Teleconferencing system, camera controller for a teleconferencing system, and camera control method for a teleconferencing system

A teleconferencing system comprising:

• a plurality of sound-collection means;
• at least one speaker-imaging means,
• an image-display means;
• and
• an imaging control means, which, based on voice direction information of a speaker obtained from said sound-collection means, changes an imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means imaging the speaker,
• wherein said imaging control means is configured so as to perform control so as to direct said imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means toward a direction of said speaker predicted by said sound-collection means, and
• wherein said imaging control means is configured so that movement pixels are extracted from the captured image, and a distribution of the movement pixels is determined, so as to identify said position of the speaker within said image, and so that, based on said position information of said speaker, further control is performed of said speaker-imaging means so that the size of said speaker at said prescribed position in said image region is adjusted.

An imaging means control apparatus in a teleconferencing system comprising:

• a plurality of sound-collection means;
• a speaker-imaging means, which captures an image of a speaker;
• a speaker direction detection means, which predicts a direction of said speaker based on information from said sound-collection means;
• a first imaging control means, which changes a facing direction of said speaker-imaging means, based on information of said speaker direction detection means;
• an image display means, which displays an image captured by said speaker-imaging means that is caused to face to a prescribed direction in response to a control signal from said first imaging control means;
• a movement pixel detection means, which detects movement pixels from said captured image;
• a movement distribution measurement means, which measures a movement distribution from movement pixels detected by said movement pixel detection means;
• a speaker position establishing means, which determines said position of a speaker within said image, based on the measurement results of said movement distribution measurement means;
• and
• a second imaging control means, which further controls a facing direction of said speaker-imaging means, based on information of said speaker position establishing means.

An imaging means control apparatus in a teleconferencing system comprising:

• a plurality of sound-collection means;
• a speaker-imaging means, which captures an image of a speaker;
• a speaker direction detection means, which predicts a direction of said speaker based on information from said sound-collection means;
• a first imaging control means, which changes a facing direction of said speaker-imaging means, based on information of said speaker direction detection means;
• an image display means, which displays an image captured by said speaker-imaging means that is caused to face to a prescribed direction in response to a control signal from said first imaging control means;
• a movement pixel detection means, which detects movement pixels from said captured image;
• a movement distribution measurement means, which measures a movement distribution from movement pixels detected by said movement pixel detection means;
• a speaker position establishing means, which determines said position of a speaker within said image, based on the measurement results of said movement distribution measurement means;
• and
• a second imaging control means, which further controls said speaker-imaging to change a size of said speaker on said image, based on information of said speaker position establishing means.

An imaging means control method in a teleconferencing system comprising a plurality of sound-collection means, at least one speaker imaging means, and a imaging control means, which changes an imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means so as to capture an image of the speaker, based on voice direction information with regard to the speaker obtained from said sound-collection means, said method comprising:

• a first step of predicting a direction of a speaker from information collected as voice sound by each of said sound-collection means;
• a second step of causing an imaging direction axis of said speaker-imaging means to be faced to said predicted direction of said speaker by a first imaging control means driving said speaker-imaging means, based on speaker direction information predicted in said first step;
• a third step of displaying an image captured by said speaker-imaging means on a display means;
• a fourth step of extracting movement pixel information from said displayed image information;
• a fifth step of calculating a movement distribution from said extracted movement pixel information;
• a sixth step of determining a position of said speaker within said captured image, from said movement distribution information;
• and
• a seventh step of a second imaging control means causing said speaker-imaging means to move, based on position information of the speaker within a displayed image, so that said image of said speaker is moved to a prescribed position within said captured image.

An imaging means control method in a teleconferencing system comprising a plurality of sound-collection means, at least one speaker imaging means, and a imaging control means, which changes an imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means so as to capture an image of the speaker, based on voice direction information with regard to the speaker obtained from said sound-collection means, said method comprising:

• a first step of predicting a direction of a speaker from information collected as voice sound by each of said sound-collection means;
• a second step of causing an imaging direction axis of said speaker-imaging means to be faced to said predicted direction of said speaker by a first imaging control means driving said speaker-imaging means, based on speaker direction information predicted in said first step;
• a third step of displaying an image captured by said speaker-imaging means on a display means;
• a fourth step of extracting movement pixel information from said displayed image information;
• a fifth step of calculating a movement distribution from said extracted movement pixel information;
• a sixth step of determining a position of said speaker within said captured image, from said movement distribution information;
• and
• a seventh 7′ step of a second imaging control means adjusting a zoom mechanism of said speaker-imaging means so as to adjust a size of said speaker in said captured image based on position information of the speaker within a displayed image.

A recording medium onto which is stored a program for execution by a computer of an imaging means control method in a teleconferencing system comprising a plurality of sound-collection means, at least one speaker imaging means, and an imaging control means, which changes an imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means so as to capture an image of the speaker, based on voice direction information with regard to the speaker obtained from said sound-collection means, said method comprising:

• a first step of predicting a direction of a speaker from information collected as voice sound by each of said sound-collection means;
• a second step of causing an imaging direction axis of said speaker-imaging means to be pointed at said predicted position of said speaker by a first imaging control means driving said speaker-imaging means, based on speaker direction information predicted in said first step;
• a third step of storing an image captured by said speaker-imaging means;
• a fourth step of extracting movement pixel information from said stored image;
• a fifth step of calculating a movement distribution from said extracted movement pixel information;
• a sixth step of determining a position of said speaker within said captured image, from said movement distribution information;
• and
• a seventh step of a second imaging control means causing said speaker-imaging means to move, based on position information of the speaker within a displayed image, so that said image of said speaker is moved to a prescribed position within said captured image.

A recording medium onto which is stored a program for execution by a computer of an imaging means control method in a teleconferencing system comprising a plurality of sound-collection means, at least one speaker imaging means, and an imaging control means, which changes an imaging direction of said speaker-imaging means so as to capture an image of the speaker, based on voice direction information with regard to the speaker obtained from said sound-collection means, said method comprising:

• a first step of predicting a direction of a speaker from information collected as voice sound by each of said sound-collection means;
• a second step of causing an imaging direction axis of said speaker-imaging means to be pointed at said predicted position of said speaker by a first imaging control means driving said speaker-imaging means, based on speaker direction information predicted in said first step;
• a third step of storing an image captured by said speaker-imaging means;
• a fourth step of extracting movement pixel information from said stored image;
• a fifth step of calculating a movement distribution from said extracted movement pixel information;
• a sixth step of determining a position of said speaker within said captured image, from said movement distribution information;
• and
• a seventh step of a second imaging control means adjusting a zoom mechanism of said speaker-imaging means so as to adjust a size of said speaker in said captured image.