Cheryl Gwen Hein

US Patent:

6466250, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Feb 4, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/497748

Inventors:

Cheryl M. Hein - Los Angeles CA
Craig A. Lee - Los Angeles CA
Michael D. Howard - Westlake Village CA
Tamara Lacker - Boston MA
Michael J. Daily - Thousand Oaks CA

Assignee:

Hughes Electronics Corporation - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04N 714

US Classification:

348 1416, 348 1408, 348 1409

Abstract:

A system and method for producing and receiving electronically-mediated collaboration is presented. The electronically-mediated collaboration system and method include a high-fidelity audio system as well as application and cursor sharing, and a session manager module to synchronize among participants. In one embodiment, the system includes an eye contact collaboratory that manipulates video and eye position input to synthesize virtual camera images which simulate ordinary gaze behavior in a collaboratory system. An audio component optionally spatializes the voices of the participants to appear to coincide with their images.