the determined gaze position deviates from the actual gaze position
Solution Approach 1:
The display panel acts as an intermediary that transmits optical signals from light-emitting devices positioned at its back to the user's eyes, enabling accurate gaze position determination without side placement complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning light-emitting devices in the depth dimension (back of display) rather than horizontal dimension (side) eliminates the deviation between tracked and actual gaze positions while maintaining structural simplicity
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 configuration enables precise determination of the user's gaze without being affected by the environment around the eyes, improving the accuracy of gaze tracking in electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
an optical signal is output through a light-emitting device (e.g., a light-emitting diode)
Implementation Method 2
the position in an iris, a pupil, or a cornea, on which the optical signal is reflected, is analyzed
Data Source
AI summary
According to various examples of the present invention, an electronic device and a gaze tracking method of the electronic device: detect optical signals, which are outputted from a first light-emitting device and a second light-emitting device and reflected from a user's left eye and right eye, by means of a first camera and a second camera corresponding to each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device; and determine the user's gaze on the basis of the detected optical signals, wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device can be positioned so as to correspond to a left-eye display region and a right-eye display region included in a display of the electronic device, respectively, and various other examples are also possible.