Presentation interface in a virtual collaboration session

• US 9,372,543 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Lo, Yuan-Chang, Gatson, Michael S., Swierk, Todd, Barker, Clifton J., Shepherd, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Rayeez
• Application Number:
  US14/107,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Systems and methods for a presentation interface in a virtual collaboration session. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving, from a gesture capture system, an indication of a body movement performed by a participant of a virtual collaboration session; receiving, from a drawing control system, an indication of a drawing characteristic associated with the participant of the virtual collaboration session, and identifying an intent of the participant based upon a combination of the indications.

Claims

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to;

receive, from a gesture capture system, an indication of a body movement performed by a participant of a virtual collaboration session;

receive, from a drawing control system, an indication of a drawing characteristic associated with the participant of the virtual collaboration session; and

identify an intent of the participant based upon a combination of the indications, wherein the indication of the body movement includes a numerical quantification of the body movement, wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic includes a numerical quantification of the drawing characteristic, and wherein to identify the intent, the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to calculate a weighted average between the first and second numerical quantifications.

2. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the IHS includes a projector, and wherein the virtual collaboration session includes a whiteboarding or desktop sharing application.

3. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the gesture capture system includes a camera, a three-dimensional camera, or an infrared sensor.

4. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the body movement includes face orientation, gaze detection, or wrist articulation.

5. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the drawing control system includes an interactive whiteboard, a light curtain, a touch screen, or an infrared sensor.

6. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the drawing characteristic includes a size of a pointer, a distance between a pointer and a board, a pointer speed, or a repetitive motion.

7. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the intent includes intent to draw, intent to erase, or intent to point.

8. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the indication of the body movement includes two or more attributes selected from the group consisting of:

face orientation, gaze detection, and wrist articulation;

wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic includes two or more attributes selected from the group consisting of;

a size of a pointer, a distance between a pointer and a board, a pointer speed, and a repetitive motion; and

wherein to identify the intent, the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to combine the attributes.

9. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the indication of the body movement indicates at least one of:

the participant is facing a whiteboard, the participant is looking at their hand, or the participant'"'"'s wrist is flexible;

wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic indicates at least one of;

a pointer has a dimension smaller than a predetermined value, a distance between the pointer and a whiteboard is zero, a speed of the pointer is between two threshold values, or a same motion is being performed fewer than a predetermined number of times per unit time; and

wherein the intent is identified as intent to draw.

10. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the indication of the body movement indicates at least one of:

the participant is facing a whiteboard, the participant is looking at their hand, or the participant'"'"'s wrist is rigid;

wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic indicates at least one of;

a pointer has a dimension greater than a predetermined value, a distance between the pointer and a whiteboard is zero, a speed of the pointer is greater than a threshold value, or a same motion is being performed more than a predetermined number of times per unit time, and wherein the intent is identified as intent to erase.

11. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the indication of the body movement indicates at least one of:

the participant is facing an audience or camera, the participant is looking at the audience or camera, or the participant'"'"'s wrist is rigid;

wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic indicates at least one of;

a pointer has a dimension smaller than a predetermined value, a distance between the pointer and a whiteboard is smaller than another predetermined value, a speed of the pointer is smaller than a threshold value, or a same motion is being performed fewer than a predetermined number of times per unit time, and wherein the intent is identified as intent to point.

12. The IHS of claim 1, wherein to identify the intent, the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to:

present at least two possible intentions to the participant; and

allow the participant to select one of the at least two possible intentions.

13. The IHS of claim 12, wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the processor, further cause the IHS to store the combination of the indications as corresponding to the selected one of the at least two possible intentions.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a gesture capture system, an indication of a body movement performed by a participant of a virtual collaboration session;

receiving, from a drawing control system, an indication of a drawing characteristic associated with the participant of the virtual collaboration session; and

identifying an intent of the participant based upon a combination of the indications, wherein the indication of the body movement includes a numerical quantification of the body movement, wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic includes a numerical quantification of the drawing characteristic, and wherein identifying the intent further comprises calculating a weighted average between the first and second numerical quantifications.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gesture capture system includes a camera and wherein the virtual collaboration session includes a whiteboarding or desktop sharing application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the participant is located remotely with respect to at least one other participant of the virtual collaboration session, wherein the body movement includes the participant'"'"'s hand raised above their head, wherein the intent is identified as the need to speak, and wherein to fulfill the intent, the method further comprises notifying the at least one other participant of the participant'"'"'s need to speak.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the body movement includes the participant'"'"'s finger pointing to an area of a screen of the computing device, wherein the intent is identified as pointing, and wherein to fulfill the intent, the method further comprises highlighting an area of a whiteboard corresponding to the area of the screen.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the body movement indicates the participant'"'"'s approval or disapproval, wherein the intent is identified as voting, and wherein to fulfill the intent, the method further comprises capturing an indication of the participant'"'"'s vote.

19. A memory storage device having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by an Information Handling System (IHS), cause the IHS to:

receive, from a gesture capture system, an indication of a body movement performed by a participant of a virtual collaboration session;

receive, from a drawing control system, an indication of a drawing characteristic associated with the participant of the virtual collaboration session; and

identify an intent of the participant based upon a combination of the indications, wherein the indication of the body movement includes a numerical quantification of the body movement, wherein the indication of the drawing characteristic includes a numerical quantification of the drawing characteristic, and wherein to identify the intent, the program instructions, upon execution by the IHS, further cause the IHS to calculate a weighted average between the first and second numerical quantifications.

20. The memory storage device of claim 19, wherein the body movement includes at least one of:

a face orientation, a gaze, or a wrist articulation, wherein the drawing feature includes at least one of;

a size of a pointer, a distance between a pointer and a board, a pointer speed, or a repetitive motion, and wherein the intent includes;

an intent to draw, an intent to erase, or an intent to point.