Method of detecting eye component information for determining sight axis direction, and sight axis direction detection apparatus

Patent 5652641 Issued on July 29, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 28, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Eye movement detector
Patent #: 4836670
Issued on: 06/06/1989
Inventor: Hutchinson

Visual axis detection apparatus
Patent #: 5280312
Issued on: 01/18/1994
Inventor: Yamada, et al.

Visual axis detecor having a high sensitivity to a light from an eye
Patent #: 5298927
Issued on: 03/29/1994
Inventor: Konishi, et al.

Method of, and apparatus for, detecting an object
Patent #: 5302819
Issued on: 04/12/1994
Inventor: Kassies

Method of detecting eye component information for determining sight axis direction, and sight axis direction detection apparatus Patent #: 5469234
Issued on: 11/21/1995
Inventor: Konishi

Inventor

Konishi, Kazuki

Assignee

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Application

No. 431293 filed on 04/28/1995

US Classes:

351/246, Methods of use351/205Objective type

Examiners

Primary: Dang, Hung Xuan

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto

Foreign Patent References

61-172552 JP. 08/11/1986
3109030 JP. 05/11/1991

International Class

A61P 003/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1992-04-14 JP

Abstract

In a pupil center detection method and a pupil ring portion detection method, which can obtain a pupil center and a pupil ring portion necessary for calculating a sight axis of an eyeball from specific points on the basis of a light beam reflected by the eyeball, when the position of the pupil center of the eyeball is detected by utilizing an image based on a light beam radiated from a projection device onto the eyeball and reflected by the eyeball, a large number of pupil ring portion positions are obtained, an average value and a standard deviation of the large number of pupil ring portion positions are obtained, and the pupil center is detected using values within a range defined by the average value and the standard deviation.