Methods for facilitating virtual presence

1. A method of providing a virtual presence system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a display having a structural matrix configured to arrange a plurality of spaced pixel elements, said plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable; said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

b) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements; said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

c) operating said image capture device for image capture while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said image capture device capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously capturing said captured image image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one image capture device;

b) receiving in said at least one signal processor at least one said captured image from said at least one image capture device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

a) capturing an image from said at least one image capture device;

b) displaying said captured image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) disposing a plurality of image capture devices within said active visual area at varying vertical and horizontal locations, each of said plurality of image capture devices disposed within the active visual area among said spaced pixel elements.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with one or more of said plurality of image capture devices;

b) capturing in each of said plurality of image capture devices a respective sub-image;

c) receiving in said at least one signal processor each of said respective sub-images;

d) combining at least a portion of more than one of said sub-images to form a larger image.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying at least a portion of said larger image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying said larger image at a remote location creating a window effect.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

a) coupling a signal carrier to at least one of said image capture devices, the signal carrier comprising a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, or a conduit;

b) carrying, by means of said signal carrier, a transmission signal to and from said at least one image capture device.

9. A method of providing a virtual presence system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a display having a structural matrix configured to arrange a plurality of spaced pixel elements, said plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable; said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

b) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements; said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

c) disposing at least one acoustic and/or infrared transmitter and/or receiver device within the active visual area about or between two or more respective spaced pixel elements for sensing an attribute of an individual located within said active visual area;

d) modifying said displayed image based upon said sensed attribute of said individual;

e) operating said transmitter and/or receiver while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said transmitter and/or receiver capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously sensing said attribute of said individual.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one acoustic and/or infrared transmitter and/or receiver device;

b) sensing, from an area about said active visual area, acoustic and/or infrared waves;

c) communicating said sensed acoustic and/or infrared waves to said at least one signal processor;

d) projecting acoustic and/or infrared waves i) on the active visual area creating a mirror effect; and/or ii) at a remote location creating a window effect.

11. A method of providing a virtual presence system comprising the steps of:

a) arranging, on a structural matrix, a plurality of spaced pixel elements including LED devices carried by a substrate, the plurality of spaced pixel elements collectively forming an active visual area wherein an image is displayable,

b) arranging said LED devices to have a predetermined spacing defining a pixel gap between adjacent pixels on a respective substrate, wherein adjacent substrates having adjacent pixels have a similar sized pixel gap corresponding to the pixel gap within a particular substrate; said LED devices of said active visual area capable of being continuously active for continuously displaying a displayed image;

c) disposing at least one image capture device within the active visual area and among said spaced pixel elements; said image capture device being continuously active for capturing a captured image;

d) operating said image capture device for image capture while simultaneously operating said display for displaying said displayed image, said spaced pixel elements and said image capture device capable of being simultaneously operative for simultaneously displaying said displayed image and simultaneously capturing said captured image.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with the at least one image capture device;

b) receiving in said at least one signal processor at least one said captured image from said at least one image capture device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

a) capturing an image from said at least one image capture device;

b) displaying said captured image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) disposing a plurality of image capture devices within said active visual area at varying vertical and horizontal locations, each of said plurality of image capture devices disposed within the active visual area among said spaced pixel elements.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one signal processor in communication with one or more of said plurality of image capture devices;

b) capturing in each of said plurality of image capture devices a respective sub-image;

c) receiving in said at least one signal processor each of said respective sub-images;

d) combining at least a portion of more than one of said sub-images to form a larger image.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying at least a portion of said larger image on said active visual area creating a mirror effect.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

a) displaying said larger image at a remote location creating a window effect.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

a) coupling a signal carrier to at least one of said image capture devices, the signal carrier comprising a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, or a conduit;

b) carrying, by means of said signal carrier, a transmission signal to and from said at least one image capture device.