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US 7,136,090 B1Granted
Communications system
AssigneeTeleportec, Inc.
InventorPeter McDuffie White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An arrangement is provide for displaying a life-size live image of a person from a remote location in a three dimensional setting in a home location while providing the person in the remote location with a telepresence of the home location through the invention comprising: a video presentation system for displaying a person on a black background; a two way mirror for viewing both the setting and the superimposed video image of the person; a video camera or pair of cameras positioned in line with the eyes of the superimposed image of the person; and a network connection between the home location and the remote location. Stereoscopic views may be used in conjunction with the two way mirror and a retroreflective surface to display life-size autostereoscopic live images of a person from a remote location.
Claims46
A communications system, comprising:
- first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising:
- a real time image capturing device,
- an image projecting device,
- an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and
- a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;
- the image capturing device at the first location being:
- (a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and
- (b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location;
- and
- the first location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located behind the two-way mirror and visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the second location of a participant at the second location is seen through the two-way mirror at the first location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue.
7 more elements
A communications system comprising:
- a first location comprising:
- a real time image capturing device, and
- an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants, the image-capturing device being arranged to view the observation zone;
- a second location that is separate and remote relative to the first location, the second location comprising:
- an image projecting device linked to the image-capturing device at the first location,
- an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants at the second location,
- a three dimensional setting with a visual depth cue in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone of the second location, and a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone of the second location and the three dimensional setting,
- the system being arranged such that an image captured at the first location is transmitted from the first location to the second location and is projected at the second location for viewing of the participant(s) at the first location through the two-way mirror in superimposed relation with the three dimensional setting.
5 more elements
A communications system comprising:
- at least one image projecting device capable of being linked to an image-capturing device at a remote location,
- an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants,
- a three dimensional setting with a three dimensional visual depth cue physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone, and
- a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone and the three dimensional setting, the system being arranged such that remotely-captured images are projected onto a retreflective screen located at an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone whereby the remotely-captured images are viewed in retroreflection at the observation zone.
1 more element
A communications system comprising:
- an image projecting device capable of being linked to an image-capturing device at a remote location,
- an observation zone for occupation by one or more participants,
- a three dimensional setting with a three dimensional visual depth cue physically located so as to be directly viewable from the observation zone,
- a two-way mirror interposed between the observation zone and the three dimensional setting,
- means for tracking an eye position of a participant in the observation zone, and means for adjusting the image-projecting device in dependence upon tracked eye positioning by the tracking means.
2 more elements
A communications system, comprising:
- first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising:
- a real time image capturing device,
- an image projecting device,
- an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and
- a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;
- the image capturing device at the first location being:
- (a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and
- (b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location;
- and
- the second location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the first location of a participant at the first location is seen through the two-way mirror at the second location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue, and
- the second location being arranged such that the remotely-captured images from the first location are projected onto a retroreflective screen located at the opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone whereby the remotely-captured images from the first location are viewed in retroreflection at the observation zone at the second location.
8 more elements
A communications system, comprising:
- first and second locations, wherein the second location is remote and separate from the first location, each of the locations comprising:
- a real time image capturing device,
- an image projecting device,
- an observation zone for occupation by a participant, and
- a two-way mirror through which images are viewed;
- the image capturing device at the first location being:
- (a) arranged to view a participant occupying the observation zone at the first location directly or indirectly along a line of sight which passes through the two-way mirror at the first location, and
- (b) linked to the image projecting device at the second location whereby a captured image is transmitted from the first location to the second location and projected at the second location for viewing through the two-way mirror at the second location;
- and
- the second location comprising a visual depth cue physically located on an opposite side of the two-way mirror relative to the observation zone, the visual depth cue being in the form of one or more three dimensional physical objects physically located so as to be directly visible through the two-way mirror from the observation zone so that an image generated at the first location of a participant at the first location is seen through the two-way mirror at the second location in superimposed relation within a three dimensional setting afforded by the visual depth cue, and
- means being provided for tracking an eye position of a participant in the observation zone and means for adjusting the image-projecting device in dependence upon such tracked positioning.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.