Timer-based eye-tracking
Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems, methods, and structures that provide eye-tracking by 1) steering a beam of light through the effect of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) onto a surface of the eye and 2) detecting light reflected from features of the eye including corneal surface, pupil, iris—among others. Positional/geometric/feature/structural information pertaining to the eye is determined from timing information associated with the reflected light.
1. A timer-based eye-tracking method comprising:
steering a beam of light through the effect of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), onto a surface of the eye; and
detecting light reflected from the surface;
said method characterized in that:
the light steered onto the surface of the eye is steered such that it is defined by a Lissajous curve;
an electrical pulse is produced in response to the detected light; and
the width of the pulse is used to determine gaze direction.
2. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that:
the Lissajous curve is described by the following relationships x=A sin(at+δ); y=B sin(bt) where a and b are natural numbers.
3. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that: a gaze direction of the eye is determined from the detected reflected light.
4. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that: one or more features of the eye are determined from the reflected light.
5. A timer-based eye-tracking method comprising:
steering a beam of light through the effect of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), onto a surface of the eye; and
detecting light reflected from the surface; and
producing electrical pulses in response to the detection;
said method characterized in that:
features of the eye are determined by widths of the pulses so produced.
6. The method of claim 5 further characterized in that the beam of light is steered such that it is defined by a Lissajous curve.
7. The method of claim 6 further characterized in that the Lissajous curve is described by the following relationships x=A sin(at+δ); y=B sin(bt) where a and b are natural numbers.
8. The method of claim 5 further characterized in that a gaze direction of the eye is determined from the detected reflected light.