Multi-Camera Video Integration for Wide-Area Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments where a scene exceeds the shooting range of a single camera, such as a long conference table, only a partial view is captured during remote video calls, limiting the ability to monitor or communicate effectively with all participants.
Innovation Solution
A tool and server system that integrates real-time video and audio from multiple communication terminals, allowing for the formation of a comprehensive scene view and enabling two-way communication by requesting and processing integrated video and audio streams, which can be adjusted based on user input for zooming and sliding operations, and automatically identifying specific participants for direct communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single camera is used to capture the conference scene, then the device complexity is low, but the monitored scene cannot be fully covered when the scene exceeds the shooting range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large conference scene into multiple sub-scenes, each captured by a separate camera. Multiple cameras are strategically positioned to cover different areas of the long conference table, and their video feeds are integrated to provide a complete view of the entire scene.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines video feeds from multiple cameras into a single integrated video stream. The server receives video data from multiple communication terminals, processes it, and merges it into a comprehensive view that displays the entire conference scene on the mobile terminal.
2Area of stationary object
If video from multiple cameras is integrated, then the coverage area is improved, but the audio synchronization becomes complex when video and audio come from different terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses timestamp feedback and synchronization markers embedded in video and audio streams to maintain synchronization. The server continuously monitors timing information from multiple terminals and adjusts audio-video alignment in real-time based on detected synchronization drift.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that receives video and audio from multiple communication terminals, synchronizes them, and relays the integrated streams to the mobile terminal. This intermediary handles the complex synchronization logic, isolating it from the client devices.
3Loss of information
If all audio from multiple communication terminals is transmitted, then the completeness of audio information is improved, but the clarity deteriorates due to overlapping audio streams
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and identifies the active speaker from multiple audio streams using voice activity detection and speaker recognition algorithms. Only the audio from the currently speaking participant is transmitted to the mobile terminal, eliminating overlapping audio while preserving the complete conversational flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting all audio streams simultaneously, the system selectively transmits only the necessary portion - the audio from the active speaker. This partial transmission approach maintains audio completeness for the current interaction while avoiding the harmful effect of audio overlap.
4Area of stationary object
If the mobile terminal displays the entire integrated video, then the coverage area is improved, but the video quality deteriorates due to scaling down
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the video display based on user interaction. When users zoom or slide, the server provides higher-resolution video segments for the specific region of interest. The displayed video transitions from a scaled-down overview to a high-quality close-up of the selected area, maintaining both coverage and quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds an interaction dimension to the video display. Instead of a static full-scene view, users can navigate through the scene using zoom and slide operations, accessing high-resolution details on demand. This transforms the viewing experience from a fixed compromise to a dynamic exploration of the full scene at various resolutions.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a tool installed on a mobile terminal and an intelligent real-time audio-video integration server. The tool installed on the mobile terminal comprises: a transmitter unit configured to respond to a first trigger and to transmit a request for a video integrating real-time videos captured by multiple communication terminals; and, a receiver unit configured to receive the video integrating the real-time videos captured by the multiple communication terminals. The transmitter unit transmits, on the basis of a first communication terminal set in the multiple communication terminals and corresponding to a video displayed on a monitor of a mobile terminal, a request for an audio integrating real-time audios captured by the communication terminals in the first communication terminal set; the receiver unit receives the audio integrating the real-time audios captured by the communication terminals in the first communication terminal set. The present invention, in cases that a monitored scene goes beyond the field of view of one camera, allows a monitoring person to view the entire monitored scene instead of a part of the monitored scene.