Variable bandwidth communication systems and methods
First Claim
1. A communication device, the device comprising:
- a data processor;
a transmission component coupled to the data processor, wherein the transmission component includes a transmit bandwidth;
a reception component coupled to the data processor;
a data output component coupled to the data processor;
an audio and video capture component coupled to the data processor, the audio and video capture component capturing audio information, video information or both audio and video information associated with a user;
a sensor that automatically senses a presence or an absence of the user and/or motion of the user; and
a user-selectable transmit control configured to set the transmit bandwidth from a range according to a level of privacy desired by the user, the range including—
betweena high setting of transmitting real-time audio and video corresponding to a desire by the user to transmit real-time audio and video,a low setting of not transmitting information or of transmitting information corresponding to a desire by the user to not provide presence information,a first intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic avatar animation derived from data from the audio and video capture component corresponding to a first desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information; and
a second intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic pure abstract animation derived from data from the audio and video capture component and/or data from the sensor corresponding to a second desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information, wherein the dynamic pure abstract animation has a generally dynamic motion that is based at least in part on motion of the user determined by data from the audio and video capture component and/or data from the sensor,such that the transmission component provides a remote user with an indication of the user'"'"'s desire to communicate before the remote user establishes a two-way communication link with the user, and without concealing the user'"'"'s identity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A variable bandwidth communication system includes a first and a second communication station, coupled for continuous, bi-directional communication. The first communication station is capable of transmitting at a first and a second bandwidth, and is capable of receiving at a third and a fourth bandwidth. The second communication station is capable of receiving at the first and second bandwidth and is capable of transmitting at the third and fourth bandwidth. The transmitting bandwidth of each station is selectable by the user. The second bandwidth is greater than the first and the fourth bandwidth is greater than the third. Preferably, but not necessarily, the first and third bandwidth like the second and fourth bandwidth are about the same. The first communication system can display communication received at the fourth bandwidth at the first bandwidth, and the second communication system can display communications received at the second bandwidth at the third bandwidth.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A communication device, the device comprising:
-
a data processor; a transmission component coupled to the data processor, wherein the transmission component includes a transmit bandwidth; a reception component coupled to the data processor; a data output component coupled to the data processor; an audio and video capture component coupled to the data processor, the audio and video capture component capturing audio information, video information or both audio and video information associated with a user; a sensor that automatically senses a presence or an absence of the user and/or motion of the user; and a user-selectable transmit control configured to set the transmit bandwidth from a range according to a level of privacy desired by the user, the range including—
betweena high setting of transmitting real-time audio and video corresponding to a desire by the user to transmit real-time audio and video, a low setting of not transmitting information or of transmitting information corresponding to a desire by the user to not provide presence information, a first intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic avatar animation derived from data from the audio and video capture component corresponding to a first desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information; and a second intermediate setting of transmitting a dynamic pure abstract animation derived from data from the audio and video capture component and/or data from the sensor corresponding to a second desire by the user to provide less than full real-time audio and video information but greater than presence information, wherein the dynamic pure abstract animation has a generally dynamic motion that is based at least in part on motion of the user determined by data from the audio and video capture component and/or data from the sensor, such that the transmission component provides a remote user with an indication of the user'"'"'s desire to communicate before the remote user establishes a two-way communication link with the user, and without concealing the user'"'"'s identity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of enabling communication between multiple users that is performed by one or more computing systems, each computing system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:
-
capturing, by a capture mechanism, information associated with a user; receiving a user-selected level of privacy via a user-actuable input mechanism different from the capture mechanism, wherein the user may select the level of privacy from— a first level of privacy indicating no desire to communicate, a second level of privacy indicating presence of the user, and a third level of privacy indicating a desire to transmit real-time video information; processing, by the one or more computing systems, the captured information to produce transmit information based on the user-selected level of privacy, wherein the transmit information comprises— real-time video information if the user-selected level of privacy is the third level of privacy, one of the group of cartooned video information, reduced resolution video information, audio information, haptic information, and first abstract representation information if the user-selected level of privacy is the second level of privacy, and second abstract representation information, different from the first abstract representation information, if the user-selected level of privacy is the first level of privacy; and transmitting the transmit information to a remote user, such that the remote user is provided with an indication of the user'"'"'s desired level of privacy before the remote user establishes a two-way communication link with the user, and without concealing the user'"'"'s identity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A communication device, the device comprising:
-
means for capturing video data associated with a user; means for processing the captured video data associated with the user; means for receiving a level of privacy desired by the user, the means for receiving different from the means for capturing, wherein the user may specify either— a first level of privacy indicating no desire to communicate, a second level of privacy indicating presence of the user, or a third level of privacy indicating a desire to transmit real-time video information; means for configuring the means for processing based on the desired level or privacy, wherein the means for processing are configurable from a range, the range including— a high setting of processing the captured video data associated with the user to produce real-time video for the third level of privacy, a low setting of processing the captured video data associated with the user to either produce first abstract representation information or to not produce information for the first level of privacy, and an intermediate setting of processing the captured video data associated with the user to produce either second abstract representation information, different from the first abstract representation information, or a dynamic avatar animation for the second level of privacy; and means for transmitting the processed captured data associated with the user, such that the means for transmitting provides a remote user with an indication of the user'"'"'s desired level of privacy before the remote user performs a next action associated with the user, and without concealing the user'"'"'s identity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
Specification