System and method for video call

• US 9,307,194 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Chang Ho, Lim, Hyoun Chul, Yang, Jae Ho, Yoon, Hee Tae, Moon, Jung Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L
• Application Number:
  US14/122,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Provided are a system and method for a video call. The system for a video call includes one or more terminals configured to transmit images obtained by capturing video call users, and a video call control server configured to generate a combined image by combining the images transmitted by the one or more terminals, and transmit the combined image to the terminals. Here, the respective images are rotated according to information on orientations sensed by the terminals, and combined into the combined image.

Claims

1. A system for video call, comprising:

one or more terminals configured to transmit images obtained by capturing video call users; and

a video call control server configured to generate a combined image by combining the images transmitted by the one or more terminals, and to transmit the combined image to the terminals,

wherein the respective images are rotated according to information on orientations, which indicates how much the terminals are rotated with respect to a reference orientation, sensed by the terminals and combined into the combined image,

wherein the video call control server separately generates as many combined images as there are different aspect ratios among the images transmitted by the terminals, and

wherein each of the terminals transmits, to the video call control server, reference aspect ratio information indicating a width-to-height ratio of said each of the terminals in the reference orientation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminals transmit the orientation information to the video call control server, and

the video call control server rotates the images received from the terminals to a reference orientation according to the received orientation information, and generate the combined image by combining the rotated images.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the aspect ratio information on the terminals are transmitted together with the orientation information.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein, when the orientations of the terminals are changed after transmission of the orientation information, the terminals transmit orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations to the video call control server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminals sense the orientations, rotate the captured images to a reference orientation according to the information on the sensed orientations, and transmit the rotated images to the video call control server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, when the orientations of the terminals are changed after transmission of the orientation information, the terminals rotate the captured images according to orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations, and transmit the rotated images to the video call control server.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the video call control server checks screen modes of the terminals using the images transmitted by the terminals, generates the combined image according to the screen modes, and transmits the combined image to the terminals.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the video call control server checks aspect ratios of the terminals together with the screen modes using the images received from the terminals, generates the combined image according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios, and transmits the combined image to the terminals.

9. A method for a video call, comprising:

transmitting, at one or more terminals, images obtained by capturing video call users;

generating, at a video call control server, a combined image by combining the images transmitted by the one or more terminals; and

transmitting, at the video call control server, the combined image to the terminals,

wherein the respective images constituting the combined image are rotated according to information on orientations, which indicates how much the terminals are rotated with respect to a reference orientation, sensed by the terminals and combined,

wherein the generating comprises separately generating as many combined images as there are different aspect ratios among the images transmitted by the terminals,

wherein transmitting the images comprises transmitting, at each of the terminals, reference aspect ratio information indicating a width-to-height ratio of said each of the terminals in the reference orientation, to the video call control server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the images further includes transmitting the orientation information on the terminals to the video call control server, and

generating the combined image includes rotating the images received from the terminals to a reference orientation according to the received orientation information, and generating the combined image by combining the rotated images.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting the aspect ratio information on the terminals includes transmitting the aspect ratio information on the terminals together with the orientation information to the video call control server.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when the orientations of the terminals are changed after transmitting the orientation information, transmitting, at the terminals, orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations to the video call control server.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting the images includes:

sensing the orientations of the terminals; and

rotating the captured images to a reference orientation according to the information on the sensed orientations, and transmitting the rotated images to the video call control server.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when the orientations of the terminals are changed after transmitting the orientation information, rotating, at the terminals, the captured images according to orientation information corresponding to the changed orientations, and transmitting the rotated images to the video call control server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the combined image further includes:

checking screen modes of the terminals using the images transmitted by the terminals; and

generating the combined image according to the screen modes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the combined image further includes:

checking aspect ratios of the terminals together with the screen modes using the images received from the terminals; and

generating the combined image according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios.

17. A video call control server, comprising:

a communicator configured to receive orientation information on one or more terminals, which indicates how much the terminals are rotated with respect to a reference orientation, and images obtained by capturing the corresponding video call users from the one or more terminals;

an image rotator configured to rotate an image required to be rotated to the reference orientation according to the orientation information among the images received by the communicator to the reference orientation; and

a combined image generator configured to generate a combined image by combining an image not required to be rotated to the reference orientation among the images received by the communicator and the image having been rotated to the reference orientation by the image rotator among the images received by the communicator,

wherein the communicator transmits the combined image to the respective terminals,

wherein the combined image generator separately generates as many combined images as there are different aspect ratios among the images transmitted by the terminals,

wherein the communicator receives, from the respective terminals, reference aspect ratio information indicating a width-to-height ratio of the respective terminals in the reference orientation.

18. The video call control server of claim 17, wherein the communicator receives the reference aspect ratio information on the respective terminals together with the orientation information from the respective terminals.

19. The video call control server of claim 18, wherein the combined image generator generates the combined image according to the reference aspect ratio information and the orientation information.

20. A video call control server, comprising:

a communicator configured to receive images obtained by capturing video call users from one or more terminals;

an image analyzer configured to detect screen modes of the respective terminals from the received images; and

a combined image generator configured to generate a combined image by combining the received images according to the detected screen modes of the respective terminals,

wherein the communicator transmits the combined image to the respective terminals, and

wherein the screen modes of the respective terminals comprise a horizontal screen mode and a vertical screen mode,

wherein the combined image generator separately generates as many combined images as there are different aspect ratios among the images transmitted by the terminals,

wherein the image analyzer detects, from the received images, aspect ratios of the respective terminals indicating a width-to-height ratio of the respective terminals in a reference orientation.

21. The video call control server of claim 20, wherein the combined image generator generates the combined image by combining the received images according to the screen modes and the aspect ratios of the respective terminals.

22. A terminal used in a video call system, comprising:

a capturing unit configured to capture a video call user;

an orientation sensor configured to sense a state in which the terminal has been rotated with respect to a previously set reference orientation;

an image rotator configured to rotate the image captured by the capturing unit according to the rotation state; and

a video call unit configured to transmit the image captured by the capturing unit, aspect ratio information on the terminal which indicates a width-to-height ratio of the terminal in the reference orientation, and information on orientation sensed by the orientation sensor or the image rotated by the image rotator.