PORTABLE VIDEO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080300010A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Kurtz, Andrew F., Enge, Amy D., Border, John N., Manico, Joseph A., Cok, Ronald S., Stubler, Peter O., Schilling-Benz, Lynn, Williams, Frances C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,174,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• 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 method and device for adapting a display image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device. The device includes a camera for capturing a digital video and/or still image of a user, means for adjusting the captured digital image in response to poor image capture angle of said image capture device so as to create a modified captured digital image; and means for transmitting said modified captured digital image over a wireless communication network to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

Claims

1. A hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device, comprising:

a. a digital image capture device for capturing digital video and/or still images;

b. a device for transmitting and receiving wireless communication of digital video and/or still images over a communication network; and

c. an image compensating device for compensating for poor image capture conditions in a digital image captured by said image capture device, so as to create a modified image for transmission over the communication network.

2. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein the poor image capture conditions include:

poor capture angle, low light, motion of the camera, motion in the scene or bright and dark areas.

3. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 2 further comprising means for sensing capture angle.

4. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 3 wherein the means for sensing capture angle comprises digital image processing to compare nose relative size and shape in a captured image of a person to a stored image of a person that was captured with a good capture angle.

5. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 3 wherein said means for sensing capture angle comprises a tilt sensor or inclinometer.

6. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein said modified image is modified using digital imaging processing that identifies at least one physical dimension of a captured image and compares with a stored value.

7. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 6 wherein said at least one physical dimension comprises two or more physical dimensions.

8. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein the captured digital image is modified only in a portion of said captured digital image.

9. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein said modified digital image is constructed using portions of a stored image.

10. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein said modified digital image is constructed using a three dimensional model of the user'"'"'s face.

11. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein said modified image is displayed on a portion of the display while the digital video or still images as received over a communication network are displayed on the remainder of the display.

12. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 wherein said modified image is alternately displayed with the digital images received over a communication network.

13. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 1 further comprising an audio recording device for obtaining audio signal and an audio sound device for producing audio.

14. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 13 wherein the audio signal is transmitted to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over a wireless communication network.

15. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 13 further comprising security means for determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

16. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 15 wherein said security means comprises comparing the image of the user with a stored image.

17. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 16 wherein said security means further comprises verifying the finger print of the user or verifying the voice of the user.

18. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 15 wherein the security means is used for determining if the user is authorized to use other devices that are linked through a network to the said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

19. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 18 wherein an encrypted access code is transmitted to the said other device after the said security means have determined the user is authorized to use the said other device.

20. The hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device of claim 16 wherein the stored image of the user includes an exaggerated facial expression as selected by the user.

21. A method for adapting a display image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device, comprising the steps of:

a. capturing a digital video and/or still image of a user;

b. adjusting the captured digital image in response to poor image capture conditions, of an image capture by said image capture device so as to create a modified captured digital image; and

c. transmitting said modified captured digital image over a wireless communication network to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the poor image capture conditions include:

poor capture angle, low light, motion of the camera, motion in the scene or bright and dark areas.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device includes means for sensing capture angle.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the means for sensing capture angle comprises digital image processing to compare nose relative size and shape in a captured image of a person to a stored image of a person that was captured with a good capture angle.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein the means for sensing capture angle comprises a tilt sensor or inclinometer.

26. The method according to claim 21 wherein said modified image is modified using digital imaging processing that identifies at least one physical dimension of a captured image and compares with a stored values.

27. The method according to claim 21 wherein said at least one physical dimension comprises two or more physical dimensions.

28. The method according to claim 21 wherein the captured digital image is modified only in a portion of said captured digital image.

29. The method according to claim 21 wherein said modified digital image is constructed using portions of a stored image.

30. The method according to claim 21 wherein said modified digital image is constructed using a three-dimensional model of the user'"'"'s face.

31. The method according to claim 21 wherein said modified image is displayed on a portion of the display while the digital video or still images as received over a communication network are displayed on the remainder of the display.

32. The method according to claim 21 wherein said modified image is alternately displayed with the digital images received over a communication network.

33. The method according to claim 21 further comprising obtaining audio signal and an audio sound device for producing audio.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein said audio signal is transmitted to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over a wireless communication network.

35. The method according to claim 33 further comprising determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

36. The method according to claim 35 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises comparing the image of the user with a stored image.

37. The method according to claim 35 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises verifying the finger print of the user or verifying the voice of the user.

38. The method according to claim 35 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device further comprises determining if the user is authorized to use other devices that are linked through a network to the said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

39. The method according to claim 38 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises an encrypted code being transmitted to the said other device after the said security means have determined the user is authorized to use the said other device.

40. A method for adapting a displayed image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device for receiving and transmitting digital images over a communication network, comprising the steps of:

a. capturing a digital image of a user with the hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device;

b. adjusting the background of said digital image of said user so as to create a modified captured digital image that is to be transmitted; and

c. transmitting said modified captured image over a wireless communication network to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein at least a portion of the displayed image is composed of the received digital image and a portion is composed of the transmitted digital image at least a portion of the time.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the displayed image alternates over a period of time between the received digital image and the transmitted digital image.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the user can select the displayed image to be the received digital image or the transmitted digital image.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the adjusting of the background comprises replacing the background with another image.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the second image is a still image.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the second image is a video image.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein the second image is transmitted separately to the second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device or is resident on the second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

56. The method according to claim 47 wherein said instruction originates from said second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

57. The method according to claim 47 wherein said instructions are obtained by analyzing images received from said second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over said wireless communication network.

48. A method for adapting a displayed image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device for receiving and transmitting digital images over a communication network, comprising the steps of:

a. capturing a digital video and/or still image by said a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device;

b. controlling what image is captured by said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device from instruction received from a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over said wireless communication network; and

c. transmitting said captured image from said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over a wireless communication network to said second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

49. The method according to claim 48 further comprising obtaining audio signal and an audio sound device for producing audio.

50. The method according to claim 49 wherein said audio signal is transmitted to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over a wireless communication network.

51. The method according to claim 48 further comprising determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

52. The method according to claim 51 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises comparing the image of the user with a stored image.

53. The method according to claim 51 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises verifying the finger print of the user or verifying the voice of the user.

54. The method according to claim 51 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises to use other devices that are linked through a network to the said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

55. The method according to claim 51 wherein determining if the user is authorized to use said hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device comprises an encrypted code being transmitted to the said other device after the said security means have determined the user is authorized to use the said other device.

58. A method for adapting a displayed image on a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device, comprising the steps of:

a. capturing a digital video and/or still image by said a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device;

b. detecting motion of said a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device that affect the quality of the digital image being captured and automatically adjusting the captured digital image in response to the detected motion; and

c. transmitting said adjusted captured digital image from said a hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device over a wireless communication network to a second hand-held portable wireless display and digital capture device.

59. The method according to claim 58 wherein said motion detected comprises jitter.