Group portraits composed using video chat systems

• US 9,947,366 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shindig, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shindig, Inc.
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, William
• Application Number:
  US15/078,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 386278
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating group portraits using video chat systems are provided. A communications system can generate a group portrait that includes an image of two or more users. For example, a communications system can generate a group portrait that includes an image of each user participating in a video conference, and the group portrait may serve as a memento from the video conference.

Claims

1. A method for composing a group portrait, the method comprising:

providing an initial portrait, the initial portrait being a still image and comprising a background image, wherein the initial portrait further comprises;

a first silhouette representing a first location within the initial portrait and a second silhouette representing a second location within the initial portrait, wherein;

the first location is at a first plane and the second location is at a second plane such that the first silhouette overlaps the second silhouette, and wherein the first location and the second location are predetermined locations for inserting users into the initial portrait; and

presenting with a first electronic device a first video chat of at least a portion of a first user, wherein the first live video chat is a live, streaming video, wherein presenting further comprises;

positioning the first video chat of the at least a portion of the first user over at least one of the first location and the second location;

capturing, with the first electronic device, a first image from the presented first video chat; and

adding the captured first image to the provided initial portrait; and

creating a first new version of the provided initial portrait including the added captured first image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured first image is added at the first location over the first silhouette.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to capturing, presenting further comprises:

adjusting the presented first video chat in response to positioning the first video chat.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting further comprises:

adjusting at least one of a brightness and a contrast of the presented first video chat.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the brightness and the contrast are adjusted to match the provided initial portrait.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting further comprises:

adjusting a size of the portion of first user within the presented first video chat.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the size of the portion of the first user is adjusted to match a size of the first silhouette.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the size of the portion of the first user is adjusted to match a size of the second silhouette.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting further comprises:

changing a color of the first silhouette in response to positioning.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing a second image of at least a portion of a second user with a second electronic device; and

applying the captured second image to the created first new version of the provided initial portrait.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first user and the second user are participants in the first video chat; and

the first video chat is conducted between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein applying further comprises:

applying the captured second image at the second location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a second new version of the provided initial portrait in response to applying the captured second image to the created first new version of the provided initial portrait.