Google Inc.

Andrew S Logan

Idris S Aleem

Mayank Bhargava

Dwayne A Wasylyshyn

Daniel Robert Adema

Timothy Paul Bodiya

Stuart James Myron Nicholson

Syed Moez Haque

An optical combiner includes a lightguide having an input region, an output region, a relay region intermediate between the input region and the output region, and one or more stress raisers positioned to define a line of weakness in the lightguide. The line of weakness is intermediate between the input region and the output region and extends across the relay region. An in-coupler is disposed at the input region to receive an incident light with a field of view and couple the incident light into the lightguide. An out-coupler is disposed at the output region to couple light out of the lightguide. The optical combiner may be integrated with one or more lenses for use as a combiner lens in a wearable heads-up display.

Optical combiner and combiner lens with lightguide failure mitigation mechanism

According to an aspect, a method for designing an eye tracker on a wearable device includes selecting a first three-dimensional (3D) model of at least a head of a person, selecting a second 3D model of a wearable device, positioning a synthetic eye within the first 3D model, positioning an eye tracker component at a first location on the second 3D model, the eye tracker component including at least one of an eye tracker sensor or a light source, moving at least one of the first 3D model or the second 3D model such that at least a portion of the first 3D model contacts at least a portion of the second 3D model, and generating performance data with the eye tracker component positioned at the first location on the second 3D model.

Eye tracker design for a wearable device

A method of tracking an eye of a user includes generating an infrared light, scanning the infrared light over the eye, and detecting reflections of the infrared light from the eye over an eye tracking period. A plurality of glints is identified from the reflections of the infrared light detected. A glint center position of each glint in a glint space is determined and transformed to a gaze position in a display space. At least once during the eye tracking period, an image of the eye is reconstructed from a portion of the reflections of the infrared light detected. A pupil is detected from the image, and a pupil center position is determined. A glint-pupil vector is determined from the pupil center position and the glint center position of at least one glint corresponding in space to the pupil. The glint space is recalibrated based on the glint-pupil vector.

Method and system for eye tracking with glint space recalibration on wearable heads-up display

Systems and methods for implementing a continuously monitoring safety system that tracks emission of light energy from the light source by measuring energy at various sampling points within image frames projected by a projector and estimating a highest energy for a pupil area of each of the image frames based on a subset of sampling points encompassed by the pupil area. The highest energy for each of the image frames is summed to generate a cumulative highest energy, which is compared to a predetermined threshold, and in response to the cumulative highest energy exceeding the threshold, adjusting an power output of the projector.

Laser energy integrator for display waveguide breakage safety system

Systems, devices, and methods provide for the prevention of laser light escaping a foldable wearable heads-up display (WHUD) when the WHUD is folded. For a WHUD that adopts the form factor of conventional eyeglasses or sunglasses, enabling the WHUD to fold 'like glasses' can cause an interruption in the optical path of display light and enable display light to escape into the external environment. This can be hazardous when laser light is used to provide display light. Systems, devices, and methods that automatically detect, sense, and/or respond to the fold configuration state of a WHUD are described. When the WHUD is unfolded a laser-based display operates normally. When the WHUD is folded the laser-based display is disabled to prevent laser light from projecting out of the WHUD through the folded region. Proximity sensors and laser light containing mechanisms also may be employed as alternative or supplementary safety elements.

Laser safety in wearable heads-up displays

A method of tracking an eye of a user on a wearable heads-up display (WHUD) worn on the head of the user includes generating infrared light over an eye tracking period, scanning the infrared light over the eye, and detecting reflections of the infrared light from the eye. A motion parameter that is sensitive to motion of the WHUD is measured. Eye tracking is performed in a first mode that is based on glint for values of the motion parameter that fall within a first range of motion parameter values for which an error in measurement of glint position. Eye tracking is performed in a second mode that is based on glint-pupil vector for values of the motion parameter that fall within a second range of motion parameter values for which an error in measurement of glint position exceeds the error threshold. A head-mounted apparatus with eye tracking is disclosed.

Method and system for dual mode eye tracking on wearable heads-up display

A method of tracking a gaze position of an eye in a target space in a field of view of the eye over an eye tracking period includes performing a plurality of scans of the eye with infrared light within the eye tracking period. Each scan includes generating infrared light signals over a scan period and projecting the infrared light signals from a plurality of virtual light projectors to the eye to form a plurality of illumination areas on the eye. Reflections of the infrared light signals from the eye are detected for each scan. The gaze position of the eye in the target space is determined from the detected reflections of the infrared light signals for each scan.

Eye tracking method and system and integration of the same with wearable heads-up displays

An eye tracking system for tracking an eye of a user includes at least one infrared laser diode to output an infrared light and an optical scanner positioned to receive the infrared light outputted by the at least one infrared laser diode and controllable to scan the infrared light over a target area. A holographic optical element is positioned at the target area to receive the infrared light from the optical scanner and redirect the infrared light to the eye of the user. An infrared detector is aligned to detect at least a portion of the infrared light returned from the eye of the user. An infrared filter is disposed in a position to selectively block transmission of infrared wavelengths through the holographic optical element from a side of the holographic optical element. An eyeglass lens, a wearable heads-up display, and a method of eye tracking are also described.

Eye tracking system and method, eyeglass lens, and wearable heads-up display

A method of tracking an eye of a user includes generating infrared light over an eye tracking period, scanning the infrared light over the eye, and detecting reflections of the infrared light from the eye. Shifts in a position of a wearable heads-up display (WHUD) worn on the head of the user are detected during at least a portion of the eye tracking period. Glints are identified from the detected reflections of the infrared light. A drift in a glint center position of an identified glint relative to a glint space is determined based on a detected shift in position of the WHUD corresponding in space to the identified glint. The glint center position is adjusted to compensate for the drift. The adjusted glint center position is transformed from the glint space to a gaze position in a display space in a field of view of the eye.

Growing community of inventors

Waterloo, Canada

Andrew S Logan