System and method for enhancing video images in a conferencing environment

• US 9,225,916 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friel, Joseph T., Mauchly, J. William, Tian, Dihong
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Application Number:
  US12/727,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20110228096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 348/164, 348/143, 348/144, 348/145, 348/146, 348/147, 348/148, 348/149, 348/150, 348/151, 348/152, 348/153, 348/154, 348/155, 348/156, 348/157, 348/158, 348/159, 348/160, 348/161, 348/162, 348/163, 348/165, 348/166, 348/167, 348/168, 348/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/09 for electromagnetic radiation in the invisible region, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method is provided in one example and includes receiving image data for a field of view associated with a display. The image data is used to generate a plurality of red green blue (RGB) frames. The method also includes emitting infrared energy onto the field of view in order to generate a plurality of infrared frames, the plurality of RGB frames and the plurality of infrared frames are generated by a single camera. The plurality of RGB frames can be combined with the plurality of infrared frames in order to generate a video data stream. In a more particular embodiment, the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving image data for a field of view associated with a display, wherein the image data is used to generate a red green blue (RGB) frame;

emitting infrared energy onto the field of view in order to generate an infrared frame, wherein the RGB frame and infrared frame are alternately generated by a single camera and wherein the emitting occurs such that the infrared energy is directed away from the camera and toward the field of view to illuminate the entire field of view; and

combining the RGB frame with the infrared frame in order to generate a video data stream;

wherein the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an infrared phase associated with emitting the infrared energy has a shorter exposure time than a RGB phase associated with generating the RGB frame such that the camera has unequal shutter times.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein every other video frame generated by the camera is an infrared frame for which the infrared energy was provided.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing image denoising to reduce temporal noise or spatial noise associated with the RGB frame.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding infrared video image data on a pixel basis to generate enhanced video frames included in the video data stream.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the emitting infrared energy onto the field of view is provided by an illumination element that comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are covered by a diffuser.

7. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving image data for a field of view associated with a display, wherein the image data is used to generate a red green blue (RGB) frame;

emitting infrared energy onto the field of view in order to generate an infrared frame, wherein the RGB frame and infrared frame are alternately generated by a single camera and wherein the emitting occurs such that the infrared energy is directed away from the camera and toward the field of view to illuminate the entire field of view; and

combining the RGB frame with the infrared frame in order to generate a video data stream;

wherein the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.

8. The logic of claim 7, wherein an infrared phase associated with emitting the infrared energy has a shorter exposure time than a RGB phase associated with generating the RGB frame such that the camera has unequal shutter times.

9. The logic of claim 7, wherein every other video frame generated by the camera is an infrared frame for which the infrared energy was provided.

10. The logic of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

executing image denoising to reduce temporal noise or spatial noise associated with the RGB frame.

11. The logic of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding infrared video image data on a pixel basis to generate enhanced video frames included in the video data stream.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data,

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, and

an image processing module configured to;

receive image data for a field of view associated with a display, wherein the image data is used to generate a red green blue (RGB) frame, wherein infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view in order to generate an infrared frame, wherein the RGB frame and infrared frame are alternately generated by a single camera and wherein the emitting occurs such that the infrared energy is directed away from the camera and toward the field of view to illuminate the entire field of view; and

combine the RGB frame with the infrared frame in order to generate a video data stream;

wherein the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein an infrared phase associated with emitting the infrared energy has a shorter exposure time than a RGB phase associated with generating the RGB frames such that the camera has unequal shutter times.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein every other video frame generated by the camera is an infrared frame for which the infrared energy was provided.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the image processing module is further configured to:

execute image denoising to reduce temporal noise or spatial noise associated with the plurality of RGB frames.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the image processing module is further configured to:

add infrared video image data on a pixel basis to generate enhanced video frames included in the video data stream.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

an integrated component that includes the image processing module, the camera, and an illumination element that is configured to provide the infrared energy onto the field of view, wherein the illumination element further comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are covered by a diffuser.