Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing layout selection, participant selection, and/or participant-to-participant far end camera control of the selected participant for use in a continuous presence multipoint videoconference. The method includes receiving an FECC message of a set of FECC messages over a packet network from a first participant, the first participant having a set of FEEC modes and being in one of the FECC modes. The method further includes maintaining knowledge of the mode of the first participant and interpreting the received FECC message according to the FECC mode of the first participant.

Abstract: This invention provides a video system including an image pickup device for converting an optical image into a video signal, an image pickup direction changing device for changing the image pickup direction of the image pickup device, an image display device for displaying the video signal output from the image pickup device, and a function display device for displaying function information of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A communication system comprising: a sender terminal which sends a subject video and video contents, and a receiver terminal which receives the subject video and the video contents from the sender terminal and displays the subject video and the video contents on a screen, wherein the receiver terminal comprises a receiver operation unit which accepts various input operations related to the video contents displayed on the screen, and an operation identifying signal sending unit which sends an operation identifying signal that is a signal for identifying an operation related to the video contents which has been inputted to the receiver operation unit, to the sender terminal; and the sender terminal comprises an operation identifying signal receiving unit which receives the operation identifying signal, and a sender operation unit which identifies the operation related to the video contents in the receiver terminal according to the operation identifying signal received by the operation identifying signal receivi

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications link uses automatic sensing of a computer user's presence and activity state to record user attributes in a form accessible to other computers in a communications network. Such automatic sensing may include keyboard/mouse monitors, cameras with associated image processing algorithms, speech detectors, RF radiation detectors, and infrared sensors. Preferably, the attribute recording is done in a server process which can be accessed by other computer programs. A first application of this method is to inform persons at remote locations whether the party to be called is available to receive a call. A second application of the method is to use a Connection Agent to determine whether all desired participants for a conference, or at least a quorum of them, are present and available, so that the conference can be started.

Abstract: A teleconferencing system for voice and data provides interconnections among user sites via a central station. User stations at user sites each alternate operation between a data mode connecting a user computer and modem to a user telephone communication path and a voice mode connecting a telephony circuit to the communication path. The teleconferencing system is adapted for conducting a voice conference over standard telephone lines while allowing simultaneous viewing of data objects such as slides, graphs, or text. A host computer connected to the central station serves as a central repository for storage and retrieval of data objects for use in teleconferences.

Abstract: Automatic detection and tracking of multiple individuals includes receiving a frame of video and/or audio content and identifying a candidate area for a new face region in the frame. One or more hierarchical verification levels are used to verify whether a human face is in the candidate area, and an indication made that the candidate area includes a face if the one or more hierarchical verification levels verify that a human face is in the candidate area. A plurality of audio and/or video cues are used to track each verified face in the video content from frame to frame.

Abstract: Automatic detection and tracking of multiple individuals includes receiving a frame of video and/or audio content and identifying a candidate area for a new face region in the frame. One or more hierarchical verification levels are used to verify whether a human face is in the candidate area, and an indication made that the candidate area includes a face if the one or more hierarchical verification levels verify that a human face is in the candidate area. A plurality of audio and/or video cues are used to track each verified face in the video content from frame to frame.

Abstract: A method and device for video conferencing between first and second conference locations. Each conference location is provided with a video camera and a video image monitor to carry the image of a video conferee to a remote location. The video cameras are located proximate the video monitors such that each video camera is placed upon an emotionally neutral field of the image of the remotely located conferee and aimed substantially at the eyes of the local conferee facing the conferee's monitor in order to create eye-to-eye contact between conferees while positioning the video camera as to not interfere with said conference.

Abstract: A teleconferencing robot for enabling a remote conferee to project a sense of presence into a group meeting. The teleconferencing robot includes: a base; a video monitor movably mounted to the base for receiving and displaying an image of the remote conferee; an attention getting device for getting the attention of conferees in the group meeting; a control device mounted on the base for moving the video monitor and actuating the attention getting device in response to an input control signal derived from a remote signal generated by the remote conferee and sending an outgoing data signal to the remote conferee providing feedback to the remote conferee from the robot; and the video monitor and attention getting device move in response to the input control signal to enable the remote conferee to project a sense of presence into the group meeting, and to confirm the movement by the outgoing data signal.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing a user to select actions to be taken by a server when uploading images from a hand-held image capture device is disclosed. The method and system include storing an action list on the image capture device that includes one or more items representing actions that the server should take with respect to uploaded images. After the user initiates an image upload process, the action list is displayed to the user on the image capture device for user selection. After the user selects at least one of the items in the action list, the images and the selected action list item are sent to the server, and the server performs the specified action on the uploaded images.

Abstract: Methods of establishing communication sessions from multiple mobile devices as well as managing available conferencing bandwidths is disclosed. One of the methods disclosed includes establishing a communication session between mobile devices and a group of conferencing servers. The method also includes checking the load of each server. Further, the method includes determining whether the load of each server is above a predetermined threshold. Further still, the method includes routing subsequent mobile devices to communicate through specified conferencing servers selected from the group of conferencing servers if the load of particular servers is above a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A flexible, reconfigurable processing system architecture allows for the implementation of a variety of processing system configurations to be implemented on a single device, which is preferably a PCI bus add-in extension board with an attached daughter card attached and electrically connected thereto through a PCI Mezzanine type connector, and which is plugged into a personal computer PCI expansion slot. The architecture uses the PCI bus, for example, as the local CPU bus for an embedded processor, which not only allows for flexibility in system configuration but also allows PCI devices to be hidden from the host CPU to allow for proper system startup. The architecture further permits an embedded processing CPU to be re-booted when the secondary PCI bus host bus bridge fails to respond without affecting host CPU or other secondary PCI bus peripheral devices.

Abstract: A communication system includes a portable phone and a digital still camera. The user selects an image for transmission, and data indicating a frame number of the selected image is sent from the portable phone to the digital still camera. The portable phone sends a re-size instruction to the digital still camera. The digital still camera re-sizes the image data to reduce a data quantity thereof. The re-sized image data is sent from the digital still camera to the portable phone. The image data is sent from the portable phone via a network to a partner communication system. The image data has a reduced data quantity through the re-sizing and hence can be completely transmitted thereto in a relatively short period of time.

Abstract: A method and system of mixing audios to convert a plurality of input voices into a single output voice is described. The system of mixing audios has a decoding device, an audio mixing device and a frame package unit. The input voices including a plurality of audio frames are partially decoded to acquire audio parameters of the input voices by the decoding device. One audio frame of the input voices is selected by the audio mixing device to obtain a target frame according to the audio parameters later. The target frame is then packaged so as to be identical to the original format of the input voices by the frame package unit.

Abstract: The present media editing device generates media including messages in an easy manner in a communication terminal such as a mobile terminal. Therein, a moving image data storage part stores moving image data recorded by a user. A region extraction part extracts any region including the user from the moving image data. A front determination part detects whether or not the user in the extracted region is facing the front. A sound detection part detects the presence or absence of a sound signal of a predetermined level or higher. A frame selection part determines starting and ending frames based on the results outputted from the front determination part and the sound detection part. An editing part performs, for example, an image conversion process by clipping out the media based on thus determined starting and ending frames. A transmission data storage part stores the resultantly edited media as transmission data.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and process for automatically learning a reliable color-based tracking system. The tracking system is learned by using information produced by an initial object model in combination with an initial tracking function to probabilistically determine the configuration of one or more target objects in a temporal sequence of images, and a data acquisition function for gathering observations relating to color in each image. The observations gathered by the data acquisition function include information that is relevant to parameters desired for a final color-based object model. A learning function then uses probabilistic methods to determine conditional probabilistic relationships between the observations and probabilistic target configuration information to learn a color-based object model automatically tailored to specific target objects.

Abstract: An electronic meeting center including at least one persistent, server-based meeting is described. The meeting has a unique identifying name and topic, at least one authorized participant and a coordinator authorized to add and remove participants. At least one persistent, server-based virtual meeting space is associated with the meeting that may be accessed by participants and the coordinator from remote locations. The center directs and controls messages having information relevant to the meeting. A dialogue buffer is associated with the meeting space and is capable of storing messages for review by the participants. The meeting space includes an agenda that includes associated goals and action items and is available to participants for viewing. Participants are informed of other participants accessing the meeting space. The center includes a library and a theatre that contains documents, addresses, references, bookmarks and multimedia displays relevant to the meeting.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for the projection of a remote conferee's presence into a group meeting environment by using a combination of videoconferencing/teleconferencing and robotics technology. The remote conferee's face is shown substantially life-size on a video monitor. The remote conferee's eyes appear to be looking directly at the viewer. The video monitor can turn left or right to point at the person speaking, automatically or by manual control, to give the impression that the remote conferee is turning his head to look at the person speaking. The video screen can be raised and lowered to give the impression that the remote conferee is standing up and sitting down. An attention-getting mechanism prompts the attention of the other conferees when the remote conferee wants to interrupt or enter a conversation.

Abstract: A communication unit 1 carries out voice communication, and a character background selection input unit 2 selects a CG character corresponding to a communication partner. A voice/music processing unit 5 performs voice/music processing required for the communication, a voice/music converting unit 6 converts voice and music, and a voice/music output unit outputs the voice and music. A voice input unit 8 acquires voice. A voice analyzing unit 9 analyzes the voice, and an emotion presuming unit 10 presumes an emotion based on the result of the voice analysis. A lips motion control unit 11, a body motion control unit 12 and an expression control unit 13 send control information to a 3-D image drawing unit 14 to generate an image, and a display unit 15 displays the image.

Abstract: A host computer includes a device driver which is adaptive to a digital camera and has a storage driver function for writing/reading image data representative of a still picture in/out of the camera by bulk transfer, an image driver function for receiving image data representative of a moving picture from the camera by isochronous transfer, an audio driver function for receiving speech data from the camera by isochronous transfer, and an operation driver function having operation commands on the shooting operation of the camera. During an electronic conference the host can receive image data representative of a moving picture and speech data as well as, if necessary, image data representative of a still picture prepared beforehand from the camera. The host also can receive image data representative of a new still picture taken during the conference from the camera.

Abstract: Featured is a device for generating a 3-D model of a target object detects size, position, and direction of the target object in an input image. The device calculates the position of each vertex of a 3-D rough geometric model projected onto a 2-D plane in the detected size, position, and direction, as well as onto a 2-D plane in a predetermined size, position, and direction. The device also modifies the input image based on a correspondence relationship between the position of each vertex of the 3-D rough geometric model calculated by the first calculation means and the position of each vertex of the 3-D rough geometric model calculated by the second calculation means to generate a texture images and maps the texture image to the 3-D rough geometric model.

Abstract: The invention is a system and a method which combines restaurant services with video-conferencing and multi-media access for diverse customer appeal. The system and method employ a number of booths in a number of restaurants whereby each booth can video-conference with each other booth, particularly in different time zones, while also providing multi-media access such as satellite TV, cable, broadcast TV, computer programs and gaming, internet access. Each booth is linked to a local area network and is equipped with a display screen and video and audio controls. The local area network of each restaurant is linked to the local area network of each other restaurant forming a corporate intranet that allows media uses and various management capabilities such s scheduling, accounting, security, training and the like.

Abstract: Systems and methods for directing pickup of media content by way of user input are disclosed. These systems and methods enable desired media content to be more effectively acquired. The user input can be locally provided or remotely provided. The systems and methods for directing pickup of media content are particularly suitable for video conferencing systems. The media content being directed is, for example, video or audio.

Abstract: Personal multimedia devices can detect when an incoming video format is different from a native format and make a local decision to convert incoming video formats to a format native to the personal multimedia device. The personal multimedia device may include a media processor that comprises an MPEG decoder/encoder, graphics processors, and a video decoder/encoder. These components increase a frame rate of a received video signal when the frame rate of the received video signal is less than a frame rate of the native video format of the personal multimedia device and decrease the frame rate of the received video signal when the frame rate of the received video signal is greater than the native frame rate of the set-top box. The graphics processor scales a frame resolution of the frames in the received video signal to correspond to the native video format.

Abstract: Informing a first network user of activity by other network users includes providing an instant messaging user interface. The instant messaging user interface includes a list of two or more network users selected by the first network user. The list shows presence information for at least a first selected network user and a second selected network user. The instant messaging user interface also includes distinct visual identifiers that are respectively associated with the first selected network user and the second selected network user on the instant messaging user interface and that each indicate television programming being viewed by the selected network user with which they are associated.

Abstract: A teleconferencing system for voice and data provides interconnections among user sites via a central station. User stations at user sites each alternate operation between a data mode connecting a user computer and modem to a user telephone communication path and a voice mode connecting a telephony circuit to the communication path. The teleconferencing system is adapted for conducting a voice conference over standard telephone lines while allowing simultaneous viewing of data objects such as slides, graphs, or text. A host computer connected to the central station serves as a central repository for storage and retrieval of data objects for use in teleconferences.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communications system and a method for establishing a broadband connection, for example a multi-media connection between two or more users, by means of exchanges in a communications network, for example an ATM network. According to the invention, when the exchanges receive a request from a calling user to establish a broadband connection, said exchanges first establish a minimal connection between the users and once the minimal connection is in operation between the users, the requested broadband connection is established. The users of broadband network capacities, which have been reserved by the network at the request of the user, are billed during the call phase. Broadband connections of this type can receive a higher priority than the upgrade of minimal connections to complete connections. A voice connection comprising audio data constitutes for example a minimal connection. The broadband connection takes place for example between video telephones.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system uses a stand-alone video/audio transcapture module with an H.323-compliant broadband Internet connection through a server to conduct real-time videoconferencing. The system provides directory service to work behind Network Address Translation systems by means of backend servers that use Lightweight Directory Assistance Protocol servers to map numbers to IP addresses. The system further incorporates an automatic firmware update service to provide updated firmware updates each time the transcapture module is rebooted. The system also provides an automatic commercial download service to provide module specific bannerization capability, so that each transcapture module can receive directed commercials.

Abstract: A vision processor includes a control section, a motion estimation section, and a discrete cosine transform (“DCT”) section. The motion estimation section includes two memories, an image memory with two read ports and a write port, and a search memory with two read ports and a write port. The DCT section includes a DCT memory configurable as a two read, two write port memory and as a four read, four write port memory. The ports of these memories are selectively applied to various elements in the motion estimation path and the DCT path. In motion vector searching, the ALU performs averaging and difference operations on pixels in the frame and search memories. Data from the search memory is shifted for certain operations, before arithmetic operations in the ALU are performed.

Abstract: A view morphing algorithm is applied to synchronous collections of video images from at least two video imaging devices, and interpolating between the images, creates a composite image view of the local participant. This composite image approximates what might be seen from a point between the video imaging devices, presenting the image to other video session participants.

Abstract: Communication data including actually-photographed pictures is provided. The communication data consists of text data such as a sentence input by a user and a plurality of still pictures obtained by taking a picture of the user a plurality of times. Because the communication data includes visual information provided by a picture of a user, the communication data can more stimulate a user who receives the communication data than text-base communication data can. Furthermore, it is possible to represent a motion using a plurality of still pictures thereby transmitting a large amount of information. Because the motion is represented using only a plurality of still pictures, the data size is much smaller than is required to represent a motion using a moving picture.

Abstract: A videoconferencing apparatus and method are implemented. Each participant in the videoconference has a representation within the system as a “stick figure,” or linear frame, object similar to “stick figure” objects in the computer animation art. A participant's linear frame object is endowed with the persona of the participant by wrapping the object with an outer texture generated from a preloaded image of the participant. Small tags placed at preselected locations on each participant are detected by the videoconferencing system, and each of the participants stick figures is animated in accordance with changes in positions as revealed by the tags.

Abstract: A video conference method and apparatus for pruning mode commands received from an endpoint of a video conference so as to minimize the repetitive establishment and tearing down of video, audio and data streaming channels is described. Received mode commands are not immediately processed during call establishment of a video conference, but rather, the mode commands are stored in at least one data queue until the second phase of the capabilities exchange (i.e. initialization) is complete. The received mode commands are categorized into mutually exclusive groups of mode commands based upon the functions caused by each mode command. As the system removes the mode commands from the queue for processing, the system efficiently prunes the commands by processing only a selected sub-set of the grouped mode commands and ignoring the rest.

Abstract: Location stamping of digital photos provides a convenient way to subsequently catalogue the photos. However, most digital cameras are not provided with a location discovery mechanism. To overcome this, arrangements are provided for enabling location data to be separately recorded (for example using a cell phone) at the time a photo is taken and then subsequently united with the photo.

Abstract: An adaptive electronic zoom system is described which includes an electronic camera having an image sensor with pixels, a controller communicating with an address generator to select in response to an external input or feedback signals from the electronic camera a subset of pixels from the pixels of the image sensor, the subset of pixels defining a zoom area. The zoom area can be located at any position within the image sensor area. The zoom ratio/pan/tilt of the zoom area is automatically adjusted so as to maintain the location of the zoom area entirely within the image sensor area. The adaptive electronic zoom system is particularly suited for set-top boxes for video conferencing applications.

Abstract: A camera control system permits a variety of types of cameras to be connected thereto, and makes it possible to control a plurality of cameras by using standardized camera control commands to enable a user to control them without worrying about the difference in type of cameras connected thereto. The camera control system is also capable of supplying the information on the cameras connected to a user. In a camera server, the information on a video camera connected to the camera server is entered, the input of the information on the video camera that has been entered is determined, and the information on the video camera which has been determined is stored. If an external signal is received, then the external signal is converted to a control signal compatible with the video camera according to the stored information on the video camera.

Abstract: A method of compression of videotelephony images characterized by: creating (10) a learning base containing images; centering the learning base about zero; determining component images by principal component analysis (12); and keeping a number of significant principal components (14).

Abstract: A video acquired by a video acquiring section of a video sender terminal is subjected to coding such as MPEG or the like by a video coding section, and the coded video is transmitted to a video receiver terminal through a communication line. In the video receiver side, the received video is decoded and displayed on a video display section. In the video receiver terminal, when a still picture acquiring instruction is made, time information is acquired from a video decoding section and transmitted to a still picture acquiring section of the video sender terminal. The still picture acquiring section reads a still picture at the same time from a video storing section, performs still picture coding such as JPEG to the still picture, and transmits the coded still picture to the video receiver terminal. In the video receiver terminal, the still picture is decoded and displayed on a still picture display section. As a result, the video receiver terminal can acquire a still picture having high quality.

Abstract: A camera system switches electronically between infrared radiation sensing and visible light sensing depending on ambient conditions, to optimize visible picture quality for surveillance. An electronic CCD camera has an optical bandpass filter having a stop band between the infrared radiation spectrum and the visible light spectrum to provide high quality visible light images when not in the infrared mode and high quality mono infrared images when not in visible light mode. A control circuit compares the camera signal with a photocell signal and controls the camera's sensing mode and an if illuminator's operation in accordance with the ambient conditions.

Abstract: An automatic camera steering control for directing video conferences including a communicator with a microphone and a voice activated LED emitter. Cameras receive an LED signal transmitted by the LED emitter and focus on the speaker associated with the activated LED emitter. A controller automatically selects and inserts into the video stream the audio and video of the speaker.

Abstract: A video-conferencing system between participants located at distant sites, each site featuring a viewing screen. The viewing screen is a large screen of the projection, overhead projection, or direct projection type which has one or more viewing systems forming an image wall to simultaneously view all the distant participants within a space reproduced on the image wall formed by the screen. The system includes devices for each site that spatially distribute the sound to match the sound generated by each distant participant and the image of the participant projected on the screen at the site considered.

Abstract: A communication unit 1 carries out voice communication, and a character background selection input unit 2 selects a CG character corresponding to a communication partner. A voice/music processing unit 5 performs voice/music processing required for the communication, a voice/music converting unit 6 converts voice and music, and a voice/music output unit outputs the voice and music. A voice input unit 8 acquires voice. A voice analyzing unit 9 analyzes the voice, and an emotion presuming unit 10 presumes an emotion based on the result of the voice analysis. A lips motion control unit 11, a body motion control unit 12 and an expression control unit 13 send control information to a 3-D image drawing unit 14 to generate an image, and a display unit 15 displays the image.

Abstract: A method of image processing in three-dimensional (3-D) head motion tracking is disclosed.

Abstract: An exchange is provided with a data synthesizer that synthesizes moving picture data that are being communicated between terminals with additional moving picture data, and is capable of inserting the additional moving picture data into the moving picture data that are being communicated. Each terminal is provided with a data transmission/reception means that both synthesizes the moving picture data that are being transmitted to the terminal of a communication partner with the additional moving picture data and synthesizes moving picture data that have been transmitted in from the terminal of a communication partner with additional moving picture data; and is capable of inserting additional moving picture data into the moving picture data when the moving picture data are being transmitted or received.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of real-time media signals over a data network based on a triggering event associated with a participating teleconference station. This triggering event may be the presence or absence of motion, the presence or absence of sound, or any of a variety of other events that preferably indicate the presence or absence of a person at the station. When no person is present at the station and/or when an appropriate triggering event occurs, remote teleconference participants will not transmit media signals over the network to the station, thereby conserving valuable network bandwidth and simulating a physically common meeting between people. In turn, when a person is present at the station and/or when another appropriate triggering event occurs, remote teleconference participants may start transmitting media signals over the network to the station.

Abstract: Provided is an image input apparatus in which changeover between sensing and transfer of low-resolution images such as moving images and high-resolution images such as still images can be performed smoothly during image sensing and data transfer operations.

Abstract: There is provided a controller capable of effectively using a camera in a TV telephone system and a technique related to the same.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to turn microphones accurately and quickly toward a sound source. The first microphone pair is rotated by rotation means and driving means, so that the microphones are equidistant from a sound source. The sound picked up by the microphones is analyzed in a plurality of frequency ranges to obtain delay time components of the arrival of the sound wave. The delay time components are averaged with a prescribed coefficients so that the lower frequency components hardly affects the result of the direction detection. The averaged delay is converted into an angle of direction of the sound source. Thus, the microphones pair is directed in front of the sound source on the basis of the direction angle converted from the averaged delay time.

Abstract: A transparent-reflective display constructed to be alterable so that reflected images are viewed upon a transparent surface that can alter to a darkened surface, thereby changing contrast of the reflection. An assembly consisting of a beamsplitter and an electronically adjustable contrast layer is constructed as a thin sheet and positioned to reflect an image source. The electronically adjustable contrast layer consists of a shuttering capable material, such as liquid crystal shutters and suspended particle devices, that can be electronically engaged to be in a transparent state and also a darkened (opaque) state. The electronically adjustable contrast layer enables images to been seen in a mode that best suits its video content as to the degree of contrast selected among the transparent to darkened states. An embodiment of the present invention synchronizes events in video content to one of the states of transparent, darkened and the increments between.

Abstract: An image-sensing server performs moving-image transfer service by sequentially transferring live video images obtained by a video camera via a general network such as the Internet. When live video images are requested from an external device as a client on the network, a system controller controls data-transfer amount per unit time of an image obtained by image sensing by the video camera, in accordance with traffic status on the network, and transfers the image data to the external device.