Chroma Key (e.g., Hue Detector) Patents (Class 348/592)
  • Patent number: 7095449
    Abstract: A special effect image generating apparatus provided with an image conversion processing circuit for posterization or other image conversion, a luminance and chroma condition setting circuit for image extraction by luminance and colors, a mask pattern generator for selection of a mask, and mixer for preparing a video signal, a transformation unit for transformation processing such as movement, and a post video modification unit for addition of a locus etc. The extracted image automatically tracks movement of the image so there is no change in visual effects, images having the same luminance and color conditions can be deleted by mask adjustment, movement of the image can be handled by adjustment of the mask, and highly accurate boundaries can be set by the wave-filtering and shaping circuit. Therefore, a special effect image with distinctive luminance and color can be easily prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Kurashige
  • Patent number: 7015977
    Abstract: A special effect image generating apparatus provided with an image conversion processing circuit for posterization or other image conversion, a luminance and chroma condition setting circuit for image extraction by luminance and colors, a mask pattern generator for selection of a mask, and mixer for preparing a video signal, a transformation unit for transformation processing such as movement, and a post video modification unit for addition of a locus etc. The extracted image automatically tracks movement of the image so there is no change in visual effects, images having the same luminance and color conditions can be deleted by mask adjustment, movement of the image can be handled by adjustment of the mask, and highly accurate boundaries can be set by the wave-filtering and shaping circuit. Therefore, a special effect image with distinctive luminance and color can be easily prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Kurashige
  • Patent number: 7006155
    Abstract: A system for forming composite video images from one or more foreground images and one or more background images. In one embodiment, s sum of a suppressed foreground image signal with weight ?, with one or more selected foreground colors suppressed, and a background image signal with weight 1??? (0????1) is formed, where a and ?? may vary from pixel to pixel and with time. In another embodiment, a shadow from a selected foreground image is impressed on selected pixels of a background image. In another embodiment, foreground suppression and shadowing are combined, optionally by retrofitting, using an existing ?-mixer or a newly constructed ?-mixer. Provision of a chroma key map allows a foreground image shadow to be prescribed pixel by pixel, including a transition region in which the shadowed image slowly disappears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinay Agarwala, Clement Tse
  • Patent number: 6961097
    Abstract: In an apparatus for composing image data of a main picture and image data of a sub-picture by a chroma key process, an attribute of an image contained in the sub-picture is detected, a partial area of the sub-picture is set as a chroma key mask area in accordance with the attribute detection result, and composing the image data of the main picture and the image data of the sub-picture by executing the chroma key process for an area other than the chroma key mask area without executing the chroma key process for the chroma key mask area in the sub-picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Yui
  • Patent number: 6859236
    Abstract: In an apparatus for composing image data of a main picture and image data of a sub-picture by a chroma key process, an attribute of an image contained in the sub-picture is detected, a partial area of the sub-picture is set as a chroma key mask area in accordance with the attribute detection result, and composing the image data of the main picture and the image data of the sub-picturee by executing the chroma key process for an area other than the chroma key mask area without executing the chroma key process for the chroma key mask area in the sub-picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Yui
  • Publication number: 20040218100
    Abstract: An interactive video compositing device includes a chroma-key mixer, video switcher and control circuitry. The chroma-key mixer generates a composite image by combining a real-time image, such as one captured by a video recorder, with a prerecorded video image, such as a movie. The composite image includes the modified real-time image superimposed, or overlaid, onto the prerecorded image. The video switcher automatically selects either the composite image or the prerecorded image to be output to a display. The control circuitry controls the video switcher and other outputted signals based on data file information that corresponds to content of the prerecorded image or media. For example, the data files may contain information relating to the presence (or absence) of a particular character in a movie scene, thus allowing for the output and display, at appropriate times, of the real-time composite image instead of the prerecorded image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Allan Robert Staker, Heather Clayton Staker
  • Patent number: 6807296
    Abstract: Upon chromakey processing, 4×4 transformation matrix is provided through which a backing color selected is transformed to the original point and monochrome color is transformed to vertically distribute at a spot away from the original point along an axis. Matrix multiplication comprising only addition and multiplication is applied to a foreground image data signal to generate a masked output image and a color-processed foreground output image without requiring complex arithmetic operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: IMAGICA Corp.
    Inventor: Yasushi Mishima
  • Patent number: 6714257
    Abstract: The color-keyed regions of a color-keyed image are extracted from the color-keyed image, and the color-keyed regions and the non-color-keyed regions are independently scaled. The independently scaled regions are subsequently merged to form a scaled color-key image with clearly distinguished color-keyed regions and non-color-keyed regions. To minimize the blurring of edges in the non-color-key regions, the non-color-key colors are extended into color-keyed regions after the color-keyed information is extracted from the color-keyed image. To minimize the encroachment of the scaled color-keyed regions into the scaled non-color-keyed regions of the scaled color-key image, the edges of the scaled color-key regions are sharpened by defining the color-keyed region as the region wherein each scaled/filtered color-key value exceeds a non-zero threshold value. To facilitate the use of existing memory and structure in images that are encoded using three components per pixel, such as RGB, YUV, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Jens A. Roever
  • Patent number: 6674485
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image compositing apparatus capable of producing a natural composite image, with a simple structure and a less occupying space. The present invention also provides a method for compositing an image by providing shadow-free conditions in a limited space for chroma-keying so that a subject image and a desired background image are naturally integrated as one image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiho Akiyama, Kou Otokozawa, Shigehiro Fukase, Naoto Baba, Yoshihiro Naitou, Tohru Baba
  • Patent number: 6646688
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optimal processing pipeline suitable for high quality video and graphics processing. According to the invention, color key extraction is performed before actual processing and transforming of the video/graphics data. This substantially minimizes the amount of artifacts in composed pictures. In accordance with the present invention, a video/graphics data processing pipeline is provided. The pipeline comprises a pre-processing circuit that is configured to pre-process a stream of digital video/graphics data and output pre-processed data; a color key processing circuit, operably coupled to the pre-processing circuit, that is configured to extract a color key from the pre-processed data and output resulting data; and a processing/transforming circuit, operably coupled to the color key processing circuit, that is configured to process and transform the resulting data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Jens Rennert, Ralph Escherich
  • Publication number: 20030202124
    Abstract: The invention is a process which enables presentation of a first content at an event on a display means while concurrently dubbing a second content into a video airing of said display means. Thus onsite observers at the event see said first content on the said display means while concurrent observers of the event on television see the said second content which appears to be part of the actual onsite scenery. Steps in the process included first; providing a means for identifying a real world area to be defined as an engrained field, then creating the ingrained field within a first video stream, providing a second video stream (or image), and of injecting said second video stream or image into the ingrained field of the first video stream and thereby producing a third video stream. These steps can be done automatically and nearly concurrently in real-time for live broadcasting of sporting events for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventor: Ray M. Alden
  • Patent number: 6628342
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus A comprises: an adder 107 for generating a second address value S106 which has a predetermined phase difference from a first address value S101 outputted by an address value output means 120 and outputting the same; a selector 108 for selecting either a first address value S101 or a second address value S106 to output as an output signal S107; a vertical synchronizing signal output means 123 for outputting the vertical synchronizing signal S104 to the selector 108; a ROM 109 for outputting first data corresponding to the first address value S101 or second data corresponding to the second address value S106 as a signal S108; a loading hold mode flip-flop 110 for preserving the first data; a loading hold mode flip-flop 111 for preserving the second data; and a hue adjustment means B which adjusts the hue of the video signal by using the output signal S109 of the loading hold mode flip-flop 110 and the output signal S110 of the loading hold mode flip-flop 111.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 6621499
    Abstract: A video processing device and method receives data from a common data source, such as a frame buffer and outputs first overlay information in a first color space from a first port and outputs second overlay information in a second color from a second port to facilitate output of multiple overlay images in different color spaces from common memory through different ports. In one embodiment a bidirectional port is used to allow a set of common signal pads or a bus to function as a flexible bidirectional video data port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventor: Edward G. Callway
  • Patent number: 6618444
    Abstract: A technique implicitly encodes shape information by using a chroma-key color. A frame including an object is received and a box bounding the object is created. The pixels in the bounding box outside the object are identified and replaced with a key color. The object is coded. A first bitstream is output that includes the coded data for the pixels in the bounding box, and a second bitstream is output that includes a node containing the key color and chroma-key thresholds for the object. In one embodiment, the node is a MaterialKey node. In a further embodiment, the node comprises a transparency field, an isKeyed field, an isRGB field, a keycolor field, a lowThreshold field, and a highThreshold field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Barin Geoffry Haskell, Atul Puri, Robert Lewis Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6571012
    Abstract: Image data representing a matte, key or control signal is processed. A transitional portion or softness region of the matte in which undesirable transitions occur is identified. The position of the softness region in colour-space is adjusted so as to reduce relative amplitudes of variations within the identified portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Autodesk Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 6525741
    Abstract: A method of combining a foreground image and a background image includes scaling up a pixel of interest, which is positioned along an edge between a subject and a key colored backing, into a plurality of edge subpixels. The pixel of interest is included in a digital antialiased foreground image. A corresponding pixel of a digital background scene is also scaled up. The corresponding pixel is associated with the pixel of interest and is scaled up into a plurality of background subpixels. For each of the edge subpixels, if a color of the edge subpixel matches the key colored backing, a respective new color of the edge subpixel is determined as a function of one of the background subpixels, which is associated with the edge subpixel. Also, the new color is stored to the edge subpixel. After all the subpixels have been evaluated, the edge subpixels are scaled down to a new pixel of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: R. Victor Klassen, Steven J. Harrington
  • Patent number: 6509935
    Abstract: A method provides for an improved chroma-key suppression technique. The improved method reduces a halo-like effect which might otherwise appear in a composite image containing a foreground object selected from a first image and a background image selected from a second image. In accordance with the present invention, a chroma-key patch is translated into x, y axis coordinates and one or more pixels of the image in question can be compared to a chroma-key patch and a transition region at least partially surrounding the chroma-key patch to better select suppression signals to be applied in an image processing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce E. Busby, Robert A. Williams
  • Patent number: 6501512
    Abstract: An improved technique for mixing picture signals directed at a monitor screen. Two analog video signals (such as an analog VGA input and an analog RGB signal produced in response to a stored digital still or moving image) may be multiplexed in analog form. An analog chromakey mixer detects a background color in the first video signal (such as the analog VGA input), and replaces the portion of that first video signal with the second video signal. The time delays of the first video signal and the second video signal may be adjusted so that they reach the monitor screen (by means of an a multiplexer output) at the same time. An alignment detector may attempt to align two known signals (such as a VGA sync signal and a signal generated for this purpose), and may adjust a set of time delays in the analog chromakey mixer until the time difference between the first and second video signals falls below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Julien T. Nguyen, Alain Doreau, Aurelia Popa-Radu
  • Patent number: 6496599
    Abstract: Image data taking the form of a plurality of image pixels is processed. A three dimensional representation of color-space is displayed and the color of pixels within the processed image are analysed such that said analysed pixels are displayed at color related positions within the displayed color-space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Autodesk Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 6490006
    Abstract: The chroma key system discriminates background and non-background by color difference. Further, the chroma key system changes background color by illuminating the background via background illumination equipment, discriminates the changing background color as background, and thereby discriminates background from non-background. The chroma key system comprises a lighted control circuit operable to control the background illumination equipment so as to provide a color changeable illumination to the background, and a background discriminating and swapping circuit operable to discriminate the subject from the background using information within an image signal based on the color changeable illumination of the background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Daisho Denki Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshio Monjo
  • Publication number: 20020171764
    Abstract: A chroma keying system 1 processes foreground image data representing a foreground subject in front of a matte, together with background data representing a background image, to produce composite image data representing the foreground subject and the background in place of the matte. A programmable look up table 8 is provided for receiving on a pixel-by-pixel basis the most significant bits (MSBs) of the foreground image data and outputting in response thereto range data representing limits of a keying range. An interpolator 9 is also provided for interpolating the range data depending on the least significant bits (LSBs) of the foreground image data and outputting keying data. A combiner 4 combines the foreground image data and the background image data on a pixel-by-pixel basis in response to the keying data to produce the composite image data. The system is operable in a calibration mode in which a generator 15 is connected to input the colour point data to an external keyer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: Quantel Limited
    Inventors: Neil Roy Hinson, Anthony David Searby, David Throup
  • Patent number: 6459732
    Abstract: A technique for implicitly encoding shape information by using a chroma-key color. A bounding box is created enclosing the video object. The bounding box is extended to be of size of next integer multiple of macroblock size and divided into a plurality of macroblocks. For each boundary macroblock, each pixel outside the object is replaced with the chroma-key color to implicitly encode shape information. Pixel data for boundary macroblocks and macroblocks inside the object are DCT transformed, scaled and motion compensated. A finer quantizer (smaller quantizer) is used for boundary macroblocks to improve image quality. A first_shape_code can be used to identify each macroblock as either 1) inside the object; 2) outside the object; or 3) on the object boundary. To improve data compression and achieve low complexity shape extraction with DCT and motion compensation, a first_shape_code is sent for all macroblocks, and only macroblocks that are inside the object or on the object boundary are coded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Tsuhan Chen, Atul Puri, Robert Lewis Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6441864
    Abstract: A video signal processing device includes an address generator to calculate a transformation matrix for three-dimensionally transforming an image to a “blue board” area. The transformation is based on corner positions of the blue board area of a video signal and those of an image area of a source video signal to be inserted. Address information is calculated for reading the source video signal from a memory based on an inverse matrix of the transformation matrix. In this way, the image area to be inserted can be three-dimensionally transformed and automatically inserted into the blue board area, without requiring an operator to input parameters indicative of a post-transformation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Minami, Masafumi Kurashige
  • Patent number: 6441865
    Abstract: A photographic system 1 comprising a digital still camera 3 for producing an output signal, means 11 for processing the output signal with a pre-recorded picture signal to produce a revised image signal and means 13 for printing the revised image, wherein the means 11 for processing uses chroma-key processing 37,39 to insert a background picture signal into a key color-characterized region of a foreground picture signal The invention results in a novel application of chroma-key processing to produce good quality still photographs using a simple and robust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Keith R. Hailey
  • Patent number: 6421096
    Abstract: An improved technique for mixing picture signals directed at a monitor screen. Two analog video signals (such as an analog VGA input and an analog RGB signal produced in response to a stored digital still or moving image) may be multiplexed in analog form. An analog chromakey mixer detects a background color in the first video signal (such as the analog VGA input), and replaces the portion of that first video signal with the second video signal. The time delays of the first video and the second video signal may be adjusted so that they reach the monitor screen (by means o a multiplexer output) at the same time. An alignment detector may attempt to align chromakey mixer until the time difference between the first and the second video signals falls below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Sigman Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Julien T. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20020021370
    Abstract: An improved technique for mixing picture signals directed at a monitor screen. Two analog video signals (such as an analog VGA input and an analog RGB signal produced in response to a stored digital still or moving image) may be multiplexed in analog form. An analog chromakey mixer detects a background color in the first video signal (such as the analog VGA input), and replaces the portion of that first video signal with the second video signal. The time delays of the first video signal and the second video signal may be adjusted so that they reach the monitor screen (by means of an a multiplexer output) at the same time. An alignment detector may attempt to align two known signals (such as a VGA sync signal and a signal generated for this purpose), and may adjust a set of time delays in the analog chromakey mixer until the time difference between the first and second video signals falls below a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Julien T. Nguyen, Alain Doreau, Aurelia Popa-Radu
  • Patent number: 6348953
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing a composite image from a foreground image (FG), showing an object or a scene with a substantially monochrome background, and background image (BG) comprising a first processing unit (R4) for producing a control signal (SEP) for each pixel of the foregoing image (FG), reflecting whether an individual pixel of the foreground image is part of the object or part of the monochrome background, based both on the chromatic values of the pixel and on predetermined chromatic values, describing the color composition of the monochrome background, a selection unit (R5) suffixed to the first processing unit (R4), for calculating the chromatic values of an individual pixel of the composite image from, depending on the control signal (SEP), either the chromatic values of the corresponding pixel of the foreground image (FG) or the chromatic values of the corresponding pixel of the background image (BG), a second processing unit for calculating correction values for the chromatic values of an individual
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Zbig Vision Gesellschaft für neue Bildgestaltung mbH
    Inventor: Zbigniew Rybczynski
  • Publication number: 20010033340
    Abstract: In an apparatus for composing image data of a main picture and image data of a sub-picture by a chroma key process, an attribute of an image contained in the sub-picture is detected, a partial area of the sub-picture is set as a chroma key mask area in accordance with the attribute detection result, and composing the image data of the main picture and the image data of the sub-picturee by executing the chroma key process for an area other than the chroma key mask area without executing the chroma key process for the chroma key mask area in the sub-pictur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventor: Hideaki Yui
  • Publication number: 20010024471
    Abstract: The process comprises:
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Publication date: September 27, 2001
    Inventors: Philippe Bordes, Philippe Guillotel
  • Patent number: 6292227
    Abstract: Apparatus for automatic replacement of a billboard in a video image is provided. The billboard comprises a chroma-key surface, and the apparatus includes a video camera for viewing the billboard, and a chroma-key unit operative to detect at least one chroma-key color of the billboard chroma-key surface. A reference color of the chroma-key unit is adjustable to conform to the color of the chrom-key surface, thereby enabling the chroma-key unit to correctly identify the billboard surface and to correctly replace the chroma-key surface of the billboard by a virtual advertisement in a video image with correct occlusion of any foreground object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Orad Hi-Tec Systems Limited
    Inventors: Itzhak Wilf, Avi Sharir, Michael Tamir
  • Patent number: 6275269
    Abstract: An improved technique for mixing picture signals directed at a monitor screen. Two analog video signals (such as an analog VGA input and an analog RGB signal produced in response to a stored digital still or moving image) may be multiplexed in analog form. An analog chromakey mixer detects a background color in the first video signal (such as the analog VGA input), and replaces the portion of that first video signal with the second video signal. The time delays of the first video signal and the second video signal may be adjusted so that they reach the monitor screen (by means of an a multiplexer output) at the same time. An alignment detector may attempt to align two known signals (such as a VGA sync signal and a signal generated for this purpose), and may adjust a set of time delays in the analog chromakey mixer until the time difference between the first and second video signals falls below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Julien T. Nguyen, Alain Doreau, Aurelia Popa-Radu
  • Patent number: 6262778
    Abstract: An image processing system 11 is arranged to produce data representing a combined image from foreground data F representing a foreground subject in front of a chroma backing and background data B representing a background image. The foreground data is processed and color corrected to produce first and second processed foreground data which is combined in a combiner 25 under the control of a first key K1. The background data is processed using a second key K2 to “cut” a “hole” in the background image. The processed background data and the combined foreground data are added together in an adder 44. A third key K3 is used to remove unwanted data from the added foreground and background data and to combine the resulting data with the processed background data in a combiner 45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Quantel Limited
    Inventors: Brian Robert Nonweiler, Adam Rae-Smith
  • Publication number: 20010005904
    Abstract: A broadcast enhancement system and method for enhancing a received television broadcast signal using a received enhancement signal, at least one of which is prepared for chroma keying. The system is configured to intercept the television broadcast signal before it is passed to the television and to apply chroma keying to superimpose the enhancement signal to the television broadcast signal before passing the superimposed signal to the television.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: U.S. PHILIPS CORPORATION.
    Inventor: Karl J. Wood
  • Patent number: 6252632
    Abstract: A system for enhancing the television presentation of an object that can highlight the object without obscuring the image of the object. The system receives a first video image, matches a second video image to a portion of the first video image corresponding to the image of the object. Specific pixels within the portion of the first video image which are not part of the image of the object are modified using a pixel from the second video image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Fox Sports Productions, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard H. Cavallaro
  • Patent number: 6226048
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus is provided and includes a YC separator circuit for extracting a chrominance signal from an image signal, a signal level detector circuit for outputting a signal level detecting signal by detecting a signal level of the chrominance signal and a signal level corrector circuit for correcting a signal level of the signal level detecting signal to generate a key signal according to the chrominance signal, the signal level corrector circuit including an oversampler circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Naotaka Tachibana
  • Patent number: 6201581
    Abstract: In synthesizing a foreground picture and a background picture in accordance with a key signal, for example, by soft chroma key processing, a preview screen 102 as a picture as a result of processing by the key signal and a key parameter setting screen 101 for setting characteristics of the key signal are displayed. Characteristics of the key signal are changed on a three-dimensional space by information obtained through the key parameter setting screen 101, and the picture as a result of processing is changed on the preview screen 102. Thus, even when the range of key signal setting is adjusted on the three-dimensional color space, desired processing may be carried out by simple operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuakira Moriwake, Tatsunobu Ando, Katsuro Matsuzaki, Atsushi Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 6201570
    Abstract: A camera head unit generates a digital video signal, a transmission unit transmits the digital video signal from the camera head unit, and a camera control unit processes the digital video signal transmitted from the camera head unit through the transmission unit. The camera head unit includes a replacing unit for replacing the least significant bit data of the digital video signal to be transmitted from the camera head unit to the camera control unit with another signal data to thereby produce a replacement video signal which is transmitted to the transmission unit. The camera control unit includes an extraction unit for extracting the least significant bit data from the replacement video signal transmitted from the camera head unit through the transmission unit to thereby produce the above-mentioned another signal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Murata, Atsushi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 6147716
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a picture generator and a picture generation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Ohki, Hidetoshi Nagano, Takashi Totsuka
  • Patent number: 6141063
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for generating a composite video signal in accordance with the chroma-key method in which a virtual background spill signal is generated and added to the composite video signal to avoid darkening effects which are produced when eliminating spill light, and to eliminate brightening effects which are produced in "clean-up" operations. The background spill signal may consist of the product of a virtual spill signal source (SP) and a control signal (k.sub.3). The control signal (k.sub.3) is preferably the difference between a foreground control signal (k.sub.1) and a background control signal (k.sub.2), and both signals should be identical in the foreground and background ranges but different in spill ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Rainer Gehrmann
  • Patent number: 6124897
    Abstract: An improved technique for mixing picture signals directed at a monitor screen. Two analog video signals (such as an analog VGA input and an analog RGB signal produced in response to a stored digital still or moving image) may be multiplexed in analog form. An analog chromakey mixer detects a background color in the first video signal (such as the analog VGA input), and replaces the portion of that first video signal with the second video signal. The time delays of the first video signal and the second video signal may be adjusted so that they reach the monitor screen (by means of an a multiplexer output) at the same time. An alignment detector may attempt to align two known signals (such as a VGA sync signal and a signal generated for this purpose), and may adjust a set of time delays in the analog chromakey mixer until the time difference between the first and second video signals falls below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Julien T. Nguyen, Alain Doreau, Aurelia Popa-Radu
  • Patent number: 6124896
    Abstract: A corner detector capable of detecting each corner position of a predetermined area from an input signal with a simple structure. There is provided memory means (9B) for storing memorizing an input signal (keyT) and corner detection means (9C) for detecting a point where the signal level becomes the reference signal level or more at first by reading an input signal stored in the memory means sequentially in horizontal direction from an upper limit and a lower limit of a retrieval scope and in vertical direction from the left end to the right end of the retrieval scope, and detecting a point where the signal level becomes the reference signal level or more at first by reading an input signal stored in the memory means sequentially in a diagonal direction at a predetermined angle from each angle of the retrieval scope to detect from the detected points four points whose positions differ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Kurashige
  • Patent number: 6122014
    Abstract: An efficient chroma key-based coding technique for digital video with an optimized switching threshold. An optimized binary keying threshold is provided for switching between a first image region (such as a background region) and second image region (such as a foreground object) video picture. The threshold optimizes a PSNR of a quantization error Q of a key color K. A chroma key technique is also provided for representing the shape of a video object, where the shape information (alpha plane) of a foreground object is embedded in the keyed output, so there is no need to carry an explicit alpha plane, or use alpha plane coding. The chroma key shape representation technique provides a smooth transition at the boundary between objects without the need for special switching patterns, such as a general gray scale shape coding tool, or post-processing, e.g., using feathering filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignees: Motorola, Inc., General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Krit Panusopone, Xuemin Chen
  • Patent number: 6122013
    Abstract: A chromokeying system includes a store that contains a representation of a known coded chromokeying pattern. The system further includes a frame grabber that grabs a video image including at least a portion of the known coded chromokeying pattern and a foreground subject. A perspective transformation computation unit computes a perspective transformation by comparing the video image of the portion of the coded chromokeying pattern with the known chromokeying pattern. The system may further include a background generation unit that receives a background image and applies the perspective transformation to the background image to produce a transformed background. The portion of the coded chromokeying pattern in the video image can then be replaced by the transformed background to create a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Orad, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tamir, Avi Sharir
  • Patent number: 6104438
    Abstract: An image synthesizer for detecting an area photographs a processing object area having a predetermined hue from video data obtained through a video camera, inserts another image in the area, and then produces a synthesized image. The image synthesizer forms on the processing object area a light source image having the same hue as the processing object area, detects position information of the video camera with respect to the processing object area with the light source image as a reference, and changes the other image in correspondence with position change of the video camera with the position information as a reference. In this way, the position of the video camera is detected with the light source image as a reference, and image which is inserted is changed according to a position change of the video camera. Therefore, when the video camera is moved, an image which is inserted is also changed according to the movement, and consequently, an image with no feeling of physical disorder is obtainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Etsuro Saito
  • Patent number: 6084982
    Abstract: A method of performing chroma-key coding including the steps of defining color regions and quantifying the number of pixels in the regions, classifying macroblocks in accordance with the number of pixels thus quantified, assigning chroma complexity weights for use in the computation of quantization step-size based on the classification of the macroblocks, computing the quantization step-size, performing quantization and performing variable length coding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corp.
    Inventors: Kiran Challapali, Yingwei Chen
  • Patent number: 6034740
    Abstract: In a keying system, an image of an object is gained and a plurality of the background images each of which is obtained correspondingly to a view angle of a view point in a three-dimensional space to be imaged and a view position of the view point therein are stored on a memory device. The background image from the plurality of background images stored in the memory device is selectively read according to the view angle and the view position preliminarily defined in accordance with the image of the object. A chroma-keying composition is performed between the background image and the image of the object thereby producing a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Photron
    Inventors: Kenji Mitsui, Yoshitomo Sako
  • Patent number: 6034739
    Abstract: A new method and apparatus for creating, positioning and manipulating a garbage matte which obscures everything outside of a three-dimensional physical set or blue stage. Effectively, the garbage matte is a "negative" of a blue stage. What is important is that the garbage matte is created either as a virtual enclosure around all virtual objects in the virtual environment, or simply as a background color of the graphics engine generating the garbage matte. In this way, the garbage matte provides extensions of blue screens which comprise the blue stage, extending all the way around and behind the television cameras. Consequently, a compositor will not include in a composited output image those physical set elements which are masked by the virtual garbage matte. The compositor will replace areas hidden by the garbage matte with image data supplied by the computer image generator which stores the virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Rohlfing, James H. Houskeeper
  • Patent number: 6023302
    Abstract: A graphics blending feature for a terminal such as a home communication terminal (HCT) allows an overlay image to be selectively blended with a background image through the use of a chroma key function and one or more alpha control bits. The chroma key function is used to determine whether the overlay will be completely transparent or not, and the one or more alpha control bits are used to look up a larger alpha value used to blend the overlay and background images. By using a small number of alpha control bits to retrieve a larger alpha value for blending, memory requirements per pixel are reduced. The chroma key function may be implemented by comparing each overlay pixel value to a chroma value and, responsive to a match, making the overlay pixel transparent (i.e., no blending occurs). A dithering function is included in various embodiments to smooth out the resulting image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: PowerTV, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Jiann-Tsuen Chen
  • Patent number: 6020931
    Abstract: A video signal compositing system uses advanced communication techniques to make compositing with virtual studio, blue screen, multi-color compositing, dynamic blue screen, add insertion, synthetic transfiguration, or panoramic displays more economical. A data communication system comprises a number of shared communications channels for transmitting data streams in a bi-directional manner. Multiple interface subsystems are coupled to the communications channels. The interface subsystems have a time slot controller that allocates time slots between the communication channels. A router is used in conjunction with the interface subsystems to define the time slots in which data on the shared communications channels are valid. Processing elements connected via the interface subsystem allow reconfiguration, via the shared communications channels, of processing operations performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: George S. Sheng
    Inventors: Brett Bilbrey, Lawrence A. Gust
  • Patent number: 6020932
    Abstract: Since the corner detection means (7, 9) to detect each position of the blue board area from video signal, the conversion address generation means (11) to generate the conversion address based on the position information detected and the position information showing each corner position of the image area of video signal to be inserted and the image conversion means (16) to form conversion source video signal based on the conversion address are provided and the source video signal is to be inserted to the video signal, the operator's operation adjustment as the conventional device becomes unnecessary when inserting the source video signal into the prescribed frame of the video signal, and the operation of the operator can be further decreased. Thus, a video signal processing device capable of further decreasing the operator's operation can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kurashige, Nobuyuki Minami