Method and system for videoconference configuration

• US 8,797,377 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mauchly, J. William, Sowa, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/031,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,364 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1409, 348/14.1, 348/14.11
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• 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

Systems and methods for providing camera configuration for points in a multi-point videoconference system are provided. First configuration information is determined for a first point of a multi-point videoconferencing system. Second configuration information is determined for a second point of the multi-point videoconferencing system. One or more first cameras at the first point or one or more second cameras at the second point of the multi-point videoconferencing system are reconfigured based on the first configuration information or the second configuration information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a first participant configuration for a first endpoint of a videoconferencing system, wherein the first endpoint includes more than one first endpoint participant and more than one first endpoint display, each first endpoint display includes more than one first endpoint camera to capture multiple views of a first endpoint participant viewing the first endpoint display;

determining a second participant configuration for a second endpoint of a videoconferencing system, wherein the second endpoint includes more than one second endpoint participant and more than one second endpoint display, each second endpoint display includes more than one second endpoint camera to capture multiple views of a second endpoint participant viewing the second endpoint display, wherein the number of captured multiple views of the second endpoint participant is equal to the number of first endpoint displays; and

selecting a camera configuration based on the first participant configuration and the second participant configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining first participant configuration for the first endpoint of the videoconferencing system comprises detecting a number of participants at the first endpoint and determining a position of the participants, relative to the camera configuration at the first endpoint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the camera configuration based on the first participant configuration and the second participant configuration comprises choosing a camera viewpoint from a plurality of possible viewpoints, generating a video stream that captures said camera viewpoint, compressing the video stream for transmission, and transmitting the video stream to at least one other endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating the video stream that captures said camera viewpoint comprises enabling transmission of the video stream from a fixed camera that is located in a position to achieve said camera viewpoint.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein generating the video stream that captures said camera viewpoint comprises synthesizing said viewpoint by processing outputs of a plurality of nearby cameras that capture overlapping views of a desired target.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the camera configuration based on the first participant configuration and the second participant configuration comprises detecting an opportunity for reconfiguration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the videoconferencing system and prompting a user for initiation of the reconfiguration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the videoconferencing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the camera configuration based on the first participant configuration and the second participant configuration comprises detecting an opportunity for reconfiguration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the videoconferencing system and automatically initiating reconfiguration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the videoconferencing system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining third participant configuration for a third endpoint of the videoconferencing system;

selecting the camera configuration for the first endpoint, the second endpoint, or the third endpoint, based on the first participant configuration, the second participant configuration, or the third participant configuration, wherein the first endpoint is comprised of one or more first video displays configured to switchably display video information from one or more second cameras at the second endpoint or video information from one or more third cameras at the third endpoint, the second endpoint is comprised of one or more second video displays configured to switchably display video information from one or more first cameras at the first endpoint or video information from the one or more third cameras at the third endpoint, and the third endpoint is comprised of one or more third video displays configured to switchably display video information from one or more second cameras at the second endpoint or video information from the one or more first cameras at the first endpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-determining the first participant configuration based on the second participant configuration.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a different perspective of a participant at the first endpoint is displayed on each display at the second endpoint.

11. A multi-endpoint videoconferencing system comprised of:

a first endpoint of the multi-point videoconferencing system including more than one first endpoint participant and more than one first endpoint video display, each first endpoint video display including one or more first endpoint cameras to capture multiple views of a first endpoint participant viewing the first endpoint display, one or more first positions, and a first presence detector, wherein a first participant configuration is determined for the first endpoint;

a second endpoint of the multi-point videoconferencing system including more than one second endpoint participant and more than one second endpoint video display, each second endpoint video display including one or more second endpoint cameras to capture multiple views of a second endpoint participant viewing the second endpoint display, wherein the number of captured multiple views of the second endpoint participant is equal to the number of first endpoint displays, and a second presence detector, wherein a second participant configuration is determined for the second endpoint; and

a processor operably connected with the first presence detector and the one or more first cameras and the second presence detector and the one or more second cameras, wherein the processor is configured to determine a first camera configuration and a second camera configuration by;

detecting first participants at the first endpoint and second participants at the second endpoint;

determining whether each of the first positions at the first endpoint is occupied by a first participant and determine whether each of the second positions at the second endpoint is occupied by a second participant; and

determining a current camera viewpoint for each of the one or more first cameras at the first endpoint and determine a current camera viewpoint for each of the one or more second cameras at the second endpoint.

12. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises enabling, disabling or switching between camera viewpoints of one or more of the one or more first cameras at the first endpoint or the one or more second cameras at the second endpoint.

13. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises one or both of mechanically reorienting one or more first cameras at the first endpoint from their current camera viewpoint such that they are substantially directed toward occupied first positions or mechanically reorienting one or more second cameras at the second endpoint from their current camera viewpoint such that they are substantially directed toward occupied second positions.

14. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises switching at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint a source of a video stream from a first viewpoint that shows one of the first positions or one of the second positions to a second viewpoint that shows a different one of the first positions or a different one of the second positions.

15. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises enabling, disabling or switching between video streams of the one or more first cameras at the first endpoint or the one or more second cameras at the second endpoint.

16. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises a processor configured to detect an opportunity for selecting camera configuration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system and prompt a user for selection of the camera configuration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system.

17. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises a processor configured to detect an opportunity for selecting camera configuration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system and automatically selecting camera configuration at one or both of the first endpoint or the second endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system.

18. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises a processor configured to display video videoconference information on M video displays at the first endpoint and display video videoconference information on N video displays at the second endpoint, and M and N are not equal.

19. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 18, wherein M is determined by a number of second participants at the second endpoint and N is determined by a number of first participants at the first endpoint.

20. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, wherein determining camera configuration of one or more of the first endpoint or the second endpoint based upon the first participant configuration or the second participant configuration comprises controlling video streams to and from at least one of the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

21. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 11, further comprised of:

a third endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system comprised of one or more third cameras, one or more third video displays, one or more third positions, and a third presence detector, wherein third participant configuration is determined for the third endpoint; and

wherein one or more camera configurations of the first endpoint, the second endpoint, or the third endpoint of the multi-endpoint videoconferencing system are selected based on the first participant configuration, the second participant configuration, or the third participant configuration.

22. The multi-endpoint videoconferencing system of claim 21, wherein at the first endpoint the processor is configured to switchably display video information from the one or more second cameras or video information from the one or more third cameras, at the second endpoint the processor is configured to switchably display video information from the one or more first cameras or video information from the one or more third cameras, and at the third endpoint the processor is configured to switchably display video information from the one or more second cameras or video information from the one or more first cameras.