Adaptive switching of views for a video conference that involves a presentation apparatus

• US 9,001,183 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mauchly, J. William
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US13/524,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370259-271, 370351-357, 37920201-20701, 709201-207, 709217-248
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Techniques are provided for dynamically adapting the view from a conference endpoint that includes a presentation apparatus, such as a whiteboard. A first signal is received that includes a video signal derived from a video camera that is viewing a room during a conference session in which a person is presenting information on a presentation apparatus. During the video conference, switching is performed between the first signal and a second signal representing content being displayed on the presentation apparatus during the conference session for output and transmission to other conference endpoints of the conference session. The determination as to whether to supply the first signal (for a normal view of the conference room) or the second signal may be based on a position determination of the presenter or may be instead be based on an external view selection command received from another conference endpoint participating in the conference session.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal that includes a video signal derived from a video camera that is viewing a room during a conference session in which a person is presenting information on a presentation apparatus, wherein the video signal provides a perspective view of the presentation apparatus in the room and the presentation apparatus is an electronic whiteboard;

determining whether the person is outside an operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus;

switching between the first signal and a second signal representing content being displayed on the presentation apparatus that is, or is derived from, a digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard for content to be displayed on the electronic whiteboard during the conference session for output and transmission to other conference endpoints of the conference session, such that when it is determined that the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the second signal is selected for output, and when it is determined that the person is inside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the first signal is selected for output; and

processing the video signal to replace a portion of video frames of the video signal containing content displayed on the electronic whiteboard with a warped version of the digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard so as to display content appearing on the electronic whiteboard in the perspective view when the first signal is selected for output.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising generating from the video signal a modified video signal representing a rectified view of the presentation apparatus as if viewed substantially head-on by the video camera, wherein the modified video signal is the second signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the modified video signal comprises processing the video signal to adjust one or more of brightness, white balance, contrast, focus, sharpness and de-noise level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises analyzing the video signal to determine whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises detecting with a proximity sensor whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises detecting with a pressure sensor whether or not the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the video signal to another conference endpoint;

receiving a view selection command from the other conference endpoint, wherein the view selection command is configured to indicate selection of either the video signal or the modified video signal for output and transmission to the other video conference endpoint; and

wherein switching is based on the view selection command instead of the determination as to whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, determining and switching are performed at a video conference endpoint for the room in which the presentation apparatus is located.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, determining and switching are performed at a multipoint control unit in a video conference system.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a video camera configured to generate a video signal for a view of a room during a conference session in which a person is presenting information on a presentation apparatus, wherein the video signal provides a perspective view of the presentation apparatus in the room and the presentation apparatus is an electronic whiteboard; and

a processor configured to;

receive a first signal that includes the video signal;

determine whether the person is outside an operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus;

switch between the first signal and a second signal representing content being displayed on the presentation apparatus that is, or is derived from, a digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard for content to be displayed on the electronic whiteboard during the conference session for output and transmission to other conference endpoints of the conference session, such that when the processor determines that the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the processor selects the second signal for output, and when the processor determines that the person is inside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the processor selects the first signal for output; and

process the video signal to replace a portion of video frames of the video signal containing content displayed on the electronic whiteboard with a warped version of the digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard so as to display content appearing on the electronic whiteboard in the perspective view when the first signal is selected for output.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to process the video signal to generate a modified video signal representing a rectified view of the presentation apparatus as if viewed substantially head-on by the video camera, wherein the modified video signal is the second signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the video signal to determine whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, and further comprising a proximity sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, and further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive from another conference endpoint a view selection command, wherein the processor is configured to select either the video signal or a modified video signal for output and transmission to the other conference endpoint based on the view selection command instead of the determination as to whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

16. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

receive a first signal that includes a video signal derived from a video camera that is viewing a room during a conference session in which a person is presenting information on a presentation apparatus, wherein the video signal provides a perspective view of the presentation apparatus in the room and the presentation apparatus is an electronic whiteboard;

determine whether the person is outside an operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus;

switch between the first signal and a second signal representing content to be displayed on the presentation apparatus that is, or is derived from, a digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard for content displayed on the electronic whiteboard during the conference session for output and transmission to other conference endpoints of the conference session, such that when it is determined that the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the instructions operable to switch comprise instructions operable to select the second signal for output, and when it is determined that the person is inside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus, the instructions operable to switch comprise instructions operable to select the first signal for output; and

process the video signal to replace a portion of video frames of the video signal containing content displayed on the electronic whiteboard with a warped version of the digital image signal generated by the electronic whiteboard so as to display content appearing on the electronic whiteboard in the perspective view when the first signal is selected for output.

17. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, further comprising instructions operable to process the video signal to generate a modified video signal representing a rectified view of the presentation apparatus as if viewed substantially head-on by the video camera, wherein the modified video signal is the second signal.

18. The computer readable storage media of claim 17, wherein generating the modified video signal comprises processing the video signal to adjust one or more of brightness, white balance, contrast, focus, sharpness and de-noise level.

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the instructions operable to determine comprise instructions for analyzing the video signal to determine whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

20. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, further comprising instructions operable to detect with a proximity sensor whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

21. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, further comprising instructions operable to detect with a pressure sensor whether or not the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, further comprising instructions operable to:

transmit the video signal to another conference endpoint;

receive a view selection command from the other conference endpoint, wherein the view selection command is configured to indicate selection of either the video signal or a modified video signal for output and transmission to the other video conference endpoint, wherein the instructions operable to switch are based on the view selection command instead of the determination as to whether the person is outside the operable region with respect to the presentation apparatus.

23. The computer readable storage media of claim 16, further comprising instructions operable to receive, determine and switch at a video conference endpoint for the room in which the presentation apparatus is located.