System and method for high resolution videoconferencing
AssigneePolycom, Inc.
InventorsMichael Kenoyer, Peter Chu, Richard Washington
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for high resolution video conferencing is shown and described. A transmitting station and a receiving station including video cameras or sensors, a plurality of microphones and speakers, video, audio and communication processing engines are disclosed. Video is processed and transferred through the system allowing for multiple video streams to be produced and audio is processed and transferred through the system allowing for sound to be played back with an indication of position in relation to the videoconferencing system.
Claims18
A local videoconferencing device for a videoconferencing system having a local videoconferencing device with a video display and at least one remote videoconferencing device with a video display interconnected through a network, the local videoconferencing device comprising:
- a video sensor for capturing images;
- a plurality of microphones for capturing sound, the plurality of microphones being arranged in known positions relative to one another;
- a plurality of speakers for producing sound, the plurality of speakers being arranged in known positions relative to one another;
- at least one processing unit coupled to the video sensor, the microphones and the speakers;
- and
- a communication interface coupled to the at least one processing unit and the at least one remote videoconferencing device through the network;
- wherein the at least one processing unit is operative to produce at least a first video stream from signals received from the video sensor and an audio stream and an audio source position signal from signals received from the microphones, wherein the audio source position signal is based upon the magnitude differences of captured sound from the plurality of microphones;
- wherein the at least one processing unit is operative to receive at least one video stream, one audio stream, and one audio source position signal from a remote videoconferencing device;
- and
- wherein the at least one processing unit is operative to drive the plurality of speakers to reproduce sound according to the received audio stream and audio source position signal.
A method for videoconferencing, wherein a plurality of videoconferencing devices are interconnected through a network, wherein each videoconferencing device comprises a video sensor, a plurality of microphones and speakers, a processing unit, a video display and a network interface, the method comprising:
- capturing video images with the video sensor;
- capturing audio signals with the microphones;
- receiving the video images and the audio signals at the processing unit;
- generating a first video stream from the video images and an audio stream and an audio position signal from the audio signals, wherein the audio position signal is generated based upon magnitude differences of audio signals received from the plurality of microphones;
- transmitting the first video stream, audio stream and audio position signal to a remote conferencing device.
A method for videoconferencing, wherein a plurality of videoconferencing devices are interconnected through a network, wherein each videoconferencing device comprises a video sensor, a plurality of microphones and speakers, a processing unit, a video display and a network interface, the method comprising:
- receiving at a local endpoint via the network interface at least one remote video stream, at least one remote audio stream, and a remote audio position signal from a remote endpoint;
- displaying the at least one remote video stream on the video display;
- and
- driving the plurality of speakers to reproduce sound by selectively driving one or more of the plurality of speakers in response to the received remote audio position signal, wherein the received remote audio position signal is generated based upon magnitude differences of audio signals received at a plurality of remote microphones.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.