Gaze Tracking Controller Zone PSF Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaze tracking technologies face challenges in accurately estimating gaze direction due to variations in reflection points across drivers and positions, requiring high-resolution imaging devices that are costly and computationally intensive, making them unsuitable for vehicle applications.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that divides an image sensor into zones to acquire images and determine the point spread function (PSF) of both the lens and image sensor, converting coordinates into incidence angles to accurately estimate reflection points and reduce PSF sensitivity, thereby improving gaze tracking accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-resolution imaging devices are used to accurately detect reflection points, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple zones, with each zone containing image elements that capture images of the same reflection point from different spatial positions. This segmentation allows the system to obtain multiple images of the same reflection point using a single standard-resolution sensor, eliminating the need for high-resolution imaging devices while maintaining accurate reflection point detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing algorithm that acts as an intermediary to process images captured from multiple zones. The algorithm determines the reflection point position by analyzing images from different zones, compensating for the limited resolution of individual image elements through computational methods, thereby achieving high measurement precision without requiring high-resolution hardware
2Measurement precision
If high-resolution imaging devices are used to accurately detect reflection points, then measurement precision is improved, but computation load increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the image sensor into zones and capturing images from multiple spatial positions simultaneously, the system obtains multiple images of the same reflection point. The computation load is distributed across processing these multiple standard-resolution images rather than processing a single high-resolution image, reducing the overall computational burden while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures multiple copies of the reflection point image from different zones instead of creating one high-resolution copy. By processing these multiple standard-resolution copies through algorithms that determine the reflection point position, the system achieves accurate gaze direction estimation with lower computation load than processing a single high-resolution image
3Device complexity
If reflection points are detected without compensating for lens and image sensor characteristics, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by determining the point spread functions (PSFs) of the lens and image sensor before processing reflection point images. These PSFs are used to compensate for optical distortions and sensor characteristics in advance, ensuring that subsequent reflection point position calculations are based on corrected images, thereby improving measurement precision without significantly increasing processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the determined PSFs as feedback to correct and compensate for optical distortions and sensor characteristics in the captured images. This feedback mechanism allows the processing algorithm to adjust for lens aberrations and image sensor limitations, improving reflection point position accuracy while maintaining relatively simple device complexity
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 approach enables accurate determination of central reflection points with reduced error rates and increased precision in gaze tracking, making it suitable for vehicle applications by compensating for light spreading and lens characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
detect the position of the reflection point by radiating infrared (IR) illumination to a cornea of an eye
Implementation Method 2
compensating for light spreading due to a lens and an image element by determining the lens PSF and an image sensor PSF
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and a method that controls gaze tracking. The apparatus includes an imaging device that has an image sensor divided into a plurality of zones and a gaze tracking controller. The gaze tracking controller is configured to determine a lens PSF and an image sensor PSF of the camera, respectively, using images for each zone acquired from image elements disposed in each zone of the image sensor. In addition, the gaze tracking controller is configured to estimate illumination reflection points using an imaging device PSF determined from the determined lens and image sensor PSFs at the time of detecting a user gaze using the imaging device.