Wireless Ring and Eye Tracker for Hands-Free HMD Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interfaces for interacting with content on head-mounted displays are unsatisfactory, failing to provide sophisticated control capabilities in a hands-free, inconspicuous, and minimal form factor, which hinders widespread consumer adoption.

Innovation Solution

A multi-modal interface system combining eye tracking with a wireless portable interface device, allowing users to interact with content on head-mounted displays through concurrent gaze detection and actuator activation, enabling sophisticated control without the need for manual input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional manual interfaces are used for head-mounted displays, then control capabilities are sufficient, but the device requires hand operation and has larger form factor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehands-free operationVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical input (buttons, touchscreens requiring hand contact) with an optical detection system (eye tracker) that detects gaze direction and intent through optical means, enabling hands-free operation while reducing the need for complex manual interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an eye tracker as an intermediary device that mediates between the user's visual attention and the display content, translating gaze patterns into control signals without requiring direct manual interaction with the interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If eye tracking alone is used for interaction, then hands-free control is achieved, but control precision and confirmation capability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegaze detection precisionVSAvoidselection confirmation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system detects gaze direction, presents candidate selections, and requires confirmation through a separate input method (such as voice or gesture), allowing the user to verify and confirm selections with high precision without direct manual manipulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the interaction process into distinct phases: gaze detection for target acquisition, candidate presentation, and confirmation, allowing each phase to be optimized independently for precision and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If sophisticated control capabilities are added to head-mounted displays, then interaction capability improves, but device form factor and visibility increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol capabilityVSAvoidform factor

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex control processing functions from the head-mounted display itself and relocates them to external computing devices, allowing the HMD to maintain a minimal, inconspicuous form factor while still providing sophisticated control capabilities through cloud or remote processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Enables sophisticated, inconspicuous, and hands-free interaction with head-mounted display content, achieving a minimal form factor and improving user experience by leveraging eye tracking and wireless actuation for seamless control.

Implementation Method 1

an eye-tracker to detect that the user is gazing at the at least one object displayed by the at least one display

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEye tracking:

Implementation Method 2

at least one actuator that, when activated by the user, causes the portable interface device to wirelessly transmit a signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWireless transmission:

Data Source

PatentUS10656822B2Systems, devices, and methods for interacting with content displayed on head-mounted displays

Publication Date: 2020.05.19 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Systems, devices, and methods that enable sophisticated and inconspicuous interactions with content displayed on a head-mounted display are described. A head-mounted display includes an eye-tracker and the user also carries/wears a wireless portable interface device elsewhere on their body, such as a ring. The wireless nature of the portable interface device enables a small and unobtrusive form factor. The portable interface device includes an actuator that, when activated by the user, causes the portable interface device to wirelessly transmit a signal (e.g., a radio frequency signal or a sonic signal). A selection operation performed by the user is defined as the user activating the actuator of the portable interface device while the user is substantially concurrently gazing at a displayed object (as detected by the eye-tracker). In response to the selection operation, the head-mounted display displays a visual effect to the user.