Video communication systems and methods

• US 7,839,434 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Ciudad, Jean-Pierre, Stochosky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIEP, TRUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/537,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.2, 348/211.3, 348/211.12, 348/231.1, 348 1401- 1408, 345/420, 345/619, 345/629, 386/46, 386/52, 386/53
• US Class Current: 348/211.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Video data of a videoconference participant is generated and filtered versions of the video data are simultaneously displayed. One of the filtered versions is selected and transmitted to other videoconference participants.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first video input stream of a first participant environment for a videoconference;

generating a plurality of duplicate instantiations of the first video input stream, each duplicate instantiation being a copy of the first video input stream;

simultaneously filtering each of the duplicate instantiations of the first video input stream with a corresponding video effects filter, each video effects filter providing a different filtering effect from the other video effects filters and each video effects filter generating a respective filtered instantiation of the first video input stream;

simultaneously displaying each of the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream;

receiving a selection for one of the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream; and

outputting the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream to the videoconference, the outputting comprising outputting the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream for display to a second participant in a second participant environment;

receiving another selection for another one of the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream, the another selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream being different from the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream;

receiving a designation of a third participant in a third participant environment; and

simultaneously outputting the another selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream for display to the third participant in the third participant environment with the outputting of the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream for display to the second participant in the second participant environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the first participant to select one of the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

simultaneously displaying an unfiltered duplicate instantiation of the first video input stream with the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a filtered instantiation of a duplicate instantiation of a fourth video input stream of a fourth participant environment for the videoconference;

displaying the filtered instantiation of the fourth video input stream in an onscreen display to a first participant in the first participant environment; and

displaying the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream in a subsection of the onscreen display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a fourth video input stream of a fourth participant environment for the videoconference;

generating a plurality of duplicate instantiations of the fourth video input stream, each duplicate instantiation being a copy of the fourth video input stream;

simultaneously filtering each of the duplicate instantiations of the fourth video input stream with a corresponding video effects filter, each video effects filter providing a different filtering effect from the other video effects filters and each video effects filter generating a respective filtered instantiation of the fourth video input stream;

simultaneously displaying each of the filtered instantiations of the fourth video input stream to a fourth participant in the fourth participant environment;

receiving a selection for one of the filtered instantiations of the fourth video input stream from the fourth participant;

receiving the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream; and

simultaneously displaying the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream in an onscreen display and the selected filtered instantiation of the fourth video input stream in a subsection of the onscreen display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the selected filtered instantiation of the first video input stream to one or more participants in the videoconference.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

simultaneously displaying the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream comprises displaying the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream in a mosaic format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

displaying the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream in a mosaic format comprises displaying the filtered instantiations of the first video input stream in juxtapositions defining a grid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the video effects filters is a video distortion filter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a plurality of duplicate instantiations of the first video input stream comprises splitting the first video input stream.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving first video data of a first videoconference participant;

generating copies of the first video data;

filtering each copy of the first video data with a corresponding video effects filter, each video effects filter providing a different filtering effect from the other video effects filters and each video effects filter generating a respective filtered copy of the first video data;

simultaneously displaying each of the filtered copies of the first video data;

receiving a selection for one of the filtered copies of the first video data; and

outputting the selected filtered copy of the first video data to a videoconference, the outputting comprising outputting the selected filtered copy of the first video data for display to a second participant in a second participant environment;

receiving another selection for another one of the filtered copies of the first video data, the another selected filtered copy of the first video data being different from the selected filtered copy of the first video data;

receiving a designation of a third participant in a third participant environment; and

simultaneously outputting the another selected filtered copy of the first video data for display to the third participant in the third participant environment with the outputting of the selected filtered copy of the first video data for display to the second participant in the second participant environment.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prompting the first videoconference participant to select one of the filtered copies of the first video data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

simultaneously displaying an unfiltered copy of the first video data with the filtered copies of the first video data.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving second video data for the second videoconference participant;

displaying the second video data for the second videoconference participant in an onscreen display to the first videoconference participant; and

displaying the selected filtered copy of the first video data in a subsection of the onscreen display.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the selected filtered copy of the first video data to a plurality of videoconference participants.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving audio data of a videoconference participant;

generating filtered copies of the audio data;

playing back the filtered copies of the audio data;

receiving a selection for one of the filtered copies of the audio data; and

outputting the selected filtered copy of the audio data to a video conference.

17. A system, comprising:

a video camera configured to generate first video data;

a display device configured to display the first video data; and

a video processing device configured to receive the first video data from the video camera and to receive second video data from one or more communication devices over a network, and further configured to generate copies of the first video data, filter each of the copies of the first video data with a corresponding video effects filter, each video effects filter providing a different filtering effect from the other video effects filters and each video effects filter generating a respective filtered copy of the first video data, simultaneously display each of the filtered copies of the first video data on the display device, receive a first selection for first filtered copy first video data from the filtered copies of the first video data, receive a second selection for a second filtered copy of the first video data, the second filtered copy of the first video data being different from the first filtered copy of the first video data, transmit the first filtered copy of the first video data over the network to the one or more first communication devices, and simultaneously transmit the second filtered copy of the first video data over the network to one or more second communication devices that are different from the one or more first communication devices with the first filtered copy of the first video data to the one or more first communication devices.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the video processing device is configured to prompt a user that is the subject of the first video data to select one of the filtered copies of the first video data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the video processing device is further configured to display the second video data in an onscreen display environment, and display the first filtered copy of the first video data in a subsection of the onscreen display environment.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the subsection of the onscreen display environment in which the first filtered copy of the first video data is displayed is subordinate to subsections of the onscreen display environment in which the second video data are displayed.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the video process device comprises a personal computer.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a data store storing filters configured to filter the copies of the first video data.

23. A system, comprising:

means for generating duplicate instantiations of a video input stream of a first video conference environment of a videoconference;

means for filtering each of the duplicate instantiations of a video input stream with a corresponding video effects filter, each video effects filter providing a different filtering effect from the other video effects filters and each video effects filter generating a respective filtered instantiation of the first video input stream;

means for simultaneously displaying the filtered instantiations of the video input stream;

means for receiving a selection for first filtered instantiations of the video input stream and a selection of a second filter instantiation of the video input stream, the first filtered instantiation being different from the second filtered instantiation;

means for associated the first filtered instantiation with a first display device in a second video conference environment of the videoconference;

means for associated the second filtered instantiation with a second display device in a third video conference environment of the videoconference; and

means for simultaneously outputting the selected first and second filtered instantiations of the video input stream to the respective first and second display devices in the second and third videoconference environments of the videoconference.