Using an avatar in a videoconferencing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723265-B2
Application number	US-201615224157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2012
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for videoconferencing using an avatar are described. The presence of a user may be detected by analyzing video captured by a digital camera. The avatar may be provided to a remote device to represent the detected user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for facilitating interactions between users, the method comprising:
receiving camera data from a camera associated with a device;
detecting presence of a device user by determining that the camera data includes movement information of the device user in an environment;
retrieving an avatar that represents the device user;
presenting display data that includes the avatar representing the device user;
receiving, from the camera associated with the device, updated camera data that includes updated movement information of the device user in the environment; and
initiating a communication session that presents updated display data that includes updating the avatar to correspond to the updated movement information of the device user in the environment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is integrated into the device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is in communication with the device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a background graphic in which the avatar is presented.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an indication from the device user to change the avatar to one of a plurality of avatars.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the avatar further comprises accessing a profile associated with the device user, wherein the profile is associated with the avatar that was selected from a plurality of avatar and wherein the profile is associated with a username corresponding to the device user and wherein the username is presented along with the avatar in the display data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avatar is retrieved in response to detecting the presence of the device user in the environment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication session is a videoconference that is initiated between the device and another device, wherein the videoconference presents the display data that includes at least the presentation of the avatar to the another device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating an indication of the presence of the device user, wherein the indication notifies other device users that the device user is available for participating in the videoconference.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving audio data from the device;
determining that the audio data includes a voice input from the device user; and
presenting the voice input in the videoconference.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving video data from the device; and
in response to receiving the voice input from the device user, replacing the avatar with the received video data.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the avatar further comprises:
identifying other device users participating in the communication session; and
selecting the avatar from a plurality of avatars based on the identified other device users in the communication session.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing a profile associated with the device user, wherein the profile indicates other device users with whom the user has a social connection.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating an indication of the presence of the device user, wherein the indication notifies the social connection that the device user is available for participating in the communication session.

15. A system for facilitating interactions between users, the system comprising:
a hardware processor that is configured to:
receive camera data from a camera associated with a device;
detect presence of a device user by determining that the camera data includes movement information of the device user in an environment;
retrieve an avatar that represents the device user;
present display data that includes the avatar representing the device user;
receive, from the camera associated with the device, updated camera data that includes updated movement information of the device user in the environment; and
initiate a communication session that presents updated display data that includes updating the avatar to correspond to the updated movement information of the device user in the environment.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the camera is integrated into the device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the camera is in communication with the device.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate a background graphic in which the avatar is presented.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to receive an indication from the device user to change the avatar to one of a plurality of avatars.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to access a profile associated with the device user, wherein the profile is associated with the avatar that was selected from a plurality of avatar and wherein the profile is associated with a username corresponding to the device user and wherein the username is presented along with the avatar in the display data.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the avatar is retrieved in response to detecting the presence of the device user in the environment.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communication session is a videoconference that is initiated between the device and another device and wherein the hardware processor is further configured to initiate the videoconference that presents the display data that includes at least the presentation of the avatar to the another device.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate an indication of the presence of the device user, wherein the indication notifies other device users that the device user is available for participating in the videoconference.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
receive audio data from the device;
determine that the audio data includes a voice input from the device user; and
present the voice input in the videoconference.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
receive video data from the device; and
in response to receiving the voice input from the device user, replace the avatar with the received video data.

26. The system of claim 16 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
identify other device users participating in the communication session; and
select the avatar from a plurality of avatars based on the identified other device users in the communication session.

27. The system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to access a profile associated with the device user, wherein the profile indicates other device users with whom the user has a social connection.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate an indication of the presence of the device user, wherein the indication notifies the social connection that the device user is available for participating in the communication session.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for facilitating interactions between users, the method comprising:
receiving

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Liu Eric H C

Classifications

• H04N7/155

  involving storage of or access to video conference sessions (tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831) · CPC title

• H04N7/147 Primary

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

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• H04N7/157 Primary

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