Video collaboration

• US 8,179,417 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Ian N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US12/507,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1408, 348/14.09, 348/14.16, 382/103, 382/190, 382/117, 382/173, 382/293, 382/295, 382/298
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• 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

A video collaboration method includes examining a video image to locate therein a strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator. The method also includes causing a display of the strip segment in a second frame positioned above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content on a display device positioned for a first collaborator.

Claims

1. A video collaboration method, comprising:

examining a video image to locate therein a strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator, wherein the desired facial features include a gaze but not other facial features of the second collaborator; and

on a display device positioned for a first collaborator, causing a display of the strip segment in a second frame positioned above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content such that the other facial features are not displayed in the second frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

examining comprises one or more of:

sizing the strip segment according to dimensions of the second frame and of the facial features; and

positioning the strip segment according to a relative orientation and position of the facial features within the video image; and

causing a display of the strip segment includes mirroring and scaling the strip segment to provide an appearance to the first collaborator that the second collaborator is positioned at a selected virtual distance behind the display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing a display of the strip segment comprises, on the display device, causing a display of a strip segment in a second frame positioned below an expected position of a video capture device and above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein examining comprises examining a first video image to locate a first strip segment containing desired facial features of the second collaborator and examining a second video image to locate a second strip segment containing desired facial features of a third collaborator;

and

causing a display comprises, on the display device, causing a display of the first strip segment in the second frame and a display of the second strip segment in a third frame, the second and third frames being positioned beside one another and above the first frame for communicating shared collaboration content.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

with respect to a relative positioning of the second and third frames on the display device, spatially multiplexing a first audio signal corresponding to the second collaborator with second audio content corresponding to the third collaborator; and

causing a broadcast of the spatially multiplexed first and second audio signals on a multichannel audio device positioned for the first collaborator.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising examining the video image to locate a second segment positioned below the located strip segment;

and wherein causing a display includes;

superimposing the second segment with the shared content in the first frame; and

emphasizing one of the second segment and the shared content over the other based on detected activity with respect to the first frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising simulating motion parallax between the shared content and the desired facial features of the second collaborator in accordance with a detected shift in position of the first collaborator with respect to the display device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed cause the implementation of a method;

the method comprising;

examining a video image to locate therein a strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator, wherein the desired facial features include a gaze but not other facial features of the second collaborator; and

on a display device positioned for a first collaborator, causing a display of the strip segment in a second frame positioned above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content such that the other facial features are not displayed in the second frame.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein examining comprises one or more of:

sizing the strip segment according to a dimension of the facial features and a dimension of the second frame; and

positioning the strip segment according to a relative orientation and position of the facial features within the video image.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein causing a display of the strip segment includes mirroring and scaling the strip segment to provide an appearance to the first collaborator that the second collaborator is positioned at a selected virtual distance behind the display device.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein causing a display of the strip segment comprises, on the display device, causing a display of a strip segment in a second frame positioned below an expected position of a video capture device and above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein examining comprises examining a first video image to locate a first strip segment containing desired facial features of the second collaborator and examining a second video image to locate a second strip segment containing desired facial features of a third collaborator;

and

causing a display comprises, on the display device, causing a display of the first strip segment in a second frame and a display of the second strip segment in a third frame, the second and third frames being positioned beside one another and above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the method includes:

with respect to a relative positioning of the second and third frames on the display device, spatially multiplexing a first audio signal corresponding to the second collaborator with second audio content corresponding to the third collaborator; and

causing a broadcast of the spatially multiplexed first and second audio signals on a multichannel audio device positioned for the first collaborator.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein the method includes examining the video image to locate a second segment positioned below the located strip segment;

and wherein causing a display includes;

superimposing the second segment with the shared content in the first frame; and

emphasizing one of the second segment and the shared content over the other based on detected activity with respect to the first frame.

15. The medium of claim 8, wherein the method includes simulating motion parallax between the shared content and the desired facial features of the second collaborator in accordance with a detected shift in position of the first collaborator with respect to the display device.

16. A video collaboration system, comprising:

an image engine configured to examine a video image to locate therein a strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator, wherein the desired facial features include a gaze but not other facial features of the second collaborator; and

a display engine configured to cause, on a display device positioned for a first collaborator, a display of the strip segment in a second frame positioned above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content such that the other facial features are not displayed in the second frame.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the image engine is operable to;

size the strip segment according to a dimension of the facial features and a dimension of the second frame; and

position the strip segment according to a relative orientation and position of the facial features within the video image; and

the display engine is operable to mirror scale the strip segment to provide an appearance to the first collaborator that the second collaborator is positioned at a selected virtual distance behind the display device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the image engine is configured to examine a first video image to locate a first strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator and to examine a second video image to locate a second strip segment containing desired facial features of a third collaborator;

the display engine is configured to cause, on the display device, a display of the first strip segment in a second frame and a display of the second strip segment in a third frame, the second and third frames being positioned beside one another and above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content; and

the system further comprises an audio engine configured to;

with respect to a relative positioning of the second and third frames on the display device, spatially multiplex a first audio signal corresponding to the second collaborator with second audio content corresponding to the third collaborator; and

cause a broadcast of the spatially multiplexed first and second audio signals on a multichannel audio device positioned for the first collaborator.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the image engine is configured to examine the video image to locate a second segment positioned below the located strip segment, and the display engine is operable to:

superimpose the second segment with the shared content in the first frame; and

emphasize one of the second segment and the shared content over the other based on detected activity with respect to the first frame.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the image engine is configured to:

identify a vector defining a shift in position of the first collaborator with respect to the display device; and

reposition the strip segment with respect to the video image in accordance with the identified vector to simulate motion parallax between the shared content and the desired facial features of the second collaborator.