Asymmetric Multi-Camera Telepresence for Viewpoint Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video conferencing systems lack the ability for remote participants to modify their viewpoint within the physical scene at the transmitting endpoint, limiting immersive engagement and sensory experience.
Innovation Solution
An asymmetric communication system utilizing two or more cameras at the capturing endpoint to capture multiple views of a physical scene, allowing remote participants to have a virtual location within the 3-dimensional space and reconstruct a view from their perspective, with sensors tracking their movements to adjust their virtual location and orientation, and displaying this information to physically present participants through matrix lights, screens, or avatars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional video conferencing systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but remote participants cannot modify their viewpoint within the physical scene
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the viewpoint control functionality from the main video conferencing system by using separate tracking devices (cameras, sensors) at the remote endpoint and independent virtual camera logic. This allows viewpoint modification capability to be added without fundamentally redesigning the entire video conferencing system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components including tracking cameras, sensors, and virtual camera software that mediate between the remote participant's physical movements and the final rendered viewpoint. These intermediaries translate physical motion into virtual scene navigation without requiring direct modification of the transmitting endpoint's camera system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cameras are used to capture multiple views, then immersive engagement is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking camera system at the remote endpoint serves multiple functions: it captures the participant's face for video communication, tracks head movements for viewpoint control, and monitors eye gaze for attention tracking. This multi-functionality provides immersive engagement capabilities without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the video capture function with the motion tracking function into a single integrated camera system at the remote endpoint. By combining these functions, the system achieves immersive viewpoint control without requiring separate dedicated tracking devices, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If sensors are added to track viewing user movements, then viewpoint adjustment is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the remote participant's own device (smartphone, tablet, or computer) to perform tracking functions. The device's existing camera and motion sensors serve dual purposes: capturing video and tracking head/eye movements for viewpoint control. This self-service approach enables viewpoint adjustment without adding external sensor hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking camera and sensors at the remote endpoint simultaneously perform video communication and motion tracking functions. This multi-functionality enables intuitive viewpoint control through natural head and eye movements without requiring separate dedicated tracking hardware, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
4Loss of information
If viewer position indications are displayed to physically present participants, then interaction quality is improved, but information processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates simplified visual representations (avatars, icons, or graphical indicators) that copy and represent the remote participant's position, gaze direction, and attention focus. These graphical copies are displayed to physically present participants, providing presence information feedback without requiring complex real-time processing of detailed biometric or positional data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary information processing layer that translates complex sensor data (camera coordinates, head pose, eye gaze) into simplified visual indicators displayed to physically present participants. This intermediary representation layer provides comprehensive presence information feedback while limiting information processing complexity by using standardized graphical symbols rather than raw data visualization.
Data Source
AI summary
Communication methods, systems and computer program products (“software”) (1) facilitate virtual immersion of one or more remote viewing participants into a captured scene which may include any number of physically present participants, and (2) provide indications of the remote viewing participants that can be seen or discerned by the physically present participants.