Telepresence System Master Codec Eye-Contact Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional videoconferencing systems face limitations in providing a realistic telepresence experience due to issues with eye-contact, screen size, and network compatibility, as they often require complex optical systems and dedicated high-bandwidth communication lines, which restrict flexibility and interoperability with other systems.
Innovation Solution
A video conference arrangement with transceivers, displays, and video capturing devices having overlapping fields of view, allowing for life-sized video communication over standard networks and enabling seamless connections between telepresence systems using standards-based communication protocols and a master codec for managing connections and resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional videoconferencing systems use a single camera positioned above the display to capture participant images, then the system structure is simple, but the participant appears to be looking away from the camera, breaking eye-contact illusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single camera system into multiple camera units (first camera and second camera) positioned at different locations. Each camera captures images from its specific viewpoint, and the system selectively switches between or combines these views to maintain eye-contact illusion while avoiding complex optical systems like multiple lenses and mirrors in a single camera setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal video conferencing system that can operate in multiple modes: using a single camera when simplicity is needed, switching between multiple cameras to maintain eye-contact, or combining camera feeds to create composite views. This multi-functional approach allows the system to adapt to different situations without requiring complex optical systems in all configurations.
2Reliability
If telepresence systems use dedicated high-bandwidth communication lines to improve video quality and presence feeling, then the telepresence experience is enhanced, but the system loses flexibility and interoperability with conventional videoconferencing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a telepresence system with a master codec that can function as both a dedicated telepresence endpoint and a conventional video conferencing participant. The system can operate on dedicated high-bandwidth lines when available for optimal performance, while simultaneously maintaining compatibility with standard video conferencing networks and protocols, thus achieving both high quality and broad interoperability.
Solution Approach 2:
The master codec acts as an intermediary that bridges dedicated telepresence networks and conventional video conferencing systems. It translates and adapts communication protocols, allowing high-quality telepresence experiences on dedicated lines while seamlessly interfacing with standard networks, thus maintaining both reliability and adaptability.
3Productivity
If conventional videoconferencing systems compress multimedia data for real-time transmission over standard networks, then network bandwidth requirements are reduced, but picture quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video transmission into multiple streams with different compression levels and resolutions. The master codec can select and switch between these streams based on available bandwidth and quality requirements, allowing real-time transmission on standard networks while maintaining high picture quality when conditions permit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts compression levels and video quality parameters based on real-time network conditions. When bandwidth is available, it transmits higher quality video; when bandwidth is constrained, it automatically reduces compression artifacts. This dynamic adaptation allows real-time transmission while preserving picture quality as much as possible under varying network conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A video conferencing system provides realistic presence of participants in a videoconference by way of standards-based communication. The system includes three large displays, and at least one slave codec and one camera for each display. In addition, there is an extra codec installed which is the master codec. The master codec is able to establish a conference by instructing the slave codecs at its own site and at the other participating sites to set up point-to-point connections with other slave codecs at different participation sites in a pattern providing an optimal feeling of natural communication so that when a user A talk to user B at another site, user B will experience that the user A turns to him.