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GoogleGranted patentAI & softwareInterest 7/10

Google patents auto-muting video calls when you leave the camera view

This patent describes a system that uses AI to check if a person is still sitting in front of their camera during a video call. It compares a 3D map of the room with the person's position in each video frame to detect if they have walked away. If the person is no longer in front of the camera, the system automatically mutes their microphone and turns off their video feed.

Why it mattersIt could reduce the awkwardness of accidentally leaving a meeting on mute or video, helping users manage their presence without manually adjusting settings.

In the filing’s own words

A method for detecting the presence of a virtual meeting participant includes obtaining a first frame of a video stream generated by a camera of a client device of a participant of a virtual meeting. The method includes generating a depth map of the first frame. The method includes, for each of one or more second frames of the video stream, generating a point cloud of an image of the participant located in a respective second frame, and determining whether the participant is in front of the camera based on an overlap between a selected zone of the depth map and the point cloud of the image of the participant located in the respective second frame. Responsive to the determining the participant is not in front of the camera, the method includes muting the participant's audio and deactivating the participant's video stream.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method, comprising: obtaining a first frame of a video stream generated by a camera of a client device of a participant of a virtual meeting; generating, using a first generative artificial intelligence (AI) model and the first frame as input to the first generative AI model, a depth map of the first frame; for each of one or more second frames of the video stream: generating, using a second generative AI model and a respective second frame as input to the second generative AI model, a point cloud of an image of the participant located in the respective second frame, and determining whether the participant is in front of the camera based on an overlap between a selected zone of the depth map and the point cloud of the image of the participant located in the respective second frame; and causing at least one of an audio setting action or a video setting action to be performed based on the determining.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Detecting the presence of a virtual meeting participant
Patent number
US12771809B2
Application number
18444195
Filed
Feb 16, 2024
Granted
Oct 20, 2026
Inventors
1
Claims
16

Classified under

H04N 7/157 Electricity & electronicsG06T 7/50 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.