Patent ID: 7496229

Claim:
A computer-implemented process for segmenting writings written on a whiteboard work surface, comprising the process actions of: capturing images of a whiteboard that includes one or more items projected on the whiteboard and writings written on the whiteboard with a camera; separating into two files the one or more items projected on the whiteboard and the writings written on the whiteboard, wherein separating into two files the one or more items projected on the whiteboard and the writings written on the whiteboard comprises the process actions of: determining a relationship between a position of the camera view and the one or more items projected on the whiteboard via geometric calibration; determining a relationship between colors of the writings written on the whiteboard and colors of the writings written on the whiteboard captured in the images via color calibration; estimating a visual echo image that corrects a captured image to match the whiteboard in geometry and color using the results of the geometric calibration and the color calibration; using visual echo cancellation to isolate writings written on the whiteboard by comparing a ratio of the albedo of the captured image to the albedo of the visual echo image; and displaying the writings written on the whiteboard on another display.