Abstract: Techniques for user state for user image in media content are described and are implementable to enable a user state of a user to be determined and to control whether a user image is included in media content based on the user state. Generally, the described implementations enable different user states to be defined and utilized to control inclusion of user images with media content.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that autonomously switch between first and second image streams of two image capturing devices during a video communication session, reducing data transmission and display size requirements for recipients. A controller of the electronic device identifies a person in the first image stream and identifies a writing surface in the second image stream. In response to determining that the person is not attending to the writing surface, the controller communicates, to at second electronic device(s) during the video communication session, at least a first portion of the first image stream that focusses on a face of the person. In response to determining that the person is attending to the writing surface, the controller communicates at least a second portion of the second image stream that focusses on the writing surface.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that prompt a person who is participating in a video communication session to gaze toward a local image capturing device. A controller of the electronic devices receives an image stream from an image capturing device configured to be spaced away from a display device and having a field of view that incorporates a person that is proximate to the display device. The controller communicates the image stream to a video communication session. The controller receives second image stream(s) from second communication device(s) and presents the second image stream(s) at a display device. In response to a trigger that indicates that the first image stream is being presented as a primary image stream by the at least one second electronic device, the controller presents a prompt indicating that the participant should gaze toward the image capturing device.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that automatically focus on meaningful content in an image stream during an instruction-oriented video communication session. The electronic device communicatively connects the electronic device via a network to image stream transmitting (IST) electronic device(s) during a video communication session. A controller of the electronic device identifies a person and a writing surface within an image stream received from the IST electronic device. In response to determining that the person is attending to the writing surface, the controller presents on display device(s) a first portion of the image stream that focuses on the writing surface. In response to determining that the person is not attending to the writing surface, the controller presents on the display device(s) a second portion of the image stream that does not focus on the writing surface.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that automatically focus on meaningful content in an image stream during an instruction-oriented video communication session. The electronic device communicatively connects the electronic device via a network to second electronic device(s) during a video communication session. A controller of the electronic device identifies a person and a writing surface within an image stream from a local image capturing device. In response to determining that the person is attending to the writing surface, the controller communicates to a video communication session a first portion of the image stream that focusses on the writing surface. In response to determining that the person is not attending to the writing surface, the controller communicates to the video communication session via the at least one network interface, a second portion of the image stream that does not focus on the writing surface.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that autonomously mitigates degraded transmissions of an audio/image stream from an electronic device to a video communication session. The electronic device communicates at least one of an image stream and an audio stream to other second electronic device(s). In response to receiving an indication that the at least one of the image stream and the audio stream is degraded, a controller presents a transmission quality degraded report using at least one display device to prompt mitigation. The controller can configure the electronic device to mitigate the degraded at least one of the image stream and the audio stream by altering the at least one of the image stream and the audio stream to support transmission via a lower data rate. The electronic device communicates the altered at least one of the image stream and the audio stream to the session.

Abstract: Techniques for generating enhanced representations based on sensor data are described and are implementable in a video conference setting. Generally, the described implementations enable an enhanced representation of a focal individual, for instance a speaker, to be generated based on sensor data, for instance audio and visual sensor data. The audio data can identify an individual as the speaker or determine a general location of a source of audio. Visual sensors can detect gestures of individuals located in the general location of the source of audio to identify gestures which indicate that one or more individuals are speaking or are about to speak.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigate changes in ambient lighting of a local participant in a video communication session to avoid a distraction to other participant(s) using second electronic device(s). A controller of the electronic device monitors a current lighting level in an image stream captured and provided by an image capturing device(s) of the electronic device to the second electronic device(s). The electronic device communicates, via a network interface, a live version of the image stream to the video communication session while the current light level is at or above a lighting level threshold. In response to the current light level not being above the threshold, the controller responds by: (i) turning on a light source to illuminate at least one object that is being presented within the image stream; or (ii) communicating an alternate image stream, via the network interface, to the video communication session.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigates loss of communication between participants in a communication session when a local participant attempts to speak without manually unmuting the electronic device. The electronic device includes an image capturing device, a user interface device having a microphone, and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the image capturing device and to the user interface device. The controller monitors, during the communication session with a second electronic device, an image stream received from the image capturing device for movements by the local participant in the communication session. The controller autonomously generates a prompt to unmute the microphone in response to determining that the microphone is muted while identifying at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of the local participant to speak or a gesture by the local participant that correlates with the participant wanting to speak.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that support individualized dynamic playback of a live video communication session. A controller configures the electronic device to receive at least one of an audio stream and an image stream provided by at least one transmitting device from among second electronic devices during a video communication session. The controller configures the electronic device to communicate the at least one of the audio stream and the image stream from the at least one transmitting device to other devices among the second electronic devices. The controller configures the electronic device to buffer the communication session in a dynamically accessible format. In response to receipt of a trigger during the communication session, the controller configures the electronic device to communicate a length of the buffered communication session to a particular one of the second electronic devices.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that autonomously mitigates degraded transmissions of an audio/image stream from an electronic device to a video communication session. The electronic device communicates at least one of an image stream and an audio stream to other second electronic device(s). In response to receiving an indication that the at least one of the image stream and the audio stream is degraded, a controller presents a transmission quality degraded report using at least one display device to prompt mitigation. The controller can configure the electronic device to mitigate the degraded at least one of the image stream and the audio stream by altering the at least one of the image stream and the audio stream to support transmission via a lower data rate. The electronic device communicates the altered at least one of the image stream and the audio stream to the session.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigate changes in ambient lighting of a local participant in a video communication session to avoid a distraction to other participant(s) using second electronic device(s). A controller of the electronic device monitors a current lighting level in an image stream captured and provided by an image capturing device(s) of the electronic device to the second electronic device(s). The electronic device communicates, via a network interface, a live version of the image stream to the video communication session while the current light level is at or above a lighting level threshold. In response to the current light level not being above the threshold, the controller responds by: (i) turning on a light source to illuminate at least one object that is being presented within the image stream; or (ii) communicating an alternate image stream, via the network interface, to the video communication session.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method are provided that autonomously mitigates degraded transmissions from a second electronic device to a video communication session. The electronic device receives at least one of an audio stream and an image stream provided by transmitting device(s) of second electronic devices(s) during a video communication session. The electronic device communicates the at least one of the audio stream and the image stream to other second electronic device(s). A controller of the electronic device determines whether the at least one of the audio stream and the image stream from a particular second electronic device is in a degraded state. In response to determining that at least one of the audio stream and the image stream received from the particular second electronic device is in a degraded state, the controller alerts the particular second electronic device of the degraded state of the transmission.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method manage presenting and pausing of media content in response to remotely detected interruptions. The electronic device includes network interface(s) by which the electronic device communicatively connects to: (i) a media output device that presents media content; and (ii) external device(s) that is configured to detect an event that draws user attention. A controller of the electronic device is communicatively coupled to the at least one network interface and a user interface device. The controller presents, via one or more signals transmitted via the network interface(s), media content presented on the media output device. The controller monitors the external device(s). In response to receiving input indicating that at least one external device has detected an event, the controller pauses the presentation of the media content on the media output device and presents, on a user interface device, a notification of the event.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method avoids presenting certain objects during a video communication session. During a video communication session with second electronic device(s), a controller of an electronic device identifies baseline image(s) from an image stream provided by an image capturing device of the electronic device. The baseline image includes a primary image portion of participant(s) and including a scene of objects within the foreground or background of participant (s), during an initial portion of the video communication session. The controller monitors the image stream for a subsequent detection of the primary image portion and of non-participant(s) or object(s) as a secondary image portion that is not included within the baseline image(s).

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method manage presenting and pausing of media content in response to locally detected visual and aural interruptions. The electronic device is configured to determine, using one or more sensors from among: (i) an image capturing device positioned to have a field of view of a monitored area and (ii) a microphone positioned to detect sounds in or near the monitored area. A consumer is in the monitored area during presenting of media content by a media output device. The electronic device is configured to monitor the one or more sensors to determine whether an interruption is occurring that can degrade consumer experience relative to the presenting of the media content. In response to determining that the interruption is occurring, the electronic device is configured to pause the presenting of the media content on the media output device.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method prioritizes communication between participants in a communication session. A controller configures the electronic device to identifying participants, each respectively using a second electronic device to participate in the communication session. The controller associates a priority rank for each of the participants. The controller monitors for an indication from each of the second electronic devices that a corresponding participant among the participants is attempting to speak to the other participants during the communication session. In response to receiving two or more indications, the controller compares the respective priority ranks of the participants corresponding to the two or more indications. The controller selects the audio stream received from the second electronic device of the particular participant having a highest priority. The controller presents the audio stream to the other participants.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method enable hosting a communication session with customizable roles for participants that provides an adjustable balance of interaction and decorum. A controller configures the electronic device to identify, within an image stream from a next one of two or more second electronic devices that is not currently selected to present to a video communication session, at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of a non-presenting participant or a gesture by the non-presenting participant to provide an audio input via the next second electronic device. In response to the identified speaking movement or the gesture, a host user interface of the electronic device presents an alert and enables host toggling of a selected one of the electronic device and the two or more second electronic devices to present a corresponding audio and video stream to the video communication session.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigates loss of communication between participants in a communication session when a local participant attempts to speak without manually unmuting the electronic device. The electronic device includes an image capturing device, a user interface device having a microphone, and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the image capturing device and to the user interface device. The controller monitors, during the communication session with a second electronic device, an image stream received from the image capturing device for movements by the local participant in the communication session. The controller autonomously generates a prompt to unmute the microphone in response to determining that the microphone is muted while identifying at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of the local participant to speak or a gesture by the local participant that correlates with the participant wanting to speak.

Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigates loss of communication between participants in a communication session when a remote participant attempts to speak without manually unmuting the electronic device. A controller configures the electronic device to monitor one or more image streams originating respectively at one or more second electronic devices during a video communication session. The controller identifies, in a particular image stream of the one or more image streams, at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of a particular participant or a gesture by the particular participant to present an audio input via the video communication session. A user interface presented on at least one user interface device of the electronic device presents an alert that the particular participant is attempting to speak to other participants in the video communication session.