METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE VIEWING DIRECTION OF A PERSON

Abstract

A method for detecting the viewing direction of a person having a visual aid includes providing at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person, observing at least one eye of the person, and correcting data ascertained from the observation based on the at least one optical property of the visual aid. An apparatus designed to detect the viewing direction of a person includes an observation device set up to observe at least one eye of the person, a data record containing at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person, and a computing device equipped to correct the observation based on the data record.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A method for detecting a viewing direction of a person having a visual aid, the method comprising: obtaining, by a processor, at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person; obtaining, by the processor, data ascertained from an observation of at least one eye of the person; and correcting, by the processor, the ascertained data based on the at least one optical property of the visual aid.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising obtaining at least one image, wherein the correcting includes processing the at least one image based on the at least one optical property.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the correcting includes analyzing at least a portion of the data based on the at least one optical property and correcting the data based on a result of the analysis.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one optical property includes at least one of the following parameters: refraction, strength, sphere, axis, and cylinder.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising converting the at least one optical property into at least one of a model, a parameter field, a vector, and a matrix, wherein the correcting is performed using the at least one of the model, parameter field, vector, and matrix.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the correction is employed at least during a calibration phase of the detection.

18. An apparatus configured to detect the viewing direction of a person, the apparatus comprising: a sensor configured to observe at least one eye of the person; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain a data record containing at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person; and correct data of the observation by the sensor based on the data record.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is part of a driver-observation system of a vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is part of an electronic device.

21. A control unit for detecting a viewing direction of a person having a visual aid, the control unit comprising: a processor interfacing with a sensor, wherein the processor is configured to perform a method, the method including: obtaining at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person; obtaining from the sensor data ascertained from an observation of at least one eye of the person; and correcting the ascertained data based on the at least one optical property of the visual aid.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions that are executable by a processor and that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method for detecting a viewing direction of a person having a visual aid, the method comprising: obtaining at least one optical property of a visual aid of the person; obtaining data ascertained from an observation of at least one eye of the person; and correcting the ascertained data based on the at least one optical property of the visual aid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The FIGURE is a schematic representation of a method and an apparatus for detecting the viewing direction of a person having a visual aid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The FIGURE shows a system or an apparatus 1 for detecting the viewing direction of a person. Apparatus 1 includes an observation device 2, for example, in the form of one or more driver-observation cameras. Observation device 2 takes individual images or sequences of images and makes them available to a computing device 3 such as a control unit of an assistance system, for instance. The image(s) of observation device 2 is/are evaluated in computing device 3. To that end, first of all, one or both pupils can be pinpointed in the data of observation device 2, and subsequently, a viewing-direction vector, for example, can be formed from the position and size of the pupil or pupils. This viewing-direction vector indicates the direction in which the observed person is looking. It is also possible to indicate on what or at what distance the gaze of the person is focused.

[0021] If the observed person is using a visual aid such as glasses or contact lenses, for example, from the perspective of observation device 2, the eye, or rather, the pupil is situated behind the visual aid. Therefore, the optical path of observation device 2 runs through the lens system of the visual aid, so that the eye, that is, the pupil is distorted subject to the optical properties of the visual aid.

[0022] In order to permit correct detection of the viewing direction in spite of the visual aid used, first of all, the properties, that is, the optical properties of the visual aid of the person are determined in an external system 4. This external system, which, for example, is used at an eye doctor or optician or the fabricator of the visual aid, generates a data record 5 having at least one optical property of the visual aid. This data record 5 is made available to apparatus 1. Data record 5 can be transmitted in wireless or wired fashion, e.g., with the aid of a smart phone, USB stick, e-mail or SMS from external system 4 to apparatus 1.

[0023] In an example, a driver observation system creates a driver data record 6 that is used primarily to identify the driver, and moreover, can be used for expanded functions such as comfort functions, for instance. Optionally, data record 5 having the optical properties of the visual aid is transferred to driver data record 6 and integrated into it. In this way, the optical properties of the visual aid are assigned exactly to the person who is wearing this visual aid. In an example, data record 5, or rather, the optical property includes at least one of the following parameters:

[0024] refraction, strength, sphere, axis, and cylinder. The visual aid can be described optically based on these values or parameters.

[0025] The driver observation system can include a calibration function 7, which, in an example, can be invoked upon the first contact of the person with apparatus 1. Calibration function 7 is able to display optical features whose position is known to apparatus 1, and to prompt the person to focus his gaze on these features. By observing, detecting, and/or recording the person, or rather the eyes and/or the pupils of the person when looking at the known marking, it is thus possible to calibrate apparatus 1 to the specific person. To that end, the optical properties, that is, data record 5 can be provided to calibration function 7, so that the optical properties of the visual aid of the person are already taken into account during the calibration.

[0026] Calibration function 7 generates a viewing-direction calibration data record 8, in which the specific calibration data are contained. Data from driver data record 6 can also be incorporated in this viewing-direction calibration data record 8. Correspondingly, the optical properties of the visual aid, that is, data record 5 can be integrated via driver data record 6 and/or via calibration function 7 into viewing-direction calibration data record 8. The optical properties of the visual aid are made available to computing device 3 either directly via data record 5 or indirectly via viewing-direction calibration data record 8. The data coming from observation device 2 are corrected in computing device 3 based on at least one optical property of the visual aid, so that the optical distortions resulting from the visual aid are eliminated algorithmically. This can already be carried out in a calibration phase and/or in the observation operation.

[0027] To that end, computing device 3 is able to calculate a model, a parameter field, a vector and/or a matrix from data record 5, that is, from the at least one optical property of the visual aid. The data from observation device 2 are used as input quantities for the construct selected in each case, or the selected construct is applied to the data of observation device 2. In the case of a model, the data from observation device 2 are used as input quantities, and the output quantity of the model is a representation from observation device 2 from which distortion has been eliminated. Via a parameter field, the processing of the data from observation device 2 can be parameterized, e.g., as filter settings. A vector or a matrix can be applied as optical imaging or transformation to the data of observation device 2.

[0028] The approaches described can be used on the complete data, that is, the entire image from observation device 2. In order to reduce computing expenditure or to increase the processing speed, it is possible to process only certain areas. To that end, certain portions like, for example, the pupils, the eyes, a certain region around the pupils, and/or eyes or the spatial extension of the visual aid can be used to thus define the areas of the observation, that is, of the data or of the image from observation device 2.

[0029] The model, the parameter field, the vector, and/or the matrix is/are then applied to this area. The result is a robust viewing direction, corrected in real time, which can be made available to a further system 9, more specifically, a software module, or a software routine. The viewing direction can also be further processed in computing device 3.

[0030] Although the present invention was described in detail and illustrated more fully through preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and one skilled in the art is able to derive other variations from it without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.