Unobtrusive self-view for virtual meetings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12574475-B2
Application number	US-202418406513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2024
Priority date	Jan 8, 2024
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A method for providing an unobtrusive self-view to participants of a virtual conference is provided. The method includes receiving a self-view video stream including a self-view of a user participating in a virtual meeting. The video stream is being acquired by a camera of the client device. The method includes causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a first self-view portion incorporated into a graphical user interface (GUI) control panel of a GUI displayed on the client device of the user. The GUI control panel can include a first control element to control the camera. The method can further include receiving a switch self-view command of the user, and responsive to receiving the switch self-view command, causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a second self-view portion located outside of the GUI control panel of the GUI displayed on the client device of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a processing device, a self-view video stream comprising a self-view of a user of a client device participating in a virtual meeting, wherein the self-view video stream is being acquired by a camera of the client device; causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a first self-view portion incorporated into a graphical user interface (GUI) control panel of a GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the GUI control panel comprising a first GUI control element to control the camera; receiving, via the GUI, a switch self-view command of the user; and responsive to receiving the switch self-view command, causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a second self-view portion located outside of the GUI control panel of the GUI displayed on the client device of the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the GUI control panel further comprises a second GUI control element to control a microphone of the client device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a visual extension of the GUI control panel.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving a command to switch the self-view to a grid mode; and responsive to receiving the command to switch the self-view to the grid mode, rendering, in the GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the self-view video stream in a third self-view portion located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a mute camera command initiated via the first GUI control element; and responsive to receiving the mute camera command, rendering an avatar of the user in the first self-view portion.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first self-view portion is visually associated with the first GUI control element that comprises a pictogram identifying a state of the camera, wherein the state of the camera is represented by one of: a mute state or an active state.

8 . A system comprising:
a memory device; and a processing device communicatively coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is to: receive, by the processing device, a self-view video stream comprising a self-view of a user of a client device participating in a virtual meeting, wherein the self-view video stream is being acquired by a camera of the client device; cause the self-view video stream to be presented in a first self-view portion incorporated into a graphical user interface (GUI) control panel of a GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the GUI control panel comprising a first GUI control element to control the camera; receive, via the GUI, a switch self-view command of the user; and responsive to receiving the switch self-view command, cause the self-view video stream to be presented in a second self-view portion located outside of the GUI control panel of the GUI displayed on the client device of the user.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the GUI control panel further comprises a second GUI control element to control a microphone of the client device.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a visual extension of the GUI control panel.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processing device is further to:
receive a command to switch the self-view to a grid mode; and responsive to receiving the command to switch the self-view to the grid mode, render in the GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the self-view video stream in a third self-view portion located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processing device is further to:
receive a mute camera command initiated via the first GUI control element; and responsive to receiving the mute camera command, render an avatar of the user in the first self-view portion.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first self-view portion is visually associated with the first GUI control element that comprises a pictogram identifying a state of the camera, wherein the state of the camera is represented by one of: a mute state or an active state.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, causes the processing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the processing device, a self-view video stream comprising a self-view of a user of a client device participating in a virtual meeting, wherein the self-view video stream is being acquired by a camera of the client device; causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a first self-view portion incorporated into a graphical user interface (GUI) control panel of a GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the GUI control panel comprising a first GUI control element to control the camera; receiving, via the GUI, a switch self-view command of the user; and responsive to receiving the switch self-view command, causing the self-view video stream to be presented in a second self-view portion located outside of the GUI control panel of the GUI displayed on the client device of the user.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the GUI control panel further comprises a second GUI control element to control a microphone of the client device.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a visual extension of the GUI control panel.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a command to switch the self-view to a grid mode; and responsive to receiving the command to switch the self-view to the grid mode, rendering, in the GUI displayed on the client device of the user, the self-view video stream in a third self-view portion located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second self-view portion is located in a grid view of video streams transmitted by client devices of other participants of the virtual meeting.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a mute camera command initiated via the first GUI control element; and responsive to receiving the mute camera command, rendering an avatar of the user in the first self-view portion.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Fedyk Ryan
• Volkov Anton

Classifications

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04N7/147

  Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q) · CPC title

• H04N7/152 Primary

  Multipoint control units therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• H04N7/157 Primary

  defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents (computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827) · CPC title