Video conferencing system for courtroom and other applications

• US 4,965,819 A
• Filed: 09/22/1988
• Issued: 10/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Multimedia Telesys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Docu-Vision, Inc.
• Inventors: Kannes, Deno
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US07/247,904
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 379/53, 379/54, 358/85
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• 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 7/144 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 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A conferencing system facilitating interactive video and audio communication between an individual (such as a criminal, defendant, or a witness in a court proceeding) at a remote station, and a group of individuals at a local station (such as a judge, defense counsel, and a prosecutor or plaintiff'"'"'s counsel in a courtroom). The system preferably includes a recording unit for producing a permanent, combined video and audio conference record. Preferably, the system includes a local module, a remote module, and a control module. The local module includes a loudspeaker, and a video camera, a video monitor unit, and a microphone for each conferee. It is contemplated that the local module equipment may be disposed in a courtroom, for use by a judge, two attorneys, and a witness. The remote module includes a video camera, a video monitor unit, a microphone, and a loudspeaker. Where the remote module is intended for use by a criminal defendant in police custody (i.e., at a jail), its video monitor unit preferably includes a monitor including a two-way mirror behind its screen, and its video camera is preferably mounted behind the mirror so that the defendant may maintain direct eye contact with both an image on the screen and the video camera.

Claims

1. An interactive video conferencing system for use by at least two local conferees, including:

a video camera for each conferee, wherein each video camera generates a video signal;

a picture in picture video monitor, having a large picture area and a small picture area;

a composite video signal generation unit connected to each video camera and to the monitor, for receiving video signals from the video cameras, sending a principal one of the video signals to the monitor for display in the large picture area, and sending each of the other video signals to the monitor for display in a distinct region of the small picture area;

a microphone for each conferee, wherein each microphone generates a microphone signal; and

video signal selection means for receiving the microphone signals, identifying an active one of the microphone signals, and sending a control signal to the composite video signal generation unit, wherein the control signal identifies said principal one of the video signals, and said principal one of the video signals corresponds to the active microphone signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video signal selection means includes a programmed computer for generating the control signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer is programmed to generate the control signal in such a manner that, at any instant, the control signal is indicative of the video signal of the conferee whose microphone is active, and has been active for the longest time.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer is programmed to generate a default control signal, for transmission to the composite video signal generation unit, in the event that no microphone signal has instantaneous amplitude in excess of a predetermined threshold amplitude during a predetermined time period.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein one of the conferees is a judge, the conferees are participants in a court proceeding, and the default control signal identifies the judge'"'"'s video signal as the principal one of the video signals.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer is programmed to generate the control signal in such a manner that, at any instant, the control signal is indicative of a video signal corresponding to the conferee whose microphone signal has instantaneous amplitude in excess of a predetermined threshold amplitude for a duration exceeding a predetermined minimum duration.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer is programmed so that the predetermined minimum duration is adjustable.

8. An interactive video conferencing system for use by at least a first conferee in a local module and a second conferee in a remote module, including:

a first video camera positioned in the local module and aimed at the first conferee, for generating a first video signal representing an image of the first conferee;

a video monitor positioned in the remote module for receiving the first video signal and displaying the image of the first conferee;

a partially reflecting mirror positioned in the remote module and a substantially transparent screen positioned in the remote module relative to the video monitor so that the mirror reflects the image of the first conferee through the screen, and so that the second conferee may view the reflected image of the first conferee through the screen;

a second video camera positioned in the remote module and aimed at the screen and positioned relative to the mirror so that when the second conferee views the reflected image of the first conferee through the screen, light reflected from the second conferee will propagate through the screen and the mirror to the second video camera;

a third video camera in the local module for generating a third video signal representing an image of a third conferee, wherein the monitor displays a composite video signal having component signals including the first video signal and the third video signal; and

a means for supplying a video prompt to the monitor, in a manner so that the video prompt is another component video signal of the composite video signal.

9. An interactive video conferencing system for use by at least two local conferees and at least one remote conferee, including:

a local module having at least two video cameras, each for generating a local video signal for one of the local conferees, a composite video signal generation means connected to the video cameras, for receiving the video signals and generating a composite video signal therefrom, so that the composite video signal, when displayed on a single monitor, includes a distinct picture area for each of the video signals, and microphone means for generating a local audio signal for each local conferee;

a remote module having at least one video camera for generating a remote signal for each remote conferee, and at least one microphone for generating a remote audio signal for each remote conferee;

an audio signal mixing unit for receiving each local audio signal and generating a mixed audio signal therefrom; and

a recording unit for receiving and recording the composite video signal, each remote audio signal, each remote video signal, the mixed audio signal, and each local audio signal, wherein the recording unit has a separate recording channel for each local audio signal, for each remote audio signal, and for the mixed audio signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mixing unit includes a means for applying a variable gain to each local audio signal before combining the local audio signals together to generate the mixed audio signal.

11. An interactive video conferencing system for use by at least two local conferees and at least one remote conferee, including:

a local module having at least two video cameras, each for generating a local video signal for one of the local conferees, a composite video signal generation means connected to the video cameras, for receiving the video signals and generating a composite video signal therefrom, so that the composite video signal, when displayed on a single monitor, includes a distinct picture area for each of the video signals, and microphone means for generating a local audio signal for each local conferee;

a remote module having at least one video camera for generating a remote signal for each remote conferee, and at least one microphone for generating a remote audio signal for each remote conferee;

an audio signal mixing unit for receiving each local audio signal and generating a mixed audio signal therefrom; and

a recording unit for receiving and recording the composite video signal, each remote audio signal, each remote video signal, the mixed audio signal, and each local audio signal;

a local video monitor for each local conferee and a remote video monitor for each remote conferee, wherein at least one of the video monitors is a picture in picture video monitor having a large picture area and a small picture area;

a composite video signal generation unit connected to each video camera in the local module and to the picture in picture monitor, for receiving the local video signals, sending a principal one of the local video signals to the picture in picture monitor for display in the large picture area, compressing the other local video signals, and sending selected ones of the compressed local video signals to the picture in picture monitor for display in a distinct region of the small picture area;

a means for supplying a video prompt to the composite video signal generation unit; and

a computer connected to the composite video signal generation unit, wherein the computer is programmed to generate control signals for causing the composite video signal generation unit to compress the video prompt, and send the compressed video prompt with the selected ones of the compressed local video signals to the picture in picture monitor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the video prompt supply means includes a still frame video signal storage device connected to the composite video signal generation unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a plurality of video prompts are stored int he still frame video signal storage device, the still frame video signal storage device is controlled by the computer, and the computer is programmed to send control signals to the still frame video signal storage device for causing selected ones of the stored video prompts to be supplied from the still frame video signal storage device to the composite video signal generation unit.

14. An interactive video conferencing system for use by at least two local conferees and at least one remote conferee, including:

a local module having at least two video cameras, each for generating a local video signal for one of the local conferees, a composite video signal generation means connected to the video cameras, for receiving the video signals and generating a composite video signal therefrom, so that the composite video signal, when displayed on a single monitor, includes a distinct picture area for each of the video signals, and microphone means for generating a local audio signal for each local conferee;

a remote module having at least one video camera for generating a remote signal for each remote conferee, and at least one microphone for generating a remote audio signal for each remote conferee;

an audio signal mixing unit for receiving each local audio signal and generating a mixed audio signal therefrom;

a recording unit for receiving and recording the composite video signal, each remote audio signal, each remote video signal, the mixed audio signal, and each local audio signal;

a local video monitor for each local conferee and a remote video monitor for each remote conferee, wherein at least one of the video monitors is a picture in picture video monitor having a large picture area and a small picture area;

a composite video signal generation unit connected to each video camera in the local module and to the picture in picture monitor, for receiving the local video signals, sending a principal one of the local video signals to the picture in picture monitor for display in the large picture area, compressing the other local video signals, and sending selected ones of the compressed local video signals to the picture in picture monitor for display in a distinct region of the small picture area; and

a video signal selection means for receiving the local audio signals, identifying an active one of the local audio signals and sending a principal image selection signal to the composite video signal generation unit, wherein the principal image selection signal identifies said principal one of the local video signals.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the video signal selection unit includes a programmed computer for generating the principal image selection signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the recording unit and the programmed computer are positioned in a control module.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer programmed to generate the principal image selection signal in such a manner that, at any instant, the principal image selection signal is indicative of the local video signal corresponding to the local audio signal having largest instantaneous amplitude.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer is programmed to generate a default image selection signal for transmission to the composite video signal generation unit in the event that the video signal selection unit fails to identify a local audio signal having instantaneous amplitude in excess of a predetermined threshold amplitude during a predetermined time period.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein one of the local conferees is a judge, the local conferees and the remote conferee are participants in a court proceeding, and the default image selection signal identifies the judge'"'"'s video signal as the principal one of the local video signals.