Video conference system and method
First Claim
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1. A video conference system, comprising:
- a first remote presence video conference environment for establishing a remote presence video conference with a second remote presence video conference environment, each environment including a plurality of cameras, oriented to view a plurality of participant positions, and a plurality of displays;
said first remote presence video conference environment having at least two operating modes;
a first operating mode, in which, among said plurality of cameras, said plurality of participant positions are imaged and a signal from each camera is transmitted to a corresponding display in said second remote presence video conference environment, said first operating mode further comprising receiving signals from said second remote presence video conference environment, signals from said second remote presence video conference environment being output by said displays in said first remote presence video conference environment;
a second operating mode, in which, one of said cameras is deactivated and at least one remaining camera of said plurality of cameras is reoriented so as to image more of said plurality of participant positions than in said first operating mode, said second operating mode receiving a signal from a camera in, a third video conference environment, wherein said signal from said third video conference environment is output by a display in said first remote presence video conference environment that would otherwise receive a signal coming from a camera in said second remote presence video conference environment.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of a video conference system and method are disclosed.
28 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A video conference system, comprising:
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a first remote presence video conference environment for establishing a remote presence video conference with a second remote presence video conference environment, each environment including a plurality of cameras, oriented to view a plurality of participant positions, and a plurality of displays; said first remote presence video conference environment having at least two operating modes; a first operating mode, in which, among said plurality of cameras, said plurality of participant positions are imaged and a signal from each camera is transmitted to a corresponding display in said second remote presence video conference environment, said first operating mode further comprising receiving signals from said second remote presence video conference environment, signals from said second remote presence video conference environment being output by said displays in said first remote presence video conference environment; a second operating mode, in which, one of said cameras is deactivated and at least one remaining camera of said plurality of cameras is reoriented so as to image more of said plurality of participant positions than in said first operating mode, said second operating mode receiving a signal from a camera in, a third video conference environment, wherein said signal from said third video conference environment is output by a display in said first remote presence video conference environment that would otherwise receive a signal coming from a camera in said second remote presence video conference environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A video conference method, comprising the steps of:
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interconnecting first and second remote presence video conference environments, each environment including a plurality of participant positions, cameras, and displays, wherein each camera in each environment corresponds to a display in the other of said environments; adjusting the cameras such that, without using a first of the cameras at the first of said video conference environments, all of the participant positions at that first video conference environment that are occupied are imaged by remaining cameras at the first video conference environment; displaying an image from each of said cameras on a corresponding display at the second video conference environment; and providing video from a third video conference environment that is displayed on a display in the second video conference environment that corresponds to the first camera in the first video conference environment. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 21)
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16. A computer program comprising machine readable program code, recorded on a non-transitory medium, for remote presence video conference environments having a plurality of participant positions, cameras, and displays, wherein each camera in a first remote presence video conference environment corresponds to a display in a second remote presence video conference environment, said program code causing said remote presence video conference environments to:
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adjusting the cameras and displays in first and second remote presence video conference environments to view and display opposing participant positions except on an unused display in each environment; and providing video from a third video conference environment to an unused video display in each of said first and second remote presence video conference environments, each said unused video display corresponding to an unused camera in the other of said first and second remote presence video conference environments. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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22. A video conference system, comprising:
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first and second remote presence video conference environments, each including a plurality of cameras oriented to view a plurality of participant positions, and a plurality of displays, wherein each camera in each environment corresponds to a display device in the other of said first and second video conference environments; said video conference system to adjust the cameras and displays in first and second remote presence video conference environments to view and display opposing participant positions except on an unused display in each environment; and
said video conference system to provide video from a third video conference environment to an unused video display in each of said first and second remote presence video conference environments, each said unused video display corresponding to an unused camera in the other of said first and second remote presence video conference environments.
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Specification