Depth-based visual search area

Inventors

Jansen dos Reis, Paulo R. • Fu, Christopher D.

Assignees

Apple Inc

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Publication Number

US-12469246-B1

Patent

Publication Date

2025-11-11

Expiration Date


Abstract

In one implementation, a method of extracting information from a physical environment is performed at a device including an image sensor, one or more processors, and non-transitory memory. The method includes determining a gaze location and a distance to an object in a physical environment at the gaze location. The method includes selecting a field-of-view of the physical environment based on the gaze location and the distance to the object. The method includes obtaining, using the image sensor, an image corresponding to the field-of-view of the physical environment. The method includes extracting information from the image.

Core Innovation

The invention provides depth/gaze-based image processing for an extended reality (XR) device in a physical environment. A gaze location and a distance from the device to an object at the gaze location are determined, and a field-of-view of the physical environment is selected from the device based on the gaze location and the distance. The size of the field-of-view is a first size at a first distance and a second size less than the first size at a second distance greater than the first distance.

The device obtains, using an image sensor, an image corresponding to the selected field-of-view or a selected portion around the gaze. Information is extracted from the obtained image, with the extraction constrained to the selected field-of-view portion. Implementations include selecting among multiple image sensors with different field-of-views and using a dynamic adjustable field-of-view.

The disclosure further describes extracting machine-readable content, including text and QR code, and identifying actionable items from the image. A user interface element includes glints tied to detected actionable items, and input directed to a specific glint is used to perform an associated action. The disclosure compares full-scan, object-scan using semantic segmentation, and area-scan approaches that emphasize reduced computation via the distance-based field-of-view selection.

Claims Coverage

The document contains three independent claims: a method claim, a device claim, and a non-transitory memory claim. Each independent claim is grounded in an identical core sequence of determining gaze location and device-to-object distance, selecting a distance-dependent field-of-view size, obtaining an image corresponding to the field-of-view, and extracting information from the image; the dependent claims further refine field-of-view acquisition/extraction and add actionable-item interaction using glints.

Determining gaze location and distance for object at gaze location

Determine a gaze location and a distance from the device to an object in a physical environment at the gaze location.

Distance-dependent field-of-view size selection

Select a field-of-view of the physical environment from the device based on the gaze location and the distance from the device to the object, wherein a size of the field-of-view is a first size at a first distance and the size of the field-of-view is a second size less than the first size at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Image corresponding to the selected field-of-view

Obtain, using the image sensor, an image corresponding to the field-of-view of the physical environment or the selected field-of-view.

Extracting information from the obtained image

Extract information from the image.

Device components configured for gaze-to-field-of-view imaging and extraction

A device comprising an image sensor, non-transitory memory, and one or more processors configured to determine the gaze location and distance, select the distance-dependent field-of-view, obtain the image using the image sensor, and extract information from the image.

Programs stored in non-transitory memory to perform gaze-to-field-of-view imaging and extraction

A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs that, when executed by one or more processors of a device including an image sensor, determine the gaze location and distance, select the distance-dependent field-of-view, obtain the image using the image sensor, and extract information from the image.

Across the independent claims, the core inventive coverage is a distance-dependent field-of-view selection driven by a determined gaze location and device-to-object distance, followed by image capture corresponding to that field-of-view and information extraction from the captured image. The document’s dependent claims further narrow field-of-view acquisition and extraction to selected portions and include actionable-item detection with glints and input targeted to a particular glint to perform an associated action.

Stated Advantages

Reduced computation by using distance-based area selection rather than full-scan approaches.

Constraining information extraction to the selected field-of-view, including a selected portion around the gaze.

Enabling interaction with actionable items via glints associated with detected actionable items.

Documented Applications

Extended reality (XR) depth/gaze-based image processing in a physical environment to extract information from a gaze-dependent field-of-view.

Machine-readable content extraction including text and QR code from a gaze-dependent field-of-view image.

User interface interaction in XR using glints tied to detected actionable items, where input directed to a specific glint performs an associated action.

Image processing approach selection described as full-scan, object-scan (semantic segmentation), and area-scan emphasizing reduced computation via distance-based field-of-view selection.

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