Mute function for video applications
AssigneeGeneral Instrument Corporation
InventorRussell Mareachen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mute function is provided that allows a user to mute a video application without alerting other participants to the muting. A user participating in the video application selects the mute function, which causes the user's video device to present a virtual image of the user to the other participants of the video application. Therefore, the other participants to the video application may continue to believe that the user is actively participating in the video application when, in fact, the user has selected the mute function and may be engaging in other activities.
Claims16
A method of muting a video application, the method comprising:
- receiving video images;
- receiving an indication of a selection of a mute function;
- retrieving image data from a gesture library;
- modifying at least a portion of the retrieved image data to match the received video images;
- modifying at least a portion of the received video images with the modified image data to create a virtual image;
- and
- transmitting the virtual image.
A system for muting a video device, the system comprising:
- an image capture device for capturing video images;
- a gesture library for storing image data;
- and
- a replacement module for retrieving image data from the gesture library, for modifying at least a portion of the retrieved image data to match captured video images, for modifying at least a portion of a captured video image with the modified image data to create a virtual image, and for transmitting the virtual image in response to receipt of user input indicating a selection of a mute function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.