IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,073,016
Granted Patent B2
US 12,073,016 · App. 17/678,613 · Granted Aug 27, 2024

Electronic device and method of operating the same

Inventors: Doyoun Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Harry Edward Milton (Suwon-si, KR); Bonkon Koo (Suwon-si, KR); Sangho Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Youngmo Jeong (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G06F3/013G02B27/0093G02B27/0172G06F3/011G06F3/017A61B3/024A61B3/032G02B2027/0125G02B2027/0138
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,073,016
App. No.
17/678,613
Granted
Aug 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an electronic device for detecting lost portions of a field of vision and distorted portions of a field of vision and storing these in a vision map. The lost portions and distorted portions are identified in cooperation with the user by means of virtual image superposition on a real scene, audible requests to the user, gesture inputs provided by the user and gaze tracking. The electronic device may detect an object and provide visual information to a user when the object is in a lost portion or distorted portion of the field of vision.

Claims (67)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display comprising an optical engine and a waveguide;

a gaze tracking sensor;

a memory configured to store one or more instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions to:

control the optical engine to output a first target image through the waveguide at preset different locations;

obtain gaze information of eyes of a user corresponding to a location of the first target image by using the gaze tracking sensor;

determine whether a gaze of the eyes of the user is directed to the location where the first target image is output, based on the gaze information;

according to a first result of the determination, determine an impaired area of an entire visual field;

store a vision map based on the impaired area; and

control the optical engine to output a guidance image for notifying the user of the impaired area through the waveguide, based on the vision map, wherein the guidance image indicates an outline of the impaired area in a real scene seen by the user.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a depth sensor, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:

control the optical engine to output a second target image through the waveguide;

output guidance information related to the second target image;

obtain, by using the depth sensor, a gesture input of the user associated with the guidance information;

obtain a user input pattern based on the gesture input of the user;

compare the second target image to the user input pattern; and

determine the impaired area based on a second result of the comparison.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:

determine an area where the second target image does not match the user input pattern;

determine the impaired area based on the area where the second target image does not match the user input pattern; and

determine a degree of distortion in the impaired area based on a distance between the second target image and the user input pattern.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the entire visual field comprises an entire display area on the waveguide, and

wherein the preset different locations comprise at least one of a plurality of locations spaced apart from each other at certain intervals on the waveguide.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the impaired area comprises at least one of a lost area or a distorted area.

6. An electronic device comprising:

a display comprising an optical engine and a waveguide;

a gaze tracking sensor;

a depth sensor;

a varifocal lens;

a memory configured to store one or more instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions to:

control the optical engine to output a first target image through the waveguide at preset different locations;

obtain gaze information of eyes of a user corresponding to a location of the first target image by using the gaze tracking sensor;

determine whether a gaze of the eyes of the user is directed to the location where the first target image is output, based on the gaze information;

according to a first result of the determination, determine an impaired area of an entire visual field;

store a vision map based on the impaired area;

detect an object comprised in the impaired area, based on the vision map by using the depth sensor;

apply a prism mode to at least a partial area of the varifocal lens corresponding to the impaired area in such a manner that an image of the object is refracted and moved to a normal area; and

control the optical engine to display a virtual image indicating that the image of the object is moved to the normal area of the entire visual field.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the prism mode is a mode in which refractive power of at least the partial area of the varifocal lens is changed, and

wherein the refractive power of the varifocal lens is changed by changing orientation of liquid crystal (LC) molecules in the varifocal lens.

8. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

controlling an optical engine to output a first target image through a waveguide at preset different locations;

obtaining gaze information of eyes of a user corresponding to a location of the first target image by using a gaze tracking sensor when the first target image is output;

determining, based on the gaze information, whether a gaze of the eyes of the user is directed to the first target image;

according to a first result of the determination, determining an impaired area of an entire visual field;

storing a vision map based on the impaired area; and

controlling the optical engine to output a guidance image for notifying the user of the impaired area through the waveguide, based on the vision map, wherein the guidance image indicates an outline of the impaired area in a real scene seen by the user.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising:

controlling the optical engine to output a second target image through the waveguide;

outputting guidance information related to the second target image;

obtaining, by using a depth sensor, a gesture input of the user associated with the guidance information;

obtaining a user input pattern based on the gesture input of the user;

comparing the second target image to the user input pattern; and

determining the impaired area based on a second result of the comparison.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining of the impaired area comprises:

determining an area where the second target image does not match the user input pattern;

determining the impaired area based on the area where the second target image does not match the user input pattern; and

determining a degree of distortion in the impaired area based on a distance between the second target image and the user input pattern.

11. The method of claim 8 , comprising:

detecting an object comprised in the impaired area, based on the vision map by using a depth sensor;

applying a prism mode to at least a partial area of a varifocal lens corresponding to the impaired area in such a manner that an image of the object is refracted and moved to a normal area; and

controlling the optical engine to display a virtual image indicating that the image of the object is moved to the normal area of the entire visual field.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the prism mode is a mode in which refractive power of at least the partial area of the varifocal lens is changed, and

wherein the refractive power of the varifocal lens is changed by changing orientation of liquid crystal (LC) molecules in the varifocal lens.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 9 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2022
From: KIM, DOYOUN; MILTON, HARRY EDWARD; KOO, BONKON; YOON, SANGHO; JEONG, YOUNGMO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059080/0070 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0024366 · Feb 23, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022002508 · Feb 21, 2022
Related Publication 20220269342A1 · Aug 25, 2022