System and Method for Providing Location Specific Sound in a Telepresence System

Abstract

A system for providing location-specific sound in a telepresence system includes a plurality of remote microphones. Each remote microphone is associated with a respective area and operable to generate a sound signal from the voice of at least one user within the respective area. The system also includes a plurality of remote cameras. Each remote camera is associated with a respective remote microphone of the plurality of remote microphones and aligned to generate an image of its associated respective area. The system further includes a plurality of local displays. Each local display is operable to reproduce the image of a respective area generated by a respective remote camera. The system also includes a plurality of local loudspeakers. Each local loudspeaker is positioned proximate to a respective local display and operable to reproduce the sound signal from the voice of the at least one user within the respective area reproduced by the respective local display.

1 . A system for providing location-specific sound in a telepresence system comprising:
 a first number of user sections arranged around an outside edge of a conference table opposite a second number of displays;   a third number of cameras configured to capture video images from each of the first number of user sections for an equal number of video signals, the third number of cameras positioned proximate to the second number of displays and directed towards the first number of user sections such that each of the first number of user sections is within a field of view of a respective camera of the third number of cameras; and   a fourth number of microphones configured to capture sound from each of the first number of user sections, the captured sound used in a fifth number of audio signals, the fifth number equal to the first number, wherein each audio signal comprises sound captured from a respective one of the first number of users sections and is associated with a respective camera of the third number of cameras.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to, for each user section, associate the video signal captured from the user section with the audio signal comprising sound from the user section such that when the audio signal and video signal are reproduced at a remote site the audio signal is reproduced by a remote loudspeaker proximate to a remote display that reproduces the associated video signal. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fourth number of microphones are integrated into the conference table. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fourth number of microphones is less than the fifth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter operable to remove unwanted sound from the sound captured by the fourth number of microphones, the unwanted sound comprising sound detected by at least two remote microphones of the fourth number of remote microphones, the sound detected at each remote microphone having different amplitudes, the unwanted sound being the sound having the smaller amplitude of the different amplitudes. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to provide an indication that a first camera of the third number of cameras is capturing a user speaking based on the fifth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       7 . A method for providing location-specific sound in a telepresence system comprising:
 capturing, via a first number of cameras, video images from each of a second number of user sections arranged around an outside edge of a conference table opposite a third number of displays, the video images for a fourth number of video signals, the fourth number equal to the first number, the first number of cameras positioned proximate to the third number of displays and directed towards the second number of user sections such that each of the second number of user sections is within a field of view of a respective camera of the first number of cameras;   capturing, via a fifth number of microphones, sound from each of the second number of user sections;   generating a sixth number of audio signal based on the captured sound from the fifth number of microphones, the fifth number equal to the second number, wherein each audio signal comprises sound captured from a respective one of the first number of users sections and is associated with a respective camera of the first number of cameras.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, for each user section, associating the video signal captured from the user section with the audio signal comprising sound from the user section such that when the audio signal and video signal are reproduced at a remote site the audio signal is reproduced by a remote loudspeaker proximate to a remote display that reproduces the associated video signal. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fifth number of microphones are integrated into the conference table. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fifth number of microphones is less than the fifth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising removing unwanted sound from the sound captured by the fifth number of microphones, the unwanted sound comprising sound detected by at least two remote microphones of the fifth number of microphones, the sound detected at each remote microphone having different amplitudes, the unwanted sound being the sound having the smaller amplitude of the different amplitudes. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising providing an indication that a first camera of the first number of cameras is capturing a user speaking based on the sixth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       13 . Logic embodied on a computer readable medium that when executed by a processor is configured to:
 capture, via a first number of cameras, video images from each of a second number of user sections arranged around an outside edge of a conference table opposite a third number of displays, the video images for a fourth number of video signals, the fourth number equal to the first number, the first number of cameras positioned proximate to the third number of displays and directed towards the second number of user sections such that each of the second number of user sections is within a field of view of a respective camera of the first number of cameras;   capture, via a fifth number of microphones, sound from each of the second number of user sections;   generate a sixth number of audio signal based on the captured sound from the fifth number of microphones, the fifth number equal to the second number, wherein each audio signal comprises sound captured from a respective one of the first number of users sections and is associated with a respective camera of the first number of cameras.   
   
   
       14 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the logic is further configured to, for each user section, associate the video signal captured from the user section with the audio signal comprising sound from the user section such that when the audio signal and video signal are reproduced at a remote site the audio signal is reproduced by a remote loudspeaker proximate to a remote display that reproduces the associated video signal. 
   
   
       15 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the fifth number of microphones are integrated into the conference table. 
   
   
       16 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the fifth number of microphones is less than the fifth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       17 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the logic is further configured to remove unwanted sound from the sound captured by the fifth number of microphones, the unwanted sound comprising sound detected by at least two remote microphones of the fifth number of microphones, the sound detected at each remote microphone having different amplitudes, the unwanted sound being the sound having the smaller amplitude of the different amplitudes. 
   
   
       18 . The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the logic is further configured to provide an indication that a first camera of the first number of cameras is capturing a user speaking based on the sixth number of audio signals. 
   
   
       19 . A system for providing location-specific sound in a telepresence system comprising:
 means for capturing, via a first number of cameras, video images from each of a second number of user sections arranged around an outside edge of a conference table opposite a third number of displays, the video images for a fourth number of video signals, the fourth number equal to the first number, the first number of cameras positioned proximate to the third number of displays and directed towards the second number of user sections such that each of the second number of user sections is within a field of view of a respective camera of the first number of cameras;   means for capturing, via a fifth number of microphones, sound from each of the second number of user sections;   means for generating a sixth number of audio signal based on the captured sound from the fifth number of microphones, the fifth number equal to the second number, wherein each audio signal comprises sound captured from a respective one of the first number of users sections and is associated with a respective camera of the first number of cameras.