Videoconferencing method with tracking of face and dynamic bandwidth allocation
US6680745B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 13, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N19/503
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A videoconferencing method automatically detects, within an image generated by a camera, locations and relative sizes of faces. Based upon the detection, a control system tracks each face and keeps a camera pointed at and focused on each face, regardless of movement about a room or other space. Preferably, multiple cameras are used, and an automatic algorithm selects a best face image and resizes the face image to substantially fill a transmitted frame. Preferably, an image encoding algorithm adjusts encoding parameters to match a currently amount of bandwidth available from a transmission network. Brightness, contrast, and color balance are automatically adjusted. As a result of these automatic adjustments, participants in a video conference have freedom to move around, yet remain visible and audible to other participants.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.