Compact teleconferencing eye contact terminal

• US 5,619,254 A
• Filed: 01/25/1996
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steve H. Mcnelley
• Original Assignee: Steve H. Mcnelley
• Inventors: McNelley, Steve H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/591,115
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14-20, 348/207, 348/373, 348/375, 348/744, 348/752, 359/443, 359/454, 359/456, 359/457, 359/460, 359/449, 359/451, 359/479
• US Class Current: 348/14.16
• 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

Abstract

A compact teleconferencing eye contact terminal that can be integrated with a multitude of image display devices. Eye contact is achieved between conferees who share similar eye contact terminals by the use of a uniquely configured integral beam-splitter. The beam-splitter is coated over all or part of its surface so that a region acts as a partially-silvered mirror. The beam-splitter is integral to a transparent substrate member that is configured with subtle curves that permit only a portion of its surface, forming the integral beam-splitter, to be angled at or near 45 degrees from the viewing surface of a display screen. By doing so, the angled portion forming the integral beam-splitter is seamlessly suspended in front of the viewing surface without interfering with the viewing. This uniquely configured beam-splitter permits image capturing without the great increase in depth of terminals or loss of display brightness necessitated by prior art eye contact systems employing partially-silvered mirrors.

Claims

1. An improved teleconferencing terminal to facilitate eye contact between a first conferee using the teleconferencing terminal and a second conferee, at a remote location, imaged on the teleconferencing terminal, the teleconferencing terminal comprising:

a housing;

image display means enclosed in the housing for displaying an image of the second conferee;

sound reproducing means for converting an audio signal from the second conferee to audible sound;

means for placing an image capture means in relation to the housing for capturing an image of the first conferee and for producing a video signal representative of that image for transmission to the second conferee;

sound capture means for capturing sounds from the first conferee and for producing an audio signal representative of those sounds for transmission to the second conferee;

a front mounted transparent substrate member attached to the housing, a first region of said transparent substrate member substantially parallel to a front surface of the image display means at one edge thereof and covering a portion of the image display means; and

a substantially flat beam-splitter formed integrally as a reflective-transparent region of the transparent substrate member, angled in relation to a front surface of the image display means and seamlessly continuous with the first region of said transparent substrate member, the integral beam-splitter disposed to allow the image capture means unobtrusively to capture an image of the first conferee reflected by said integral beam-splitter while the first conferee gazes through said integral beam-splitter to make eye contact with the second conferee imaged on the image display means.

2. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 1, wherein the image capture means is removably attached so that said capture means can be used to capture images other than that of the first conferee.

3. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 1, wherein the sound reproducing means is disposed pointing towards the integral beam-splitter with sound issuing from the sound reproducing means deflected towards the first conferee by the integral beam-splitter thereby enhancing an illusion that the sound projects from the image of the second conferee.

4. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 1, wherein the image capture means is equipped with an aiming system so that the first conferee remains centered in the captured image.

5. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 4, wherein the aiming system is operated by a manual remote control.

6. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 4, wherein the aiming system is automatically operated by detecting spatial orientation of the first conferee.

7. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 4, wherein the aiming system operates by moving the image capture means relative to the integral beam-splitter.

8. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 4, wherein the aiming system operates by moving the image capture means and the integral beam-splitter relative to the first conferee.

9. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 4, further comprising a mirror provided between the integral beam-splitter and the image capture means so that light reflected from the first conferee is reflected by the integral beam-splitter and the mirror before reaching the image capture means and wherein the aiming system operates by changing a position of the mirror.

10. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 1, wherein the transparent substrate member is flexible so that the transparent substrate member, including the integral beam-splitter, can be collapsed to reduce the volume of the teleconferencing terminal for storage and transportation purposes.

11. An improved beam-splitter module to facilitate eye contact between a first conferee using a teleconferencing terminal containing an image display means equipped with the beam-splitter module and a second conferee imaged on the teleconferencing terminal, the beam-splitter module comprising:

a housing;

a transparent substrate member attached to the housing, a first region of said transparent substrate member substantially parallel to a front surface of the teleconferencing terminal at one edge thereof and covering a portion of the front surface of the teleconferencing terminal when the housing is placed in an operational position in relation to the teleconferencing terminal;

means for placing an image capture means in relation to the housing so that the image capture means captures an image of the first conferee and for producing a video signal representative of that image for transmission to the second conferee; and

a substantially flat beam-splitter formed integrally as a reflective-transparent region of the transparent substrate member, angled in relation to a front surface of the teleconferencing terminal, and seamlessly continuous with the first region of said transparent substrate member, the integral beam-splitter disposed to allow the image capture means unobtrusively to capture an image of the first conferee reflected by said integral beam-splitter while the first conferee gazes through said integral beam-splitter to make eye contact with the second conferee imaged on the teleconferencing terminal.

12. The improved module of claim 11, wherein the module is removably attachable to the teleconferencing terminal and functions when attached.

13. The improved module of claim 11, wherein the module functions when disposed in front of the teleconferencing terminal.

14. The improved module of claim 11, wherein the teleconferencing terminal further comprises a sound reproducing means disposed to point towards the integral beam-splitter so that sound issuing from the sound reproducing means is deflected towards the first conferee by the integral beam-splitter thereby enhancing an illusion that the sound projects from the image of the second conferee.

15. The improved module of claim 11, wherein the image capture means is equipped with an aiming system so that the first conferee remains centered in the captured image.

16. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 15, wherein the aiming system is operated by a manual remote control.

17. The improved teleconferencing terminal of claim 15, wherein the aiming system is automatically operated by detecting spatial orientation of the first conferee.

18. The improved module of claim 15, wherein the aiming system operates by moving the image capture means relative to the integral beam-splitter.

19. The improved module of claim 15, wherein the aiming system operates by moving an image capture means and the integral beam-splitter relative to the first conferee.

20. The improved module of claim 15, further comprising a mirror provided between the integral beam-splitter and an attached image capture means so that light reflected from the first conferee is reflected by the integral beam-splitter and the mirror before reaching the image capture means and wherein the aiming system operates by changing a position of the mirror.

21. The improved module of claim 11, wherein the transparent substrate member is flexible so that the transparent substrate member, including the integral beam-splitter, can be collapsed to reduce the volume of the module for storage and transportation purposes.

22. An improved beam-splitter system for use with a video display for teleconferencing to facilitate eye contact between a first conferee at a video display equipped with the improved beam splitter system and a displayed image of a second conferee, the beam-splitter system comprising:

a transparent substrate member disposed in operative relation to the video display, a first region of said transparent substrate member substantially parallel to a front surface of the video display at one edge thereof and covering a portion of the front surface of the video display; and

a beam-splitter formed integrally as a reflective-transparent region of the transparent substrate member, angled in relation to a front surface of the video display, and seamlessly continuous with the first region said transparent substrate member, the integral beam-splitter disposed to allow an image capture means unobtrusively to capture an image of the first conferee reflected by said integral beam-splitter while the first conferee gazes through said beam-splitter to make eye contact with the second conferee imaged on the video display.

23. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein a curved region separates the reflective-transparent region from the first region of said transparent substrate member.

24. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein the reflective-transparent region is separated from the first region of said transparent substrate member by a first curved region and wherein the transparent substrate member further comprises a second region substantially parallel to the front surface of the video display, said second region of said transparent substrate member being separated from the reflective-transparent region by a second curved region.

25. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein the integral beam-splitter is curved so as to capture a wider angle of view with a smaller beam-splitter and a resulting distortion of the image of the first conferee is corrected optically or electronically.

26. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein an antireflective coating is applied to the transparent substrate member to suppress undesired reflections.

27. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein the regions of said transparent substrate member not forming the integral beam-splitter are coated with transparent light absorbing material so as to disguise any apparent change of brightness of the image of the video display caused by the integral beam-splitter.

28. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein coatings on the transparent substrate are selected so as minimize any variation of chromaticity.

29. The improved beam-splitter system of claim 22, wherein the transparent substrate member is flexible.