US 6,208,373 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for enabling a videoconferencing participant to appear focused on camera to corresponding users

OwnerTimothy Lo Fong, Reuven Ackneninventors

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Abstract

A system for avoiding lost look in video conferencing utilizes multiple cameras outside a monitor screen at a conferencing station for capturing images of a participant and a processor system enabled to utilize video streams from the cameras and software including a field graph to create a stream presenting the participant as though the created stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the monitor screen. In some embodiments the processor takes into account data pertaining to an active window to position the virtual camera in the active window. In other embodiments moveable cameras are employed with an audio system having directional input, which the processor can use to train cameras on a current active participant.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A video-conferencing station comprising:

a display monitor having a display screen for displaying images of remote conferencing participants;
two or more video cameras external to the display monitor for capturing images of one or more local participants positioned before the display monitor screen;
and
a computerized processing system coupled to both the display monitor and the video cameras for receiving video streams associated with video conferences and displaying images from the video streams, for sending a video stream to the remote conferencing participants, and for processing the images captured by the two or more video cameras;
wherein the processing system, using input as to active windows in the display screen, by executing software including a field graph and using the captured images provided by the two or more video cameras, produces and sends a single video stream providing an image of a local participant as though the stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the area of an active window in the display screen.

2 more elements

A video conferencing system comprising:

two or more video conferencing stations;
and
a video-capable link between the two or more stations;
wherein one or more of the stations is characterized by a display monitor having a display screen for displaying images of remote conferencing participants, two or more video cameras external to the display monitor for capturing images of one or more local participants positioned before the display monitor screen, and a computerized processing system coupled to both the display monitor and the video cameras for receiving video streams associated with video conferences and displaying images from the video streams, for sending a video stream to the remote conferencing participants, and for processing the images captured by the two or more video cameras, and wherein the processing system, using input as to active windows in the display screen, by executing software including a field graph and using the captured images provided by the two or more video cameras, produces and sends a single video stream providing an image of a local participant as though the stream were captured from a virtual video camera positioned within the area of an active window in the display screen.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.