Apparatus and method for avoiding invalid camera positioning in a video conference

• US 6,618,073 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vtel Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Pi Sheng, Lambert, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/187,202
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.05, 348/14.08, 348/14.16, 348/211, 348/552, 348/211.6
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• 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 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method for avoiding invalid camera positioning in a video conference establishes a boundary within the view of a camera, such that when a request is made to direct the camera to a point outside of the boundary, the camera positioning module transforms the request to one requesting the camera to be directed to a point just within the boundary. In one embodiment, the boundary includes a maximum extent and a minimum extent, corresponding respectively to the maximum and the minimum expected heights of a speaker.

Claims

1. In a video conference, a method for avoiding invalid positioning of a camera, comprising:

establishing a boundary outside of which said camera is prohibited from being positioned;

receiving a new position for focusing said camera, said new position corresponding to a position of an active speaker;

determining if said new position is outside of said boundary; and

directing said camera to said new position, when said new position is within said boundary, and directing said camera to an adjusted position within said boundary, when said new position is outside of said boundary.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said boundary includes a maximum vertical extent and a minimum vertical extent corresponding respectively to expected maximum and minimum heights of a speaker.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein when said new position is above said maximum vertical extent, said adjusted position is at or below said maximum vertical extent.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein when said new position is below said vertical extents said adjusted position is at or above said minimum vertical extent.

5. A method as in claim 2, further including establishing a second boundary outside of said first boundary, wherein when said new position is outside said second boundary, said new position is disregarded.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said boundary includes a minimum radial distance and a maximum radial distance corresponding respectively to expected maximum and minimum distances of a speaker with respect to the position of the camera.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein when said new position is less than said minimum radial distance, said adjusted position is at or beyond said minimum radial distance.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein when said new position is greater than said maximum radial distance, said adjusted position is at or within said maximum radial distance.

9. A video conference system, comprising:

a plurality of microphones and a camera positioned in a predetermined configuration, each microphone providing an audio signal representative of sound received at said microphone;

a position determination module, based on said audio signals of said microphones and said predetermined configuration, providing a new position of said sound source; and

a camera control module directing said camera towards said sound source using said new position of said sound source, when said new position corresponds to a position outside a predetermined boundary, said camera control module directs said camera to an adjusted position within said boundary.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said boundary includes a maximum vertical extent and a minimum vertical extent corresponding respectively to expected maximum and minimum heights of a speaker.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein when said new position is above said maximum vertical extent, said adjusted position is at or below said maximum vertical extent.

12. A system as in claim 10, wherein when said new position is below said vertical extent, said adjusted position is at or above said minimum vertical extent.

13. A system as in claim 10, further including establishing a second boundary outside of said first boundary, wherein when said new position is outside said second boundary, said new position is disregarded.

14. A system as in claim 9, wherein said boundary includes a maximum radial distance and a minimum radial distance corresponding respectively to expected maximum and minimum radial distances of a speaker from said camera.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein when said new position is greater than said maximum radial distance, said adjusted position is at or within said maximum radial distance.

16. A system as in claim 14, wherein when said new position is less than said radial distance, said adjusted position is at or greater than said minimum radial distance.