Computer camera system and method for reducing parallax

• US 20040223061A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Bear, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

A camera mounted on a computer system such as on a side of a monitor or behind a displayed image to reduce the parallax that results from a camera viewing angle that differs from a viewed party'"'"'s viewing angle of a display, and that causes unnatural looking video communications. An item of interest corresponding to a focal point of the user that is being viewed, such as a counterpart displayed video image from a participant in the communication, may be positioned near the camera, such that the user tends to look in the general direction of the camera while communicating. Camera movement may be sensed to facilitate automatic or manual repositioning of the displayed item of interest, and a participant, such as a remote participant receiving video in a video communication may control the position of a displayed image on the monitor to minimize the parallax.

Claims

1. In a exchange system that exchanges data, a subsystem comprising:

a monitor that displays images, and

a camera that produces images, the camera positioned to a side of the monitor to reduce vertical parallax relative to a camera positioned above or below the monitor.

2. The subsystem of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism that positions an item of interest on the display with respect to the camera position so as to further reduce parallax.

3. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism positions the item of interest on the display horizontally and vertically to further reduce the parallax.

4. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest moves the item of interest on the display horizontally to reduce horizontal parallax.

5. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest includes a user interface.

6. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest includes a camera movement sensor.

7. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest positions the item of interest includes a camera location sensor.

8. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest includes a component for handling remote positioning data.

9. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the mechanism that positions the item of interest includes a component for handling local positioning data.

10. The subsystem of claim 2 wherein the item of interest on the display comprises a video image received from a party viewing the camera image.

11. In a computer system, a method comprising:

receiving information corresponding to a camera location, and

positioning an item of interest on a display with respect to the camera location so as to reduce parallax.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the camera location comprises a mounting position on a side of a monitor in which the display is rendered.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein positioning an item of interest comprises responding to data received from a user interface.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein positioning an item of interest comprises responding to data received from a remote party.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein positioning an item of interest comprises responding to data received from a camera movement sensor.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein positioning an item of interest comprises aligning the camera behind the item of interest.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 11.

18. In a system that inputs and outputs data, a method comprising:

receiving information corresponding to a camera location, and

positioning an item of interest on a display with respect to the camera location so as to reduce parallax.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein positioning the item of interest comprises aligning the camera behind the item of interest.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 18.

21. In a system that inputs and outputs data, a method comprising:

receiving information corresponding to a camera location, and

positioning an item of interest on a display with respect to the camera location so as to reduce parallax.

22. A system comprising:

means for receiving information corresponding to an item of interest to display; and

means for positioning the item of interest relative to a camera location so as to reduce parallax.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the means for positioning the item of interest comprises means for aligning the camera behind the item of interest.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a camera; and

a display that displays an item of interest, the item of interest positioned relative to the camera so as to reduce parallax.