Video conferencing system and method for providing enhanced interactive communication

• US 5,818,514 A
• Filed: 12/01/1994
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Haskell, Barin Geoffry, Duttweiler, Donald Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US08/347,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 348/17, 348/18, 348/19, 348/15, 348/14, 348/16, 379/96, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205, 379/93.17, 379/93.21
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A system and method for enhancing interactive communication between video conferencing devices of the type in which a delay is inserted into the audio transmission path to provide lip synchronization of the image and speech of the respective users thereof. Each video conferencing device includes a display device for displaying images of at least one communicating party and a speech communicating system for communicating with the communicating party. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a speech detecting circuit detects an utterance by a first user of a first video conferencing apparatus. An audible or visual indication is provided to at least a second user of a second video conferencing apparatus before the utterance is reproduced. As a result, the potential for simultaneous speaking by two or more users is substantially reduced. In an alternate embodiment, the amount of delay introduced into the audio signal transmission path is adjusted in accordance with the mode of operation of the video conferencing devices. An audio signal processing system detects, over predetermined intervals, whether or not an interactive conversation between two or more users is in progress. If an interactive conversation is not detected, lip synchronization proceeds in a conventional manner by introducing a predetermined delay into the audio path. If an interactive conversation is detected, the amount of audio delay inserted is minimized until there is a return to the lecture mode of operation.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video conferencing apparatuses each including

a display device for displaying an image of at least one communicating party;

speech communicating means for reproducing utterances made by said communicating party; and

video communicating means for reproducing images of said communicating party;

at least a first of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses including

video input means for receiving video information from said communicating party using said first video conferencing apparatus and for generating a video signal indicative of said image of said communicating party;

speech detecting means for detecting one of said utterances of said communicating party using said first video conferencing apparatus and for generating a speech detected signal in response thereto;

means for transmitting said utterances for reproduction and said video signal to a second of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses; and

means for transmitting said speech detected signal to said second of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses for processing of said transmitted speech detected signal by said second of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses prior to reproduction of said transmitted utterances and transmitted images for alerting a user of said second of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses that said communicating party is speaking, said second of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses including

indicator means responsive to receipt of said speech detected signal for providing an indication to said user of said second video conferencing apparatus, prior to reproduction, by said video communicating means of said second conferencing apparatus, of the images of said communicating party.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said indicator means is operable to address the display device of said second video conferencing apparatus to thereby display on said display device an indication that a remote user has begun to speak.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said indicator means comprises an indicator lamp.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising means for disabling operation of said indicator means.

5. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video conferencing apparatuses each including

a display device for displaying an image of at least one communicating party;

speech communicating means for reproducing utterances made by said communicating party; and

video communicating means for reproducing images of said communicating party;

each of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses including

video input means for receiving video information from said communicating party using one of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses and for generating a video signal indicative of said image of said communicating party;

speech detecting means for detecting an utterance by said communicating party using said one of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses and for generating a speech detected signal in response thereto;

means for transmitting said detected utterances and said video signal to at least another of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses; and

indicator means responsive to said speech detected signal from another of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses for providing at least one of a visual and an audible indication prior to reproduction of images of said communicating party.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said indicator means is operable to address the display device of said at least another video conferencing apparatus to thereby display on said display device an indication that a remote user has begun to speak.

7. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of video conferencing apparatuses each including

a display device for displaying an image of at least one communicating party; and

speech communicating means for reproducing utterances made by said communicating party;

each of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses being operable in a lecture mode in which audio signals indicative of utterances of at least one user are received from at least one video conferencing apparatus, and in an interactive mode in which audio signals indicative of utterances of a plurality of users are exchanged between a plurality of said video conferencing apparatuses; and

audio signal processing means for determining, over predetermined intervals, whether at least two of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses are being operated in said interactive mode or said lecture mode;

each of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses further including

synchronizing means responsive to said processing means for selectively delaying transmission of said audio signals relative to corresponding transmitted image signals so as to achieve synchronization of said audio and image signals during operation of at least one receiving video conferencing apparatus in said lecture mode, said synchronizing means being further operable to minimize audio signal transmission delays relative to corresponding transmitted image signals during operation of a receiving video conferencing apparatus in said interactive mode.

8. A method of operating a video conferencing system having a plurality of video conferencing apparatuses each including a display device for displaying images of at least one communicating party, speech communicating means for communicating to said plurality of video conferencing apparatus an utterance by said at least one communicating party and for generating a speech detected signal in response thereto, and video input means for receiving video information from said at least one communicating party and generating a video signal for receipt by at least one video conferencing apparatus for reproduction of said video information, comprising the steps of:

detecting an utterance by a user of a first video conferencing apparatus; and

providing, in response to detection of an utterance in said detecting step, at least one of a visual and an audible warning to a second user of a second video conferencing apparatus, prior to reproduction of said video information received by said second video conferencing apparatus.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said detecting step is performed by a speech detecting means of the first video conferencing apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of transmitting a signal indicative of a detected utterance to the second video conferencing apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said providing step includes displaying a visual warning on the display device of the second video conferencing apparatus.

12. A method of operating a video conferencing system having a plurality of video conferencing apparatuses each including a display device for displaying images of at least one communicating party and speech communicating means for communicating with said at least one communicating party an utterance by a user of one of the plurality of video conferencing apparatuses, each of the plurality of video conferencing apparatuses being operable in a lecture mode in which audio signals indicative of utterances of at least one user are received from at least one of said plurality of video conferencing apparatuses, and in an interactive mode in which audio signals indicative of utterances of a plurality of users are exchanged between a plurality of the video conferencing apparatuses, comprising the steps of:

determining, over predetermined intervals, whether at least two of the video conferencing apparatuses are being operated in the interactive mode or the lecture mode; and

selectively delaying at least one audio signal relative to a corresponding image signal to achieve substantially synchronized reproduction and display of said audio and image signals during operation of at least one receiving video conferencing apparatus in the lecture mode, said selectively delaying step further comprising minimizing audio signal delays relative to corresponding image signals when operation of a receiving video conferencing apparatus in the interactive mode is detected during said determining step.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said selectively delaying step comprises delaying the transmission of at least one audio signal relative to the transmission of a corresponding transmitted image signal.