Enhancing video conferences

• US 9,215,411 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lachapelle, Serge, Oja, Jens Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US14/171,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04, 348/14.05, 348/14.06, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 348/14.12, 348/14.13, 348/14.14, 348/15.15, 348/14.16, 379/265.03, 455/414.1, 455/566, 704/270
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/745 Detection of flicker frequency or suppression of flicker wherein the flicker is caused by illumination, e.g. due to fluorescent tube illumination or pulsed LED illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Implementations generally relate to enhancing video conferences. In some implementations, a method includes determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera. The method further includes determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics. The method further includes enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, and wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera;

determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for one or more of capture rate, flicker, white balance, exposure, contrast, temperature, and aperture; and

enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera, wherein the first camera is associated with a first user, wherein the browser is associated with a second user, and wherein the enabling of the browser to control the one or more functions comprises;

analyzing one or more video characteristics associated with the video stream; and

activating one or more controls in the browser based on the analyzing of the one or more video characteristics, wherein the one or more controls correspond to the one or more functions, and wherein the one or more controls correspond to one or more settings associated with the one or more functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for one or more of panning and zooming.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a face; and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.

4. The method of claim 1,

detecting a face and skin tone of the face;

and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling of the browser to control the one or more functions comprises overriding one or more settings associated with the one or more functions.

6. A method comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera;

determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics; and

enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera, wherein the first camera is associated with a first user, wherein the browser is associated with a second user, and wherein the enabling of the browser to control the one or more functions comprises;

analyzing one or more video characteristics associated with the video stream;

activating one or more controls in the browser based on the analyzing of the one or more video characteristics, wherein the one or more controls correspond to the one or more functions, and wherein the one or more controls correspond to one or more settings associated with the one or more functions; and

applying one or more changes to the one or more settings based on the one or more video characteristics.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for one or more of exposure, contrast, white balance, temperature, and aperture.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for capture rate.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for panning.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for zooming.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a face; and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.

12. The method of claim 6,

detecting a face and skin tone of the face;

and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for flicker.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to perform operations comprising;

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera;

determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics; and

enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera, wherein the first camera is associated with a first user, wherein the browser is associated with a second user, and wherein the enabling of the browser to control the one or more functions comprises;

analyzing one or more video characteristics associated with the video stream; and

activating one or more controls in the browser based on the analyzing of the one or more video characteristics, wherein the one or more controls correspond to the one or more functions, and wherein the one or more controls correspond to one or more settings associated with the one or more functions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for one or more of exposure, contrast, white balance, temperature, and aperture.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for one or more of capture rate and flicker.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for panning.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more functions comprise controls for zooming.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to perform operations comprising:

detecting a face; and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.

20. The system of claim 14,

detecting a face and skin tone of the face;

and

one or more of panning and zooming into the face.