Communications system

• US 7,136,090 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Mcduffie White
• Original Assignee: Teleportec, Inc.
• Inventors: McDuffie White, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/049,253
• Time in Patent Office: 2,304 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1402, 348 1407- 1409, 348 1412- 1416, 348782-788, 351209-210, 353 28- 34, 353 71- 73, 353 77- 79, 370260-261, 345/753, 709/204
• US Class Current: 348/14.16
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/10 using back-projection, i.e. blending artificial background with real foreground
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• 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

An arrangement is provide for displaying a life-size live image of a person from a remote location in a three dimensional setting in a home location while providing the person in the remote location with a telepresence of the home location through the invention comprising: a video presentation system for displaying a person on a black background; a two way mirror for viewing both the setting and the superimposed video image of the person; a video camera or pair of cameras positioned in line with the eyes of the superimposed image of the person; and a network connection between the home location and the remote location. Stereoscopic views may be used in conjunction with the two way mirror and a retroreflective surface to display life-size autostereoscopic live images of a person from a remote location.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising;

a real time image capturing device,

an image projecting device,

an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and

a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;

the image capturing device at the first location being;

(a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and

(b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location; and

the first location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located behind the two-way mirror and visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the second location of a participant at the second location is seen through the two-way mirror at the first location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the one or more physical objects are visually located at positions forwardly and/or rearwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the setting comprises a chair, the back of the chair being visually located rearwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the setting comprises furniture selected from a group consisting of a desk, a table, a counter, and a console visually located forwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the setting comprises a lectern visually located forwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the setting comprises a stage.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which a substantially full height image of a participant at the second location is projected for viewing against the stage setting at the first location.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 in which the substantially full height image of the participant at the second location is visually positioned at a location intermediate of forward and rearward extremities of the stage setting.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the stage setting includes a background located rearwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the setting comprises a background located rearwardly of a visual position of the image generated at the second location when the image is being projected at the first location, as viewed from the observation zone at the first location, and means being provided for producing an image on the background for viewing through the two-way mirror.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the image generated at the second location is projected so that, from the observation zone at the first location, it represents the remote participant at the second location as a substantially life-size image in relation to the setting.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1 including means for illuminating the one or more physical objects constituting the visual depth cue.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the image generated at the second location of a participant at the second location comprises a background which is substantially non-visible when viewed through the two-way mirror at the first location by a participant at the first location.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the two-way mirror is inclined relative to the line of sight of a participant stationed in the observation zone.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 in which the two-way mirror is inclined about a horizontal axis.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 in which a remotely-captured image is incident on the two-way mirror from a location below the two-way mirror.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15 in which a remotely-captured image is incident on the two-way mirror from a location above the two-way mirror.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1 including means for adjusting at least one of, the image-capturing device and a participant in the observation zone, so that the cye-level of the participant is substantially aligned with the line of sight of the image-capturing device viewing the participant.

19. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which remotely-captured images are displayed so as to create a stereoscopic visual effect when viewed from the observation zone.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19 in which the remotely-captured images are processed using light polarising elements to form pairs of images having different polarisations so that a stereoscopic image of a participant is seen when viewed from the observation zone using polarised glasses, whereby the images are viewed at the observation zone using a viewer synchronised with the display of the alternating images.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19 in which the stereoscopic visual effect is produced by alternating between images of a participant captured from different viewpoints.

22. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the locations is provided with at least two image-capturing devices for viewing the participant(s) from different angles and in which at least one of the locations is provided with at least two image-projecting devices linked to the image-capturing devices.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22 in which remotely-captured images from the second location are displayed so as to create a stereoscopic effect when viewed from the observation zone at the first location.

24. A system as claimed in claim 22 in which remotely-captured images are projected onto a retroreflective screen located at the opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone whereby the remotely-captured images from the second location are viewed in retroreflection at the observation zone of the first location.

25. A system as claimed in claim 1 including means for tracking the eye position of a participant in the observation zone and means for adjusting the image-projecting device in dependence upon such tracked positioning.

26. A system as claimed in claim 25 in which the tracking means includes an item of headwear to be worn by the participant in use of the system.

27. A system as claimed in claim 25 in which the tracking means includes camera means for observing the participant and means for analysing the images captured thereby to determine eye positioning.

28. A system as claimed in claim 1 including means for correlating actions of a participant at the second location with the one or more physical objects in the first location three dimensional setting so as to produce the impression of interaction of the image observed at the first location with the one or more physical objects.

29. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a voice communication link between the first and second locations.

30. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a data link between the first and second locations.

31. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which, in addition to the first and second locations, there is at least one further location so arranged that a person at each of the locations is able to communicate at least visually with a person at one or more of the other locations.

32. A communications system comprising:

a first location comprising;

a real time image capturing device, and

an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants, the image-capturing device being arranged to view the observation zone;

a second location that is separate and remote relative to the first location, the second location comprising;

an image projecting device linked to the image-capturing device at the first location,

an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants at the second location,

a three dimensional setting with a visual depth cue in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone of the second location, and a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone of the second location and the three dimensional setting,

the system being arranged such that an image captured at the first location is transmitted from the first location to the second location and is projected at the second location for viewing of the participant(s) at the first location through the two-way mirror in superimposed relation with the three dimensional setting.

33. A system as claimed in claim 32 in which a substantially full height image of the participant(s) at the first location is projected for viewing within the three dimensional setting of the second location.

34. A system as claimed in claim 33 in which the setting comprises a stage and means for displaying a further image constituting a visual depth cue means.

35. A system as claimed in claim 32 further comprising a voice communication link between the first and second locations.

36. A system as claimed in claim 32, in which a visual person(s) to person(s) link between the locations is supplemented by a computer link between the locations.

37. A system as claimed in claim 32, in which, in addition to the first and second locations, there is at least one further location so arranged that a person at each of the locations is able to communicate at least visually with a person at one or more of the other locations.

38. A viewing arrangement for use in the communications system as claimed in claim 32, the arrangement being such that a captured image of the one or more participants at the first location is transmitted from the first location to the image projecting device of the second location and is projected for viewing at the second location through the two-way mirror in superimposed relation with the three dimensional setting at the second location.

39. A communications system comprising:

at least one image projecting device capable of being linked to an image-capturing device at a remote location,

an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants,

a three dimensional setting with a three dimensional visual depth cue physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone, and

a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone and the three dimensional setting, the system being arranged such that remotely-captured images are projected onto a retreflective screen located at an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone whereby the remotely-captured images are viewed in retroreflection at the observation zone.

40. A communications system comprising:

an image projecting device capable of being linked to an image-capturing device at a remote location,

an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants,

a three dimensional setting with a three dimensional visual depth cue physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone,

a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone and the three dimensional setting,

means for tracking an eye position of a participant in the observation zone, and means for adjusting the image-projecting device in dependence upon tracked eye positioning by the tracking means.

41. A system as claimed in claim 40 in which the tacking means includes an item of headwear to be worn by the tracked participant in use of the system.

42. A system as claimed in claim 40 in which the tracking means includes a camera for observing the tracked participant and means for analysing images captured thereby to determine eye positioning.

43. A communications system, comprising:

first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising;

a real time image capturing device,

an image projecting device,

an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and

a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;

the image capturing device at the first location being;

(a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and

(b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location; and

the second location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the first location of a participant at the first location is seen through the two-way mirror at the second location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue, and

the second location being arranged such that the remotely-captured images from the first location are projected onto a retroreflective screen located at the opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone whereby the remotely-captured images from the first location are viewed in retroreflection at the observation zone at the second location.

44. A communications system, comprising:

first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising;

a real time image capturing device,

an image projecting device,

an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and

a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;

the image capturing device at the first location being;

(a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and

(b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location; and

the second location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the first location of a participant at the first location is seen through the two-way mirror at the second location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue, and

means being provided for tracking an eye position of a participant in the observation zone and means for adjusting the image-projecting device in dependence upon such tracked positioning.

45. A system as claimed in claim 44 in which the tracking means includes an item of headwear to be worn by the tracked participant in use of the system.

46. A system as claimed in claim 44 in which the tracking means includes a camera for observing the tracked participant and means for analysing the images captured thereby to determine eye positioning, the second location being arranged such that the remotely-captured images from the first location are displayed so as to create a stereoscopic effect when viewed from the observation zone of the second location.