Touch Screen Camera Control for Video Conferencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video conferencing systems are cumbersome and confusing to use, particularly when adjusting camera settings, leading to sub-optimal video experiences due to the complexity of controlling pan, tilt, and zoom functions using traditional remote controls and on-screen menus.
Innovation Solution
A touch screen control system that allows users to intuitively control camera operations through a graphical user interface on a touch screen display, enabling direct manipulation of camera settings such as pan, tilt, and zoom using gestures and graphical objects representing video conference endpoints, providing visual, audible, and tactile feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional remote control with keypad and on-screen menus is used to control camera, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a touch screen display that shows a graphical representation (copy) of the camera's field of view, allowing users to interact with a visual copy of what the camera sees rather than abstract menu options. This makes the control interface more intuitive by directly mapping user actions to visual outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical keypad system with a touch screen interface that responds to finger gestures. This substitution eliminates the need for physical button presses and complex menu navigation, allowing more direct and intuitive control of camera functions through graphical interactions.
2Productivity
If iterative button presses are used to adjust camera settings, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback on the touch screen showing the anticipated camera view before the user finalizes the adjustment. This allows users to see the effect of their gestures in real-time and make precise adjustments without multiple iterative presses, significantly reducing the time to optimize camera settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch screen displays real-time visual feedback showing how camera adjustments will affect the field of view. This immediate feedback loop allows users to make accurate adjustments in a single action rather than through multiple trial-and-error button presses, improving adjustment speed while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If camera is preset to capture wide field of view for maximum participants, then adaptability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts camera parameters based on user interaction with the touch screen. The camera can transition smoothly between wide field of view and focused close-up views as users drag or gesture on different regions of the displayed image, providing both adaptability to different conference configurations and precision when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A device, computer program product, and method control the operation of one or more cameras associated with a video conference endpoint in a video conference call. A camera control unit (remote control) includes a touch enabled end user component that presents to the user graphical objects representing video conference endpoints currently connected in a conference call, and/or one or more live video feeds currently captured by the video conference endpoint's cameras, and allows the user to manipulate a camera's pan, tilt and zoom using a touch screen display embedded in said camera control unit.