System and method for enhancing video conferencing experience via a moving camera
The present disclosure is directed to a video-enabled communication system that can include a camera to acquire an image of an object of interest (such as a local participant) during a video communication session and a control unit, coupled with the camera. The control unit causes movement of the camera from a first spatial location to a second spatial location relative to a selected point of reference to enable the camera to capture different images for display, by a remote display device, to a remote participant to the video communication session.
1. A communication system, comprising:
a camera to acquire an image of a first object of interest during a video communication session while in a first spatial location, and acquire an image of a second object of interest during the video communication session while in a second spatial location; and
a control unit, coupled with the camera, comprising:
a processor; and
a computer readable medium comprising an imaging controller that causes the processor to move the camera from the first spatial location, opposing the first object of interest relative to a selected point of reference, to the second spatial location, opposing the second object of interest relative to the selected point of reference, to position the camera to capture different images for display, by a remote display device, to a remote participant to the video communication session;
wherein the movement of the camera from the first spatial location to the second spatial location is along a curvilinear track; and
a displacement measuring system to determine a position and/or displacement of the camera, from the first spatial location to the second spatial location along the curvilinear track, wherein the processor determines the second spatial location of the camera based on a sensed location of one or more of a local participant and an object of interest other than the local participant.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the local participant and the object of interest other than the local participant is the first object of interest and the one or more of the local participant and the object of interest other than the local participant is the second object of interest are each local participants to the video communication session, whiteboard, or projector screen, wherein the camera is a pan, tilt, and zoom camera, wherein, as a result of the movement, the pan rotational axis moves from the first spatial location to the second spatial location.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide track assembly comprising at least one track of the curvilinear track along which the camera moves via a carriage movably engaging the at least one track.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein one of the first object of interest and the second object of interest is the local participant to the video communication session, and wherein the guide track assembly comprises a carriage displacement unit to cause camera movement along the at least one track, the displacement.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the guide track assembly further comprises a support arm engaging a local display device and a housing, engaging the support arm, and enclosing, at least partially, the at least one track, carriage, and camera and wherein the housing comprises a substantially transparent front surface to position the camera to capture images of the local participant.
6. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
an audio capturing device to capture speech of the local participant; and
an audio controller to provide the captured speech to first and second sound speakers at a remote location of the remote participant for stereophonic playback of the speech by the first and second sound speakers, to the remote participant, the stereophonic playback being based on the sensed location of the local participant relative to the selected point of reference.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second objects of interest are each a local participant to the video communication session, wherein the processor causes the camera to pan in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement from the first to the second spatial locations to capture a selected image of the local participant, and wherein the processor controls movement and/or pan and/or tilt of a camera at a remote location of the remote participant to capture a selected image of the remote participant, the control of the movement and/or pan and/or tilt of the camera at the remote location being based on sound localization by the processor at a location comprising the local participant.
8. A method for performing a video communication session, comprising:
acquiring, by a camera, a sequence of images of at least one of a first local participant and second local participant during a video communication session; and
moving, by a processor, the camera from a first spatial location, opposing the first local participant relative to a selected point of reference, to a second spatial location, opposing the second local participant relative to the selected point of reference to position the camera to capture different first and second images of the at least one of the first local participant and second local participant for display, by a remote display device, to a remote participant to the video communication session; and
wherein the movement of the camera from the first spatial location to the second spatial location is along a curvilinear track; and
measuring a position and/or displacement of the camera, from the first spatial location to the second spatial location along the curvilinear track, wherein the second spatial location is determined by a sensed location of one or more of the local participant and an object of interest other than the local participant.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the camera is a pan, tilt, and zoom camera, wherein, as a result of the movement, the pan rotational axis moves from the first spatial location to the second spatial location.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the camera is moved, by a carriage supporting the camera, along at least one track of the curvilinear track.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
sensing, by the displacement measuring system, the sensed location of the local participant.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the guide track assembly further comprises a support arm engaging a local display device and a housing, engaging the support arm, and enclosing, at least partially, the at least one track, carriage, and camera and wherein the housing comprises a substantially transparent front surface to position the camera to capture images of the local participant.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
capturing, by an audio capturing device and during the video communication session, speech of the one of the first local participant and second local participant; and
providing, by an audio controller, the captured speech to first and second sound speakers at a remote location of the remote participant for stereophonic playback of the speech, by the first and second sound speakers, to the remote participant, the stereophonic playback being based on the sensed location of the one of the first local participant and second local participant relative to the selected point of reference.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processor causes the camera to pan in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement from the first to the second spatial locations to capture a selected image of the one of the first and second local participants and further comprising:
controlling, by the processor, movement and/or pan and/or tilt of a camera at a remote location of the remote participant to capture a selected image of the remote participant, the control of the movement and/or pan and/or tilt of the camera at the remote location being based on sound localization by the processor at a location comprising the one of the first local participant and second local participant.
15. A video enabled communication system, comprising:
a microprocessor coupled with a camera, the camera acquiring an image of a first and second object of interest during a video communication session;
a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor, comprising instructions that cause the microprocessor to move the camera from a first spatial location, opposing the first object of interest relative to a selected point of reference, to a second spatial location, opposing the second object of interest relative to a selected point of reference, to position the camera to capture different images for display, by a remote display device, to a remote participant to the video communication session,
wherein the movement of the camera from the first spatial location to the second spatial location is along a curvilinear track; and
a displacement measuring system to determine a position and/or displacement of the camera from the first spatial location to the second spatial location along the curvilinear track, wherein the processor determines the second spatial location of the camera based on a sensed location of one or more of a local participant and an object of interest other than the local participant.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the local participant and the object of interest other than the local participant is the first object of interest and wherein the one or more of the local participant and the object of interest other than the local participant is the second object of interest are each local participant to the video communication session, whiteboard, or projector screen, wherein the camera is a pan, tilt, and zoom camera, wherein, as a result of the movement, the pan rotational axis moves from the first spatial location to the second spatial location, and further comprising a guide track assembly comprising at least one track of the curvilinear track along which the camera moves via a carriage movably engaging the at least one track.
17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a guide track assembly comprising at least one track along which the camera moves via a carriage movably engaging the at least one track, wherein one of the first and second objects of interest are a local participant to the video communication session, and wherein the guide track assembly comprises a carriage displacement unit to cause camera movement along the at least one track of the curvilinear track, the displacement measuring system.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the guide track assembly further comprises a support arm engaging a local display device and a housing, engaging the support arm, and enclosing, at least partially, the at least one track, carriage, and camera and wherein the housing comprises a substantially transparent front surface to position the camera to capture images.
19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
an audio capturing device to capture speech of a speaking one of the first and second objects of interest; and
an audio controller to provide the captured speech to first and second sound speakers at a remote location of the remote participant for stereophonic playback of the speech by the first and second sound speakers, to the remote participant, the stereophonic playback being based on the sensed location of the speaking one of the first and second objects of interest relative to the selected point of reference.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one the first and second objects of interest a is a local participant to the video communication session, wherein the processor causes the camera to pan in a direction opposite to a direction of the movement from the first to the second spatial locations to capture a selected image of the local participant, and wherein the processor controls movement and/or pan and/or tilt of a camera at a remote location of the remote participant to capture a selected image of the remote participant, the control of the movement and/or pan and/or tilt of the camera at the remote location being based on sound localization by the processor at a location comprising the local participant.