Composite Telepresence Image Merging for Screen Space Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video conferencing systems, including consumer telepresence systems, face the challenge of displaying multiple remote participant images in a way that maximizes screen space, as separate windows lead to wasted space and participants appear smaller than life-size due to tiling issues.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented at the local station to process and merge participant images from remote stations, isolating participants from their backgrounds and overlaying them to create a composite image that can be displayed on a single monitor, allowing for realistic and life-sized representation of participants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If multiple remote participant images are displayed in separate windows, then each participant can be clearly displayed, but screen space is wasted and participants appear smaller than life-size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple participant images into a single composite display by isolating each participant from their background and layering them together. This combining approach eliminates the need for separate windows, maximizes screen space utilization, and allows participants to be displayed at life-size proportions through coordinated scaling and positioning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts each participant image from its original background context using background subtraction techniques. By removing the background and isolating only the participant, the system can then reposition and resize these extracted images freely within the composite display, achieving life-size representation without the constraints of separate window layouts.
2Manufacturing precision
If a room-sized screen is used to display life-sized participants, then participants appear life-sized, but the system becomes impractical for consumer use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a spatial solution (room-sized screens) to a computational solution by introducing multiple visual dimensions: layering, transparency, and positioning. Through coordinate transformations and scaling operations, the system creates a composite image space where multiple life-sized participants can coexist on a standard screen, effectively adding dimensional complexity to the display approach.
3Area of moving object
If participant images are isolated from background and merged, then screen space is maximized and life-sized display is achieved, but image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary background isolation and participant extraction before the composite display assembly. By pre-processing each participant image to remove backgrounds and isolate subjects, the system simplifies the subsequent merging process, reducing real-time processing complexity while achieving the desired life-sized composite display effect.
Data Source
AI summary
In a telepresence system, a local station receives images of participants at remote stations processed to isolate the remote participant in the image from image background. The local station merges the images of the participants at the remote stations to generate an output image in which a first remote participant appears to partially overlay another participant. The output image undergoes display at the local station.