Abstract: A videoconferencing system has a plurality of displays arranged side-by-side. Top loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the tops of the displays, and bottom loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the bottoms of the displays. A control unit operatively coupled to the displays and the loudspeakers routes video to each of the displays and routes audio corresponding to each display to any of the top and bottom loudspeakers arranged adjacent the display. Thus, the top and bottom loudspeakers form a vertical pair of loudspeakers that output the corresponding audio for its respective display. In this way, the audio for the video of a given display is perceived by participants to originate from the center of the given display. If one of the loudspeakers is not provided, gain setting and mixing between adjacent sets of loudspeakers can produce a virtual loudspeaker for the one that is missing.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The system evaluates the audio information is evaluated to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session. The person's face can then be framed within a frame view.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The audio information is evaluated automatically to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session.

Abstract: A videoconferencing apparatus automatically tracks speakers in a room and dynamically switches between a controlled, people-view camera and a fixed, room-view camera. When no one is speaking, the apparatus shows the room view to the far-end. When there is a dominant speaker in the room, the apparatus directs the people-view camera at the dominant speaker and switches from the room-view camera to the people-view camera. When there is a new speaker in the room, the apparatus switches to the room-view camera first, directs the people-view camera at the new speaker, and then switches to the people-view camera directed at the new speaker. When there are two near-end speakers engaged in a conversation, the apparatus tracks and zooms-in the people-view camera so that both speakers are in view.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The audio information is evaluated automatically to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The audio information is evaluated automatically to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session.

Abstract: A videoconferencing apparatus automatically tracks speakers in a room and dynamically switches between a controlled, people-view camera and a fixed, room-view camera. When no one is speaking, the apparatus shows the room view to the far-end. When there is a dominant speaker in the room, the apparatus directs the people-view camera at the dominant speaker and switches from the room-view camera to the people-view camera. When there is a new speaker in the room, the apparatus switches to the room-view camera first, directs the people-view camera at the new speaker, and then switches to the people-view camera directed at the new speaker. When there are two near-end speakers engaged in a conversation, the apparatus tracks and zooms-in the people-view camera so that both speakers are in view.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The audio information is evaluated automatically to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session.

Abstract: Methods and systems for cancellation of table noise in a speaker system used for video or audio conferencing are disclosed. Table noise is cancelled by using a vertical microphone array to distinguish the tilt angle of sound received by a microphone. If the sound is close to horizontal, the audio is muted. If the sound is above a given angle from horizontal, it is not muted, as this indicates a person speaking. This eliminates paper rustling, keyboard clicks and the like.

Abstract: In videoconference camera selection, audio inputs associated with cameras for a videoconference are each processed into first and second audio energies respectively for first and second frequency ranges. The selection then determines which of the audio inputs has a greatest ratio of the first audio energy to the second audio energy and selects the associated camera view for outputting video for the videoconference. The selection can also process video inputs from the cameras either alone or in combination with the audio processing. Either way, the selection processes each of the video inputs for at least one facial characteristic and determines which of the video inputs has a greatest likelihood of framing a human face. In the end, the selection selects the associated camera view for outputting video for the videoconference based at least in part on this video-based determination.

Abstract: A videoconference apparatus and method coordinates a stationary view obtained with a stationary camera to an adjustable view obtained with an adjustable camera. The stationary camera can be a web camera, while the adjustable camera can be a pan-tilt-zoom camera. As the stationary camera obtains video, faces of participants are detected, and a boundary in the view is determined to contain the detected faces. Absence and presences of motion associated with the detected face is used to verify whether a face is reliable. To then capture and output video of the participants for the videoconference, the view of the adjustable camera is adjusted to a framed view based on the determined boundary. In the end, active video captured in the framed view with the adjustable camera can be sent to a far-end for the videoconference.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system has a plurality of displays arranged side-by-side. Top loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the tops of the displays, and bottom loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the bottoms of the displays. A control unit operatively coupled to the displays and the loudspeakers routes video to each of the displays and routes audio corresponding to each display to any of the top and bottom loudspeakers arranged adjacent the display. Thus, the top and bottom loudspeakers form a vertical pair of loudspeakers that output the corresponding audio for its respective display. In this way, the audio for the video of a given display is perceived by participants to originate from the center of the given display. If one of the loudspeakers is not provided, gain setting and mixing between adjacent sets of loudspeakers can produce a virtual loudspeaker for the one that is missing.

Abstract: Use of a scalable audio codec to implement distributed mixing and/or sender bit rate regulation in a multipoint conference is disclosed. The scalable audio codec allows the audio signal from each endpoint to be split into one or more frequency bands and for the transform coefficients within such bands to be prioritized such that usable audio may be decoded from a subset of the entire signal. The subset may be created by omitting certain frequency bands and/or by omitting certain coefficients within the frequency bands. By providing various rules for each endpoint in a conference, the endpoint can determine the importance of its signal to the conference and can select an appropriate bit rate, thereby conserving bandwidth and/or processing power throughout the conference.

Abstract: A videoconference apparatus and method coordinates a stationary view obtained with a stationary camera to an adjustable view obtained with an adjustable camera. The stationary camera can be a web camera, while the adjustable camera can be a pan-tilt-zoom camera. As the stationary camera obtains video, faces of participants are detected, and a boundary in the view is determined to contain the detected faces. Absence and presences of motion associated with the detected face is used to verify whether a face is reliable. To then capture and output video of the participants for the videoconference, the view of the adjustable camera is adjusted to a framed view based on the determined boundary. In the end, active video captured in the framed view with the adjustable camera can be sent to a far-end for the videoconference.

Abstract: Methods and systems for cancelation of table noise in a speaker system used for video or audio conferencing are disclosed. Table noise is cancelled by using a vertical microphone array to distinguish the tilt angle of sound received by a microphone. If the sound is close to horizontal, the audio is muted. If the sound is above a given angle from horizontal, it is not muted, as this indicates a person speaking. This eliminates paper rustling, keyboard clicks and the like.

Abstract: A videoconferencing apparatus automatically tracks speakers in a room and dynamically switches between a controlled, people-view camera and a fixed, room-view camera. When no one is speaking, the apparatus shows the room view to the far-end. When there is a dominant speaker in the room, the apparatus directs the people-view camera at the dominant speaker and switches from the room-view camera to the people-view camera. When there is a new speaker in the room, the apparatus switches to the room-view camera first, directs the people-view camera at the new speaker, and then switches to the people-view camera directed at the new speaker. When there are two near-end speakers engaged in a conversation, the apparatus tracks and zooms-in the people-view camera so that both speakers are in view.

Abstract: A videoconferencing apparatus automatically tracks speakers in a room and dynamically switches between a controlled, people-view camera and a fixed, room-view camera. When no one is speaking, the apparatus shows the room view to the far-end. When there is a dominant speaker in the room, the apparatus directs the people-view camera at the dominant speaker and switches from the room-view camera to the people-view camera. When there is a new speaker in the room, the apparatus switches to the room-view camera first, directs the people-view camera at the new speaker, and then switches to the people-view camera directed at the new speaker. When there are two near-end speakers engaged in a conversation, the apparatus tracks and zooms-in the people-view camera so that both speakers are in view.

Abstract: A scalable audio codec for a processing device determines first and second bit allocations for each frame of input audio. First bits are allocated for a first frequency band, and second bits are allocated for a second frequency band. The allocations are made on a frame-by-frame basis based on the energy ratio between the two bands. For each frame, the codec transform codes both frequency bands into two sets of transform coefficients, which are then packetized based on the bit allocations. The packets are then transmitted with the processing device. Additionally, the frequency regions of the transform coefficients can be arranged in order of importance determined by power levels and perceptual modeling. Should bit stripping occur, the decoder at a receiving device can produce audio of suitable quality given that bits have been allocated between the bands and the regions of transform coefficients have been ordered by importance.

Abstract: In videoconference camera selection, audio inputs associated with cameras for a videoconference are each processed into first and second audio energies respectively for first and second frequency ranges. The selection then determines which of the audio inputs has a greatest ratio of the first audio energy to the second audio energy and selects the associated camera view for outputting video for the videoconference. The selection can also process video inputs from the cameras either alone or in combination with the audio processing. Either way, the selection processes each of the video inputs for at least one facial characteristic and determines which of the video inputs has a greatest likelihood of framing a human face. In the end, the selection selects the associated camera view for outputting video for the videoconference based at least in part on this video-based determination.

Abstract: Use of a scalable audio codec to implement distributed mixing and/or sender bit rate regulation in a multipoint conference is disclosed. The scalable audio codec allows the audio signal from each endpoint to be split into one or more frequency bands and for the transform coefficients within such bands to be prioritized such that usable audio may be decoded from a subset of the entire signal. The subset may be created by omitting certain frequency bands and/or by omitting certain coefficients within the frequency bands. By providing various rules for each endpoint in a conference, the endpoint can determine the importance of its signal to the conference and can select an appropriate bit rate, thereby conserving bandwidth and/or processing power throughout the conference.