US5634141A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Visual axis detection device capable of reducing detection errors due to variations of eyes among individuals
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1995-05-16
•
Granted: 1997-05-27
•
Expires: 2015-05-16
Abstract
Abstract A visual axis detection apparatus including a correction data storage section to store the correction data to correct errors in the detected visual information; an individual variation correction data detection system to detect the individual variation data related to the visual axis of an observer; a correction data updating section to update the correction data on the basis of the new individual variation data detected by the individual variation detection system and the correction data stored in the correction data storage section; and a visual axis correction section to correct the detected visual axis by use of the correction data updated by the correction data updating section and stored in the correction data storage section. The apparatus adds a weight to the already stored correction data in accordance with the individual variation data when obtaining individual variation data anew, and uses this weighted data as the correction data.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Akashi
- 👤 Akira Yamada
- 👤 Yoshiaki Irie
- 👤 Akihiko Nagano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:33
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B13/00; G03B13/02; G03B2213/00; G03B2213/02; G03B2213/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 65
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: visual information detection means to detect the rotation angles of the optical axis of an eyeball of an observer, and detect the visual information of the observer with said rotation angles; correction data storage means to store correction data for the correction of errors in the detected visual information; individual variation data detection means to detect individual variation data related to the visual axis of the observer; correction data updating means to update the correction data on the basis of new individual variation data to be detected by said individual variation data detection means and the correction data stored in said correction data storage means; and visual axis calculation means to correct the detected visual information by using the correction data which are updated by said correction data updating means and stored by said correction data storage means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: visual information detection means to detect the rotation angles of the optical axis of an eyeball of an observer, and detect the visual information of the observer with said rotation angles; correction data storage means to store correction data for the correction of errors in the detected visual information; individual variation data detection means to detect individual variation data related to the visual axis of the observer; correction data updating means to update the correction data on the basis of new individual variation data to be detected by said individual variation data detection means and the correction data stored in said correction data storage means; and visual axis calculation means to correct the detected visual information by using the correction data which are updated by said correction data updating means and stored by said correction data storage means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said correction data include the statistical quantity of a plurality of individual variation data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said correction data include the statistical quantity of a plurality of individual variation data by regarding the latest data as important.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said visual axis calculation means selects one of plural correction calculation methods, to execute the correction operation in accordance with the statistical quantity of the correction data stored in said correction data storage means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plural correction methods include at least a method which uses the simple mean of the individual variation data, and a method which uses the least squares.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said individual variation detection means excludes the prime data which do not agree with the standard by comparing a plurality of prime data with a given value, and defines the individual variation data on the basis of the remaining prime data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: calculating means for detecting rotation angle information of an eyeball of an observer, calculating an individual variation of the visual axis of the observer, and determining a direction of the visual axis from the rotation angle information; targeting means for causing the observer to watch visual targets attentively, and collecting rotation angle information several times; and correction means for calculating a mean value of a plurality of rotation angle information values, and a difference between each of the plurality of rotation angle information values and the mean value, extracting correct rotational angle information by comparing each of the calculated differences with a threshold value, and forming correction information for correcting a personal difference of the visual axis based on the extracted correct rotational angle information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
131 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: calculating means for detecting rotation angle information of an eyeball of an observer, calculating an individual variation of the visual axis of the observer, and determining a direction of the visual axis from the rotation angle information; targeting means for causing the observer to watch visual targets attentively, and collecting rotation angle information several times; and correction means for calculating a mean value of a plurality of rotation angle information values, and a difference between each of the plurality of rotation angle information values and the mean value, extracting correct rotational angle information by comparing each of the calculated differences with a threshold value, and forming correction information for correcting a personal difference of the visual axis based on the extracted correct rotational angle information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the threshold value is different when applied to the rotation of the eyeball in the horizontal direction as compared to the vertical direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the threshold value, θth, satisfies the relation of θth>σ where the standard deviation of the plurality of rotation angles information of the eyeball is σ.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: photodetecting means to receive light from an eyeball of an observer; calculation means to calculate the rotation angles of the eyeball from the eyeball images of the observer obtained by said photodetecting means, correct the individual variations of the visual axis of the observer from the said rotation angles, and obtain the observing positions on the observation plane; and means to calculate said visual axis correction data by excluding the rotation angles having difference between the mean value θ of the rotation angles of the eyeball and each of the rotation angles of the eyeball which is greater than a given value θth in order to obtain the visual axis correction coefficients to correct the individual variations of the visual axis by detecting the rotation angles of the eyeball of the observer plural times.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A visual axis detection apparatus, comprising: photodetecting means to receive light from an eyeball of an observer; calculation means to calculate the rotation angles of the eyeball from the eyeball images of the observer obtained by said photodetecting means, correct the individual variations of the visual axis of the observer from the said rotation angles, and obtain the observing positions on the observation plane; and means to calculate said visual axis correction data by excluding the rotation angles having difference between the mean value θ of the rotation angles of the eyeball and each of the rotation angles of the eyeball which is greater than a given value θth in order to obtain the visual axis correction coefficients to correct the individual variations of the visual axis by detecting the rotation angles of the eyeball of the observer plural times.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said threshold value θth is different when applied to the rotation of the eyeball in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A visual axis detection apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said threshold value θth satisfies the relation of θth≧σ where the standard deviation of the rotation angles of the eyeball is σ.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for determining a rotational angle of an eyeball, comprising the steps of: detecting a plurality of data values corresponding to the rotational angle; identifying improper data values from among the plurality of data values; and obtaining the rotational angle of the eyeball using data values corresponding to the rotational angle excluding the improper data values.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for determining a rotational angle of an eyeball, comprising the steps of: detecting a plurality of data values corresponding to the rotational angle; identifying improper data values from among the plurality of data values; and obtaining the rotational angle of the eyeball using data values corresponding to the rotational angle excluding the improper data values.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said identifying step comprises the steps of calculating a mean value of the plurality of data values, comparing each value of said plurality of data values with the mean value, and identifying improper data as data having a difference between each detected data value thereof and the calculated mean value which is above a threshold value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein in the identifying step the threshold value is set to be greater than or equal to a value of a standard deviation of the plurality of data values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said obtaining step comprises a step for calculating a mean value of a plurality of data values excluding improper data values, and the calculated mean value is regarded as the rotational angle of the eyeball.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in the detecting step the plurality of data values are formed by detecting a positional relationship between an image of a pupil of the eyeball and a Purkinje's image of the eyeball a plurality of times.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
91 words
A method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of detecting data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball counterpart for each of the plurality of data values corresponding to the rotational angle, wherein the rotational angle of the eyeball is obtained using (a) the plurality of data values corresponding to the rotational angle excluding improper data values and (b) data values relating to the diameter of the pupil of the eyeball counterpart to the plurality of data values corresponding to the rotational angle excluding improper data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
97 words
A visual axis detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms a plurality of data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball, identifies improper data values from among the plurality of data values, and obtains the rotational angle of the eyeball using data corresponding to the rotational angle excluding improper data values identified by said signal processing apparatus.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
97 words
A visual axis detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms a plurality of data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball, identifies improper data values from among the plurality of data values, and obtains the rotational angle of the eyeball using data corresponding to the rotational angle excluding improper data values identified by said signal processing apparatus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said signal processing apparatus performs a predetermined calculation with the rotational angle of the eyeball and forms correction data for use when the direction of the visual axis is detected, and wherein said signal processing apparatus detects a position of the visual axis using the rotational angle of the eyeball obtained based on the electrical signal and the correction data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said signal processing apparatus obtains the rotational angle of the eyeball by detecting a positional relationship between an image of a pupil of the eyeball and a Purkinje's image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said signal processing apparatus calculates a mean value of the plurality of data values, compares each value of the plurality of data values with the mean value, and identifies improper data as data having a difference between each value thereof and the mean value which is more than a threshold value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the threshold value is set to be greater than or equal to a value of a standard deviation of the plurality of data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said signal processing apparatus calculates a mean value of a plurality of data values excluding improper data values identified by said signal processing apparatus, and wherein the calculated mean value is regarded as the rotational angle of the eyeball.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms the plurality of data values by detecting a positional relationship between an image of a pupil of the eyeball and a Purkinje's image of the eyeball a plurality of times.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
100 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said signal processing apparatus detects data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball, said data being counterpart to each of the data values corresponding to the rotational angle, wherein the signal processing apparatus obtains the rotational angle of the eyeball using (a) data corresponding to the rotational angle of the eyeball excluding improper data identified by said signal processing apparatus and (b) the data relating to the diameter of the pupil of the eyeball counterpart to the data corresponding to the rotational angle of the eyeball excluding the improper data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
100 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms a plurality of data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball, identifies improper data values from among the plurality of data values, and obtains the rotational angle of said eyeball using data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball excluding improper data values identified by said siqnal processing apparatus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
100 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms a plurality of data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball, identifies improper data values from among the plurality of data values, and obtains the rotational angle of said eyeball using data values corresponding to a rotational angle of the eyeball excluding improper data values identified by said siqnal processing apparatus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a viewfinder and a phototaking optical system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
81 words
A visual axis detection method comprising the steps of: storing information relating to a personal eyeball; detecting a rotational angle of the eyeball; detecting a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by information stored in the storing step and the rotational angle detected in the detecting step; and renewinq a value of personal data using information previously stored in the storing step and new information input when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
81 words
A visual axis detection method comprising the steps of: storing information relating to a personal eyeball; detecting a rotational angle of the eyeball; detecting a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by information stored in the storing step and the rotational angle detected in the detecting step; and renewinq a value of personal data using information previously stored in the storing step and new information input when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the step of detecting a visual axis includes forming personal data including coefficients in an arithmetic expression for detecting a direction of the visual axis.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the step of detecting the rotational angle includes detecting a positional relationship between an image of a pupil of the eyeball and a Purkinje's image of the eyeball.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 29, further comprising a step of storing a value of the personal data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 29, further comprising a step of adding stored information to new information and storing the sum as stored information.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 29, wherein the step of detecting a visual axis includes forming personal data by performing a predetermined calculation with correction data obtained by processing the stored information.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 34, wherein the stored information and the new information comprise data relating to a rotational angle of the eyeball when a visual target is gazed upon.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 35, wherein the stored information and the new information further comprise data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball when the visual target is gazed upon.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the correction data are formed by a process of simple mean using data of the stored information.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the correction data are formed by a process of least squares using data of the stored information.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the correction data are formed by any one of (a) a process of simple mean and (b) a process of least squares, in accordance with a quantity of the data of the information.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein said renewinq step includes obtaining new correction data using a value of a sum of a data value of the stored information and a data value of new information, and renewinq a value of the personal data by performing a predetermined calculation with the new correction data.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 40, wherein when a difference of values of data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball between the stored information and the new information is smaller than a predetermined value, then a weight of the value of the data of the stored information is decreased to add the decreased value to the new information data.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
132 words
A visual axis detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; storing means for storing information relating to an eyeball of a person; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus detects a rotational angle of the eyeball based on the electrical signal and detects the direction of the visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by information stored in said storing means and the rotational angle, and wherein the signal processing apparatus renews the personal data formed by the information stored in said storing means using stored information and new information when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
132 words
A visual axis detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; storing means for storing information relating to an eyeball of a person; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus detects a rotational angle of the eyeball based on the electrical signal and detects the direction of the visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by information stored in said storing means and the rotational angle, and wherein the signal processing apparatus renews the personal data formed by the information stored in said storing means using stored information and new information when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the personal data are coefficients in an operational equation for detecting the direction of visual axis.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the rotational angle of the eyeball is detected based on a positional relationship between an image of a pupil of the eyeball and a Purkinje's image of the eyeball.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said storing means further stores a value of the personal data.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said storing means stores a sum of the stored information and the new information.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said signal processing apparatus forms the personal data by performing a predetermined calculation with correction data obtained by processing the information.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the stored information and the new information comprise data relating to a rotational angle of the eyeball when a visual index is gazed upon.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the stored information and the new information further comprise data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball when the visual index is gazed upon.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 48 or 49, wherein the correction data are formed by a process of simple mean using the data of the information.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 48 or 49, wherein the correction data are formed by a process of least squares using the data of the information.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 48 or 49, wherein the correction data are formed by any one of (a) a process of simple mean and (b) a process of least squares, in accordance with a quantity of the data of the information.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 48 or 49, wherein new correction data are obtained by using a value of a sum of a data value of the stored information and a data value of new information, and a value of the personal data is renewed by performing a predetermined calculation with the new correction data.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to claim 53, wherein when a difference between a value of data relating to a diameter of a pupil of the eyeball in the stored information and a value in the new information is smaller than a predetermined value, then a weight of a value of the data of the stored information is decreased to add the decreased value thereof to the new information data.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
113 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; storing means for storing information relating to a personal eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus detects a rotational angle of the eyeball based on the electrical signal and detects the direction of the visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by stored information and the rotational angle, and renews a value of the personal data using stored information and new information when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
113 words
An optical apparatus comprising: a sensor that supplies an electrical signal that varies in accordance with rotation of an eyeball; storing means for storing information relating to a personal eyeball; and a signal processing apparatus that receives the electrical signal and detects a direction of a visual axis of the eyeball, wherein said signal processing apparatus detects a rotational angle of the eyeball based on the electrical signal and detects the direction of the visual axis of the eyeball using personal data formed by stored information and the rotational angle, and renews a value of the personal data using stored information and new information when new information relating to the eyeball is detected.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical apparatus according to claim 55, further comprising a viewfinder and a phototaking optical system.
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