Methods for facilitating virtual presence

• US 9,445,044 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanolumens Aquisition, Inc. (NanoLumens, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nanolumens Aquisition, Inc. (NanoLumens, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cope, Richard Craig, Meincke, Drew Fredrick, Bravo, Jorge Perez
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US15/140,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20160255304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 138 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.08, 348/14.16, 348/14.07
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• 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 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A virtual presence system includes a display having a structural matrix configured to arrange a plurality of spaced pixel elements. A plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively form an active visual area wherein an image is displayable. At least one image capture device is disposed within the active visual area for capturing an image.

Claims

1. A method of providing a virtual presence system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a display having a structural matrix configured to arrange a plurality of spaced pixel elements, said plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable;

said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

b) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements;

said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

c) operating said image capture device for image capture while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said image capture device capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously capturing said captured image image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one image capture device;

b) receiving in said at least one signal processor at least one said captured image from said at least one image capture device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

a) capturing an image from said at least one image capture device;

b) displaying said captured image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) disposing a plurality of image capture devices within said active visual area at varying vertical and horizontal locations, each of said plurality of image capture devices disposed within the active visual area among said spaced pixel elements.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with one or more of said plurality of image capture devices;

b) capturing in each of said plurality of image capture devices a respective sub-image;

c) receiving in said at least one signal processor each of said respective sub-images;

d) combining at least a portion of more than one of said sub-images to form a larger image.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying at least a portion of said larger image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying said larger image at a remote location creating a window effect.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) coupling a signal carrier to at least one of said image capture devices, the signal carrier comprising a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, or a conduit;

b) carrying, by means of said signal carrier, a transmission signal to and from said at least one image capture device.

9. A method of providing a virtual presence system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a display having a structural matrix configured to arrange a plurality of spaced pixel elements, said plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable;

said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

b) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements;

said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

c) disposing at least one acoustic and/or infrared transmitter and/or receiver device within the active visual area about or between two or more respective spaced pixel elements for sensing an attribute of an individual located within said active visual area;

d) modifying said displayed image based upon said sensed attribute of said individual;

e) operating said transmitter and/or receiver while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said transmitter and/or receiver capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously sensing said attribute of said individual.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one acoustic and/or infrared transmitter and/or receiver device;

b) sensing, from an area about said active visual area, acoustic and/or infrared waves;

c) communicating said sensed acoustic and/or infrared waves to said at least one signal processor;

d) projecting acoustic and/or infrared waves i) on the active visual area creating a mirror effect; and

/or ii) at a remote location creating a window effect.

11. A method of providing a virtual presence system comprising the steps of:

a) arranging, on a structural matrix, a plurality of spaced pixel elements including LED devices carried by a substrate, the plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable,

b) arranging said LED devices to have a predetermined spacing defining a pixel gap between adjacent pixels on a respective substrate, wherein adjacent substrates having adjacent pixels have a similar sized pixel gap corresponding to the pixel gap within a particular substrate;

said LED devices of said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

c) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements;

said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

d) operating said image capture device for image capture while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said image capture device capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously capturing said captured image.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one image capture device;

b) receiving in said at least one signal processor at least one said captured image from said at least one image capture device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

a) capturing an image from said at least one image capture device;

b) displaying said captured image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) disposing a plurality of image capture devices within said active visual area at varying vertical and horizontal locations, each of said plurality of image capture devices disposed within the active visual area among said spaced pixel elements.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with one or more of said plurality of image capture devices;

b) capturing in each of said plurality of image capture devices a respective sub-image;

c) receiving in said at least one signal processor each of said respective sub-images;

d) combining at least a portion of more than one of said sub-images to form a larger image.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying at least a portion of said larger image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying said larger image at a remote location creating a window effect.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) coupling a signal carrier to at least one of said image capture devices, the signal carrier comprising a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, or a conduit;

b) carrying, by means of said signal carrier, a transmission signal to and from said at least one image capture device.