Semi-Background Replacement via Rough Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video communication systems often capture unwanted background elements, compromising participant privacy and making it difficult to use branded or promotional backgrounds, especially when using 2-dimensional cameras.
Innovation Solution
A telecommunication device with a background modifier that segments captured images into foreground and background pixels based on spatial coordinates, replaces the background with a template, and combines it with the foreground to form a modified image, allowing for semi-background replacement and artistic visual effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If precise segmentation is used to separate foreground and background, then segmentation accuracy is improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the background replacement process into two distinct segmentation approaches: rough segmentation based on spatial coordinates (simple bounding box around participant) and precise segmentation based on pixel magnitude analysis. This allows the system to perform initial processing with rough segmentation and optionally enhance with precise segmentation only where needed, balancing computational load with accuracy requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a two-tier segmentation strategy where rough segmentation is applied to the entire background area first, and then precise segmentation is applied selectively only to boundary regions where accuracy is critical. This partial application of precise segmentation reduces overall computational complexity while maintaining adequate accuracy for the majority of the image.
2Reliability
If full background replacement is implemented, then privacy protection and branding capability are improved, but visual artifacts and loss of natural background elements occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different regions of the background. The foreground participant region receives precise segmentation for accurate edge definition, while the background regions can use rough segmentation with template replacement. This local differentiation maintains privacy protection where needed while preserving natural appearance in transition zones, reducing visual artifacts.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of replacing the entire background uniformly, the patent performs selective background replacement only in regions identified through rough segmentation as background areas. The foreground regions identified through segmentation are preserved without replacement. This partial replacement approach maintains privacy for background elements while preserving natural appearance of the participant.
3Device complexity
If 2-dimensional cameras are used for capture, then device simplicity and cost are improved, but segmentation accuracy and background replacement quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a rough segmentation model (bounding box or simplified mask) that copies the general spatial layout of the participant without requiring precise 3D depth information. This rough copy is sufficient for template background replacement, achieving acceptable segmentation accuracy with simple 2D camera input, avoiding the need for complex multi-camera or depth-sensing systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A telecommunication device includes an image capture system that captures an image of a local participant in a telecommunication session, the image comprising foreground and background images defined by plural pixels, each of the pixels having a pixel magnitude related to a sample of the image at a spatial location of the respective pixel and a background modifier that segments plural pixels of the captured image into foreground and background sets of pixels based on spatial coordinates of the pixels, replaces the background set of pixels with a template set of pixels to form a new background set of pixels, each selected pixel in the template set of pixels having a different magnitude than a magnitude of the corresponding pixel in the background set of pixels replaced by the selected pixel, and combines the new background set of pixels with the foreground set of pixels to form modified image information for transmission to a remote endpoint.