Virtual Multiway Scaler Compensation

• US 20090015661A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: King, Keith C., Mock, Wayne E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

In various embodiments, a multipoint control unit (MCU) may arrange incoming video images into a composite video image and define their respective coordinate information including the size of the original composite video image. The MCU may subsequently scale the composite video image. The coordinate information for the scaled composite video image may be reformatted for the resized video images. When the endpoint receives the scaled composite video image, the endpoint may detect the actual size of the scaled composite video image and may determine the new coordinates of the video images in the scaled composite video image using a ratio of the size of the original composite video image to the actual size detected by the endpoint. These new coordinates may then be used to separate the images in the scaled composite video image to use in compositing a new composite video image.

Claims

1. A video conferencing system, comprising:

a multipoint control unit (MCU); and

a plurality of video conferencing endpoints, wherein each of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is coupled to the MCU;

wherein each of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to transmit a video image to the MCU;

wherein the MCU is operable to receive each of the video images from the plurality of video conferencing endpoints and generate a composite video image;

wherein the MCU is operable to determine coordinate information for one or more of the video images in the composite video image, wherein the coordinate information includes information indicating a size of the composite video image;

wherein the MCU is operable to scale the composite video image into a scaled composite video image;

wherein the MCU is operable to transmit the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information to at least one video conferencing endpoint of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints;

wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to receive the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information, detect an actual size of the scaled composite video image, and use the information indicating the size of the composite video image and the detected actual size of the scaled composite video image to determine new coordinates of one or more video images in the scaled composite video image.

2. The video conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to generate a new composite video image using the new coordinates to separate one or more respective video images in the scaled composite video image and composite a new composite video image using at least one of the separated video images.

3. The video conferencing system of claim 2, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint is operable to display the new composite video image.

4. The video conferencing system of claim 2, wherein the new composite video image comprises at least one video image derived from local video of the at least one video conferencing endpoint.

5. The video conferencing system of claim 2, wherein the scaled composite video image from the MCU has a first layout and wherein the new composite video image has a second different layout.

6. The video conferencing system of claim 5, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint is further operable to receive user input selecting the second different layout.

7. The video conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the information indicating the size of the composite video image comprises a width and a vertical height of the composite video image.

8. The video conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinate information and the size of the composite video image is comprised in metadata transmitted with a video frame comprising the scaled composite video image.

9. The video conferencing system of claim 8, wherein the metadata further includes identifying information for a video conferencing endpoint corresponding to the coordinate information of the video image.

10. The video conferencing system of claim 8, wherein the metadata further describes attributes of each of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints.

11. The video conferencing system of claim 8, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint is operable to display the metadata.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving video images through at least one decoder from a plurality of video conferencing endpoints coupled to a multipoint control unit (MCU);

generating a first composite video image comprised of at least two video images from respective video conferencing endpoints of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints;

generating coordinate information including information indicating a size of the first composite video image and information on a location of a video image of the at least two video images within the first composite video image;

scaling the first composite video image into a scaled composite video image; and

transmitting the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information to at least one of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints;

wherein the at least one of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to receive the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information, detect an actual size of the scaled composite video image, and use the information indicating a size of the first composite video image and the detected size of the scaled composite video image to determine new coordinates of one or more video images in the scaled composite video image.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the plurality video conferencing endpoints is operable to generate a second composite video image using the new coordinates to separate at least one respective video image in the scaled composite video image and composite the second composite video image using at least one of the separated video images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to display the second composite video image.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second composite video image comprises at least one video image derived from local video of the at least one video conferencing endpoint.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the scaled composite video image from the MCU has a first layout and wherein the second composite video image has a second different layout.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint is further operable to receive user input selecting the second different layout.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the information indicating the size of the first composite video image comprises a width and a vertical height of the first composite video image.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the coordinate information and the size of the first composite video image is comprised in metadata transmitted with a video frame comprising the scaled composite video image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the metadata further includes identifying information for a video conferencing endpoint corresponding to the coordinate information of the video image.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the metadata further describes attributes of each of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one video conferencing endpoint is operable to display the metadata.

23. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to:

receive video images through at least one decoder from a plurality of video conferencing endpoints coupled to an MCU;

generate a first composite video image comprised of at least two video images from respective video conferencing endpoints of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints;

generate coordinate information including information indicating a size of the first composite video image and information on a location of a video image of the at least two video images within the first composite video image;

scale the first composite video image into a scaled composite video image; and

transmit the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information to at least one of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints;

wherein the at least one of the plurality of video conferencing endpoints is operable to receive the scaled composite video image and the coordinate information, detect an actual size of the scaled composite video image, and use the information indicating the size of the first composite video image and the detected size of the scaled composite video image to determine new coordinates of one or more video images in the scaled composite video image.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the at least one of the plurality video conferencing endpoints is operable to generate a second composite video image using the new coordinates to separate at least one respective video image in the scaled composite video image and composite the second composite video image using at least one of the separated video images.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the information indicating the size of the first composite video image comprises a width and a vertical height of the first composite video image.