PERSONAL CONTROLS FOR PERSONAL VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS
First Claim
1. A method for operating a video communication system at a local site, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining privacy settings for a video communication event;
establishing a video communication link with a video communication system at a remote site;
capturing video images of a field of view of at least one image capture device;
determining a video context based at least in part upon a determined contextual classification for the communication event;
analyzing the captured video images to identify privacy sensitive areas in the captured video images, using a scene analysis algorithm which examines a content of the video images and image context characteristics of the video images based upon the determined privacy settings;
modifying the image characteristics in identified privacy sensitive image areas of captured video images, to control the image and image context characteristics shared with the remote viewer, to an extent consistent with the determined privacy settings; and
transmitting the modified video images to the remote site.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Video communication systems and methods for operating the same are provided with the method determining privacy settings for a video communication event; establishing a video communication link with a video communication system at a remote site; capturing video images of a field of view of at least one image capture device; determining a video context based at least in part upon a determined contextual classification for the communication event; analyzing the captured video images to identify privacy sensitive areas in the captured video images, using a scene analysis algorithm which examines a content of the video images and image context characteristics of the video images based upon the determined privacy settings; modifying the image characteristics in identified privacy sensitive image areas of captured video images, to control the image and image context characteristics to an extent consistent with the determined privacy settings; and transmitting the modified video images.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for operating a video communication system at a local site, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining privacy settings for a video communication event; establishing a video communication link with a video communication system at a remote site; capturing video images of a field of view of at least one image capture device; determining a video context based at least in part upon a determined contextual classification for the communication event; analyzing the captured video images to identify privacy sensitive areas in the captured video images, using a scene analysis algorithm which examines a content of the video images and image context characteristics of the video images based upon the determined privacy settings; modifying the image characteristics in identified privacy sensitive image areas of captured video images, to control the image and image context characteristics shared with the remote viewer, to an extent consistent with the determined privacy settings; and transmitting the modified video images to the remote site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28)
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11. A video communication system for controlling audio or video content shared between a video communication device at a local site, and a remote a video communication device, the system comprising:
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at least two video communication devices, each having; an image display device; at least one image capture device which acquires video images of the local environment, and individuals therein, according to defined video capture settings, an audio system having both an audio emission device and an audio capture device; and a computer, which is operable to enable a privacy interface, a contextual interface including a scene analysis algorithm, an image processor, and a communication controller; wherein the privacy interface allows a user to establish provides privacy settings that control the capture, transmission, display, or recording of video image content from the local environment; and wherein the contextual interface is adapted to use the scene analysis algorithm to assess the image content and image context characteristics of the video images captured by the at least one image capture device and to determine modifications of an image content of video images to be transmitted by the communication device to other ones of the plurality of communication devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29)
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30. A video communication system comprising:
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at least two video communication devices, each having; an image display means for displaying video images; at least one image capture means for acquiring video images of a local environment and any individuals therein, with said acquiring being performed according to defined video capture settings, an audio system having both audio emission means and audio capture means; and a means for enabling a privacy interface, a contextual interface including a scene analysis algorithm, an image processor, and a communication controller; wherein the privacy interface enables a user to make privacy settings and the privacy settings are used to control the capture, transmission, display, or recording of video image content from the local environment; and wherein the contextual interface is adapted to use the scene analysis algorithm to assess the image content and image context characteristics of the video images captured by the at least one image capture device and to determine modifications of an image content of video images to be transmitted by the communication system to other ones of the plurality of communication devices.
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Specification