Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a video input from a camera element; using change detection statistics to identify background image data; using the background image data as a temporal reference to determine foreground image data of a particular video frame within the video input; using a selected foreground image for a background registration of a subsequent video frame; and providing at least a portion of the subsequent video frame to a next destination.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes receiving audio data at a microphone array that includes a plurality of microphones. The microphone array is provisioned at a first endpoint, which includes a camera element configured to capture video data associated with a video session involving the first endpoint and a second endpoint. The method also includes formatting the audio data into a time division multiplex (TDM) stream, and communicating the stream to a port for a subsequent communication over a network and to the second endpoint.

Abstract: A telepresence apparatus, a method of operating a telepresence apparatus, and a tangible computer readable storage medium in a telepresence apparatus that is configured with instructions that when executed cause operating of the telepresence apparatus. The telepresence apparatus includes video cameras districted co-planar with a display wall and capturing camera views of a scene. The camera views from the video processor combined to form a video signal for transmission to one or more remote endpoints, the video signal corresponding to a synthetic view from a point that is substantially behind the wall and as if the wall was not there.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for upstream video sources to be synchronized in vertical sync time and in frame rate, so that a downstream device can create a composite image with low latency. At a video compositor device, a plurality of video streams are received that comprise at least first and second video streams. First and second vertical synchronization points associated with the first and second video streams points are determined. A difference in time between the first and second vertical synchronization points is determined. At least one control signal or message is generated that is configured to change a video capture frame rate associated with one or both of the first and second video streams to reduce the difference in time and the control message is sent to video capture devices for one or both of the first and second video streams. Techniques are also provided for upstream video sources, e.g., cameras, to receive the control message and respond accordingly.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a first audio signal and a first video signal from a first network element. The method also includes adding a second audio signal to the first audio signal to generate a combined audio signal, where a second video signal is combined with the first video signal to generate a combined video signal. The first network element and the second network element reside in different geographic locations. The combined audio signal and the combined video signal is then transmitted to a next destination.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes capturing panoramic image data through a first camera in a camera cluster, and capturing close-up image data through a second camera included as part of a spaced array of cameras. The presence of a user in a field of view of the second camera can be detected. The close-up image data and the panoramic image data can be combined to form a combined image. In more specific embodiments, the detecting includes evaluating a distance between the user and the second camera. The combined image can reflect a removal of a portion of panoramic image data associated with the user in a video conferencing environment.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that when executed cause a method to be carried out. The method includes dividing at least a portion of a picture of a video stream into parts of blocks, and processing the parts in parallel by a plurality of interconnected processors. The processing of a respective part by its respective processor includes determining block-level temporal difference features. Each processor also performs coding functions on its respective part of the picture. The method also includes block-level processing using the block-level temporal difference features to determine which blocks in the picture are likely to be that of a face, the block-level processing being at the granularity of at least a block. In one version, the processing in each processor includes edge detection and color segmentation to determine block-level edge features including block-level color-segmented edge features that are then used in the block level processing.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a method to encode a block in a picture of a time sequence of pictures such as video. The method includes selecting the mode for coding the block, one of the modes being to code the block as skipped. The method further includes limiting the number of consecutive times a particular block is coded as skipped without re-setting the quantization level to a relatively fine level of quantization and re-selecting the mode.

Abstract: A method that includes capturing depth information associated with a first field of view of a depth camera. The depth information is represented by a first plurality of depth pixels. The method also includes capturing color information associated with a second field of view of a video camera that substantially overlaps with the first field of view of the depth camera. The color information is represented by a second plurality of color pixels. The method further includes enhancing color information represented by at least one color pixel of the second plurality of color pixels to generate an enhanced image. The enhanced image adjusts an exposure characteristic of the color information captured by the video camera. The at least one color pixel is enhanced based on depth information represented by at least one corresponding depth pixel of the first plurality of depth pixels.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example and includes a camera configured to receive image data associated with an end user involved in a video session. The apparatus also includes a display and an optics element configured to interface with the camera. The optics element reflects the image data associated with the end user positioned in front of the display. A retracting mechanism is also provided and is configured to retract the optics element in a direction such that the camera moves to an inactive state and the optics element is removed from a view of the display from the perspective of the end user. An effective optical distance from the camera to the end user is increased by manipulating a position of the optics element. In more detailed embodiments, the camera can be configured above the display such that its lens points downward toward the optics element.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes receiving image data for a field of view associated with a display. The image data is used to generate a plurality of red green blue (RGB) frames. The method also includes emitting infrared energy onto the field of view in order to generate a plurality of infrared frames, the plurality of RGB frames and the plurality of infrared frames are generated by a single camera. The plurality of RGB frames can be combined with the plurality of infrared frames in order to generate a video data stream. In a more particular embodiment, the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for combining video frames of two or more real-time video streams into combined video frames of a combined real-time video stream for continuous presence. Video frames of at least two real-time video streams are combined into combined video frames of a combined video stream. The combined video stream is supplied to a video display for displaying the combined video stream. Each video stream includes video frames with subject and background images. The subject images of corresponding video frames of the first and second video streams are combined into a combined video frame of a combined video stream such that the subject image of the first video stream is positioned in an anterior portion of the combined frame and the subject image of the second video stream is positioned in a posterior portion of the combined frame.

Abstract: A video coder includes a forward coder and a reconstruction module determining a motion compensated predicted picture from one or more previously decoded pictures in a multi-picture store. The reconstruction module includes a reference picture predictor that uses only previously decoded pictures to determine one or more predicted reference pictures. The predicted reference picture(s) are used for motion compensated prediction. The reference picture predictor may include optical flow analysis that uses a current decoded picture and that may use one or more previously decoded pictures together with affine motion analysis and image warping to determine at least a portion of at least one of the reference pictures.

Abstract: A telepresence apparatus, a method of operating a telepresence apparatus, and a tangible computer readable storage medium in a telepresence apparatus that is configured with instructions that when executed cause operating of the telepresence apparatus. The telepresence apparatus includes video cameras districted co-planar with a display wall and capturing camera views of a scene. The camera views from the video processor combined to form a video signal for transmission to one or more remote endpoints, the video signal corresponding to a synthetic view from a point that is substantially behind the wall and as if the wall was not there.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing long-term reference frames (LTRFs) for two or more video sources. A first video source is selected from a plurality of video sources. The first video source is encoded to produce an encoded video stream, where a reference frame message identifies a recent video frame as long-term reference frame (LTRF) associated with the first video stream. The process is repeated for other video streams. The LTRF associated with the first video stream is used as a reference for temporal predictive coding upon receiving a signal that the first video source has been re-selected.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to determine the horizontal gaze of a person from a video signal generated from viewing the person with at least one video camera. From the video signal, a head region of the person is detected and tracked. The dimensions and location of a sub-region within the head region is also detected and tracked from the video signal. An estimate of the horizontal gaze of the person is computed from a relative position of the sub-region within the head region.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a storage medium with executable code to execute a method including accepting camera views of at least some participants of a teleconference, each view from a corresponding video camera, with the camera views together including at least one view of each participant. The method includes accepting audio from a plurality of microphones, and processing the audio from the plurality of microphones to generate audio data and direction information indicative of the direction of sound received at the microphones. The method further includes generating one or more candidate people views, with each people view being of an area enclosing a head and shoulders view of at least one participant. The method also includes making a selection, according to the direction information, of which at least one of the candidate people views are to be transmitted to one or more remote endpoints.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for video communication between multiple devices. Each of a plurality of video packets is designated as being part of a required reference frame that is subsequently to be used for a repair process. A stream of video packets that includes the packets for the required reference frame is transmitted from a source device over a communication medium for reception by a plurality of destination devices. A determination is made that at least one of the plurality of destination devices did not receive at least one packet of the required reference frame, and the at least one packet is retransmitted the at least one of the plurality of destination devices. When the retransmitted packet is received at the at least one destination device, it is decoded and stored without using it for generating a picture for display at the time that the at least one packet is received.

Abstract: A network-adaptive error recovery method for real-time video transmission based on sending repair frames preemptively with a frequency that is based on observed run-length of good frames and round trip time.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a plurality of viewing angles and images on a display. An embodiment comprises a display system where a user has the option of determining the number of images to view and the range of viewable angles for each image. A display system is configured to display a maximum number of images at different viewing angles by interlacing a plurality of images so that each viewing angle shows a selected image. The display system provides a method by which an operator can increase the viewing area of an image by interlacing the same image to more than one viewing angle.