Collaborative shared space

• US 5,990,932 A
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Scott T., Hopkins, Gordon W., Lamontagne, Doris D., Bee, James W. M., Illingworth, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US08/995,539
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 348/36, 348/38, 348/39, 348/143, 348/159, 379/93.19, 379/93.21, 379/106.02, 370/260, 434/350, 434/307 R, 128/904, 128/920, 128/922, 128/903, 607/60
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

In a video conference system, participants are provided with a greater sense of presence. A pair of monitors are positioned at each location and provide a presence view image and a shared space image of the other location. With this system, participants can overlap their finger pointing at a shared image while maintaining eye-to-eye contact.

Claims

1. A video conferencing system in a workspace for communicating with a remote participant at a monitor in a remote location, the system comprising:

a first monitor in the workspace for displaying a presence view image of the remote participant;

a second monitor in the workspace for simultaneously displaying a shared space image showing a view in the remote location;

a controller for ensuring a continuous view of the presence view image and the shared space image in the workspace; and

transmitting means including a first camera positioned in the workspace and focused on the second monitor for transmitting the image of the second monitor to the remote location.

2. The video conferencing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory containing a database; and

an interface, coupled to the controller, for providing access to the database.

3. The video conferencing system according to claim 2, wherein the controller includes

a switch, coupled to the interface, for providing access to the database on one of the first and second monitors.

4. The video conferencing system according to claim 2, wherein the interface includes

a touch surface for providing access to the database and selecting information from the database for display on the second monitor.

5. The video conferencing system according to claim 4, wherein the touch surface includes

means for modifying the information of the database in response to a pointing device.

6. The video conferencing system according to claim 5, wherein the pointing device includes

a pen-type pointing device.

7. The video conferencing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second camera positioned in the workspace for transmitting a presence view image of a participant in the workspace to the remote location;

a third camera positioned in the remote location for transmitting the presence view image of the remote participant to the first monitor; and

a fourth camera positioned in the remote location for transmitting the shared space image showing the view in the remote location to the second monitor.

8. The video conferencing system according to claim 7, wherein the fourth camera includes

means for adjusting the position of the fourth camera;

and

means for modifying the zoom of the fourth camera.

9. The video conferencing system according to claim 8, wherein the means for modifying the zoom of the fourth camera includes

means for changing the zoom of the fourth camera remotely at the workspace.

10. A video conferencing system for a workspace and a remote location, the system comprising:

a first monitor in the workspace for displaying a first presence view image of a remote participant in the remote location;

a second monitor in the workspace for displaying a first shared space image showing a view in the remote location;

a first controller for ensuring a continuous and simultaneous view of the first presence view image and the shared space image in the workspace;

a third monitor in the remote location for displaying a second presence view image of a participant in the workspace;

a fourth monitor in the remote location for displaying a second shared space image showing a view of the second monitor;

a second controller for ensuring a continuous and simultaneous view of the second presence view image and the second shared space image in the remote location; and

transmitting means including a first camera positioned in the workspace and focused on the second monitor for transmitting the image of the second monitor to the remote location.

11. The video conferencing system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a memory containing a database; and

an interface, coupled to the first controller, for providing access to the database.

12. The video conferencing system according to claim 11, wherein the first controller includes

a switch, coupled to the interface, for providing access to the database on one of the first and second monitors.

13. The video conferencing system according to claim 11, wherein the interface includes

a touch surface for providing access to the database and selecting information from the database for display on the second monitor.

14. The video conferencing system according to claim 13, wherein the touch surface includes

means for modifying the information of the database in response to a pointing device.

15. The video conferencing system according to claim 14, wherein the pointing device includes

a pen-type pointing device.

16. The video conferencing system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second camera positioned in the workspace and focused on a participant in the workspace;

a third camera positioned in the remote location for providing the presence view image of the remote participant to the first monitor; and

a fourth camera positioned in the remote location for providing the shared space image showing the view in the remote location to the second monitor.

17. The video conferencing system according to claim 16, wherein the fourth camera includes

means for adjusting the position of the fourth camera;

and

means for modifying the zoom of the fourth camera.

18. The video conferencing system according to claim 17, wherein the means for modifying the zoom of the fourth camera includes

means for changing the zoom of the fourth camera remotely at the workspace.

19. A method for providing a video conference between a workspace and a remote participant at a monitor in a remote location, comprising the steps of:

displaying a presence view image of the remote participant on a first monitor in the workspace;

simultaneously displaying a shared space image showing a view in the remote location on a second monitor in the workspace,

positioning a camera in the workspace focused on the second monitor; and

transmitting the image of the second monitor to the remote location.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

providing access from the workspace to a database contained in a memory.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of providing access includes the substep of

selecting information from the database for display on the second monitor.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of providing access further includes the substep of

modifying the information of the database in response to a pointing device.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a presence view image of a participant in the workspace to the remote location;

transmitting the presence view image of the remote participant as provided by a camera to the first monitor; and

transmitting the shared space image showing the view in the remote location to the second monitor.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of transmitting the presence view image of the remote participant includes the substeps of

adjusting the position of the camera;

and

modifying the zoom of the camera.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of modifying the zoom of the camera includes

changing the zoom of the camera remotely at the workspace.