Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Yancey Christopher Smith

Christian F Huitema

Zhengyou Zhang

Eric Glenn Lang

Nicholas David Burton

David James Quinn

Iain A McFadzen

Royal D Winchester

Peter Alan Ridgway

Andrew John Bastable

Carol Clark

David T Hill

The systems and methods generate geometric proxies for participants in an online communication session, where each geometric proxy is a geometric representation of a participant and each geometric proxy is generated from acquired depth information and is associated with a particular virtual box. The systems and methods also include generating a scene geometry that visually simulates an in-person meeting of the participants where the scene geometry includes the geometric proxies, and the virtual boxes of the geometric proxies are aligned within the scene geometry based on a number of the participants and a reference object to which the virtual boxes are aligned. In addition, the systems and methods cause a display of the scene geometry with the geometric proxies, where the display of a particular geometric proxy includes a video of the participant corresponding to the particular geometric painted onto the particular geometric proxy.

Virtual viewpoint for a participant in an online communication

Implementations provide an in-person communication experience by generating a changable virtual viewpoint for a participant in an online communication. For instance, techniques described herein capture visual data about participants in an online communication, and create a realistic geometric proxy from the visual data. A virtual scene geometry is generated that mimics an arrangement of an in-person meeting for the online communication. According to various implementations, a virtual viewpoint displays a changing virtual viewpoint, such as based on a change in position of a participants face.

A perspective-correct communication window system and method for communicating between participants in an online meeting, where the participants are not in the same physical locations. Embodiments of the system and method provide an in-person communications experience by changing virtual viewpoint for the participants when they are viewing the online meeting. The participant sees a different perspective displayed on a monitor based on the location of the participant's eyes. Embodiments of the system and method include a capture and creation component that is used to capture visual data about each participant and create a realistic geometric proxy from the data. A scene geometry component is used to create a virtual scene geometry that mimics the arrangement of an in-person meeting. A virtual viewpoint component displays the changing virtual viewpoint to the viewer and can add perceived depth using motion parallax.

Geometric proxy for a participant in an online meeting

Technology is disclosed for automatically generating a facial avatar resembling a user in a defined art style. One or more processors generate a user 3D head model for the user based on captured 3D image data from a communicatively coupled 3D image capture device. A set of user transferable head features from the user 3D head model are automatically represented by the one or more processors in the facial avatar in accordance with rules governing transferable user 3D head features. In some embodiments, a base or reference head model of the avatar is remapped to include the set of user head features. In other embodiments, an avatar head shape model is selected based on the user 3D head model, and the transferable user 3D head features are represented in the avatar head shape model.

Generating an avatar from real time image data

A controlled three-dimensional (3D) communication endpoint system and method for simulating an in-person communication between participants in an online meeting or conference and providing easy scaling of a virtual environment when additional participants join. This gives the participants the illusion that the other participants are in the same room and sitting around the same table with the viewer. The controlled communication endpoint includes a plurality of camera pods that capture video of a participant from 360 degrees around the participant. The controlled communication endpoint also includes a display device configuration containing display devices placed at least 180 degrees around the participant and display the virtual environment containing geometric proxies of the other participants. Placing the participants at a round virtual table and increasing the diameter of the virtual table as additional participants are added easily achieves scalability.

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Yancey Christopher Smith