Method and apparatus for attracting a user's gaze to information in a non-intrusive manner

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor, to attract a user's gaze to information associated with a portion of a display;

determining a focal point of the user's gaze;

causing presentation of a visual attractant on the display proximate the portion of the display and in relation to the focal point of the user's gaze so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze toward the information;

determining an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information; and

causing, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information, presentation of the visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the visual attractant such that the visual attractant is presented in a non-intrusive manner.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased comprises causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased before the user's gaze reaches the information.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a first separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, and wherein causing presentation of the visual attractant comprises causing presentation of the visual attractant in an instance in which the first separation distance is approximately equal to or less than a first pre-determined distance.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a second separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, wherein causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased comprises causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased in an instance in which the second separation distance is approximately a second pre-determined distance.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing presentation of the visual attractant comprises causing presentation of the visual attractant in an instance in which the information is within a field of vision of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing presentation of the visual attractant to resume in an instance in which the user's gaze is determined to not yet have focused on the information.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing presentation of the visual attractant comprises:

determining an intensity of the visual attractant to be presented based at least in part on at least one of the following: a distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, an importance level associated with the information, and a number of attempts that have taken place to attract the user's gaze to the information; and

causing presentation of the visual attractant at the intensity.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining a second portion of the display where the focal point of the user's gaze was focused before presentation of the visual attractant on the display;

causing presentation of a second visual attractant proximate the second portion of the display so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze back toward the second portion of the display;

determining an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display; and

causing, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display, presentation of the second visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the second visual attractant.

9. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine to attract a user's gaze to information associated with a portion of a display;

determine a focal point of the user's gaze;

cause presentation of a visual attractant on the display proximate the portion of the display and in relation to the focal point of the user's gaze so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze toward the information;

determine an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information; and

cause, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information, presentation of the visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the visual attractant such that the visual attractant is presented in a non-intrusive manner.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased by causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased before the user's gaze reaches the information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to determine a first separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant by causing presentation of the visual attractant in an instance in which the first separation distance is approximately equal to or less than a first pre-determined distance.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to determine a second separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased by causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased in an instance in which the second separation distance is approximately a second pre-determined distance.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant by causing presentation of the visual attractant in an instance in which the information is within a field of vision of the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant to resume in an instance in which the user's gaze is determined to not yet have focused on the information.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause presentation of the visual attractant by:

determining an intensity of the visual attractant to be presented based at least in part on at least one of the following: a distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, an importance level associated with the information, and a number of attempts that have taken place to attract the user's gaze to the information; and

causing presentation of the visual attractant at the intensity.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine a second portion of the display where the focal point of the user's gaze was focused before presentation of the visual attractant on the display;

cause presentation of a second visual attractant proximate the second portion of the display so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze back toward the second portion of the display;

determine an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display; and

cause, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display, presentation of the second visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the second visual attractant.

17. Computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions being configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to:

determine to attract a user's gaze to information associated with a portion of a display;

determine a focal point of the user's gaze;

cause presentation of a visual attractant on the display proximate the portion of the display and in relation to the focal point of the user's gaze so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze toward the information;

determine an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information; and

cause, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the information, presentation of the visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the visual attractant such that the visual attractant is presented in a non-intrusive manner.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to cause presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased by causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased before the user's gaze reaches the information.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to determine a first separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, and wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to cause presentation of the visual attractant by causing presentation of the visual attractant in an instance in which the first separation distance is approximately equal to or less than a first pre-determined distance.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to determine a second separation distance between the user's gaze and the portion of the display, and wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to cause presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased by causing presentation of the visual attractant to be ceased in an instance in which the second separation distance is approximately a second pre-determined distance.

21. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program code portions are further configured when said program product is run on a computer or network device, to:

determine a second portion of the display where the focal point of the user's gaze was focused before presentation of the visual attractant on the display;

cause presentation of a second visual attractant proximate the second portion of the display so as to attract the focal point of the user's gaze back toward the second portion of the display;

determine an instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display; and

cause, in response to determining the instance in which the focal point of the user's gaze is moving toward the second portion of the display, presentation of the second visual attractant on the display to be ceased prior to the focal point of the user's gaze reaching the second visual attractant.