Camera Focus Adjustment Using Multi-Modal Viewer Attention Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera focus adjustment techniques fail to account for the attention or interests of the viewer, leading to inconsistent focus on objects at different depths in captured images.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes multi-modal sensor fusion to determine appropriate camera focus adjustments based on user attention and interest, incorporating data from various sensors such as eye tracking, environment sensors, and hand detection to adjust focus accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional camera focus adjustment techniques are used, then the camera can automatically adjust focus based on scene depth, but the focus does not account for viewer attention or interests, leading to inconsistent focus on objects at different depths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor modalities (eye tracking sensors, depth sensors, camera sensors) to create a comprehensive focus adjustment system. By merging data from these different sensor types, the system achieves both adaptability to viewer attention and precision in focus placement, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The focus adjustment mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it tracks viewer attention through eye tracking, detects object depth through depth sensors, and adjusts focus accordingly. This multi-functionality allows the system to adapt to different viewing scenarios while maintaining accurate focus placement.
2Measurement precision
If multi-modal sensor fusion is implemented to determine focus adjustments, then focus accuracy corresponding to viewer interests is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and signal processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the focus adjustment task into separate modules: eye tracking module, depth detection module, and focus control module. Each module processes information from specific sensors independently before integrating results, which manages complexity while achieving high focus accuracy through specialized processing.
Solution Approach 2:
A fusion characteristic function acts as an intermediary that processes and weights signals from multiple sensors before determining final focus adjustments. This intermediary layer simplifies the complexity by providing a systematic approach to integrating multi-sensor data, making the complex sensor system manageable and efficient.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensor-based distance signals are fused to determine focus adjustments, then the system can account for viewer attention and interest, but the processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial action by selectively processing and fusing only the necessary sensor signals required for current focus adjustment tasks. Rather than processing all possible sensor data continuously, it processes only the essential signals (eye tracking, depth, camera) needed for accurate focus, reducing processing time while maintaining adaptability to viewer attention.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for adjusting camera focus so that objects of interest (e.g., to the image viewer) or objects being attended to (e.g., what the image viewer is attentive to) in the captured camera images are more likely to be in focus in captured images. Information from various sources (e.g., multiple sensors providing information about the user and/or environment) may be fused, e.g., combined or accounted for collectively, to determine how to adjust camera focus in a way that corresponds to viewer interests and/or attention. This may involve determining a fusion characteristic that specifies how to fuse the multiple signals to determine focus adjustments, e.g., selecting or configuring a multi-modal optimization and/or a smoothing function. The fusion characteristic may account for signal confidence. The fusion characteristic may correspond to a determined operational mode used to determine which signals will be used and how the signals will be combined.