System and method for displaying a stream of images

Abstract

Method for subsequently displaying a stream of images (44, I0, I) (44, I0, I) in a display area (46) of a display device (32), wherein a point of regard (POR; POR1, POR2, PORn) of a user (40) looking at the display area (46) and, a first area (48; A1, A2, A3, A4) within the display area (46) is determined around the point of regard (POR; POR1, POR2, PORn). A first image (44, I) of the stream of images (44, I0, I) is displayed in the display area (46) such that a first part (50) of the first image (44, I), which is displayed in the first area (48; A1, A2, A3, A4), is displayed according to a first parameter value of at least one parameter, which is correlated with an image characteristic of the first image (44, I), and a second part (52) of the first image (44, I), which is displayed in at least one second area outside the first area (48; A1, A2, A3, A4), is displayed according to a second parameter value of the at least one parameter. Moreover, the determining of the point of regard (POR; POR1, POR2, PORn) is performed as predicting the point of regard (POR; POR1, POR2, PORn) for a certain future point of time (T), at which the first image (44, I) is displayed, in dependency of at least one result (42, 68, 54) of at least one image related analysis.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 determining gaze data of an eye of a user at a plurality of times;   classifying the gaze data of an eye of a user at the plurality of times as either a static fixation, a moving fixation, or a saccade;   determining a point of regard of the user at a particular time subsequent to the plurality of times based at least in part on the classification; and   displaying an image at the particular time such that a first part of the image in a first area around the point of regard is displayed according to a first parameter value of an image quality parameter and a second part of the first image in at least one second area outside the first area is displayed according to a second parameter value of the image quality parameter.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein determining the gaze data of the eye of the user comprises:
 capturing a plurality of images of the eye of the user at the plurality of times; and   determining, based on the plurality of images of the eye of the user, a plurality of gaze directions of the user at the plurality of times,   wherein classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times is based on the plurality of gaze directions of the user at the plurality of times.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein determining the gaze data of the eye of the user comprises:
 displaying, to the user, a plurality of display images at the plurality of times;   determining, based on the plurality of display images, a plurality of saliency points at the plurality of times,   wherein classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times is based on the plurality of saliency points at the plurality of times.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a static fixation, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining that a minimum fixation period is not reached; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time as the current point of regard of the user.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a moving fixation, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion based on the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the current point of regard of the user and the direction and speed of gaze motion.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a saccade, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a point of regard of the user during a saccade onset;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion during the saccade onset; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the point of regard of the user during the saccade onset and the direction and speed of gaze motion.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising determining a size of the first area based on the gaze data of the eye of the user. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein determining the size of the first area includes:
 determining an uncertainty of the gaze data of the eye of the user; and   determining the size of the first area based on the uncertainty.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the image quality parameter is a resolution parameter. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein determining the point of regard of the user at a particular time subsequent to the plurality of times includes determining a plurality of points of regard of the user and the image is displayed at the particular time such that a first part of the image in respective first areas around the plurality of points of regard are displayed according to the first parameter value of the image quality parameter and the second part of the first image in at least one second area outside the respective first areas is displayed according to the second parameter value of the image quality parameter. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor to:
 determine gaze data of an eye of a user at a plurality of times; 
 classify the gaze data of an eye of a user at the plurality of times as either a static fixation, a moving fixation, or a saccade; and 
 determine a point of regard of the user at a particular time subsequent to the plurality of times based at least in part on the classification; and 
   a display device to display an image at the particular time such that a first part of the image in a first area around the point of regard is displayed according to a first parameter value of an image quality parameter and a second part of the first image in at least one second area outside the first area is displayed according to a second parameter value of the image quality parameter.   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , the processor is to determine the gaze data of the eye of the user by:
 capturing a plurality of images of the eye of the user at the plurality of times; and   determining, based on the plurality of images of the eye of the user, a plurality of gaze directions of the user at the plurality of times,   wherein classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times is based on the plurality of gaze directions of the user at the plurality of times.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a static fixation, the processor is to determine the point of regard of the user at the particular time by:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining that a minimum fixation period is not reached; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time as the current point of regard of the user.   
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a moving fixation, the processor is to determine the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion based on the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the current point of regard of the user and the direction and speed of gaze motion.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a saccade, the processor is to determine the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a point of regard of the user during a saccade onset;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion during the saccade onset; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the point of regard of the user during the saccade onset and the direction and speed of gaze motion.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the processor is further to:
 determining an uncertainty of the gaze data of the eye of the user; and   determining a size of the first area based on the uncertainty.   
     
     
         44 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining gaze data of an eye of a user at a plurality of times;   classifying the gaze data of an eye of a user at the plurality of times as either a static fixation, a moving fixation, or a saccade;   determining a point of regard of the user at a particular time subsequent to the plurality of times based at least in part on the classification; and   displaying an image at the particular time such that a first part of the image in a first area around the point of regard is displayed according to a first parameter value of an image quality parameter and a second part of the first image in at least one second area outside the first area is displayed according to a second parameter value of the image quality parameter.   
     
     
         45 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 44 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a static fixation, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining that a minimum fixation period is not reached; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time as the current point of regard of the user.   
     
     
         46 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 44 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a moving fixation, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a current point of regard of the user;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion based on the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the current point of regard of the user and the direction and speed of gaze motion.   
     
     
         47 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 44 , wherein, in response to classifying the gaze data of the eye of the user at the plurality of times as a saccade, determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time comprises:
 determining a point of regard of the user during a saccade onset;   determining a direction and speed of gaze motion during the saccade onset; and   determining the point of regard of the user at the particular time based on the point of regard of the user during the saccade onset and the direction and speed of gaze motion.