How Eye Tracking Systems Adapt When They Can't See Eye Glints
This patent describes an eye-tracking system that intelligently switches between two methods: one using bright reflections on the eye when available, and another using head position and facial features when those reflections are absent.
Original patent title: “Systems and methods for performing eye gaze tracking”
This patent describes an eye-tracking system that intelligently switches between two methods: one using bright reflections on the eye when available, and another using head position and facial features when those reflections are absent. Granted to Seeing Machines in 2020 with 22 claims and 4 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent outlines a method for determining where a person is looking, called "eye gaze vectors" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). It starts by capturing a series of images of the person's face and eyes using cameras. The system then looks for bright, mirror-like spots, called "specular reflections," in these images and figures out their exact positions. It then decides if these bright spots are "corneal reflections" (glints from the surface of the eye itself) or other types of reflections (Claim 1). If the system finds at least one corneal reflection, it uses a "first eye gaze tracking procedure" (Claim 1). This procedure relies on the positions of these corneal reflections relative to other eye parts, like the pupil or iris (Claim 2). For example, if you're looking at a screen and a light source creates a glint on your eye, the system uses that glint and your pupil's position to figure out your gaze. However, if there are no corneal reflections detected, the system switches to a "second eye gaze tracking procedure" (Claim 1). This second method estimates the person's "head pose" (the 3D position and angle of their head) by tracking other facial features like eyelids, mouth corners, or even ears (Claim 3). It then uses this head pose to figure out where the eyes are looking. This dual approach ensures the system can track eye gaze even when lighting conditions are poor or reflections are obscured.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover eye tracking systems that *only* rely on corneal reflections without a fallback head-pose-based method.
- Does not cover eye tracking systems that *only* use head pose and facial features without first attempting to use corneal reflections.
- Does not cover systems that determine eye gaze solely from pupil dilation or eye color changes.
- Does not cover systems that do not differentiate between corneal and non-corneal reflections.
- Does not cover systems that do not capture a sequence of time-separated images.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The truly clever part is the system's ability to intelligently switch between two distinct eye-tracking methods based on the real-time presence or absence of corneal reflections. This adaptive approach ensures continuous and robust eye tracking, even when direct glints from the eye are not visible, by falling back to a head-pose-based estimation.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Driver monitoring systems in cars
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets
Pilot monitoring systems in aircraft
Gaming interfaces controlled by eye movement
Assistive technologies for people with disabilities
Research tools for human-computer interaction studies
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Robust eye tracking is crucial for many applications, especially in environments where lighting can change or subjects move freely. This patent addresses a common challenge in eye tracking: maintaining accuracy when the primary visual cues (corneal reflections) are absent. By providing a reliable fallback mechanism, it enables more consistent performance in demanding scenarios like driver monitoring systems or virtual reality, where consistent eye gaze data is vital for safety, interaction, and user experience.
Filed
June 14, 2017
Granted
December 29, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Seeing Machines Ltd, the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a leading company in this field, particularly for driver and operator monitoring systems. Other companies like Tobii, Pupil Labs, and various automotive suppliers are actively developing and integrating eye-tracking technology into their products, often incorporating robust methods for varying conditions. Meta (Reality Labs) and Apple are also heavily invested in eye tracking for their AR/VR platforms.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the development of more reliable and versatile eye-tracking systems, which are critical for expanding the adoption of technologies like advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and immersive computing (VR/AR). By ensuring consistent eye gaze data even under challenging conditions, it helps enable safer vehicles, more intuitive user interfaces, and richer interactive experiences, fostering growth in these high-value markets.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent outlines a method for determining where a person is looking, called "eye gaze vectors" (Claim 1). It starts by capturing a series of images of the person's face and eyes using cameras. The system then looks for bright, mirror-like spots, called "specular reflections," in these images and figures out their exact positions. It then decides if these bright spots are "corneal reflections" (glints from the surface of the eye itself) or other types of reflections (Claim 1). If the system finds at least one corneal reflection, it uses a "first eye gaze tracking procedure" (Claim 1). This procedure relies on the positions of these corneal reflections relative to other eye parts, like the pupil or iris (Claim 2). For example, if you're looking at a screen and a light source creates a glint on your eye, the system uses that glint and your pupil's position to figure out your gaze. However, if there are no corneal reflections detected, the system switches to a "second eye gaze tracking procedure" (Claim 1). This second method estimates the person's "head pose" (the 3D position and angle of their head) by tracking other facial features like eyelids, mouth corners, or even ears (Claim 3). It then uses this head pose to figure out where the eyes are looking. This dual approach ensures the system can track eye gaze even when lighting conditions are poor or reflections are obscured.
The clever bit
The truly clever part is the system's ability to intelligently switch between two distinct eye-tracking methods based on the real-time presence or absence of corneal reflections. This adaptive approach ensures continuous and robust eye tracking, even when direct glints from the eye are not visible, by falling back to a head-pose-based estimation.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover eye tracking systems that *only* rely on corneal reflections without a fallback head-pose-based method.
- Does not cover eye tracking systems that *only* use head pose and facial features without first attempting to use corneal reflections.
- Does not cover systems that determine eye gaze solely from pupil dilation or eye color changes.
- Does not cover systems that do not differentiate between corneal and non-corneal reflections.
- Does not cover systems that do not capture a sequence of time-separated images.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
14/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$62K – $200K
Midpoint $125K · 10.8 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
0 independent claims · 1 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Rougeaux, S., & Edwards, T. J. H. (2020). How Eye Tracking Systems Adapt When They Can't See Eye Glints (U.S. Patent No. 10,878,237). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10878237/systems-and-methods-for-performing-eye-gaze-tracking
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Eye Tracking Systems Adapt When They Can't See Eye Glints cover?
This patent describes an eye-tracking system that intelligently switches between two methods: one using bright reflections on the eye when available, and another using head position and facial features when those reflections are absent.
Who owns patent US 10878237?
Seeing Machines owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on June 14, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10878237 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 4 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Robust eye tracking is crucial for many applications, especially in environments where lighting can change or subjects move freely. This patent addresses a common challenge in eye tracking: maintaining accuracy when the primary visual cues (corneal reflections) are absent. By providing a reliable fallback mechanism, it enables more consistent performance in demanding scenarios like driver monitoring systems or virtual reality, where consistent eye gaze data is vital for safety, interaction, and user experience.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover eye tracking systems that *only* rely on corneal reflections without a fallback head-pose-based method.
Patent monitoring