Infrared Mirror Presentation Capture for Interactive Eye Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing presentation systems fail to allow presenters to view a monitor image while being recorded by a camera without losing eye contact with the audience, especially when the monitor image is interactive, requiring hardware modifications or high camera sensitivity.

Innovation Solution

A presentation system using an infrared camera in combination with a semi-transparent mirror and polarizing filters to capture the presenter's image without the monitor image interference, allowing interactive use of the monitor and maintaining eye contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a projector is moved closer to the screen to improve image quality, then image quality improves, but the projector cannot be positioned flexibly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidpositioning flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a beam expanding fan out to expand the beam in the horizontal direction before it reaches the screen. This allows the projector to maintain a fixed position while still achieving good image quality by controlling beam expansion, thereby resolving the contradiction between image quality and positioning flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The beam expanding fan out can be adjusted to control the beam expansion ratio dynamically. By changing the expansion ratio, the system can adapt to different screen sizes and distances, allowing flexible positioning while maintaining image quality through dynamic beam control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Illumination intensity

If a lens with large aperture ratio is used to improve illumination, then illumination improves, but optical aberration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveilluminationVSAvoidoptical aberration
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the beam path into multiple segments: the light source, the beam expanding fan out, and the screen. By controlling beam expansion at an intermediate stage, the system can achieve good illumination without requiring a lens with excessively large aperture ratio, thereby reducing optical aberration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The beam expanding fan out acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the screen. It controls the beam diameter and expansion ratio, allowing the system to achieve good illumination while avoiding the need for high-aperture lenses that would cause optical aberration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If beam expanding fan out is added to control beam expansion, then positioning flexibility improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The beam expanding fan out serves multiple functions: it controls beam expansion ratio, enables flexible positioning, and maintains image quality. By making this single component multi-functional, the patent avoids adding multiple separate systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving positioning flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3815355B1Presentation system and presentation method
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 UNIVERSITY OF KASSEL
  • EP3815355B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3815355B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3815355B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a presentation system and a presentation method for the joint display by a playback system (40) of a monitor image (20') and a camera image (100), recorded by a video camera (10), of a presenter (1), the monitor image (200) and the camera image (10) being superposed in a mixer (34) for display by the playback system (40). A monitor (20) with a display is provided in order to display the monitor image (200) for a presenter (1) situated in front of the monitor (20), a semi-transparent mirror (22) being arranged in front of the display, and the video camera (10) being positioned such that it detects the presenter (10) mirrored via the semi-transparent mirror (22). The presentation system is characterised in that the at least one video camera (10) is an infrared camera.