Video Nametags

• US 20080255840A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cutler, Ross G.
• Application Number:
  US11/735,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Video nametags allow automatic identification of people speaking in a video. A video nametag is associated with a person who is participating in a video, such as a video conference scenario or recorded meeting. The video nametag includes one or more sensors that detect when the person is speaking. The video nametag transmits information to a video conferencing system that provides an indicator on a display of the video that identifies the speaker. The system may also automatically format the display of the video to concentrate on the person when the person is speaking. The video nametag can also capture the wearer'"'"'s audio and transmit it wirelessly to be used for the conference audio send signal.

Claims

1. A video nametag, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect speech from a person associated with the video nametag and to provide an output corresponding thereto;

one or more processing components configured to determine the speaking status of the person associated with the video nametag based on the output of the one or more sensors; and

one or more signaling devices configured to send a signal indicating the speaker status of the person associated with the video nametag.

2. The video nametag of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a microphone.

3. The video nametag of claim 2 further comprising a wireless transmitter to transmit the output of the one or more microphones.

4. The video nametag of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is an accelerometer.

5. The video nametag of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more signaling devices is an infra-red emitter.

6. The video nametag of claim 1 wherein the person is associated with the video nametag via a device coupled to the video nametag via a universal serial bus connection.

7. The video nametag of claim 1 wherein the person is associated with the video nametag using a smart card reader coupled to the video nametag.

8. A system comprising:

One or more video nametags;

at least one receiving device which can receive the signals sent by the video nametag.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the receiving devices is a video camera.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising a display which indicates the speaking status determined by the one or more nametags associated with an image of one or more wearers of the one or more nametags.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the image comprises a static picture.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the image comprises a video in real-time.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the image comprises a recorded video being played.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the video nametags transmits an output of at least one microphone to at least one of the receiving devices via a wireless signal.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the video nametags transmits an output of at least one microphone to at least one of the receiving devices via wire.

16. A method comprising:

displaying an image of a person on a display;

receiving a signal from a video nametag associated with the person;

determining from the signal whether the person is speaking;

if the person is determined to be speaking, providing an indication on the display that the person is speaking.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the image of the person further comprises a real-time video.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the image of the person further comprises a static image.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the image of the person further comprises a prerecorded video.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the indication further comprises a bold font display of a name for the person.