IP Library Granted Patent US 11,669,163
Granted Patent B2
US 11,669,163 · App. 17/737,892 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Eye glint imaging in see-through computer display systems

Inventor: John N. Border (Campbell, CA)
Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC
G06F3/013G02B27/0093G02B27/017G02B27/0172G02B27/0189G06F1/163G06F1/1686G06F3/005G06T19/006G06V20/20G06V30/1423G06V40/19G09G5/003G09G5/10G02B2027/014G02B2027/0118G02B2027/0127G02B2027/0138G02B2027/0178G02B2027/0187G02C7/086G09G2354/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,669,163
App. No.
17/737,892
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosure herein concerns a method that includes illuminating a user's eye with an illumination source in a head-worn display, capturing an image of the user's eye with an eye camera in the head-worn display, wherein the image includes an eye glint produced by light from the illumination source that is reflected from a surface of the user's eye, determining a size of an eye glint in the captured image, and identifying a change in focus distance for the user's eye in correspondence with a change in the size of the eye glint.

Claims (68)

1. A wearable head device comprising:

a see-through display;

an illumination source configured to illuminate an eye of a user of the wearable head device, the eye having an iris, wherein illuminating the eye produces an eye glint;

one or more sensors; and

one or more processors configured to perform a method comprising:

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of the eye glint;

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of the iris;

comparing, based on the image of the eye glint and further based on the image of the iris, a position of the iris with a position of the eye glint;

determining, based on the comparing, whether to present virtual content to the user at a first region of the see-through display;

in accordance with a determination to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display; and

in accordance with a determination to not present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:

presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises moving a presentation of the virtual content to the first region of the see-through display from a second region of the see-through display; and

forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises presenting the virtual content at the second region of the see-through display.

3. The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein the first region of the see-through display comprises a central region of the see-through display and the second region of the see-through display comprises a peripheral region of the see-through display.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises determining, based on the comparing, whether an eye movement of the user is a momentary eye movement.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:

the method further comprises determining, based on an output of the one or more sensors, whether the user's head is stationary; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display is further based on the determination whether the user's head is stationary.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:

the method further comprises detecting, via the one or more sensors, a head movement of the user; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises:

determining whether an eye movement of the user exceeds a first threshold; and

determining whether the head movement exceeds a second threshold.

7. The wearable device of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises determining a location of the first region of the see-through display based on the detected head movement.

8. A method comprising:

illuminating, via an illumination source of a wearable head device, the wearable head device comprising a see-through display and one or more sensors, an eye of a user of the wearable head device to produce an eye glint;

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of the eye glint;

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of an iris of the eye;

comparing, based on the image of the eye glint and further based on the image of the iris, a position of the iris with a position of the eye glint;

determining, based on the comparing, whether to present virtual content to the user at a first region of the see-through display;

in accordance with a determination to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display; and

in accordance with a determination to not present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises moving a presentation of the virtual content to the first region of the see-through display from a second region of the see-through display; and

forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises presenting the virtual content at the second region of the see-through display.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first region of the see-through display comprises a central region of the see-through display and the second region of the see-through display comprises a peripheral region of the see-through display.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises determining, based on the comparing, whether an eye movement of the user is a momentary eye movement.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the method further comprises determining, based on an output of the one or more sensors, whether the user's head is stationary; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display is further based on the determination whether the user's head is stationary.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the method further comprises detecting, via the one or more sensors, a head movement of the user; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises:

determining whether an eye movement of the user exceeds a first threshold; and

determining whether the head movement exceeds a second threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a location of the first region of the see-through display based on the detected head movement.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

illuminating, via an illumination source of a wearable head device, the wearable head device comprising a see-through display and one or more sensors, an eye of a user of the wearable head device to produce an eye glint;

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of the eye glint;

capturing, via the one or more sensors, an image of an iris of the eye;

comparing, based on the image of the eye glint and further based on the image of the iris, a position of the iris with a position of the eye glint;

determining, based on the comparing, whether to present virtual content to the user at a first region of the see-through display;

in accordance with a determination to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display; and

in accordance with a determination to not present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display, forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises moving a presentation of the virtual content to the first region of the see-through display from a second region of the see-through display; and

forgoing presenting the virtual content at the first region of the see-through display comprises presenting the virtual content at the second region of the see-through display.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first region of the see-through display comprises a central region of the see-through display and the second region of the see-through display comprises a peripheral region of the see-through display.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises determining, based on the comparing, whether an eye movement of the user is a momentary eye movement.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the method further comprises determining, based on an output of the one or more sensors, whether the user's head is stationary; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display is further based on the determination whether the user's head is stationary.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the method further comprises detecting, via the one or more sensors, a head movement of the user; and

determining whether to present the virtual content to the user at the first region of the see-through display comprises:

determining whether an eye movement of the user exceeds a first threshold; and

determining whether the head movement exceeds a second threshold.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2025
From: MAGIC LEAP, INC.; MENTOR ACQUISITION ONE, LLC; MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073109/0238 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: BORDER, JOHN N.
To: OSTERHOUT GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 072536/0608 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2022
From: MAGIC LEAP, INC.; MENTOR ACQUISITION ONE, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 060560/0438 →