Virtual window device and method for operating a virtual window device

A virtual window device comprising:

• a bezel, or a frame, with a display arranged within the bezel, or within the frame;
• a first distance sensor unit configured to produce at least one first distance signal indicating a first distance to an object and arranged adjacent to the bezel or the frame or arranged within the display;
• a first camera unit configured to capture a live video of a real scene;
• and
• a computing unit configured to select, based at least on the at least one first distance signal, a section of the live video of the real scene captured by the first camera unit;
• a second camera unit configured and arranged to capture a picture or a video of a space in front of the display;
• and
• a face recognition module configured to recognize a face in the captured picture or video of the space in front of the display, to determine a spatial orientation of the recognized face and to produce a face orientation signal indicating at least the determined spatial orientation of the recognized face,
• wherein the computing unit is further configured to control the display to display the selected section,
• wherein the computing unit is further configured to select the section of the live video of the real scene captured by the first camera unit also based on the face orientation signal,
• wherein the face recognition module is configured to recognize a plurality of faces in the picture or video captured by the second camera unit;
• wherein the first distance sensor unit is configured to produce at least one first distance signal indicating a respective first distance to each of the recognized faces;
• wherein the computing unit is configured to determine, based at least on the at least one first distance signal for each recognized face, a position signal indicating a position of each recognized face with respect to a common reference point;
• wherein the computing unit is further configured to select the section of the real scene captured by the first camera unit also based on the position signals,
• wherein the face recognition module is configured to produce a plurality of face orientation signals indicating a spatial orientation of the respective recognized face;
• wherein the computing unit is further configured to select the section of the live video of the real scene captured by the first camera unit also based on the plurality of face orientation signals,
• wherein the computing unit is further configured to determine a preferred face among the plurality of recognized faces based on at least one of the plurality of face orientation signals and on the plurality of position signals;
• wherein the first camera unit is arranged and configured to capture the live video of the real scene from an area behind the display;
• and
• wherein the computing unit is configured to select the section of the live video of the real scene captured by the first camera unit such that, based on the face orientation signal belonging to the preferred face, the selected section is identical to a hypothetical section that a person with a face having the spatial orientation of the preferred face would see through the bezel, or the frame, if the bezel, or the frame, surrounded an opening or a window instead of the display.