Virtual window apparatus and system

An apparatus comprising:

• an electronic display configured to be positioned in a first location;
• one or more panes of glass or acrylic configured to provide first reflections of light from the one or more panes onto a rectangular casing of the apparatus;
• and
• one or more processors electronically coupled to the electronic display and configured to:
• receive a video from a server, the video depicting a view of a second location and composited by the server to provide a realistic illusion of a glass window in the first location;
• display second reflections of at least a part of the view onto the electronic display;
• synchronize a time-of-view at the second location in the video with a time-of-day at the first location;
• synchronize a second length-of-day at the second location in the video with a first length-of-day at the first location by modifying the video based on sunrise and sunset times at the first and second locations;
• and
• transmit the video to the electronic display to provide the realistic illusion of a glass window.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by one or more processors, a pre-recorded video from a camera or a computer device, the pre-recorded video depicting a view of a first location;
• synchronizing a time-of-view at a second location in the video with a time-of-day at the first location;
• automatically modifying the pre-recorded video to synchronize a first length-of-day at the first location in the video with a second length-of-day at a second location based on sunrise and sunset times at the first and second locations;
• generating, by the one or more processors, an image of a rectangular casing, a frame, and one or more muntins;
• compositing, by the one or more processors, the image with the video to provide a realistic illusion of a glass window in the first location, the rectangular casing surrounding the window;
• displaying first reflections of light from one or more panes of glass or acrylic onto the casing;
• displaying second reflections of at least a part of the view in the video;
• and
• transmitting, by the one or more processors, the video to an electronic display located at the second location to provide the realistic illusion of a glass window.