Virtual meeting system and method for facilitating eye contact
The present invention is an apparatus and method for facilitating eye contact in a virtual meeting system where at least one of the meeting participants drags and drops a window of a projected image of another remote meeting participant to a location on a portion of a two-way mirror so that said projected image is along a line of sight and between the viewer and a camera disposed behind the two-way mirror.
1. A system for facilitating eye contact during remote video meetings comprising:
a video meeting top panel subassembly having a first lower portion;
a video meeting base subassembly having a rear portion for mating with said first lower portion;
said video meeting top panel subassembly having:
a computer camera, disposed on a camera support;
a two-way mirror being supported by a mirror support and
a mirror support cover; and
said video meeting base subassembly having:
a plurality of adjustable legs; and
a structure for engaging and orienting a buyer furnished display equipment so that light emanating from a planar viewing screen on said buyer furnished display equipment is incident upon said two-way mirror, so that light originating from said buyer furnished display equipment and reflected toward a viewer on a visual sight line has a predetermined relationship with said planar viewing screen.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said visual sight line is not exactly parallel with said planar viewing screen.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said visual sight line is substantially parallel with said planar viewing screen.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer camera has a central axis of orientation which is not exactly parallel with said planar viewing screen.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein said central axis of orientation is substantially parallel with said planar viewing screen.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer camera is adjustable with respect to said visual sight line.
7. The system of claim 6 where said computer camera is configured with a means for changing said central axis of orientation in response to received electronic commands.
8. The system of claim 6 where said computer camera is configured with a ball in a socket coupler.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of adjustable legs are configured to make adjustments for a viewer's eye location.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said relationship between said visual sight line and said planar viewing screen is fixed.
11. A method of facilitating eye contact in virtual meeting systems comprising the steps of:
provide a top panel structure;
provide a base structure;
provide adjustable legs on said base structure;
attach a camera to said top panel structure;
place buyer furnished display equipment in the base structure with a planar viewing screen facing upward;
operate image transformation software configured to compensate for viewing of a reflected image; and
wherein said top panel structure includes a removable mirror support cover to provide access to said camera.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:
removing said removable mirror support cover and making adjustments to said camera.
13. A method of facilitating eye contact in virtual meeting systems comprising the steps of:
provide a top panel structure;
provide a base structure;
provide adjustable legs on said base structure;
attach a camera to said top panel structure;
place buyer furnished display equipment in the base structure with a planar viewing screen facing upward;
operate image transformation software configured to compensate for viewing of a reflected image; and
providing a visual alignment reference to aid in placing an image of a remotely located meeting participant directly in a line of sight between the camera and a location of a viewer's eyes.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising changing a central axis of orientation of the camera to facilitate eye contact as the location of a viewer's eyes may change as the viewer shift at least one of head and body orientation and location.