SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIDEO CALL

• US 20150070458A1
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Chang Ho, Yoon, Hee Tae, Lim, Hyoun Chul, Yang, Jae Ho, Moon, Jung Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,307,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• 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 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Provided are a system and method for a video call. The system for a video call includes one or more terminals configured to transmit images obtained by capturing video call users, and a video call control server configured to generate a combined image by combining the images transmitted by the one or more terminals, and transmit the combined image to the terminals. Here, the respective images are rotated according to information on postures sensed by the terminals and combined into the combined image.

Claims

1. A system for video call, comprising:

one or more terminals configured to transmit images obtained by capturing video call users; and

a video call control server configured to generate a combined image by combining the images transmitted by the one or more terminals, and to transmit the combined image to the terminals,

wherein one or more of the respective images are rotated based on orientation information sensed by the one or more terminals and combined into the combined image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more terminals transmit the orientation information to the video call control server, and

the video call control server rotates the images received from the one or more terminals to a reference orientation based on the received orientation information, and generates the combined image by combining the rotated images.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more terminals transmit respective aspect ratio information, together with the orientation information, to the video call control server.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein, when the orientation of the one or more terminals are changed after transmission of the orientation information, subsequent orientation information, corresponding to the changed orientation, transmitted to the video call control server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more terminals sense the orientation, rotate the captured images to a reference orientation based on the information on the sensed orientation, and transmit the rotated images to the video call control server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, when the orientation of the one or more terminals are changed after the transmission of the orientation information, the one or more terminals rotate the respective captured images according to orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations, and transmit the rotated images to the video call control server.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the video call control server checks screen modes of the one or more terminals using the images transmitted by the terminals, and generates the combined image according to the screen modes, and transmits the combined image to the terminals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the video call control server checks aspect ratios of the one or more terminals together with the screen modes using the images received from the one or more terminals, and generates the combined image according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios, and transmits the combined image to the terminals.

9. A method for a video call, comprising:

transmitting, at one or more terminals, respective images obtained by capturing video call users;

generating a combined image, at a video call control server, by combining the respective images transmitted by the one or more terminals; and

transmitting the combined image, at the video call control server, to the one or more terminals,

wherein the respective images constituting the combined image are rotated based on orientation information sensed by the terminals and combined into the combined image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the images further includes transmitting the orientation information on the terminals to the video call control server, and

generating the combined image includes rotating the images received from the terminals to a reference orientation according to the received orientation information, and generating the combined image by combining the rotated images.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitting of the respective images further includes transmitting aspect ratio information on the one or more terminals, together with the orientation information, to the video call control server.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when the orientation of the one or more terminals are changed after the transmitting of the orientation information, transmitting subsequent orientation information, at the terminals, based on the changed orientation to the video call control server.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the images includes:

sensing the respective orientations of the one or more terminals;

rotating the captured images to a reference orientation according to the information on the sensed orientations; and

transmitting the rotated images to the video call control server.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when the orientations of the one or more terminals are changed after the transmitting of the orientation information, the terminals rotate the captured images according to orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations, and transmit the rotated images to the video call control server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the combined image further includes:

checking screen modes of the one or more terminals using the images transmitted by the one or more terminals; and

generating the combined image according to the screen modes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the generating of the combined image further includes:

checking aspect ratios of the one or more terminals together with the screen modes using the images received from the one or more terminals; and

generating the combined image according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios.

17. A video call control server, comprising:

a communicator configured to receive respective orientation information on one or more terminals and original images obtained by capturing the corresponding video call users from the one or more terminals;

an image rotator configured to rotate one or more of the original images required to be rotated to a reference orientation according to the orientation information among the original images received by the communicator to provide rotated images; and

a combined image generator configured to generate a combined image by combining the original images not required to be rotated to the reference orientation and the rotated images,

wherein the communicator transmits the combined image to the one or more terminals.

18. The video call control server of claim 17, wherein the communicator is further configured to receives respective aspect ratio information on the respective terminals from the respective terminals.

19. The video call control server of claim 18, wherein the combined image generator generates the combined image according to the reference aspect ratio information and the orientation information.

20. A video call control server, comprising:

a communicator configured to receive captured video images obtained by capturing video call users from one or more terminals;

an image analyzer configured to detect screen modes of the respective terminals from the captured video images; and

a combined image generator configured to generate a combined image by combining the received captured video images based on the detected screen modes of the respective terminals,

wherein the communicator is further configured to transmits the combined image to the respective terminals.

21. The video call control server of claim 20, wherein the image analyzer is further configured to detects aspect ratios of the one or more terminals from the received captured video images, and

the combined image generator is further configured to generates the combined image by combining the received captured video images according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios of the one or more terminals.

22. A terminal used in a video call system, comprising:

a capturing unit configured to generate captured video images by capturing a video call user;

an orientation sensor configured to sense a rotation state with respect to a previously set reference orientation;

an image rotator configured to rotate the captured video images according to the rotation state, to provide rotated video images; and

a video call unit configured to transmit the captured video images or the rotated video images based on the rotation state.