NUI VIDEO CONFERENCE CONTROLS

• US 20140267548A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson
• Granted Patent: US 9,274,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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

A system and method providing gesture controlled video conferencing includes a local capture device detecting movements of a user in a local environment and an audio/visual display. A processor is coupled to the capture device and a remote capture device and a remote processor at a remote environment via a network. The local processor includes instructions to render a representation of the remote environment on the display responsive to the remote processor and remote capture device. The processor also tracks movements of a local user in a space proximate to the local capture device. Responsive to a user gesture detected at the local capture device, the audio or visual signals provided by the remote capture device are altered to change the representation of the remote location is altered locally.

Claims

1. A method of providing a video conference, comprising:

receiving video and audio signals from a remote capture device, the remote capture device coupled via a network to a local capture device;

presenting a representation of the remote location captured by the remote capture device on a display proximate to the local capture device;

tracking movements of a local user in a confined space proximate to the local capture device; and

responsive to a user gesture detected at the local capture device, altering the audio or visual signals provided by the remote capture device whereby the representation of the remote location is altered locally.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture includes a control gesture to alter the audio focus of the remote location focus the remote capture device input.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture alters the audio input at the remote location to increase or decrease a volume of a region proximate to the remote capture device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture alters video processing of an input signal at a remote capture device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the gesture alters the remote capture device processing to change the video representation at the local display.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of presenting a user interface responsive to the user gesture, the user interface presenting additional input options to the local user to alter presentation of the video conference.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture comprises a human motion interaction with a projection of the remote environment on the display.

8. The method of claim 1 further including receiving a control signal from the remote processing device and altering video and audio signals output to the remote location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the remote capture device includes one or more permissions determining whether to alter remote capture device processing responsive to the control input from the local capture device.

10. A gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus, comprising:

a local capture device detecting movements of a user in a local environment;

an audio/visual display;

a processor coupled to the capture device, the processor coupled to a remote capture device and a remote processor at a remote environment via a network, the processor including code instructing the processor to;

render a representation of the remote environment on the display responsive to the remote processor and remote capture device;

track movements of a local user in a space proximate to the local capture device; and

responsive to a user gesture detected at the local capture device, alter the audio or visual signals provided by the remote capture device whereby the representation of the remote location is altered locally on the audio/visual display.

11. The video conferencing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the local processing device outputs a control signal to the remote location to alter the audio focus of the remote location focus the remote capture device input.

12. The video conferencing apparatus of claim 11 wherein the gesture alters the audio input at the remote location to increase or decrease a volume of a region proximate to the remote capture device.

13. The video conferencing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the gesture alters the remote capture device processing to change the video representation at the local display.

14. The video conferencing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the local processing device outputs a control signal to the remote location the step of presenting a user interface responsive to the user gesture, the user interface presenting additional input options to the local user to alter presentation of the video conference.

15. The video conferencing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor includes instructions for receiving a control signal from the remote processing device and altering video and audio signals output to the remote location.

16. A gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus, comprising:

a depth and image capture device detecting movements of a user in a first physical environment;

an audio/visual display;

a first processor coupled to the capture device and the audio/visual display, the processor coupled to a second depth and image capture device and a second processor in a second physical location via a network, the first processor including code instructing the first processor to;

render a representation of the second environment on the display responsive to audio visual signals captured by the second depth and image capture device;

present a user interface on the audio/visual display, the user interface responsive to gestures from the user.

track movements of the user in a space proximate to the first capture device and responsive to a user gesture by the user, presenting an user interface allowing the user a set of one or more controls for altering processing at the second physical environment to thereby alter the representation of the remote location is at audio/visual display.

17. The gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the gesture includes a selection of a region of the display proximate to a remote user represented in the display.

18. The gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus of claim 17 wherein the gesture includes manipulating the presentation of the region selected in the display.

19. The gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus of claim 18 wherein the processor includes instructions for receiving a control signal from the remote processing device and altering video and audio signals output to the remote location.

20. The gesture controlled video conferencing apparatus of claim 18 wherein the processor includes one or more permissions determining whether to alter local processing responsive to the control signal from the remote location.