IP Library Granted Patent US 10,817,053
Granted Patent B2
US 10,817,053 · App. 16/085,216 · Granted Oct 27, 2020

Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Inventor: Shingo Tsurumi (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
G06F3/013A61B3/113G02B27/0093G06K9/00597G06K9/00604G06K9/209
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,817,053
App. No.
16/085,216
Granted
Oct 27, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an information processing apparatus including a processing unit that detects a gaze of a gaze-detection subject on a basis of a polarization image in which an eye of the detection object is imaged.

Claims (38)

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a processor configured to:

estimate a center position of a cornea in an eye of a subject based on a normal line obtained from a polarization image of the eye of the subject;

estimate a center position of a pupil in the eye based on the estimated center position of the cornea and a radius of the cornea;

obtain an optical axis vector corresponding to a gaze of the subject based on the estimated center position of the cornea and the estimated center position of the pupil; and

detect the gaze of the subject based on the optical axis vector.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate the center position of the cornea based on a position of the pupil in the eye and the polarization image.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the gaze of the subject based on the normal line obtained from the polarization image.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the center position of the cornea is estimated based on the normal line corresponding to the cornea.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate the normal line corresponding to the cornea based on a position of the pupil in the eye, and the normal line obtained from the polarization image.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to specify the normal line corresponding to the cornea among a plurality of normal lines obtained from the polarization image based on the position of the pupil in the eye.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate the normal line corresponding to the cornea based on the position of the pupil in the eye and a shape of the cornea.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to correct the optical axis vector based on calibration information.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the gaze of the subject based on normal lines obtained from a first polarization image and a second polarization image constituting a stereo image.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate the center position of the cornea in the eye based on the normal lines obtained from the first polarization image and the second polarization image.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

estimate the radius of the cornea based on the normal lines obtained from the first polarization image and the second polarization image and parallax, and

estimate the center position of the cornea in the eye based on the estimated radius of the cornea.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to acquire the polarization image from an imaging device that is fixed in a determined position with respect to the subject.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to acquire the polarization image from an imaging device that is fixed in a determined position with respect to a display device.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a display device; and

an imaging device configured to acquire the polarization image, wherein the imaging device is fixed with respect to the display device.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the display device and the imaging device constitute a wearable device wearable by the subject.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an inner product of the normal line of the polarization image and a normal line of a sphere re-projected onto the polarization image; and

determine the gaze of the eye of the subject based on the determined inner product.

17. An information processing method, comprising:

in an information processing apparatus:

estimating a center position of a cornea in an eye of a subject based on a normal line obtained from a polarization image of the eye of the subject;

estimating a center position of a pupil in the eye based on the estimated center position of the cornea and a radius of the cornea;

obtaining an optical axis vector corresponding to a gaze of the subject based on the estimated center position of the cornea and the estimated center position of the pupil; and

detecting the gaze of the subject based on the optical axis vector.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

estimating a center position of a cornea in an eye of a subject based on a normal line obtained from a polarization image of the eye of the subject;

estimating a center position of a pupil in the eye based on the estimated center position of the cornea and a radius of the cornea;

obtaining an optical axis vector corresponding to a gaze of the subject based on the estimated center position of the cornea and the estimated center position of the pupil; and

detecting the gaze of the subject based on the optical axis vector.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 17, 2025
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 073986/0571 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2018
From: TSURUMI, SHINGO
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047529/0650 →