MICROSOFT 2020-02-069 Feb 2020 08:46
GAZE-CORRECT VIDEO CONFERENCING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
https://patents.justia.com/patent/20200045261
In some cases, there may be video conferences where participants wish to move through their environment or otherwise change their physical position. A video conference session in which there is real-time variability in the physical position of participants(s) relative to a camera or to one another may preclude the capture of a consistent or reliable view of the participants(s) for the remote users. One of the factors that is known to be essential for face-to-face communication is eye contact. Eye contact can instill trust and foster an environment of collaboration and partnership. Lack of eye contact, on the other hand, may generate feelings of distrust and discomfort. Unfortunately, eye contact is usually not preserved in typical video conferencing. Although various techniques have been employed for improving the quality of video conferencing, there remain significant areas for new and improved ideas for capturing and presenting video in video conferencing sessions.
The following implementations introduce video conferencing systems and process for facilitating eye contact between participants of a video conferencing session. These systems are configured to improve gaze alignment between live participants and projected images of remote counterparts. This can occur by generation of composite images that maximize the presentation of a participant's face and eyes. In addition, segmentation of the image allows foreground images to be composited with background images. These systems are configured to present images of the participant(s) such that the projected person appears to be looking directly at a camera. As a result, the participants can have a gaze-correct multi-party video conferencing session.
For purposes of this application, the terms “eye contact”, “gaze alignment”, or “direct gaze” refer to a situation in which two individuals are looking directly into each other's eyes, or where an image of a live person's eyes appear to be directed towards a person viewing the image, and/or a live person's eyes are directed toward the eyes of a projected image of a person. As noted above, eye gaze carries important information about another person's focus of attention, emotional and mental states, and intentions, as well as signals another person's potential interest for social interaction. Through eye contact, two persons share emotions and can more readily develop a connection. The perception of a direct gaze can trigger self-referential processing that leads, for example, to the enhanced processing of incoming information, enhancement of self-awareness, and increased prosocial behavior. The eye region is a key region of the face that individuals tend to pay attention to during conversations, as shown in multiple studies using eye tracking technology. In addition, a direct gaze can hold an audience's attention more effectively than other gaze direc