Conferencing and Stage Display of Distributed Conference Participants

• US 20090231414A1
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paget, Michael H., Graham, Philip R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,289,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2723 Insertion of virtual advertisement; Replacing advertisements physical present in the scene by virtual advertisement data processing systems or methods specially adapted for marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A system comprises a stage area and an audience area with a line of sight view of the stage area. The system also includes a first display that reproduces a first video feed of a first perspective of a remote talent. The first video feed may appear, from the perspective of the audience area, to be within a first region of the stage area. The system further includes a first camera directed at the audience area and aligned so that its field of view corresponds to a line of sight from the first region to the audience area. The system additionally includes a second display viewable from a second region of the stage area and hidden from view of the audience area. The second display reproduces a second video feed of a second perspective, different that the first perspective, of the remote talent. The system also includes a second camera directed at the second region of the stage area and aligned so that its field of view corresponds to a line of sight from the second display to the second region.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a stage area;

an audience area with a line of sight view of the stage area;

a first display apparatus operable to reproduce a first video feed of a first perspective of at least one remote talent in a remote location, the first video feed of the remote talent appearing, from the perspective of the audience area, to be within a first region of the stage area;

a first camera directed at the audience area, the first camera aligned so that a first field of view of the first camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first region to the audience area;

a second display apparatus viewable from a second region of the stage area and hidden from view of the audience area, the second display apparatus operable to reproduce a second video feed of a second perspective of the at least one remote talent in the remote location, the second perspective different than the first perspective; and

a second camera directed at the second region of the stage area, the second camera aligned so that a second field of view of the second camera corresponds to a line of sight from the second display apparatus to the second region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second region of the stage area comprises a boundary marker defining a portion of the stage area corresponding to an effective field of view of the second camera and excluding the first region of the stage area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second region of the stage area comprises a boundary marker defining a portion of the stage area corresponding to a width of the second display apparatus and excluding the first region of the stage area.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first microphone operable to generate a first audio signal comprising sound from the second region;

a second microphone operable to generate a second audio signal comprising sound from the audience area; and

a first speaker operable to reproduce a third audio signal comprising sound from the at least one remote talent.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a conference manager operable to:

establish a communication session with a remote conference manager at the remote location;

receive the first video feed from a first remote camera;

receive the second video feed from a second remote camera;

output the first video feed to be reproduced by the first display apparatus;

output the second video feed to be reproduced by the second display apparatus;

receive a third video feed of the audience area from the first camera;

receive a fourth video feed of the second region of the stage area from the second camera;

transmit the third video feed of the audience area to the remote conference manager; and

transmit the fourth video feed of the second region of the stage area to the remote conference manager.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the conference manager is further operable to:

receive the first audio signal from the first microphone;

transmit the first audio signal from the first microphone to the remote conference manager;

receive the second audio signal from the second microphone;

transmit the second audio signal from the second microphone to the remote conference manager;

receive from the remote conference manager the third audio signal to be reproduced by the first speaker; and

output the third audio signal to be reproduced by the first speaker.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first display apparatus comprises:

a first image source operable to reproduce the first video feed such that the first image source produces a stream of light corresponding to the first video feed; and

an optical combiner made of a transparent material operable to reflect the stream of light incident to a surface of the optical combiner.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a shield aligned to hide the first image source from view of the audience area.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second monitor viewable from the second region and operable to display additional information.

10. A system comprising:

a first display apparatus operable to reproduce a first video feed comprising a video image of a remote audience area;

a first camera directed at a local talent, the first camera aligned so that a first field of view of the first camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first video image of the remote audience area to the local talent;

a second display apparatus operable to reproduce a second video feed comprising a video image of a remote talent; and

a second camera directed at the local talent, the second camera aligned so that a second field of view of the second camera corresponds to a line of sight from the second video image of the remote talent to the local talent.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a movement boundary marker limiting the area of movement of the local talent.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first microphone operable to generate a first audio signal comprising sound from the local talent;

a first speaker operable to reproduce a second audio signal comprising sound from the remote talent; and

a second speaker operable to reproduce a third audio signal comprising sound from the remote audience area.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a conference manager operable to:

establish a communication session with a remote conference manager at a remote location;

receive video feed information generated by one or more cameras at the remote location;

output the first video feed to be displayed by the first display apparatus;

output the second video feed to be displayed by the second display apparatus;

receive a third video feed of the local talent from the first camera; and

receive a fourth video feed of the local talent from the second camera.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the conference manager is further operable to:

receive the first audio signal from the first microphone;

transmit the first audio signal to the remote conference manager;

receive the second audio signal from the remote conference manager;

output the second audio signal to be reproduced by the first speakers;

receive the third audio signal from the remote conference manager; and

output the third audio signal to be reproduced by the second speaker.

15. A system comprising:

a theatre site comprising;

a stage area comprising a first region and a second region;

an audience area with a line of sight view of the stage area;

a first camera directed at the audience area and aligned so that a first field of view of the first camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first region to the audience area;

a second camera directed at the second region of the stage area and aligned so that a second field of view of the second camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first region of the stage area to the second region of the stage area;

a first display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to generate a first video image that appears, from the perspective of the audience area, to be within the first region of the stage area; and

a second display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to generate a second video image that is viewable from the second region of the stage area; and

a studio site comprising;

a third display apparatus and a fourth display apparatus;

a third camera directed at a studio talent and aligned so that a third field of view of the third camera corresponds to a line of sight from the third display apparatus to the studio talent, wherein the third display apparatus is operable to generate a third video image that is viewable by the studio talent when the studio talent is looking in a first direction; and

a fourth camera directed at the studio talent and aligned so that a fourth field of view of the fourth camera corresponds to a line of sight from a fourth display apparatus to the studio talent, wherein the fourth display apparatus is operable to generate a fourth video image that is viewable by the studio talent when the studio talent is looking in a second direction, the second direction different than the first direction.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least one conference manager operable to:

receive a first video feed comprising the third video image from the first camera, the third video image of the audience area;

transmit the first video feed to the third display apparatus;

receive a second video feed comprising the fourth video image from the second camera, the fourth video image of the second region of the stage area;

transmit the second vide feed to the fourth display apparatus;

receive a third video feed comprising the first video image from the third camera, the first video image of the studio talent from a first perspective;

transmit the third video feed to the first display apparatus;

receive a fourth video feed comprising the second video image from the fourth camera, the second video image of the studio talent from a second perspective, the second perspective different than the first perspective; and

transmit the fourth video feed to the second display apparatus.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the stage site further comprises;

a first microphone operable to generate a first audio signal comprising sound from the second region;

a second microphone operable to generate a second audio signal comprising sound from the audience area; and

a first speaker operable to reproduce a third audio signal comprising sound from the studio talent; and

the studio site further comprises;

third microphone operable to generate the first audio signal comprising sound from the studio talent;

a second speaker operable to reproduce the first second audio signal; and

a third speaker operable to reproduce the second audio signal.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first display apparatus comprises:

a first image source operable to reproduce the first video feed such that the first image source produces a stream of light corresponding to the first video feed; and

an optical combiner made of a transparent material operable to reflect the stream of light incident to a surface of the optical combiner.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a second monitor operable to display additional information.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a first video feed from a first camera directed at an audience area of a stage site and aligned so that a field of view of the first camera corresponds to a line of sight from a first region of a stage to the audience area, the first video feed comprising a first video image of the audience area;

transmitting the first video feed to a first display apparatus at a studio site for reproduction of the first video image, the first video image viewable by a studio talent when the studio talent looks in a first direction;

receiving a second video feed from a second camera directed at a second region of the stage area and aligned so that a field of view of the second camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first region to the second region, the second video feed comprising a second video image of the second region of the stage area;

transmitting the second video feed to a second display apparatus at a studio site for reproduction of the second video image, the second video image viewable by the studio talent when the studio talent looks in a second direction, the second direction different than the first direction;

receiving a third video feed from a third camera directed at the studio talent at the studio site and aligned so that a field of view of the third camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first display apparatus at the studio site to the studio talent, the third video feed comprising a third video image of the studio talent from a first perspective;

transmitting the third video feed to a third display apparatus at the stage site, the third display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to reproduce the third video image, the third video image appearing, from the perspective of the audience area, to be within the first region of the stage area; and

receiving a fourth video feed from a fourth camera directed at the studio talent and aligned so that a field of view of the fourth camera corresponds to a line of sight from the second display apparatus to the studio talent, the fourth video feed comprising a fourth video image of the studio talent from a second perspective, the second perspective different than the first perspective;

transmitting the fourth video feed to a fourth display apparatus at the stage site, the fourth display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to reproduce the fourth video image, the fourth video image viewable from the second region of the stage area.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving from a first microphone at the stage site a first audio signal comprising sound from the second region;

receiving from a second microphone at the stage site a second audio signal comprising sound from the audience area;

receiving from a third microphone at the studio site a third audio signal comprising sound from the studio talent;

transmitting to a first speaker the third audio signal for reproduction of the sound from the studio talent; and

transmitting to a second speaker the first audio signal for reproduction of the sound from the second region; and

transmitting to a third speaker the second audio signal for reproduction of the sound from the audience area.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a fifth video feed comprising a fifth video image of additional information; and

transmitting the fifth video feed to a fifth display apparatus for reproduction of the fifth video image.

23. A system comprising:

means for receiving a first video feed from a first camera directed at an audience area of a stage site and aligned so that a field of view of the first camera corresponds to a line of sight from a first region of a stage to the audience area, the first video feed comprising a first video image of the audience area;

means for transmitting the first video feed to a first display apparatus at a studio site for reproduction of the first video image, the first video image viewable by a studio talent when the studio talent looks in a first direction;

means for receiving a second video feed from a second camera directed at a second region of the stage area and aligned so that a field of view of the second camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first region to the second region, the second video feed comprising a second video image of the second region of the stage area;

means for transmitting the second video feed to a second display apparatus at a studio site for reproduction of the second video image, the second video image viewable by the studio talent when the studio talent looks in a second direction, the second direction different than the first direction;

means for receiving a third video feed from a third camera directed at the studio talent at the studio site and aligned so that a field of view of the third camera corresponds to a line of sight from the first display apparatus at the studio site to the studio talent, the third video feed comprising a third video image of the studio talent from a first perspective;

means for transmitting the third video feed to a third display apparatus at the stage site, the third display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to reproduce the third video image, the third video image appearing, from the perspective of the audience area, to be within the first region of the stage area; and

means for receiving a fourth video feed from a fourth camera directed at the studio talent and aligned so that a field of view of the fourth camera corresponds to a line of sight from the second display apparatus to the studio talent, the fourth video feed comprising a fourth video image of the studio talent from a second perspective, the second perspective different than the first perspective;

means for transmitting the fourth video feed to a fourth display apparatus at the stage site, the fourth display apparatus hidden from view of the audience area and operable to reproduce the fourth video image, the fourth video image viewable from the second region of the stage area.