Image integration, mapping and linking system and methodology

• US 20030148811A1
• Filed: 01/03/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bassilic Technologies LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sitrick, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/16 for preventing non-intended contact between spray heads or nozzles and foreign bodies, e.g. nozzle guards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A video game adapter interface apparatus has a user input device and an associated video display. The user selects a distinguishable visual image representation for association into a video game'"'"'s audiovisual presentation, such as where that user is identified. For example, color, size graphics or shape can be used to distinguish users. In one embodiment a digitized image of each user'"'"'s face is used as the distinguishable representation. Alternatively, the user can create an original image or select one of a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in the video game audiovisual presentation. In a preferred video game embodiment, the video game adapter interface system is coupled to a video game system and a storage card containing User Images. The video game adapter interface system then integrates a selected User Image from the Storage Card into the video game'"'"'s audiovisual presentation, and can also integrate the User Image into the video game play. For non-User Image video game software and for non-video game and audiovisual presentations, an Intercept Adapter Interface Systems permits the integration of User Images into the audiovisual presentation in place of and/or in addition to predefined character images otherwise present in the audiovisual presentation.

Claims

1. A method of integrating a user image into a predefined image source to provide a video presentation output, comprising:

providing a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in the video presentation output;

selecting an image portion of the video presentation output as a selected image portion for user image associative integration,

integrating selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images of the user image with the selected image portion responsive to the selecting; and

providing a modified presentation output wherein the selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images of the user image are associated with and integrated into the selected image portion in the video presentation output.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing special visual effects using the user image in the video presentation output associated with the selected portion.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the predefined image source presentation output is an audiovisual image source presentation output.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a video game presentation of the modified video presentation.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a movie theater presentation of the modified video presentation.

6. A system for integrating a user image into a predefined image source to provide a video presentation output, comprising:

means for providing a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in the video presentation output;

means for selecting an image portion of the video presentation output as a selected portion for user image associative integration,

means for analyzing the video presentation output associated with the selected portion;

means for integrating selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images of the user image with the selected image portion responsive to the analyzing; and

means for providing a modified presentation output wherein the selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images of the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected image portion in the video presentation output.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein the predefined image source presentation output is an audiovisual image source presentation output.

8. The system as in claim 6, wherein the video presentation output is a movie picture.

9. A system for integrating an image from a secondary source into a predefined image source, comprising:

means for providing a presentation output from the predefined image source;

means for providing a predetermined set of visual images as a user image from the secondary source; and

means for providing a presentation architecture having means that integrate and utilize selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images for use in the presentation of the user image from the secondary source to participate with defined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the predefined image source presentation output is an audiovisual image source presentation output.

11. A method of integrating an image from a secondary source into a predefined image source, comprising:

providing a presentation output from the predefined image source;

providing a predetermined set of visual images as a user image from the secondary source;

selecting at least one of the predetermined set of visual images as a selected user image; and

integrating the selected user image to participate with defined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the predefined image source presentation output is an audiovisual image source presentation output.

13. The method as in claim 11, further comprising:

providing a video game presentation of the modified video presentation.

14. The method as in claim 11, further comprising:

providing a movie theater presentation of the modified video presentation.

15. A method of integration of an image from a secondary source and a predefined image source into a modified video presentation output, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a presentation output from the predefined image source;

providing a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in the video presentation output of a user image from the secondary source; and

providing a presentation that integrates and utilizes selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images of the user image from the secondary source for use in the video presentation output to participate with defined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

providing a plurality of the extra actors, wherein each of the extra actors has respective defined associative actions in the presentation output.

17. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

providing a video game presentation of the modified video presentation.

18. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

providing a movie theater presentation of the modified video presentation.

19. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

utilizing the user image to generate a synthetic actor with defined actions.

20. A system for creation and storage of user image signals, for integration into an image presentation, the system comprising:

apparatus for generating user image signals for a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in image presentation; and

apparatus for formatting the user image signals and storing the formatted user image signals as digital data in the storage apparatus;

apparatus providing display signals for a display presentation comprising a plurality of background images comprised of a recognizable video presentation; and

,

apparatus for mapping the user image signals for different ones of the selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images with each of the respective ones of the background images of the video presentation;

wherein selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images are integrated into the recognizable video presentation at respective positions within the respective ones of the background images and respective pose characteristics uniquely associated with the respective ones of the background images, to provide for an integrated video presentation.

21. The system as in claim 20, wherein the video presentation is an audiovisual presentation.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein the predetermined set of visual images are at least one of front facial view, side facial view, top facial view, facial expressions, sitting, standing, kneeling, jumping and lying down.

23. The system as in claim 20, further comprising:

apparatus for extrapolating additional visual images from the predetermined set of visual images to provide an expanded set of visual images, wherein the selected ones of the predetermined set of visual images is selected from the expanded set of visual images.

24. The system as in claim 20, wherein the mapping is according to an associated emotional function.

25. The method as in claim 20, wherein the background image is at least one of a video presentation, an audiovisual presentation, and an audio presentation.

26. The method as in claim 20, wherein the background video is a predetermined sequence of a plurality of background images.

27. The method as in claim 20, wherein the customized image is at least one of a video image, an audio sequence and an audiovisual image.

28. The method as in claim 20, further comprising:

displaying a video display presentation responsive to the integrated video presentation.

29. A system, comprising:

a source of a first video image signal representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of at least one common predetermined character therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within the background images;

a source of a user image signal representative of a user image;

means for selecting one predetermined character as a selected predetermined character within the respective background images;

means for mapping the user image to the selected predetermined character;

apparatus for providing an integrated video output wherein the user image appears integrated into the respective background images in place of the respective recognizable video presentation for the selected character responsive to the mapping of the selected predetermined character to the user image signal.

30. The system as in claim 29, wherein there are a plurality of predetermined visual images associated with the user image, and

wherein the processor apparatus provides for selecting certain ones of the plurality of predetermined visual images as the user image utilized providing the integrated video output.

31. The system as in claim 30, wherein the processor provides for the selecting certain ones of corresponding to the respective recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character for each of the respective background images containing the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character.

32. The system as in claim 30, wherein the processor provides at least one of adjustment of resolution, formatting, mapping, and sizing.

33. The system as in claim 29, further comprising:

apparatus for storing a signal representative of the integrated video output onto a storage medium.

34. The system as in claim 33, wherein the storage medium is comprised of at least one of a videotape, a floppy disk, a compact disk, a digital video disk, a photographic print and a computer image printout.

35. The system as in claim 29, wherein there are a plurality of background images, the system further comprising:

a user input apparatus; and

control logic for selecting at least one of the plurality of the background images for integration responsive to the user input apparatus.

36. The system as in claim 35, wherein the user input apparatus is comprised of at least one of a mouse, a joystick, a light pen, voice recognition, image recognition, a touch screen, a touch pad, and a keyboard switch.

37. The system as in claim 29, wherein the user image signal is provided by at least one of a camera, a computer, a communications device, and a storage device.

38. The system as in claim 29, wherein the background image is further comprised of at least a portion of a person;

wherein the user image is representative of at least one of a full visual person, different facial expressions, different facial features, and voice data.

39. The system as in claim 29, wherein at least one of the source of the first video image signal and the source of the user image signal is comprised of at least one of an interface with a modem, a CD-ROM, a DVD cartridge, a floppy disk, a smart card, magnetic storage, optical storage and semiconductor storage.

40. The system as in claim 29, wherein the system generates special effects relative to the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character within each of the background images;

wherein the integrated presentation is comprised of the user image integrated into the background images in accordance with the special effects.

41. The system as in claim 29, wherein the video output generates a video display presentation of a movie.

42. The system as in claim 29, further comprising:

a video entertainment apparatus, comprising the processor, a memory, a display output, a user input device, and a data interface;

wherein the video entertainment apparatus provides the display of a selected one of a default presentation comprising the background image, including the recognizable video presentation therewithin, and, of an integrated presentation comprising the user image mapped to the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character including the recognizable video presentation therewithin; and

means for selecting one of the default and the integrated presentation as a selected presentation type, wherein the processor is responsive to the selecting of the integrated presentation to provide the integrated video output.

43. The system as in claim 29, further comprising:

a source of integration signals defining linkage mapping, for the respective ones of the background images to the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected characters; and

apparatus for automatically integrating the user image signals with the first video image signal responsive to the integration signals, for providing an integrated display output wherein the user image appears integrated into the recognizable video presentation in relation to the respective selected character within the respective ones of the background images.

44. The system as in claim 43, wherein the source of the first video image signal is at least one of an analog signal, a digital signal, a broadcast video signal, signal parameter data, video image data, digital audio data, and integration control signals.

45. The system as in claim 29, wherein the user image signals are further comprised of a texture map.

46. The system as in claim 29, wherein the display presentation is a movie.

47. A method of generating a visual presentation comprising:

representing a user video presentation as a plurality of user image signals;

representing a video presentation as video presentation signals wherein the video signals are representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within the background images; and

integrating the video signals and the user image signals to integrate the respective user presentation for the user image signal into the recognizable video presentation having the respective selected character therewithin to provide an integrated video presentation output.

48. The method as in claim 47, further comprising:

providing interaction in the video presentation of the user image with the common character.

49. A method of providing a visual display presentation comprising:

providing digitized image data representative of multiple visual images of at least a portion of a person;

providing ancillary data representative of a display presentation of ancillary attributes;

selecting one of a plurality of image integration options for selectively mapping and linking the display presentation for respective ones of the image data and the ancillary data;

integrating the respective image data and the respective ancillary data responsive to the selected image integration option to modify the display presentation with the ancillary attributes, to provide modified image data;

integrating the modified image data into at least one of a movie, a video game, and an animation; and

providing the visual display presentation responsive to the modified image data.

50. The method as in claim 49, wherein the ancillary data is comprised of at least one of a video and an audiovisual presentation.

51. The system as in claim 49, wherein the image data is coupled from an image source comprised of at least one of a camera, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, a semiconductor device, and a communications link to a remote device.