Residential video communication system
First Claim
1. A video communication system comprising:
- a video communication device, having at least one image capture device;
an image display device into one image capture device, wherein the at least one image capture device acquires video images of a local environment and an individual therein, according to defined video capture settings;
an audio system processor having an audio emission device operable to generate sound in the local environment and an audio capture device operable to capture sound in the local environment; and
a control logic processor for automatically analyzing the video scene captured by the capture device to determine when an intra-scene transition or in inter-scene transition occurs in the local environment and automatically adjusts the video capture settings of the least one image capture device in accordance with the determined intra-scene transition or inter-scene transition wherein the control logic processor or the audio system processor determines that an intra-scene transition or inter-scene transition has occurred by applying scene analysis rules to determine contextual cues in the video or audio in the local environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A video communication system and method for operating a video communication system are provided. The video communication system has a video communication device, having an image display device and at least one image capture device, wherein the at least one image capture device acquires video images of a local environment and an individual therein, according to defined video capture settings, an audio system having an audio emission device and an audio capture device; and a computer operable to interact with a contextual interface, a privacy interface, an image processor, and a communication controller to enable a communication event including at least one video scene in which outgoing video images are sent to a remote site. Wherein the contextual interface includes scene analysis algorithms for identifying potential scene transitions and capture management algorithms for providing changes in video capture settings appropriate to any identified scene transitions; and wherein the privacy interface provides privacy settings to control the capture, transmission, display, or recording of video image content from the local environment.
128 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A video communication system comprising:
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a video communication device, having at least one image capture device; an image display device into one image capture device, wherein the at least one image capture device acquires video images of a local environment and an individual therein, according to defined video capture settings; an audio system processor having an audio emission device operable to generate sound in the local environment and an audio capture device operable to capture sound in the local environment; and a control logic processor for automatically analyzing the video scene captured by the capture device to determine when an intra-scene transition or in inter-scene transition occurs in the local environment and automatically adjusts the video capture settings of the least one image capture device in accordance with the determined intra-scene transition or inter-scene transition wherein the control logic processor or the audio system processor determines that an intra-scene transition or inter-scene transition has occurred by applying scene analysis rules to determine contextual cues in the video or audio in the local environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for providing video communication between a first individual at a local site and a second individual at a remote site, comprising:
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capturing video images at the local site according to defined video image capture settings during a communication event; capturing audio signals at the local site; automatically identifying potential inter-scene and intra-scene transitions in the captured video images by applying scene analysis rules to determine contextual cues in the video or audio in the scene at the local site on an ongoing basis during the communication event; determining changes in video image capture settings appropriate to any identified scene transitions using capture management algorithms, and adapting the capture of the video images accordingly; transmitting at least a portion of the captured video images and audio signals from the local site to the second individual at the remote site; and transmitting at least a portion of the remote video images and audio signals from the remote site to the local site; adapting the capture, transmission, display, or recording of the content of the video images at the respective sites for each of the respective sites when an intra-scene or inter-scene transition is identified. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for providing operating a video communication system using one or more cameras and image processing to provide video communications between an individual in a local environment and a remote viewer using a video communication system, comprising:
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capturing video images with the at least one camera of the local environment during a video communication event of one or more video scenes using first video capture settings corresponding to an initial video context or an initial video capture made; transmitting captured video images to a remote viewer; automatically analyzing the captured video images with scene analysis algorithms to identify contextual cues from which it can be determined whether intra-scene transitions or inter-scene transitions have occurred in the local environment; automatically determining new video capture settings appropriate to any identified intra-scene or inter-scene transition using capture management algorithms, wherein for defined intra-scene transitions, the defined changes to second video settings are adjustments within the initial video capture mode or initial video context, and for defined inter-scene transitions, the defined changes to second video settings correspond to those for a new video capture mode; automatically modifying ongoing video image capture in accordance with the new video settings; and providing the video images captured according to the new video settings to the remote viewer using the newly determined video settings. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification