Mute Function for Video Applications

• US 20080136895A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mareachen, Russell
• Granted Patent: US 8,044,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A mute function is provided that allows a user to mute a video application without alerting other participants to the muting. A user participating in the video application selects the mute function, which causes the user'"'"'s video device to present a virtual image of the user to the other participants of the video application. Therefore, the other participants to the video application may continue to believe that the user is actively participating in the video application when, in fact, the user has selected the mute function and may be engaging in other activities.

Claims

1. A method of muting a video application comprising:

receiving video images;

receiving an indication of a selection of a mute function;

retrieving image data from a gesture library;

modifying at least a portion of the received video images with the image data retrieved from the gesture library to create a virtual image; and

transmitting the virtual image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving video images comprises:

receiving video images of a user and wherein the virtual image includes a representation of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the previously received video images to determine facial feature information and gesture information for a user; and

storing the video images with the results of the analysis in the gesture library, wherein the retrieved image data includes at least some of the stored images.

4. The method of claim 1, retrieving image data comprises:

retrieving at least portions of stored images from the gesture library.

5. The method of claim 1, retrieving image data comprises:

retrieving vector motion models from the gesture library.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

displaying the virtual image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying at least a portion of the received video images comprises:

modifying at least a portion of an image of a user'"'"'s face captured in the received video images with image data retrieved from the gesture library.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing the transition of at least one of;

a cessation of a presentation of live images and the presentation of the virtual image; and

a cessation of the presentation of the virtual image and a presentation of live images.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the received video images comprise video images of multiple individuals, the method further comprising:

determining whether one or more of the multiple individuals are to be muted; and

modifying at least a portion of the received video images further comprises

for each of the one or more individuals to be muted, modifying portions of the video images including the individual with the image data retrieved from the gesture library to create a virtual image.

10. A system for muting a video device comprising:

an image capture device for capturing video images;

a gesture library for storing image data; and

a replacement module for modifying at least a portion of an image with the image data stored in the gesture library to create a virtual image and transmit the virtual image in response to the receipt of user input indicating the selection of a mute function.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the captured video images include images of a user and, wherein the virtual image includes a representation of the user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the image data stored in the gesture library includes a template for a user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the template includes at least one of stored images of the particular user and vector motion models.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the virtual image includes images modified by digital augmentation.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a gesture training sub-module for analyzing movement in the video images captured by the image capture device.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a training module for

receiving images of a user,

analyzing the received images of the user, and

storing the images of the user and the result of the analysis of the images of the user in the gesture library.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the virtual image.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the virtual image is created from deconstructing a portion of the image within a frame of the video images captured by the image capture device and applying a vector motion model to the portion of the image to simulate a gesture.

19. The system of claim 10, a synchronization module for synchronizing a transition between at least one of:

a cessation of a presentation of live images and the presentation of the virtual image; and

a cessation of the presentation of the virtual image and a presentation of live images.

20. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions that when executed by a processing circuit performs a method of modifying the playback of media content comprising:

receiving video images at a mute device;

receiving an indication of a selection of a mute function at the mute device;

retrieving image data from a gesture library;

modifying at least a portion of the received video images with the image data retrieved from the gesture library to create a virtual image; and

presenting the virtual image.

21. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:

modifying at least a portion of an image of a user'"'"'s face captured in the received video images with image data retrieved from the gesture library to present a virtual image which includes a representation of the user.