Method and apparatus for enabling a videoconferencing participant to appear focused on camera to corresponding users

• US 6,208,373 B1
• Filed: 08/02/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Acknen, Reuven, Fong, Timothy Lo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/366,436
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 348/19, 348/20, 379/93.21, 379/93.17, 345/330, 345/332, 345/339, 345/340, 345/341
• 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 system for avoiding lost look in video conferencing utilizes multiple cameras outside a monitor screen at a conferencing station for capturing images of a participant and a processor system enabled to utilize video streams from the cameras and software including a field graph to create a stream presenting the participant as though the created stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the monitor screen. In some embodiments the processor takes into account data pertaining to an active window to position the virtual camera in the active window. In other embodiments moveable cameras are employed with an audio system having directional input, which the processor can use to train cameras on a current active participant.

Claims

1. A video-conferencing station comprising:

a display monitor having a display screen for displaying images of remote conferencing participants;

two or more video cameras external to the display monitor for capturing images of one or more local participants positioned before the display monitor screen; and

a computerized processing system coupled to both the display monitor and the video cameras for receiving video streams associated with video conferences and displaying images from the video streams, for sending a video stream to the remote conferencing participants, and for processing the images captured by the two or more video cameras;

wherein the processing system, using input as to active windows in the display screen, by executing software including a field graph and using the captured images provided by the two or more video cameras, produces and sends a single video stream providing an image of a local participant as though the stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the area of an active window in the display screen.

2. The video conferencing station of claim 1 additionally comprising robotic operators associated with individual ones of the video cameras, two or more positions for local participants in front of the monitor screen, and an audio input system for the participants with directional capability, wherein the processing system causes the robotic operators to train individual ones of the video cameras on individual ones of the local participants according to directional input from the audio input system.

3. The video conferencing station of claim 2 wherein the directional capability comprises each local participant having an individual microphone, wherein each individual microphone is associated with a position before the display screen for the local participant.

4. The video conferencing station of claim 2 wherein the directional capability comprises a stereo microphone, and the processing system is enabled to determine position of local participants before the display screen based on input from the stereo microphone.

5. A video conferencing system comprising:

two or more video conferencing stations; and

a video-capable link between the two or more stations;

wherein one or more of the stations is characterized by a display monitor having a display screen for displaying images of remote conferencing participants, two or more video cameras external to the display monitor for capturing images of one or more local participants positioned before the display monitor screen, and a computerized processing system coupled to both the display monitor and the video cameras for receiving video streams associated with video conferences and displaying images from the video streams, for sending a video stream to the remote conferencing participants, and for processing the images captured by the two or more video cameras, and wherein the processing system, using input as to active windows in the display screen, by executing software including a field graph and using the captured images provided by the two or more video cameras, produces and sends a single video stream providing an image of a local participant as though the stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the area of an active window in the display screen.

6. The video conferencing system of claim 5 additionally comprising robotic operators associated with individual ones of the video cameras, two or more positions for local participants in front of the monitor screen, and an audio input system for the participants with directional capability, wherein the processing system causes the robotic operators to train individual ones of the video cameras on individual ones of the local participants according to directional input from the audio input system.

7. The video conferencing system of claim 6 wherein the directional capability comprises each local participant having an individual microphone, wherein each individual microphone is associated with a position before the display screen for the local participant.

8. The video conferencing system of claim 6 wherein the directional capability comprises a stereo microphone, and the processing system is enabled to determine position of local participants before the display screen based on input from the stereo microphone.

9. A method for correcting a lost look in a video conferencing system, comprising steps of:

(a) capturing images of a conferencing participant by two or more video cameras positioned outside a display screen; and

(b) feeding a video stream from the two or more video cameras to a processor, the processor using input as to active windows in the display screen; and

(c) creating a single video stream from the two or more streams and stored variables and constants, and using a field graph algorithm, the single video stream presenting the conferencing participant as though captured from a virtual camera placed within an active window in the monitor screen.

10. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising a step for manipulating robotic operators associated with individual ones of the video cameras to focus on an individual participant positioned before the monitor screen by processing input from an audio input system with directional capability.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the directional capability comprises each local participant having an individual microphone, wherein each individual microphone is associated with a position before the display screen for the local participant.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the directional capability comprises a stereo microphone, and the processing system is enabled to determine position of local participants before the display screen based on input from the stereo microphone.