Dynamic camera or light operation

Abstract

A user of a computing device may interact with the computing device through the user's eye movement. An image of the user's eyes or face, captured by a camera on the computing device, may be analyzed using computer-vision algorithms, such as eye tracking and gaze detection algorithms. During use of the computing device, one or more lights illuminating the user, or cameras viewing the user, may become blocked. The device may be equipped with more lights or cameras than are necessary to perform gaze detection by the device. In an over-equipped device, the additional lights or cameras can remain dormant until a blockage is detected. In response to a camera or light becoming blocked, a dormant light or camera can be activated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 activating a subset of a set of cameras to capture images of an eye of a user, the activated subset of cameras being smaller than the set;   performing eye tracking on the captured images to determine a point of regard of the user;   determining that a first camera in the set of cameras has been obstructed, the first camera being in the activated subset of cameras; and   responsive to determining that the first camera has been obstructed, reducing power consumption of the first camera and operating a second camera in the set of cameras to capture images of the eye of the user, the second camera not being in the activated subset of cameras.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises detecting an obstruction with a proximity sensor adjacent to the first camera. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises detecting an obstruction with a light sensor adjacent to the first camera. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises:
 capturing a first image with the first camera, the first image containing the eye of the user;   after capturing the first image, capturing a second image with the first camera;   comparing the first image to the second image to determine whether the eye of the user is present in the second image; and   responsive to determining that the eye of the user is not present in the second image, determining that the first camera has been obstructed.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reducing power consumption of the first camera comprises turning off the first camera. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reducing power consumption of the first camera comprises configuring the first camera to enter a low-power mode without completely turning off the first camera. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first camera captures images at a first resolution responsive to being activated, and wherein reducing power consumption of the first camera comprises configuring the first camera to capture images at a second resolution, the second resolution being lower than the first resolution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first camera captures images at a first framerate responsive to being activated, and wherein reducing power consumption of the first camera comprises configuring the first camera to capture images at a second framerate, the second framerate being lower than the first framerate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning a respective priority value to two or more of the cameras not in the activated subset of cameras, the second camera having a highest priority value of the assigned priority values.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 after operating the second camera to capture images of the eye of the user, determining that the second camera has been obstructed; and   responsive to determining that the second camera has been obstructed, operating a third camera in the set of cameras to capture images of the eye of the user, the third camera not being in the activated subset of cameras, the third camera having a second-highest priority value of the assigned priority values.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed; and   responsive to determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed, re-enabling the first camera and reducing power consumption of the second camera.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 activating a subset of a set of cameras to capture images of an eye of a user, the activated subset of cameras being smaller than the set;   performing eye tracking on the captured images to determine a point of regard of the user;   determining that a first camera in the set of cameras has been obstructed, the first camera being in the activated subset of cameras; and   responsive to determining that the first camera has been obstructed, reducing power consumption of the first camera and operating a second camera in the set of cameras to capture images of the eye of the user, the second camera not being in the activated subset of cameras.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises detecting an obstruction with a proximity sensor adjacent to the first camera. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises detecting an obstruction with a light sensor adjacent to the first camera. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein determining that the first camera has been obstructed comprises:
 capturing a first image with the first camera, the first image containing the eye of the user;   after capturing the first image, capturing a second image with the first camera;   comparing the first image to the second image to determine whether the eye of the user is present in the second image; and   responsive to determining that the eye of the user is not present in the second image, determining that the first camera has been obstructed.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
 assigning a respective priority value to two or more of the cameras not in the activated subset of cameras, the second camera having a highest priority value of the assigned priority values.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
 after operating the second camera to capture images of the eye of the user, determining that the second camera has been obstructed; and   responsive to determining that the second camera has been obstructed, operating a third camera in the set of cameras to capture images of the eye of the user, the third camera not being in the activated subset of cameras, the third camera having a second-highest priority value of the assigned priority values.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed; and   responsive to determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed, re-enabling the first camera and reducing power consumption of the second camera.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 activating a subset of a set of cameras to capture images of an eye of a user, the activated subset of cameras being smaller than the set; 
 performing eye tracking on the captured images to determine a point of regard of the user; 
 determining that a first camera in the set of cameras has been obstructed, the first camera being in the activated subset of cameras; and 
 responsive to determining that the first camera has been obstructed, reducing power consumption of the first camera and operating a second camera in the set of cameras to capture images of the eye of the user, the second camera not being in the activated subset of cameras. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed; and   responsive to determining that the first camera is no longer obstructed, re-enabling the first camera and reducing power consumption of the second camera.