3-D displays and telepresence systems and methods therefore

• US 8,208,007 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telepresence Technologies LLC (Buffalo Pacific LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telepresence Technologies LLC (Buffalo Pacific LLC)
• Inventors: White, Peter McDuffie
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/860,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 353/79, 353/122, 353/15, 353/77, 353/78, 359/468
• US Class Current: 348/14.16
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A telepresence system enhances the perception of presence of a remote person involved in a video conference. The system preferably has a two-way mirror, which is between the observer and the display device, positioned at an angle to reflect a backdrop surface. The backdrop surface, which is further away from the two-way mirror than the image plane of the image display device, appears superimposed in a position behind the image of a person from the remote location. The system preferably minimizes image distortion via an optical path for the camera line of sight that is substantially longer than the physical distance between the user and the camera. The system may be asymmetrical, in that one camera is on axis with the user'"'"'s line of sight while the other camera is off axis with the user'"'"'s line of sight.

Claims

1. A telepresence communication system for allowing a user located in an observation zone to communicate with a person using a communications system at another location, the telepresence communication system comprising:

an image display device having an image area substantially surrounded by an image display enclosure, the image area being positioned substantially within a vertical plane, the plane positioned for viewing from the observation zone;

a two-way mirror positioned between said observation zone and said image display device and angled to reflect a backdrop;

said backdrop being positioned adjacent said two-way mirror so that a reflection of a left edge and a right edge of said backdrop in said two-way mirror substantially aligns with a left and right edge, respectively, of said image display enclosure when said reflection is viewed from said observation zone, the backdrop being integrally formed with one of a ceiling or a floor, and said backdrop having a surface configuration matching a surface configuration of a wall located behind said image display device;

a camera located in said backdrop, such that said camera views said observation zone as a reflection off said two-way mirror; and

a light-absorbing panel positioned adjacent said two-way mirror opposite said camera and located in the view of said camera through said two-way mirror as said camera is aligned to view said reflection of said observation zone off said two-way mirror.

2. The telepresence communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a reflective mirror located behind an aperture in said backdrop in the view of said camera so that the camera views said observation zone as a reflection off the two-way mirror and the reflective mirror.

3. The telepresence communication system of claim 1 wherein said camera view is substantially aligned with a user'"'"'s line of sight when said user looks at eyes of an image of a person displayed on said image display device.

4. The telepresence communication system of claim 1 wherein the backdrop is illuminated from one of a front, a back, and both.

5. A telepresence technologies architecture for managing and facilitating telepresence communication for allowing a first user in a home location to see a substantially life-size image of a second user at a remote location appearing on an unreflected view of a display device with a superimposed reflected backdrop and achieving an apparent eye contact while allowing for two-way interaction in real time for communication, the telepresence technologies architecture comprising:

a telepresence communications system to capture a video image and audio of said second user using a pre-determined telepresence standard;

said telepresence communications system in said remote location including a codec to encode outgoing video image and audio signals and to decode incoming video image and audio signals;

a network connection from the remote location to a telepresence operations center, the telepresence operations center including network connections to other remote locations;

a second network connection from the home location to said telepresence operations center;

a second codec in said home location to decode incoming video image and audio signals of said second user and to encode video image and audio signals of said first user for transmission to said remote location via said telepresence operations center; and

a second telepresence communications system in the home location, compatible with said pre-determined telepresence standard and configured to display, substantially life-size, incoming video and audio of said second user in front of said backdrop and within a three-dimensional setting of the home location, said incoming video being displayed on said display device, said display device being in an un-reflected line of sight of said second user.

6. The telepresence technologies architecture of claim 5 wherein said backdrop is reflected in a two-way mirror positioned within the line of sight of the first user when the first user observes said incoming images and wherein said backdrop provides depth cues to said first user to provide a three-dimensional affect to said incoming images.

7. The telepresence technologies architecture of claim 5 wherein said codec and second codec are respectively restricted in capability to only connect to the telepresence operations center automatically when the telepresence communications system is powered up, and to remain connected as a constant connection to the telepresence operations center the telepresence communications system is powered up.

8. The telepresence technologies architecture of claim 5 wherein the network connection includes a constant live connection between the telepresence operations center and a telepresence communications system that operates at a low bandwidth when not in active use by a user and that delivers one or more of constant access to an on screen menu for access to a directory of other telepresence users with their current availability, scheduling services for arranging telepresence communication with others, features of services available from the telepresence operations center, and commercial telepresence services from telepresence service providers.

9. The telepresence technologies architecture of claim 5 wherein the telepresence operation center offers a service to users of recording incoming telepresence communications with a digital recording of incoming video image and audio signals and with a digital storing of supporting visuals in a standardized telepresence format to allow for the playback of the video image and audio signals on a first display device.

10. A method of achieving telepresence comprising:

capturing a first image of a first person with a first camera having a first camera line of sight that is off axis with a line of sight of the first person;

capturing a second image of a second person with a second camera having a second camera line of sight that is on axis with a line of sight of the second person;

transmitting from the second camera to a first display device the image of the second person that has been captured on axis, said first display device being within an unreflected view of said first person, a singular viewing axis being between said first display device and said first person, whereby said first person perceives eye contact with the image of the second person; and

transmitting from the first camera to a second display device the image of the first person that has been captured off axis.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein capturing a first image of a first person with a first camera having a first camera line of sight that is off axis with a line of sight of the first person comprises:

positioning the first camera such that the first camera line of sight passes through a two-way mirror and is aligned with the line of sight first user; and

reflecting the image of the second person on the two-way mirror.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein capturing a first image of a first person with a first camera having a first camera line of sight that is off axis with a line of sight of the first person comprises:

positioning the first camera such that the first camera line of sight reflects off of a two-way mirror; and

positioning the first display device behind the two-way mirror relative the first person.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first image of the first person is captured at a first telepresence station and the second image of the second person is captured at a second telepresence station.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the first person is a consumer of services and the second person is a service provider.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising positioning the second person relative a backdrop according to a telepresence standard and transmitting the image of the second person through a telepresence operations center.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the telepresence operations center is a part of at least one of public switched telephone network, a private network, an Internet network, a virtual private network, and a voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) network.

17. A method of display comprising:

displaying an image on an image display device, the image display device being observable from an observation zone, the image display device being observable through a two-way mirror or reflected off a two-way mirror relative the observation zone, the image appearing substantially within a first plane when viewed from the observation zone; and

reflecting off the two-way mirror a backdrop to form a reflected backdrop, the reflected backdrop being superimposed with the image on the display when viewed from the observation zone and appearing in substantially within a second plane when viewed from the observation zone;

the second a second plane being substantially parallel to the first plane and appearing further from the observation zone than the first plane.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the backdrop is formed integrally with a portion of a ceiling overlying the two-way mirror or formed integrally with a portion of a floor underlying the two-way mirror.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising positioning an observer in the observation zone to view an image on the image display device and the superimposed reflected backdrop.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the backdrop has a surface that substantially matches a surface of a wall positioned behind the image display device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the wall is at least partially visible through the two-way mirror.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the reflected backdrop obscures at least a portion of the image display device that would otherwise be observable from the observation zone.