Preview window for video communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325935-B2
Application number	US-201113164184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2011
Priority date	Jun 20, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Generation of a preview window for video conferencing which is configured to output a silhouette of a user and output feedback on the user's facial position and surrounding lighting conditions. A user's image is captured with an input device and processed to create both the silhouette and indications which indicate if the user's facial position and surrounding light levels are suitable for the videoconference. The created silhouette and indications are outputted to a preview window in the user's video conferencing graphical user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a preview window in a videoconference, the method comprising:
presenting a first window and a second window in a graphical user interface (GUI) that is implemented by an image processing system, the first window being configured to present an image of at least a first user in a videoconference;
receiving, with an image capture module that is implemented by the image processing system, information related to an image condition related to a second user in the videoconference, the image condition is a lighting condition, an image balance condition, an image contrast condition, or a condition relating to a position of a head of the second user with respect to a camera that is configured to capture an image of the head;
presenting, with the GUI, a silhouette of the second user in the second window;
determining, by the image processing system, whether the second user should adjust the image condition by comparing the image condition to a threshold image condition;
based upon determining that the image condition does not meet the threshold image condition,
presenting, with the GUI, an indication of the image condition in the second window, wherein the indication of the image condition is a presentation of a color, a marker, a pointer, a shading, graphics, animation or text to provide to the second user feedback on how to adjust the image conditions in order to achieve an appropriate image configuration in the videoconference, and
periodically checking the image condition to periodically update the received information related to the image condition of the second user in the videoconference until the image condition is met; and

based upon determining that the image condition does meet the threshold image condition, presenting, with the GUI, the silhouette of the second user in the second window without presenting the presentation of the indication of the image condition in the second window.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting the first and second windows concurrently in the videoconference, wherein the second window is configured to present the indication of the image condition in the second window,
presenting the second user with an option to view the silhouette of the second user in the second window;
receiving a selection from the second user to view the silhouette of the second user in the second window; and
based upon receiving the selection, presenting the view of the silhouette of the second user in the second window.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silhouette of the second user is presented in the second window as at least one of:
an outline of at least the head of the second user; and
an icon.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving information relating to an image of at least the head of the second user; and
using the received information relating to the image of at least the head of the second user to generate the silhouette, the silhouette comprising a graphical representation of an outline of the head of the second user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based upon determining that the image condition does not meet the threshold image condition with respect to the position of the head of the second user, present a misalignment indicator to the second user to indicate that the head of the user is misaligned with respect to the camera.

6. A method for a preview window in a videoconference, the method comprising:
presenting a first window and a second window in a graphical user interface (GUI) that is implemented by an image processing system, the first window being configured to present an image of at least a first user in a videoconference;
receiving, with an image capture module that is implemented by the image processing system, information related to an image condition related to a second user in the videoconference, the image condition is a positional condition of the second user within the second window or a rotational condition of the second user within the second window, wherein the rotational condition relates to whether a head of the second user is turned sideways to a camera that captures an image of the head to present in the second window;
presenting, with the GUI, a silhouette of the second user in the second window;
determining, by the image processing system, whether the second user should adjust the image condition by comparing the image condition to a threshold image condition;
based upon determining that the image condition does not meet the threshold image condition,
presenting, with the GUI, an indication of the image condition in the second window, wherein the indication of the image condition is a presentation of a color, a marker, a pointer, a shading, graphics, animation and or text to provide to the second user feedback on how to adjust the image conditions in order to achieve an appropriate image configuration in the videoconference, and
periodically checking the image condition to periodically update the received information related to the image condition of the second user in the videoconference until the image condition is met; and

based upon determining that the image condition does meet the threshold image condition, presenting, with the GUI, the silhouette of the second user in the second window without presenting the presentation of the indication of the image condition in the second window.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the positional condition comprises information relating to a two-dimensional alignment of the head of the second user.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotational condition comprises information relating to a three-dimensional alignment of the head of the second user.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
presenting the first and second windows concurrently in the videoconference, wherein the second window is configured to present the indication of the image condition in the second window,
presenting the second user with an option to view the silhouette of the second user in the second window;
receiving a selection from the second user to view the silhouette of the second user in the second window; and
based upon receiving the selection, presenting the view of the silhouette of the second user in the second window.

10. A non-transitory computer program stored on a computer readable medium for a preview window in a videoconference, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed on a processor cause the processor to perform operations that include:
presenting a first window and a second window in a graphical user interface (GUI) that is implemented by an image processing system, the first window being configured to present an image of at least a first user in a videoconference;
receiving information related to an image condition related to a second user in the videoconference, the image condition is a lighting condition, an image balance condition, an image contrast condition, or a condition relating to a position of a head of the second user with respect to a camera that is configured to capture an image of the head;
presenting a silhouette of the second user in the second window;
determining, by the image processing system, whether the second user should adjust the image condition by comparing the image condition to a threshold image condition;
based upon determining that the image condition does not meet the threshold image condition,
presenting an indication of the image condition in the second window, wherein the indication of the image condition is a presentation of a color, a marker, a pointer, a shading, graphics, animation or text to provide to the second user feedback on how to adjust th

Assignees

• Baird Randall B
• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Baird Randall B

Classifications

• H04N7/14 Primary

  Systems for two-way working ({H04N7/12, } H04N7/173 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N7/15 Primary

  Conference systems · CPC title