Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for automatic brightness and contrast control in a digital image capture system. A video camera is utilized to scan an image and generate an analog output signal indicative thereof which is utilized to create rows and columns of picture elements. The image is initially scanned utilizing a trial brightness and contrast level and then analyzed to determine the number of saturated picture elements within the scanned image. Thereafter, the brightness and contrast levels are adjusted so that the number of saturated picture elements tends toward a selected small number. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the analog output signal is digitized and each picture element created therefrom has a digital value associated therewith. Analysis of the scanned image is accomplished by counting the number of picture elements having a selected digital value.

Abstract: A user/PC interface system is described which enables the creation and performance of a synchronized audio/visual story on the PC. The interface enables the initial storage of a plurality of visual images. Then, it enables the creation of an audio presentation which includes labels and time indications, certain of which are employed for synchronization purposes. The system is responsive to a label to execute a predetermined command upon the appearance of the label in the audio presentation. The PC is then operated to perform the audio presentation, that performance automatically causing the display of visual images upon the occurrence of labels and time indications.An improved, table-based authoring system is also described for preparation of both the above noted audio and visual presentations. The system relies upon columnar presentations of a tabular form, each column indicating a separate control function (or comment) relating to the audio/visual presentation.

Abstract: RGB components of pairs of adjacent pels of a captured digitized image are averaged. A perceived color palette is constructed, each color being comprised of functionally combined RGB components of two different input palette colors. An array is formed of continuous colors, each indexed to the perceived palette color to which its RGB components are closest and indicating the two input palette colors defining the respective perceived color. RGB components for each averaged pel pair and the array index are then used to locate the perceived color closest thereto and, the two input palette colors corresponding to the perceived color. These two input colors are then substituted in a display for those of the two averaged pels and the process repeated for all averaged pel pairs. In a preferred embodiment, the difference between the perceived and averaged colors is diffused to adjacent averaged pels.

Abstract: A user/PC interface system is described which enables the creation and performance of a synchronized audio/visual story on the PC. The interface enables the initial storage of a plurality of visual images. Then, it enables the creation of an audio presentation which includes labels and time indications, certain of which are employed for synchronization purposes. The system is responsive to a label to execute a predetermined command upon the appearance of the label in the audio presentation. The PC is then operated to perform the audio presentation, that performance automatically causing the display of visual images upon the occurrence of labels and time indications. A table-based authoring system is also described for preparation of both the above noted audio and visual presentations. The system relies upon columnar presentations of a tabular form, each column indicating a separate control function (or comment) relating to the audio/visual presentation.

Abstract: A method for viewing a representation of an overscanned captured image on a display that is incapable of displaying the full image as originally captured. The method comprises the steps of (1) digitizing the image to produce a first block of serial data elements where each data element represents at least one picture element of the image, (2) storing a first data block in a data processing memory, (3) computing a second data element block by removing every nth data element from the first data element block, where n is an integer less than the number of first data block elements and said second data block element represents a reduced size image, and (4) displaying the second data element block overlayed upon at least a portion of the digitized image. The invention also includes an apparatus for viewing a representation of an overscanned captured image.