GB2450345A

GB2450345A - Videoconference terminal providing enhanced user interface

Info

Publication number: GB2450345A
Application number: GB0711913A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Iona Simpson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-20
Filing date: 2007-06-20
Publication date: 2008-12-24
Also published as: GB0711913D0

Abstract

A videoconferencing terminal that is used by each attendee A of a videoconference where the terminal is capable of recording images of the participants from a number of perspectives, whilst enabling them to make eye to eye contact with other attendees. This is done with the use of a number of cameras 3 and a means of capturing images of the participant whilst they are able to view an image of the videoconference. Each terminal displays a processed image B, C, D of the participant from the other terminals in a way that supports a 'virtual' arrangement of all participants and all participants with observe the same configuration of the videoconference. Video and audio rendering of the recorded data will support the arrangement of the conference that has been chosen. The images 6 of other participants may be displayed on a screen 1 and reflected by a beam splitter 2, with each camera being located behind the respective reflected image of the participant.

Description

Videoconference Terminal providing Enhanced User Interface This

invention relates to a videoconferencing terminal which would be used by an individual wishing to take part in a videoconference meeting. The purpose of the terminal is to provide enhanced picture and sound representation of each participant to other videoconference members and also provide each participant with an enhanced view of all other videoconference attendees.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A video conference can be defined as two or more people communicating over a combined video and sound communications link. Many current systems exist, but none have fully succeeded in creating an experience that matches true face-to-face communication. Drawbacks to existing systems include: inability to achieve eye to eye contact, poor resolution of facial features, limited communication bandwidth causing poor image refresh rates, poor colour rendering and poor sound quality. Many existing videoconference systems divide participants into two or more groups clustered around each piece of videoconferencing equipment and this means that each participant will have a different impression of the meeting based on their geographical location. This creates a user experience of being in a conference within a conference. A non-ideal videoconference setup causes a distraction to successful communication during a conference.

A successful system will recreate, as much as design and technology allows, a realistic visual and sound representation of the conference, as much as possible, as if all participants were in the same room. All participants would share the same experience of the conference and this would optimize the communication between all parties. Such a system would involve the use of a terminal, for each participant, that accurately captures sound and picture information which can be processed and relayed to other participants of the conference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention involves the use of a series of videoconference terminals for the purpose of creating a videoconferencing system, where each participant in a videoconference will be positioned in front of their own videoconferencing terminal. A videoconference can be called where there are 2 or more participants and where the participants can be located at any location in relation to each other.

The terminal will comprise either a console, in front of which the participant sits, or a videoconference booth, which is a small space within which the participant may join the videoconference. The terminal will contain equipment that will allow the participant to be viewed from a number of different perspectives. The terminal will have the means to transmit a series of video images from that terminal, to a number of other terminals.

Each terminal has the capability to display images from all the other participating terminals in a way that creates a virtual conference. The image displayed can be synthesized within the terminal, or alternatively this can be done remotely using a remote server. The image seen on each terminal will infer a seating plan, which should be consistent with every viewer of the videoconference. Each participant of the videoconference will have their own unique perspective of the meeting.

Preferably, the seating plan would be arranged around a circular table, though any other configuration is feasible and the combined image viewed at each terminal would give the impression that all other participants are at the same location. Each terminal will be required to receive sound and picture data, sourced from each of the other videoconference terminals.

The terminal will contain equipment that will allow the user of the terminal to be videoed from a variety of different perspectives while at the same time allowing the participant to view the proceedings of the videoconference. This equipment will involve the use of a beam splitter, or some other device designed for the purpose of allowing the participant to be videoed whilst at the same time being able to view images, which will enable each terminal user to view each of the other participants while maintaining eye contact with them.

The location of each of the cameras within the terminal will align with the apparent position of the remote participants, such that as the terminal user is seated and viewing the image of one of the attendees of the videoconference, a camera behind the beam splitter or other device allows them to make eye to eye contact with that attendee. The beam splitter or other device has the dual function of allowing the participant to make eye to eye contact with one of the other attendees of the videoconference, whilst at the same time obscuring the cameras from the view of the participant. The terminal will allow viewing from as many perspectives as there are participants in the conference, additional to the participant using this terminal.

OPTIONAL FEATURES

The terminal may have the means to alter each of the incoming data from other conference participants, so as to support the spatial impression being created.

For example, images of other participants which are closer to the viewer will appear larger and their associated sound will be louder. Stereo may be used to suggest sound origin. For example, videoconference attendees seated next to' the participant would be heard louder and appear larger than attendees seated across the table, thus further enhancing the impression that a virtual reality has been created.

The terminal may employ signal processing to filter the image of the participant so that the image can be superimposed on a virtual backdrop, without spurious images around or behind each participant being recorded and transmitted to other attendees.

The position of the cameras in the terminal may be adjustable, so that different seating arrangements can be accommodated.

If a beam splitter is implemented, it may be a semi-reflective transparent panel, sometimes called a one way or semi-silvered mirror. The panel consists of glass with applied coatings of a transparent substrate to increase reflectivity. The beam splitter is mounted in front of a display oriented at about 45 degrees to the display surface.

The resolution required for each camera should be sufficient so that the reconstructed image at each of the other videoconference terminals will have the desired resolution, colour rendering and refresh rate, considering the image captured by the camera will represent a small portion of the displayed picture at each videoconference terminal.

Preferably video-over-lP technology would be employed as the means of communication, so that the terminal could be installed in a standard office without the need for ISON installation at each terminal position.

EXAMPLE OF INVENTION

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the key components of the videoconferencing terminal as related to this invention.

Figure 2 show how the outputs from several cameras within the terminal are transmitted via a communication system to each of the other participants' displays.

In Figure 1, the main components of the videoconferencing terminal can be seen.

In this example, a beam splitter implementation has been assumed. The reconstructed image comprising all other videocoriference attendees is displayed on an LCD screen (1). The beam splitter (2) is used to reflect the image from (1) so that participant A can view the other attendees. Behind the beam splitter are located a series of cameras (3) that record the image of participant A from a number of different perspectives. The means for capturing sound information and the location of the speakers is not shown. Participant A sits in front of the main viewing window (4). The effect of this arrangement is that, for example, participant A sees participant D in location (5) when in fact their image has been displayed at (6).

The images assembled on (1) come from separate terminals (in this case three) and are blended together using signal processing (either in the terminal itself or externally) to create the impression that all participants are congregated at the same location. This illustration shows the beam splitter implementation that allows eye to eye contact to be maintained between participant A and any of the other participants whilst A is able to view the whole videoconference proceedings.

The illustration shows the alignment needed between the image of each participant and the camera located behind each image, in order to achieve true eye-to-eye contact.

The external fascia of the terminal may contain a stereo speaker system to provide positional acoustic and It may also provide some light source for the purpose of illuminating the participant's features for optimal image capture.

FIgure 2 illustrates how the camera outputs (on the top row) from each of the terminals A to 0 are transmitted to each of the other terminals in the videoconferencing system. In this example, as in Figure 1, there are four participants and therefore each terminal is required to video its subject from three different perspectives. Each of these perspectives is sent to one of the other videoconference participants, so that they each receive a unique perspective of a virtual conference, but the virtual layout of that conference is common to all participants. Note that the image processing required to recombine the images of the participants can be done remotely, or at each of the terminals, and the imaging processing block is not shown in this diagram.

So for example, Participant A sees perspective I of Participant B, whereas Participant C sees perspective 3 of Participant B, and so on. The virtual' plan of the meeting is therefore that B is to the left of A, C is to the left of B, D is to the left of C and A is to the left of 0. Thus when all parties interact in the meeting, the sense of realism will be maximized. When Participant A looks at Participant B, then Participant B Wilt see that he is being looked at by Participant A. When Participant A shifts gaze to Participant C, Participant B can see that Participant A is now looking at Participant C. The communications system can be ISDN, video over IP or any other means to facilitate the communications as shown.

Claims

1. A videoconferencing system where each participant requires a separate terminal in order to participate in a videoconference and each terminal will allow the viewer to be recorded from a number of different perspectives.

2. The terminal according to claim 1 will allow the viewer to watch all other meeting participants whilst being able to make eye to eye contact with any one of them.

3. The terminal according to claim 2, or an external server, will have the means to reconstruct a virtual image of the meeting so that a single display can be shown at each terminal which comprises inputs from all the other terminals.

4. That each videoconference participant experiences the same virtual' conference layout as the other participants and that this virtual' spatial layout is supported through graphic and audio rendering.

5. The terminal according to claim 3 may include a light source on the fascia which enhances the features of the terminal viewer, so that they can be seen more clearly by the other participants.

6. The positioning of the cameras within the terminal according to claim 3 may be adjustable to support different meeting layouts and different numbers of participants.

7. The perspective image captured by each of the cameras according to claim 3 will be processed in such a way that the background behind the participant can be stripped from the image that is sent to the other videoconference terminals.