How Video Apps Add Special Effects and Frame People
This patent describes ways for video applications to show special visual effects, like filters or backgrounds, during live video calls or when recording, and how to automatically frame a person.
Original patent title: “Video application graphical effects”
This patent describes ways for video applications to show special visual effects, like filters or backgrounds, during live video calls or when recording, and how to automatically frame a person. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent outlines methods and user interfaces for displaying graphical effects within video applications. This includes applying visual effects during a "real-time communication session," which means live video calls, and sharing content with these effects. It also covers displaying these graphical effects across "multiple video applications" and a system for "framing a subject" within the camera's view. For instance, a video chat application could automatically zoom and pan to keep a speaker centered in the frame, or a user could add a virtual hat graphical effect to their head during a live broadcast.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover applying effects to purely audio communication without any video component.
- Does not cover graphical effects in applications that are not video-based, such as static image viewers or text editors.
- Does not cover the underlying video compression or transmission technologies themselves, only the display of effects.
- Does not cover physical camera hardware or lens systems that capture the video.
- Does not cover effects that are only applied during post-production editing of a recorded video, rather than during display or real-time communication.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → appears to be in the specific methods for integrating graphical effects seamlessly into real-time video sessions, enabling their use across multiple applications, and providing automated subject framing within the camera's field of view.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Zoom virtual backgrounds and filters
Microsoft Teams custom backgrounds and 'Together mode'
Google Meet visual effects and auto-framing
Snapchat AR filters and lenses
Instagram video effects for Reels and Stories
TikTok visual effects and green screen features
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is crucial for enhancing user engagement and creativity in modern video communication. Features like virtual backgrounds, face filters, and automatic framing have become standard in video conferencing and social media apps. They make video interactions more dynamic, personalized, and professional, driving broader adoption of video-centric platforms.
Filed
January 18, 2024
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major video conferencing providers like Zoom, Microsoft, and Google are continuously developing and integrating similar graphical effects and framing technologies into their platforms. Social media companies such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and Snap (Snapchat) also heavily invest in these features to enhance user interaction and content creation.
Market impact
This type of technology has significantly impacted the market by making video communication more engaging and accessible. It has fostered a competitive landscape where platforms constantly innovate with new visual effects and intelligent framing, driving user adoption and retention. These features have become expected functionalities, influencing how people interact digitally for both personal and professional purposes.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent outlines methods and user interfaces for displaying graphical effects within video applications. This includes applying visual effects during a "real-time communication session," which means live video calls, and sharing content with these effects. It also covers displaying these graphical effects across "multiple video applications" and a system for "framing a subject" within the camera's view. For instance, a video chat application could automatically zoom and pan to keep a speaker centered in the frame, or a user could add a virtual hat graphical effect to their head during a live broadcast.
The clever bit
The novelty appears to be in the specific methods for integrating graphical effects seamlessly into real-time video sessions, enabling their use across multiple applications, and providing automated subject framing within the camera's field of view.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover applying effects to purely audio communication without any video component.
- Does not cover graphical effects in applications that are not video-based, such as static image viewers or text editors.
- Does not cover the underlying video compression or transmission technologies themselves, only the display of effects.
- Does not cover physical camera hardware or lens systems that capture the video.
- Does not cover effects that are only applied during post-production editing of a recorded video, rather than during display or real-time communication.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$19K – $61K
Midpoint $38K · 17.3 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). How Video Apps Add Special Effects and Frame People (U.S. Patent No. 12,737,049). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737049/video-application-graphical-effects
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Video Apps Add Special Effects and Frame People cover?
This patent describes ways for video applications to show special visual effects, like filters or backgrounds, during live video calls or when recording, and how to automatically frame a person.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is crucial for enhancing user engagement and creativity in modern video communication. Features like virtual backgrounds, face filters, and automatic framing have become standard in video conferencing and social media apps. They make video interactions more dynamic, personalized, and professional, driving broader adoption of video-centric platforms.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover applying effects to purely audio communication without any video component.
Patent monitoring