FRAMING AN OBJECT FOR VIDEO CONFERENCE

• US 20120105573A1
• Filed: 10/30/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: APOSTOLOPOULOS, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

At least one camera lens captures a field of view comprising at least one object of interest, wherein the at least one camera lens is configured for extending the field of view in at least one direction. The at least one object of interest that is within said field of view is detected. Then, an image of a detected at least one object of interest is warped to fit within the field of view. A plurality of pixels surrounding the image of the detected at least one object of interest within the field of view is cropped such that, based on the warping and the cropping, the detected at least one object appears as centered within the field of view.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for framing an object for video conferencing, said method comprising:

receiving image data corresponding to an image captured with at least one camera lens having a field of view comprising at least one object of interest, said at least one camera lens configured for extending said field of view in at least one direction;

detecting said at least one object of interest within said field of view;

performing a warping process on said image of said at least one object of interest; and

performing a cropping process on said image of said at least one object of interest within said field of view such that, based on said warping and said cropping, said object will appear as centered within a display of a receiving user.

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

periodically repeating said capturing, said detecting, said warping and said cropping based on movement of said device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said detecting at least one object of interest within said field of view comprises:

detecting a face within said field of view.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein said detecting a face within said field of view comprises:

detecting a face within said field of view and tracking it utilizing at least one of the following;

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said detecting at least one object of interest within said field of view comprises:

detecting said at least one object of interest within said field of view utilizing at least one sensor of a group of sensors consisting of;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope; and

a depth sensor.

6. A system comprising:

at least one camera lens configured for capturing a field of view comprising at least one object of interest and extending said field of view in at least one direction;

an object detector configured for detecting said at least one object of interest within said field of view;

an object warper configured for performing a warping process on an image of said at least one object of interest; and

a pixel cropper configured for performing a cropping process on said image of said at least one object of interest within said field of view such that, based on said warping and said cropping, said at least one object of interest appears as centered within a display of a receiving user.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a tracking module configured for continuously tracking a relative motion of said at least one object of interest and said device; and

periodically repeating said capturing, said extending, said detecting, said performing a warping process and said performing a cropping process based on said relative motion of said device to provide a desired view of said at least one object of interest.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

an accelerometer coupled with said at least one camera lens.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a gyroscope coupled with said at least one camera lens.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a depth sensor coupled with said at least one camera lens.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is a snap-on camera lens configured for coupling with a device, said device being configured for enabling video conferencing.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is an original equipment manufacture camera lens that is built into a device that is configured for enabling video conferencing.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is a fish-eye camera lens.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is a cylindrical camera lens.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is a customized camera lens.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein said object detector comprises a face detector.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one camera lens is coupled with a device, said device being configured for enabling video conferencing.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein a first camera lens of said at least one camera lens is positioned on a first side of said device, and a second camera lens of said at least one camera lens is positioned on a second side of said device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer system, cause said computer system to perform a method for framing a face for video conferencing, said method comprising:

receiving image data corresponding to an image captured with at least one camera lens having a field of view comprising a face, said at least one camera lens being configured for extending said field of view in at least one direction and being coupled with a device, said device being configured for enabling video conferencing;

detecting said face within said field of view;

performing a warping process on said image of said face;

performing a cropping process on said image of said face within said field of view such that, based on said warping and said cropping, said face will appear as centered within a display of a receiving user;

continuously tracking a relative motion of said face and said device; and

dynamically refreshing said image periodically by repeating said capturing, said detecting, said performing a warping process and said performing a cropping process based upon said relative motion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said detecting said face that is within said field of view comprises:

detecting said face within said field of view utilizing at least one sensor of a group of sensors consisting of;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope; and

a depth sensor.