Display control system for videoconference terminals

A display control system for a videoconference terminal capable of displaying a proper image of a participant in a videoconference, comprising:

• participant position detection means for detecting a participant position based on a wide-angle source picture provided by a camera;
• image clipping means for determining a clipping window which includes the image of the participant, according to an on-screen movement of the participant position detected by said participant position detection means, and for obtaining a clipped picture by cutting an image within the clipping window out of the wide-angle source picture;
• and
• screen adjustment means for making a size adjustment of the clipped picture obtained by said image clipping means so that the clipped picture will fit to a screen size of a video monitor unit, wherein said image clipping means comprises
• movement detection means for detecting the on-screen movement of the participant position detected by said participant position detection means,
• clipping window setting means, coupled to said movement detection means, for setting a large clipping window when the on-screen movement is large and a small clipping window when the on-screen movement is small, and
• image extraction means for extracting, out of the wide-angle source picture provided by the camera, the image within the clipping window set by said clipping window setting means.

A display control system for a videoconference terminal capable of displaying a proper image of a plurality of participants in a videoconference, comprising:

• face position/area detection means for detecting face positions and face areas of the plurality of participants based on a wide-angle source picture provided by a camera;
• body position detection means for selecting one of the plurality of participants that exhibits the largest face area among the face areas detected by said face position/area detection means, and detecting a body position of the selected participant by using the face position thereof as a reference point;
• image clipping means for determining a clipping window which includes the image of the selected participant, according to an on-screen movement of the body position detected by said body position detection means, and for obtaining a clipped picture by cutting an image within the clipping window out of the wide-angle source picture provided by the camera;
• and
• screen adjustment means for making a size adjustment of the clipped picture obtained by said image clipping means so that the clipped picture will fit to a screen size of a video monitor unit.

A display control system for a videoconference terminal capable of displaying a proper image of a plurality of participants in a videoconference, comprising:

• face position/area detection means for detecting face positions and face areas of the plurality of participants based on a wide-angle source picture provided by a camera;
• body position detection means for selecting one of the plurality of participants that exhibits the largest face area among the face areas detected by said face position/area detection means, and detecting a body position of the selected participant by using the face position thereof as a reference point;
• first image clipping means for determining a first clipping window which includes the image of the selected participant, according to an on-screen movement of the body position detected by said body position detection means, and for obtaining a first clipped picture by cutting an image within the first clipping window out of the wide-angle source picture provided by the camera;
• participant position detection means for detecting individual participant positions based on a wide-angle source picture captured by a camera;
• second image clipping means for determining a second clipping window which includes the images of the participants, according to on-screen movements of the individual participant positions detected by said participant position detection means, and for obtaining a second clipped picture by cutting an image within the second clipping window out of the wide-angle source picture;
• clipped picture selection means for selecting one of the first and second clipped pictures;
• and
• screen adjustment means for making a size adjustment of the selected clipped picture provided by said clipped picture selection means so that the selected clipped picture will fit to a screen size of a video monitor unit.