Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
System and method for combining local and remote images such that images of participants appear overlaid on another in substanial alignment
The invention provides a method and system wherein first video images are directly overlaid with remote video images to produce a combined video image which is then displayed to the user and/or stored as appropriate. Preferably at least one of the first and/or remote images is subject to an image processing operation prior to the overlay operation being performed, the image processing operation being such that the scenes contained within the images to be overlaid when processed are separably distinguishable to a user within the combined video image when viewed by the user. The overlay operation is performed such that the scenes contained within the respective video images are substantially in alignment on top of each other. By overlaying the respective first and remote video images as described a single image is obtained within which the respective scenes of the respective first and remote images are still separably distinguishable, but which is still of an appropriate size for display on a screen of limited size without occlusion of one or other of the images.
British Telecommunications public limited company
H H G
H04N H04N G06F
inventional inventional inventional
Jeremy M David J David G
Thorne Chatting Morrison