Method for producing graphics for overlay on a video source

• US 20050264583A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X2O Media Inc. (STRATACACHE Products, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X2O Media Inc. (STRATACACHE Products, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkins, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,312,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

Discloses a method for producing graphical overlay elements on a source video program stream using Microsoft PowerPoint slides as a source of the graphical overlay elements to be overlaid on the source video program stream, including representations of real-time information such as stock quotes or weather data. A computer software algorithm is describe which includes a PowerPoint data objects parser that interacts with PowerPoint data objects and user input to create and control the overlay of PowerPoint graphical elements on the source video program stream. The PowerPoint data objects parser produces enhanced data objects representing the overlay graphic elements that include mask and alpha channel data for use a graphics engine to composite the enhanced data objects of the overlay graphic elements with an input video program stream.

Claims

1. Apparatus adapted to operate on a personal computer having video input means, graphics engine and video output means for producing overlay graphic elements from PowerPoint (trademark) slides for overlay on a source video program stream comprising:

(a) means to receive a source video stream;

(b) parsing means to produce an overlay graphic from PowerPoint (trademark) data objects;

(c) compositing means to composite said overlay graphic with said source video stream; and

(d) output means coupled to said compositing means to provide an output video stream including at least a portion of the source video stream and the overlay graphic.

2. Apparatus for producing overlay graphic elements from PowerPoint slides for overlay on a source video program stream comprising:

(a) user input means;

(b) parsing means in communication with said user input means operable to produce overlay graphic objects corresponding to PowerPoint (trademark) data objects;

(b) means to store said overlay graphic objects.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said overlay graphic objects include transparency data defining opacity of elements of such objects.

4. Apparatus for producing video signals operable on a personal computer comprising:

(a) a graphics engine providing at least two input video paths and an output video path operable to composite a video signal on each said input video path into an output video signal provided to said output video path;

(b) means to receive a source video stream coupled to one said input video path;

(c) an overlay manager adapted to produce a video signal coupled to another said input video path, the overlay manager including user input means and means to receive overlay objects wherein the video signal produced by said overlay manager is responsive to said user input means and said overlay objects.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further including a script engine coupled to said user input means whereby the video signal produced by said overlay manager is responsive to a script command sequence.

6. The apparatus to claim 5 wherein said script engine further includes means to receive a data feed whereby the video signal produced by said overlay manager is responsive to a data content of said data feed.

7. The apparatus to claim 6 wherein the data content of said data feed includes data relating to a video signal, horology, or live data feeds including information such as stock quotes or weather conditions.