Electronic device and method of operating the same

• US 8,873,628 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Kyunghwan, Kim, Joomin, Ko, Hanyoung, Baek, Sungmin
• Primary Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/424,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.08, 348/208.4, 375/240.15, 375/240.16
• US Class Current: 375/240.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4053 without floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

An electronic device and a method of operating the electronic device are provided. The method includes obtaining a first image including an interesting object and at least one peripheral object, obtaining relevance of the at least one peripheral object with respect to the interesting object based on at least one of attributes including a state, a motion, and a location of the interesting object, and replacing an area of the whole area of the first image, which is occupied by the interesting object and the other remaining peripheral objects than a specific peripheral object determined based on the relevance, with a second image. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the electronic device and method may provide a vivid video conference.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining a first image including an interesting object and at least one peripheral object;

obtaining relevance of the at least one peripheral object with respect to the interesting object based on at least one of attributes including a state, a motion, and a location of the interesting object; and

replacing an area of the whole area of the first image, which is occupied by the interesting object and the other remaining peripheral objects than a specific peripheral object determined based on the relevance, with a second image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of whether part of the interesting object is connected to the peripheral object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of a motion direction in which at least part of the interesting object moves.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of a distance between the interesting object and the at least one peripheral object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in further consideration of a user'"'"'s input on the at least one peripheral object.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying the first image; and

receiving the user'"'"'s input on the displayed first image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the first image includes making the interesting object and the first peripheral object different in display property from the remaining peripheral objects.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a third image generated by replacing the area occupied by the remaining peripheral objects with the second image to a second electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image includes a moving image.

10. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining a first image of an interesting object;

obtaining a virtual image corresponding to a specific object determined based on a first motion of the interesting object;

obtaining a final image including the virtual image and at least part of the first image in consideration of a display state of the virtual image determined based on a second object of the second motion; and

transmitting the final image to a second electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the display state of the virtual image includes at least one of a location where the virtual image is to be synthesized, a size, an orientation, a rotational state, and a marking state of the virtual image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining the final image includes sensing the second motion in real time and changing the display state of the virtual image based on the sensed second motion.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining the virtual image includes,

determining whether the first motion is associated with the specific object, and

selecting the specific object only when the first motion is associated with the specific object.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual image is a 2D image or a 3D image.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a camera; and

a controller configured to obtain a first image including an interesting object and at least one peripheral object through the camera, to obtain relevance of the at least one peripheral object with respect to the interesting object based on at least one of attributes including a state, a motion, and a location of the interesting object, and to replace an area of the whole area of the first image, which is occupied by the interesting object and the other remaining peripheral objects than a specific peripheral object determined based on the relevance, with a second image.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of whether part of the interesting object is connected to the peripheral object.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of a motion direction in which at least part of the interesting object moves.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the relevance of the at least one peripheral object is performed in consideration of a distance between the interesting object and the at least one peripheral object.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication unit, wherein the controller is configured to transmit a third image generated by replacing the area occupied by the remaining peripheral objects with the second image to a second electronic device.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a communication unit;

a camera; and

a controller configured to obtain a first image of an interesting object through the camera, to obtain a virtual image corresponding to a specific object determined based on a first motion of the interesting object, to obtain a final image including the virtual image and at least part of the first image in consideration of a display state of the virtual image determined based on a second object of the second motion, and to transmit the final image to a second electronic device through the communication unit.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the display state of the virtual image includes at least one of a location where the virtual image is to be synthesized, a size, an orientation, a rotational state, and a marking state of the virtual image.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to sense the second motion in real time and to change the display state of the virtual image based on the sensed second motion.

23. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first motion is associated with the specific object, and to select the specific object only when the first motion is associated with the specific object.