Camera Motion Control for Natural Videoconference Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing videoconferencing systems often produce aesthetically undesirable camera transitions when moving between preset positions, especially when the positions are far apart, resulting in unnatural and dizzy motion due to direct panning or zooming, which is not effectively addressed without professional camera operation.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where the camera first zooms out, pans across to an intermediate position, and then zooms in to the next preset position, using an intermediate zoom level calculated based on the difference between the current and next positions, to maintain spatial context and avoid irrelevant background magnification, replicating professional video production techniques in an automated or semi-automated system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the camera pans directly from one preset position to another at full zoom, then the transition is quick and efficient, but the intermediate views show irrelevant background at high magnification which is aesthetically undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The camera transition is segmented into three distinct phases: zoom out to intermediate level, pan to target position, then zoom in to final preset. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently, avoiding the aesthetic problem of panning at full zoom while maintaining overall transition efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The camera performs preliminary zoom-out action before panning to the target position. This preliminary action prepares the camera at an intermediate zoom level where the pan operation will not magnify irrelevant background excessively, thus preventing the aesthetic problem before it occurs
2Ease of manufacture
If a professional camera operator is used to achieve aesthetically pleasing transitions, then the visual quality is high, but the system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system performs the complex multi-phase transition sequence automatically without requiring a professional operator. The camera controller executes the zoom-out, pan, and zoom-in sequence based on preset positions and timing parameters, making the system self-sufficient for achieving aesthetically pleasing transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes camera parameters (zoom level, pan position, tilt angle) according to a predefined sequence. By automatically adjusting these parameters through multiple phases, the system replicates professional operator techniques without requiring actual human intervention, thus reducing complexity while maintaining visual quality
Data Source
AI summary
The system disclosed herein seeks to solve the problem of unnatural, dizzy camera motion when moving a camera between two preset positions, e.g., head and shoulder shots of two videoconference participants. Particularly, the system described herein attempts to mimic the camera movement that a professional camera operator would use in a professional video production. A preferred method of moving the camera between two positions is to first zoom out, away from the first position, pan across to the next position, then zoom in. This gives viewers of the camera content an idea of the spatial relationship between the two camera positions and also avoids the aesthetically undesirable effect of panning through irrelevant visual background at high zoom ratios. Disclosed herein is a technique of producing this desired behavior in the context of an automatically or semi-automatically controlled video camera, such as those used in conjunction with videoconferencing equipment.