Abstract: A video processing system for use in creating apparent three dimensional movement of a two dimensional video image on a display screen 20. At least one set of axes is displayed on the image to be moved. A computer 24, in response to signals from a user operated stylus 21 and touch tablet 22, controls the manipulation of image data in an image store 26 to control apparent rotation of the image about, and/or linear movement along, an axis selected by the user. In the described embodiment several sets of linked axes are defined. Rotation or linear movement with respect to an axis is controlled respectively by selecting a marker identifying the axes or a line representing the axis. Selection is made by way of a cursor under the control of the stylus and touch tablet. The system can also display a line representing the user defined movement of e.g. the center of the image.

Abstract: A pixel image at broadcast or graphics resolution is spatially transformed to represent the 2D projection of an image that has undergone movement in 3D space or is seen from a different viewer's position. For example, an image on a screen is delineated with four reference points designated by touching a pen on a tablet and then one is dragged with the pen along the screen to change the shape of the delineated image. At the same time, the entire delineated image is spatially transformed to make it continue to fill the entire changing shape and only that shape, until the dragged reference point is pinned to fix its position on the screen. Two or more designated point can be selected to move together as the pen drags them along the screen. The image being spatially transformed can be combined with a second image under the control of a stencil image to form a composite image.

Abstract: A video processing system for use in combining a first video image sequence comprising a number of image frames and a second sequence of video image frames to create a composite video image sequence is disclosed. The system comprises a stylus and touch tablet combination and is arranged to define on a frame-by-frame basis at least four reference points representing corners of a keyframe in three dimensional space notionally projected onto a monitor screen. A transforming circuit transforms the addresses of pixels in a frame of the first video image sequence so as to cause the pixels to represent the frame as projected onto the display screen from the same location in three dimensional space as the keyframe. A combiner combines the transformed frame with a corresponding frame of the second video sequence to produce the composite video image sequence.

Abstract: A flat picture is spatially transformed by moving selected reference points one-by-one and "pinning" them at new positions. The system comprises a source of picture video signals, (1, 2) representing picture points at respective addresses in a first picture projected on a viewing screen, addressing means (159) for providing address signals representing the addresses of at least four reference points defining corners of a polygon notionally projected on said screen, and operator-controlled means (14) for producing selective adjustment of said address signals to cause said reference points to define the corners of said polygon as projected on said screen after a movement of said polygon in 3D space. A transforming circuit 7 responds to said address signals after the selective adjustment by transforming the addresses of said picture video signals so as to cause the picture video signals to represent the picture as projected on said screen after undergoing the same movement in 3D space as said polygon.