Camera Output State Switching for Mute Intent Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image control methods struggle to clearly convey a user's intention not to talk or a desire to talk to other conference participants, as the entire screen display does not change whether the microphone is muted on or off.
Innovation Solution
An image control method that determines a mute operation and sends control information to switch between a first state and a second state for a camera, where the first state outputs an image of all users and the second state focuses on the talker, allowing clear conveyance of mute intentions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the entire screen display remains unchanged regardless of mute state, then the system maintains simplicity in display management, but the ability to convey user intention (talk/not talk) to other users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual state changes to the camera output display to indicate mute status. When the user is in a muted state, the camera output is displayed in a first visual state (e.g., with overlay, filter, or visual indicator), and when unmuted, in a second visual state. This allows other users to clearly perceive the talk/not-talk intention through visual differentiation without requiring complex additional display elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The display dynamically changes between two states based on the mute status. The camera output transitions from a first state to a second state and vice versa, creating a dynamic visual feedback system that responds to user actions. This dynamic behavior enables clear communication of intent while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
2Loss of information
If the camera output visually indicates mute state, then the conveyance of user intention improves, but the complexity of the display control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mute status indication with the existing camera output display. Instead of creating a separate indicator system, the visual state change is applied directly to the camera output that is already being displayed to other users. This integration approach conveys user intention clearly while avoiding the need for additional separate display elements or control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera output display serves multiple functions: it provides the primary video feed to other users and simultaneously indicates the user's talk/not-talk status through visual state changes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate indication systems, maintaining simplicity while improving information conveyance.
Data Source
AI summary
An image control method includes determining a mute operation, sending control information to switch a first state and a second state, to a camera, based on the determination result, and causing the camera that outputs first image information in the first state and outputs second image information in the second state to output, based on the control information, the first image information or the second image information.