Enhancing video conferences

• US 10,015,385 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lachapelle, Serge, Oja, Jens Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US15/599,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20170257553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401, 348 1402, 348 1403, 348 1404, 348 1405, 348 1406, 348 1407, 348 1408, 348 1409, 348 141, 348 1411, 348 1412, 348 1413, 348 1414, 348 1515, 348 1416, 37926503, 4554141, 455566, 704270
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/745 Detection of flicker frequency or suppression of flicker wherein the flicker is caused by illumination, e.g. due to fluorescent tube illumination or pulsed LED illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Implementations generally relate to enhancing video conferences. In some implementations, a method includes determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera. The method further includes determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics. The method further includes enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, and wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to control a camera in a video conference, the method comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by the camera that match one or more predefined stream characteristics, wherein the camera is configured to provide the video stream associated with a first device participating in the video conference;

determining, by a software application executing on at least one hardware processor of a second device in communication with the camera over a communication network, one or more functions of the camera provided by an application programming interface associated with the camera;

determining one or more controls that are associated with the one or more functions, wherein the one or more controls are determined based on the one or more characteristics of the video stream; and

causing the one or more controls to be displayed in a user interface of the software application on a display of the second device, wherein the one or more controls, when activated by a user of the second device, cause one or more commands to be sent to the camera to use at least one of the one or more functions of the camera to modify at least one of the one or more characteristics of the video stream.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream includes detecting flicker in the video stream.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream includes determining color saturation in the video stream.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising automatically adjusting at least one of the one or more controls to use the at least one of the one or more functions of the camera such that, after the adjusting, the one or more characteristics of the video stream do not match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 wherein automatically adjusting the at least one of the one or more controls to modify the at least one of the one or more functions of the camera includes automatically adjusting the at least one of the one or more controls based on stored settings associated with a second user of the second device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising:

determining that the second device has exited the video conference; and

in response to determining that the second device has exited the video conference, resetting the at least one of the one or more controls such that the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein determining the one or more functions of the camera is performed in response to determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the camera is configured to provide the video stream associated with a first user participating in the video conference.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the one or more controls is not displayed in the user interface prior to the determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving user input for at least one of the one or more controls;

generating, using the application programming interface, the one or more commands configured to modify at least one of the one or more functions of the camera based on the adjustment of the at least one of the one or more controls; and

sending the one or more commands to the camera.

11. A system comprising:

a storage device;

a display device; and

one or more hardware processors configured to access the storage device and configured to perform operations comprising;

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a camera that match one or more predefined stream characteristics, wherein the camera is configured to provide the video stream associated with a first device participating in a video conference;

determining, by a software application executing on at least one hardware processor of the one or more hardware processors, one or more functions of the camera, wherein the camera is in communication with the at least one hardware processor over a communication network;

determining one or more controls that are associated with the one or more functions, wherein the one or more controls are determined based on the one or more characteristics of the video stream;

causing the one or more controls to be displayed in a user interface of the software application on the display device;

receiving an activation of at least one of the one or more controls;

generating, using the software application, the one or more commands configured to use at least one of the one or more functions of the camera based on the activation of the at least one of the one or more controls to modify at least one of the one or more characteristics of the video stream; and

sending the one or more commands to the camera.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the operation of determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream includes detecting flicker in the video stream.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the operation of determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream includes determining color saturation in the video stream.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to perform an operation of automatically adjusting at least one of the one or more controls to use the at least one of the one or more functions of the camera such that, after the adjusting, the one or more characteristics of the video stream do not match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the operation of automatically adjusting the at least one of the one or more controls to modify the at least one of the one or more functions of the camera includes automatically adjusting the at least one of the one or more controls based on stored settings associated with a second user of the second device, and wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to perform operations comprising:

determining that the second device has exited the video conference; and

in response to determining that the second device has exited the video conference, resetting the at least one of the one or more controls such that the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein determining the one or more functions of the camera is performed in response to determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the camera is configured to provide the video stream associated with a first user participating in the video conference, and wherein the software application is associated with a second user participating in the video conference.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one of the one or more controls is not displayed in the user interface prior to the determining the one or more characteristics of the video stream match the one or more predefined stream characteristics.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control a camera in a video conference by performing operations comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by the camera that do not match one or more predefined stream characteristics, wherein the camera is configured to provide the video stream associated with a first device participating in the video conference;

determining, by a software application executing on at least one hardware processor of a second device in communication with the camera over a communication network, one or more functions provided by an application programming interface for the camera;

determining one or more controls that are associated with the one or more functions, wherein the one or more controls are determined based on the one or more characteristics; and

causing the one or more controls to be displayed in a user interface of the software application on a display of the second device, wherein the one or more controls, when activated by a user of the second device, cause one or more commands to be sent to the camera to use at least one of the one or more functions of the camera to modify at least one of the one or more characteristics of the video stream.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the one or more characteristics of the video stream include at least one of:

flicker in the video stream; and

color saturation in the video stream.