Patent ID: 8493430

Claim:
A remote communication apparatus for receiving an image signal representing an image of a first user captured by an imaging device to show the image to a second user, comprising: a zoom controller for controlling a zoom ratio defining an angle of view of the imaging device; and an estimator for estimating a distance between the imaging device and the first user on a basis of the zoom ratio of the imaging device, said estimator estimating the distance between the imaging device and the first user by assuming that the zoom ratio is adjusted so that, if an object of a predetermined size is virtually at a position of the first user, an image of the object acquired by the imaging device would occupy a predetermined range in a whole image acquired by the imaging device; a coordinate obtainer for using a pan and a tilt angle of the imaging device, and the distance between the imaging device and the first user estimated by said estimator to obtain a coordinate position of the first user in a coordinate system where the imaging device resides; a sound collector for capturing a voice of the second user; a plurality of loudspeakers located around the first user; and an output controller for transmitting the voice captured by said sound collector to at least one of said plurality of loudspeakers, said output controller holding data of coordinate positions of said plurality of loudspeakers in the coordinate system and transmitting a signal representing the voice captured by said sound collector to one of said plurality of loudspeakers which has a coordinate position that is closest to the coordinate position of the first user obtained by said coordinate obtainer.