INTEGRATED INTERACTIVE SPACE

• US 20130201276A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pradeep, Vivek, Latta, Stephen G., Bathiche, Steven Nabil, Geisner, Kevin, Brush, Alice Jane Bernheim
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

Techniques for implementing an integrative interactive space are described. In implementations, video cameras that are positioned to capture video at different locations are synchronized such that aspects of the different locations can be used to generate an integrated interactive space. The integrated interactive space can enable users at the different locations to interact, such as via video interaction, audio interaction, and so on. In at least some embodiments, techniques can be implemented to adjust an image of a participant during a video session such that the participant appears to maintain eye contact with other video session participants at other locations. Techniques can also be implemented to provide a virtual shared space that can enable users to interact with the space, and can also enable users to interact with one another and/or objects that are displayed in the virtual shared space.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

synchronizing a first camera at a first location and a second camera at a second location into a common reference system;

generating an integrated interactive space using video data from the first camera and the second camera and based on the common reference system; and

presenting at least a portion of the integrated interactive space for display at one or more of the first location or the second location.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the common reference system comprises a three-dimensional coordinate system in which images from the first location and the second location can be positioned.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said synchronizing comprises:

capturing, using the first camera and the second camera, images of fiducial markers placed at the first location and the second location;

determining a position and orientation of the first camera and a position and orientation of the second camera by comparing attributes of the images of fiducial markers to known attributes of the fiducial markers; and

generating the common reference system based on the position and orientation of the first camera and the position and orientation of the second camera.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the integrated interactive space includes a video image of physical portions of the first location and a video image of physical portions of the second location displayed adjacent to one another.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein said presenting comprises:

presenting a view of the integrated interactive space at the first location based on a user perspective view from the first location and a front view of a user at the second location; and

presenting a view of the integrated interactive space at the second location based on a user perspective view from the second location and a front view of a user at the first location.

6. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining that an individual at the first location is not facing the first camera; and

manipulating an image of the individual in the integrated interactive space such that the individual appears to be facing the first camera.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a tilt angle for a display device on which the at least a portion of the integrated interactive space is displayed is outside of a threshold tilt angle range; and

adjusting an image displayed as part of the portion of the integrated interactive space based on the tilt angle.

8. A method as described in claim 7, wherein the tilt angle comprises an angle between a display surface of the display device and at least one of an input device or a surface on which the display device is positioned.

9. A method as described in claim 7, wherein the image comprises an image of an individual at the first location, and wherein said adjusting comprises manipulating the image of the individual such that the image of the individual appears to maintain eye contact with another individual who is viewing the integrated interactive space from the second location.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an image of an individual captured via a camera;

ascertaining that the individual is not facing the camera; and

manipulating the image of the individual such that the individual appears to be facing the camera.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein said ascertaining comprises determining that the individual'"'"'s gaze direction is not towards the camera.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein said ascertaining comprises tracking a pose of one or more physical features of the individual via the camera.

13. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 10, wherein said manipulating causes the image of the individual to appear to maintain eye contact with a different individual who is viewing the image of the individual.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the image of the individual is displayed as part of an integrated interactive space in which an image of the different individual is also displayed, the integrated interactive space being configured to enable the individual and the different individual to interact.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

synchronizing cameras between different shared surfaces;

capturing via at least one of the cameras an interaction by a user with one of the shared surfaces;

presenting a representation of the interaction on a different shared surface.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15, wherein the interaction comprises a physical interaction by the user with the one of the shared surfaces, and wherein the representation comprises a visual representation of the physical interaction.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15, wherein the interaction occurs at a specific location at the one of the shared surfaces, and wherein said presenting comprises presenting the representation of the interaction at a corresponding location at the different shared surface.

18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15, further comprising:

capturing via another of the cameras an interaction by a different user with the different shared surface; and

presenting a representation of the interaction by the different user on the one of the shared surfaces.

19. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15, wherein a virtual shared space is displayed on the different shared surfaces, the method further comprising:

detecting a manipulation of a physical object by the user;

causing a virtual object to be displayed as part of the virtual shared space responsive to said detecting; and

enabling the different user to manipulate the virtual object within the virtual shared space.

20. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 19, wherein said enabling comprises one or more of:

enabling the user and the different user to hand the virtual object to one another within the virtual shared space and during a single interactive session;

or

enabling the different user to rotate, resize, disassemble, reassemble, or augment the virtual object.