Remote Browser Camera Control for Video Conference Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video conferencing technologies lack the ability for remote users to effectively control camera settings such as exposure, contrast, white balance, temperature, aperture, capture rate, and panning/zooming, which can result in suboptimal video stream quality due to geographical distance and limited local control.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the characteristics of a video stream and enables a remote browser to control these camera settings by analyzing video characteristics and providing corresponding controls, allowing for real-time adjustments or overrides of settings associated with the camera.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If camera settings are controlled locally at each location, then ease of operation is improved, but video stream quality deteriorates due to geographical distance and limited local control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote browser as an intermediary control interface that allows users to control camera settings from a remote location. The browser acts as a mediator between the user and the camera, transmitting control commands over the network to adjust exposure, contrast, white balance, and other settings, thereby resolving the contradiction between local ease of operation and remote quality control.
2Productivity
If video streams are compressed for real-time transmission, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to loss of video characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system analyzes video stream characteristics and uses this information to automatically adjust camera settings. The feedback loop continuously monitors video quality metrics and modifies exposure, contrast, and other parameters in real-time to maintain optimal video characteristics despite compression, thereby preserving measurement precision while maintaining productivity.
3Device complexity
If camera settings are fixed at each location, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates due to inability to optimize for different conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms static, fixed camera settings into dynamic, adjustable parameters that can be modified in real-time through the remote browser. The system enables dynamic adaptation of exposure, contrast, white balance, and other settings based on varying video conference conditions, thereby significantly improving adaptability while maintaining manageable device complexity through web-based control.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations generally relate to enhancing video conferences. In some implementations, a method includes determining one or more characteristics of a video stream provided by a first camera. The method further includes determining one or more functions of the first camera based on the one or more characteristics. The method further includes enabling a browser to control the one or more functions of the first camera, and wherein the browser is remote relative to the first camera.