Abstract: A method and system for implanting an image onto a selected one at a time of a plurality of video frames representing a stream of action occurring within a background space, the space having fixed planar surfaces and being scanned by at least one video camera. The method also includes a step of generating a model of a selected one of the fixed surfaces, the model includes a representation of geometrical features characterizing the surface. The model also includes a step of utilizing the model to perspectively distort the image so as to provide it in generally the same perspective of the selected frame, a step of producing a background mask of the selected frame, the frame includes at lest a portion of the fixed surface, the background mask defines changeable regions of the selected frame and unchangeable regions thereof and the step of blending the perspectively distorted image into the selected portion of the changeable region, thereby implanting said image into said selected frame.

Abstract: A system and method which mixes images, such as an advertisement, with a video stream of action occurring within a relatively unchanging space, such as a playing field, is disclosed. The system utilizes a model of the background space to change the video stream so as to include the image at some location within the background space. It includes a video frame grabber and an image implantation system. The frame grabber grabs a single frame of the video signal at one time. The image implantation system typically implants the grabbed image into the frame onto a predefined portion of a preselected one of the surfaces of the background space if the portion is shown in the frame. To determine the location of the portion to have implantation, the image implantation system includes a unit for receiving a) a flat model of the fixed surfaces and b) an image mask indicating the portion of the flat model onto which the image is to be mixed.