Segmented Video Feed Virtual Action Center for Touchless Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
During video communication sessions, the low-quality webcams on laptops and external USB-connected webcams provide limited video options, and users' actions and gestures are distracting when using smartphones as cameras, especially for presenters.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with an image capturing device and a processor that segments a video image into a primary and secondary segment, presenting a touchless action center in the secondary segment to support touchless user interfacing and control during video communication sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If smartphone camera is used as webcam to provide high-quality video feed, then video quality is improved, but user gestures and actions become visible and distracting to remote participants
Solution Approach 1:
The video feed is segmented into multiple independent regions: a first portion displaying the user's video feed and a second portion displaying the action center with UI elements. This spatial segmentation allows users to interact with UI elements in the second portion without their hand gestures appearing in the first portion video feed, thus maintaining video quality while eliminating user distraction.
2Device complexity
If traditional webcam is used on laptop to enable video communication, then device complexity is reduced, but video quality and available video options are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows a smartphone with high-quality camera to function as a webcam for video communication sessions. The smartphone's camera application is configured to provide video feed to the video communication session, enabling the smartphone to serve multiple functions including high-quality video capture and communication, thus improving video quality while maintaining device simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If action center UI elements are overlaid on user video feed, then user interface accessibility is improved, but user gestures and hand movements become more distracting to remote participants
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is segmented into distinct portions: the user's video feed occupies a first portion of the display, while the action center with UI elements occupies a second portion. This segmentation allows users to access UI elements through gestures in the second portion without their hand movements being captured in the first portion video feed, thus maintaining ease of operation while reducing user distraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The action center is positioned in a spatially separate dimension from the user video feed, creating an independent interaction zone. Users can perform gestures and interactions in the action center area without these actions being visible in the main video feed, effectively adding a separate dimensional space for interaction that does not interfere with video presentation.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication device, a method, and a computer program product provide virtual action centers superimposed over secondary segments of a video image preview on a display during video capture for a video communication session. The method includes receiving a local video stream comprising video images, identifying a primary region of interest (ROI) within a video image, and delineating the video image into a primary segment that encompasses the primary ROI and at least a secondary segment. The method includes associating a virtual interface with a location of the secondary segment in the video image, the virtual interface presenting at least one feature that can be selected via one of air gestures and screen touches during presentation of the primary segment of the video image preview. A preview of the delineated segments of the video image presents at least the primary segment and the virtual interface visible within the display device.