The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1992
Filed:
Jan. 15, 1991
Terence J Nelson, New Providence, NJ (US);
Lanny S Smoot, Morris Township, Morris County, NJ (US);
Bell Communications Research, Livingston, NJ (US);
Abstract
Apparatus to establish eye contact between communicating parties during video conferencing comprises mirrors, polarizers and a camera which are positioned with respect to one another in a special, well-defined manner such that the apparatus protrudes a minimal distance from the terminal screen. Internal to this apparatus, a first polarizer located directly in front of the terminal screen passes a polarization of the image of the distant party radiated from the terminal screen. A first mirror, which is partially silvered, reflects the image of the local party and transmits the image of the distant party that is radiated from the terminal screen and passed by the first polarizer. The reflected image of the local party is directed toward a second mirror located below the first mirror. The second mirror is positioned to capture the image of the local party from the first mirror and to reflect this image into a miniature camera. A second polarizer is located between the second mirror and the camera and cross-polarized with the first polarizer to minimize extraneous light from the terminal screen entering the camera.