Customizable background for video communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for performing a video telecommunications interaction between at least first and second participants, comprising:
- (a) acquiring image information, the image information including an image of the first participant;
(b) removing at least one of desired and undesired image information from the acquired image information to form (i) filtered image information and (ii) the removed at least one desired and undesired image information, the removed at least one of desired and undesired image information being selected previously by the first participant; and
(c) at least one of a sending endpoint associated with the first participant and a receiving endpoint associated with the second participant combining at least one of (i) the filtered image information and (ii) the removed desired image information with substitute image information to form composite image information, wherein the desired image information is the image of the first participant, wherein the undesired image information comprises at least part of the background in the acquired image information, wherein the substitute image information is a modified form of the background, wherein, prior to transmission to the receiving endpoint, the at least part of the background in the acquired image information is modified and/or replaced by the first participant to form the substitute image information, wherein the substitute image information is transmitted to the receiving endpoint and thereafter followed by transmission of the first participant'"'"'s image only, and wherein the receiving endpoint combines the substitute image information with the received first participant'"'"'s image to form the composite image information for display to the second participant.
24 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A video telecommunications system 100 for effecting a communication between at least first and second participants including
- an image alteration agent 358 that (i) removes desired and/or undesired image information 370 and 374 from the acquired image information 362 to form filtered image information 378 and the removed information and (ii) combines the filtered image information 378 and/or the image information 370 and 374 with substitute image information 382 to form composite image information 366; and
- a video communication infrastructure 304 that transmits the composite image information 366 to a communication device associated with the second participant 120. The composite image information 366 excludes undesired image information 374.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for performing a video telecommunications interaction between at least first and second participants, comprising:
-
(a) acquiring image information, the image information including an image of the first participant; (b) removing at least one of desired and undesired image information from the acquired image information to form (i) filtered image information and (ii) the removed at least one desired and undesired image information, the removed at least one of desired and undesired image information being selected previously by the first participant; and (c) at least one of a sending endpoint associated with the first participant and a receiving endpoint associated with the second participant combining at least one of (i) the filtered image information and (ii) the removed desired image information with substitute image information to form composite image information, wherein the desired image information is the image of the first participant, wherein the undesired image information comprises at least part of the background in the acquired image information, wherein the substitute image information is a modified form of the background, wherein, prior to transmission to the receiving endpoint, the at least part of the background in the acquired image information is modified and/or replaced by the first participant to form the substitute image information, wherein the substitute image information is transmitted to the receiving endpoint and thereafter followed by transmission of the first participant'"'"'s image only, and wherein the receiving endpoint combines the substitute image information with the received first participant'"'"'s image to form the composite image information for display to the second participant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A video telecommunications system for effecting a communication between at least first and second participants, comprising:
-
(a) an imaging device operable to acquire image information, the image information including an image of the first participant; (b) an image alteration agent operable (i) to remove at least one of desired and undesired image information from the acquired image information to form (A) filtered image information and (B) the removed at least one of desired and undesired image information, the removed at least one of desired and undesired image information being selected, prior to removal, by the first participant, and (ii) at least one of; (b1) transmit, to a second endpoint of the second participant, at least one of (A) the filtered image information and (B) the removed desired image information for combination with substitute image information to form composite image information for presentation to the second participant; and (b2) combine the at least one of (A) the filtered image information and (B) the removed desired image information with the substitute image information to form the composite image information, the composite information thereafter being transmitted to the second endpoint for presentation to the second participant, wherein the desired image information is the image of the first participant and the undesired image information comprises at least part of the background in the acquired image information, wherein the substitute image information is a modified form of the background, wherein, prior to transmission to the second endpoint, the at least part of the background in the acquired image information is modified and/or replaced by the first participant to form the substitute image information, wherein the substitute image information is transmitted to the second endpoint and thereafter followed by transmission of the first participant'"'"'s image only, and wherein the second endpoint combines the substitute image information with the received first participant'"'"'s image to form the composite image information for display to the second participant. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for performing a video telecommunications interaction between at least first and second participants, comprising:
-
(a) acquiring image information, the image information including an image of the first participant; (b) removing at least one of desired and undesired image information from the acquired image information, the removed at least one of desired and undesired image information having been selected previously by the first participant, wherein the desired image information is the image of the first participant, and the undesired image information comprises at least part of the background and/or foreground in the acquired image information; (c) prior to transmission to the receiving endpoint, at least one of modifying and replacing the at least part of the background and/or foreground in the acquired image information to form the substitute image information; (d) transmitting the substitute image information to the receiving endpoint; and (e) thereafter transmitting the first participant'"'"'s image without the at least part of the background and/ore foreground to the receiving endpoint associated with the second participant for combination of the first participant'"'"'s image with the substitute image information to form composite image information for display to the second participant. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification