This patent application from current MSFT engineer, former long-time MVIS Engineering Manager Greg Gibson describes a method of using a scanning IR laser off of the primary image-generating MEMS mirror to detect the user's eye position as an input into the system. This allows "foveation" which means the area of a displayed image being actively looked at by a user can be delivered in a higher resolution than the rest of the image.
So, a single MEMS scanner can be used both to create a displayed image as well generate data about the user's eye position, allowing a head-worn display with an eye tracking capability to be created from a reduced set of components, saving size, weight, power and cost.
Microsoft Patent Application
United States Patent Application 20180314325 GIBSON; Gregory et al. November 1, 2018
Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC Redmond WA
Filed: April 28, 2017
EYE TRACKING USING SCANNED BEAM AND MULTIPLE DETECTORS
Abstract
Examples are disclosed herein that are related to eye tracking using scanned beam imaging and multiple photodetectors.
- An eye tracking system, comprising: an infrared light source; scanning optics configured to scan light from the infrared light source across a region comprising a user's cornea; and a plurality of photodetectors, each photodetector being configured to detect infrared light reflected from the user's cornea at a corresponding angle.
- The eye tracking system of claim 1, wherein the scanning optics comprise a scanning mirror system.
BACKGROUND
[0001] Eye tracking may be used in computing systems for various applications, such as an input mechanism for a near-eye display system.
SUMMARY
[0002] Examples are disclosed herein that are related to eye tracking using scanned beam imaging and multiple detectors. One example provides an eye tracking system, comprising an infrared light source, scanning optics configured to scan light from the infrared light source across a region comprising a user's cornea, and a plurality of photodetectors, each photodetector being configured to detect infrared light reflected from the user's cornea at a corresponding angle.
[0016] The near-eye display device 102 may utilize a laser light source, one or more microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors, and potentially other optics (e.g. a waveguide) to produce and deliver an image to a user's eye. In such an example, the eye tracking system may leverage such existing display system components, which may help to reduce a number of components used in manufacturing device. For example, by adding an appropriately configured infrared laser for eye illumination, an existing MEMS mirror system used for scanning image production also may be used to scan the light from the eye tracking illumination source across the user's eye.
h/t ppr_24_hrs
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