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US 7,746,373 B2Granted
Device for viewing images, such as for videoconference facilities, related system, network and method of use
AssigneeTelecom Italia S.p.A.
InventorGiovanni Martini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for viewing images, for example, for videoconference facilities, has a substantially continuous viewing surface having a plurality of directions of frontal observation distributed in continuous fashion in an angular field of observation. Preferably, the angular field of observation is no smaller than 180°, and in particularly preferred fashion, it is substantially equal to 360°.
Claims27
A videoconference apparatus comprising:
- an electronic device for viewing images comprising:
- a viewing surface, said viewing surface being substantially continuous and having a plurality of directions of frontal observation distributed continuously in an angular field of observation;
- and
- an imaging unit for capturing panoramic images, said imaging unit and said viewing surface being mounted on a common support, the videoconference apparatus further comprising at least a network interface configured to:
- transmit to a homologous videoconference apparatus the panoramic images captured by said imaging unit;
- and
- receive from said homologous videoconference apparatus image signals to be displayed on said viewing surface.
4 more elements
A videoconference method, comprising:
- connecting, via a network, a first videoconference apparatus with a second videoconference apparatus located at a remote site relative to said first videoconference apparatus, wherein said first and second videoconference apparatus each comprises:
- a viewing surface, said viewing surface being substantially continuous and having a plurality of directions of frontal observation distributed continuously in an angular field of observation;
- and
- an imaging unit for capturing panoramic images, said imaging unit and said viewing surface being mounted on a common support, the videoconference apparatus further comprising at least a network interface configured to:
- transmit to a homologous videoconference apparatus the panoramic images captured by said imaging unit;
- and
- receive from said homologous videoconference apparatus image signals to be displayed on said viewing surface;
- generating a stream of video data representative of a panoramic image at each of said first and second videoconference apparatus;
- feeding the stream of video data generated at each of said first videoconference apparatus to the viewing device of said other videoconference apparatus, causing said panoramic image generated at each of said first and second videoconference apparatus to be displayed on said viewing surface of said other videoconference apparatus.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.