Video Teleconference Systems and Methods for Providing Virtual Round Table Meetings

• US 20110102539A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Video teleconferencing systems and methods are provided for providing virtual roundtable meetings. In one embodiment, a video teleconference system is provided for providing virtual round table meetings. The system comprises a curved display surface and a video processor configured to receive a video image of a participant from each of a plurality of remote video teleconferencing systems and display each participant equally spaced about the curved display surface.

Claims

1. A video teleconference system for providing virtual round table meetings, the system comprising:

a curved display surface; and

a video processor configured to receive a video image of a participant from each of a plurality of remote video teleconferencing systems and display each participant equally spaced about the curved display surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the displayed participants are sized and displayed within a region on the curved display that is of a similar size.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein if a number of displayed participants exceeds a predetermined limit, the video processor resizes the regions of the displayed participants to fit within a field of view of the curved display surface.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein if a number of displayed participants is less than a predetermined limit, the video processor displays a simulated backdrop or empty station in at least one region of the curved display surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each video image of the participant has a common background, the video processor blending each of the common backgrounds together behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the common backgrounds have an aperiodic fabric or pattern.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each video image of the participant has a background, the video processor replacing each of the backgrounds with a common overall background behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the curved display surface is one of front projected surface and back projected surface.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a semicircular table that supports the curved display surface and a camera and a microphone positioned to capture a video image and audio data of a local participant of the system.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of curved display surfaces and video processors located at remote locations and each configured to receive a video image of a participant from each of a plurality of remote video teleconferencing systems and display each participant equally spaced about the curved display surface.

11. A plurality of video teleconference systems for providing virtual round table meetings that provide the appearance of occurring within a single room at each of the systems, each of the systems comprising:

a curved display surface;

a video processor configured to receive a video image of a participant from each of the other of the plurality of remote video teleconferencing systems and to size and display each received video image of a participant equally spaced about the curved display surface within a region on the curved display that is of a similar size;

a semicircular table that supports the curved display surface;

a camera positioned to capture a video image of a local participant of a respective system; and

a microphone positioned to capture audio data of the local participant of the respective system.

12. The systems of claim 11, wherein if a number of displayed participants exceeds a predetermined limit, the video processor resizes the regions of the displayed participants to fit within a field of view of the curved display.

13. The systems of claim 11, wherein if a number of displayed participants is less than a predetermined limit, the video processor displays a simulated backdrop or empty station in at least one region.

14. The systems of claim 11, wherein each video image of the participant has a common background, the video processor blending each of the common backgrounds together behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.

16. The systems of claim 11, wherein each video image of the participant has a background, the video processor replacing each of the backgrounds with a common overall background behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.

15. The systems of claim 15, wherein each of the common backgrounds have an aperiodic fabric or pattern.

17. A method for providing virtual round table meetings within a single room, the method comprising:

receiving video image data of participants from each of a plurality of remote video teleconferencing systems;

sizing and spacing of video image data of the participants based on the number of remote participants; and

displaying the video images of each participant on a display surface to provide the appearance that the meeting is occurring within a single room.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the displayed participants are displayed within a region on a curved display surface that is of a similar size and equally spaced about the curved display surface, wherein if a number of displayed participants exceeds a predetermined limit, the regions of the displayed participants are resized to fit within a field of view of the curved display surface and if a number of displayed participants is less than a predetermined limit, a simulated backdrop or empty station is displayed in at least one region of the curved display surface.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each video image of the participant has a common background and further comprising blending each of the common backgrounds together behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein each video image of the participant has a background, and further comprising replacing each of the backgrounds with a common overall background behind the displayed participants to provide the impression of a background of a single room.