Patent ID: 7428000

Claim:
An automated system for capturing and viewing an event having event participants, comprising: multiple cameras of different types simultaneously capturing images of sub-events occurring in a space associated with an event, wherein the multiple cameras of different types are at least two of: a 360-degree camera centrally positioned to monitor in substantially 360-degrees the space in which the event occurs; a remote view camera positioned so as to capture a view of event participants in said space associated with said event to be transmitted to a client over said network; a presenter view camera positioned so as to capture a view of an overview of the space associated with the event wherein a presenter would typically be presenting; and a whiteboard capture camera positioned so as to capture strokes written on a whiteboard; a virtual director that automaticaljy determines which view of said multiple cameras of different types to display, wherein said virtual director determines which camera view to display by: determining if a person is speaking and facing toward a display that displays at least one remote event participant, and if so using a camera view captured by said remote camera to display; determining if a person is talking and the presenter view camera can track them and provide a higher resolution image than the 360-degree camera, and if so using a camera view captured by said presenter view camera for display; and else, using a camera view captured by said 360-degree camera to display; a server capable of recording and broadcasting the captured sub-events; and one or more clients in network connection with said server that view portions of the captured event.