AUTOMATIC SUPPRESSION OF IMAGES OF A VIDEO FEED IN A VIDEO CALL OR VIDEOCONFERENCING SYSTEM

• US 20120140015A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeGrazia, Brad, Gatzke, Alan D., Olivier, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• 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

In one embodiment, a method for determining whether to suppress images of a video feed in a video call or videoconference is provided. A communications server receives a first video feed from a first client and determines whether a face is present in images of the first video feed. The communication server determines whether to suppress images of the first video feed from a second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed. The communication server suppresses images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining to suppress images of the first video feed and disseminates the second video feed to a second client.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first video feed from a first client;

detecting whether a face is present in images of the first video feed;

determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from a second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed;

suppressing images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining to suppress images of the first video feed; and

disseminating the second video feed to a second client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a position of the face with respect to a camera associated with the first client in response to detecting a face is present in the images of the first video feed;

wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed comprises;

determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client comprises:

determining to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client comprises:

determining not to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining the face is looking at the camera.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether a user associated with the first video feed is speaking;

wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client comprises;

determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether a user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether a user associated with the first video feed is speaking comprises:

determining not to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera and the user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

monitoring an amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera;

wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client comprises;

determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed comprises:

determining to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining a face is not present in images of the first video feed.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed comprises:

determining not to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining a face is present in images of the first video feed.

10. Software encoded in one or more computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

receive a first video feed from a first client;

detect whether a face is present in images of the first video feed;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from a second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed;

suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining to suppress images of the first video feed; and

disseminate the second video feed to a second client.

11. The software encoded in one or more computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein when executed is further operable to determine a position of the face with respect to a camera associated with the first client in response to detecting a face is present in images of the first video feed;

and

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed, when executed the software is further operable to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client.

12. The software encoded in one or more computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein when executed is further operable to determine whether a user associated with the first video feed is speaking;

and

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client, when executed the software is further operable to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether the user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

13. The software encoded in one or more computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether the user associated with the first video feed is speaking, when executed the software is further operable to:

determine not to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera and the user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

14. The software encoded in one or more computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein when executed the software is further operable to monitor an amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera;

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client, when executed the software is further operable to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera.

15. The software encoded in one or more computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed, when executed the software is further operable to:

determine to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining a face is not present in the first video feed.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a memory including a set of instructions; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to execute the set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein the set of instructions direct the processor to;

receive a first video feed from a first client;

detect whether a face is present in images of the first video feed;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from a second video feed based on whether a face is detected in images of the first video feed;

suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining to suppress images of the first video feed; and

disseminate the second video feed to a second client.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions further direct the processor to determine a position of the face with respect to a camera associated with the first client in response to detecting a face is present in the first video feed;

and

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed, the set of instructions direct the processor to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions further direct the processor to determine whether a user associated with the first video stream is speaking;

and

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client, the set of instructions direct the processor to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether the user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client and whether the user associated with the first video feed is speaking, the set of instructions direct the processor to:

determine not to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera and the user associated with the first video feed is speaking.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions further direct the processor to monitor an amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera in response to determining the face is looking away from the camera;

and

wherein to determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the position of the face with respect to the camera associated with the first client, the set of instructions direct the processor to;

determine whether to suppress images of the first video feed from the second video feed based on the amount of time that the face is looking away from the camera.