Methods, systems, and products for telepresence visualizations

• US 9,210,377 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oetting, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US14/067,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 345/632
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products generate telepresence visualizations for a remote participant to a videoconferences. A central server superimposes the remote participant onto images or video of the teleconferencing environment. The central server thus generates an illusion that the remote participant is in the same conferencing environment as other conferees.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a videoconference, comprising:

receiving, at a network-centric server, a still image of a videoconferencing environment captured by a video camera, the still image associated with global positioning system information describing a location of the video camera;

retrieving, by the network-centric server, updated global positioning system information describing a different location of the video camera;

determining, by the network-centric server, a locational change of the video camera based on a difference between the global positioning system information and the updated global positioning system information;

retrieving, by the network-centric server, an updated still image of the videoconferencing environment in response to the locational change of the video camera;

replacing, by the network-centric server, the still image with the updated still image in response to the locational change of the video camera;

receiving, at the network-centric server, video data of a remote participant of the videoconference;

removing, by the network-centric server, background data from the video data to generate participant video data of only the remote participant of the videoconference;

superimposing, by the network-centric server, the participant video data onto the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment to generate composite video data; and

sending, from the network-centric server, the composite video data to a network address associated with the videoconference;

wherein the remote participant is visually presented in the videoconferencing environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving directional commands entered by the remote participant that control the location of the video camera.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving the global position system information associated with the directional commands.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the locational change of the video camera to a threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising discarding the still image of the videoconferencing environment in response to the locational change of the video camera.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving sensor data indicating a proximity of the remote participant to the video camera.

7. A system for conducting a videoconference, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a still image of a videoconferencing environment captured by a video camera, the still image associated with log global positioning information describing a location of the video camera;

retrieving updated global positioning system information describing a different location of the video camera;

determining a locational change of the video camera based on a difference between the global positioning system information and the updated global positioning system information;

retrieving an updated still image of the videoconferencing environment in response to the locational change of the video camera;

replacing the still image with the updated still image in response to the locational change of the video camera;

receiving video data of a remote participant of the videoconference;

removing background data from the video data to generate participant video data of the remote participant;

superimposing the participant video data onto the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment to generate composite video data; and

sending the composite video data to a network address associated with the videoconference;

wherein the remote participant is visually presented in the videoconferencing environment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise querying for the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the still image of the videoconferencing environment to the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment;

determining an image difference between the still image of the videoconferencing environment and the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment; and

determining the image difference exceeds a threshold.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving directional commands entered by the remote participant that control the video camera.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the updated global position system information coordinates associated with the directional commands.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise comparing the locational change of the video camera to a threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise discarding the still image of the videoconferencing environment in response to the locational change of the video camera.

14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving directional commands entered by the remote participant that control the video camera.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise receiving sensor data describing a proximity of the remote participant to the video camera.

16. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a still image of a videoconferencing environment captured by a video camera, the still image associated with global positioning information describing a location of the video camera;

retrieving updated global positioning system information describing a different location of the video camera;

determining a locational change of the video camera based on a difference between the global positioning system information and the updated global positioning system information;

retrieving an undated still image of the videoconferencing environment in response to the locational change of the video camera;

replacing the still image with the updated still image in response to the locational change of the video camera;

receiving video data of a remote participant of the videoconference;

removing background data from the video data to generate participant video data of the remote participant;

superimposing the participant video data onto the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment to generate composite video data; and

sending the composite video data to a network address associated with the videoconference;

wherein the remote participant is visually presented in the videoconferencing environment.

17. The memory device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise querying for the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment.

18. The memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the still image of the videoconferencing environment to the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment;

determining an image difference between the still image of the videoconferencing environment and the updated still image of the videoconferencing environment; and

determining the image difference exceeds a threshold.