Abstract: A method and system for generating caricatured images of subjects wherein the caricatured image of each subject is adapted when subjects join and leave a closed group of which they are members. By adapting the caricatured images in this manner, it can be ensured that each caricatured image remains maximally distinguishable from the other images in the group, thus ensuring that recognition of the images may be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system wherein first video images are directly overlaid with remote video images to produce a combined video image which is then displayed to the user and/or stored as appropriate. Preferably at least one of the first and/or remote images is subject to an image processing operation prior to the overlay operation being performed, the image processing operation being such that the scenes contained within the images to be overlaid when processed are separably distinguishable to a user within the combined video image when viewed by the user. The overlay operation is performed such that the scenes contained within the respective video images are substantially in alignment on top of each other.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system of generating a caricatured image which takes into account facial features, and applies caricaturing to each feature area independently. This is achieved by defining within a reference image predefined feature areas, and then finding corresponding areas in an input image to the reference feature areas. A caricatured image is then generated by taking points within the input image in turn, and determining within which feature area a point lies. A corresponding caricature point can then be found depending upon the feature area in which the point was found to lie.

Abstract: The present invention applies prior art findings with regards to increased recognisance of caricatured images by providing a method and system which provide for the level of caricaturing to be applied to an image to be set in dependence on the intended size of the caricature image. Preferably, the caricature level is set as a generally inverse function of the image size, such that the smaller the image the greater the level of the caricaturing that is applied. In such a case increased recognisance of subjects represented in smaller images may result.