Apparatus and method for performing motion capture using shutter synchronization

• US 20060203096A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rearden Mova, LLC
• Original Assignee: OnLive Incorporated
• Inventors: Laan, Roger Van der, Cotter, Timothy S., Speck, John, LaSalle, Greg, Periman, Stephen G., Pearce, Kenneth A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.140
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/176 Dynamic expression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/75 by influencing optical camera components

Abstract

A method is described comprising: applying phosphorescent paint to specified regions of a performer'"'"'s face and/or body; strobing a light source on and off, the light source charging the phosphorescent paint when on; and strobing the shutters of a first plurality of cameras synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent paint, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is open.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

applying phosphorescent paint to specified regions of a performer'"'"'s face and/or body;

strobing a light source on and off, the light source charging the phosphorescent paint when on; and

strobing the shutters of a first plurality of cameras synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent paint, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is open.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

tracking the motion of the phosphorescent paint over time; and

generating motion data representing the movement of the performer'"'"'s face and/or body using the tracked movement of the phosphorescent paint.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the phosphorescent paint is applied as a series of curves on the performer'"'"'s face.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the phosphorescent paint is applied as a series of markers at specified areas of the performer'"'"'s body.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

strobing the shutters of a second plurality of cameras synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the performer, wherein the shutters of the second plurality of cameras are open when the light source is on and the shutters of the second plurality of cameras are closed when the light source is off.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the first plurality of cameras are grayscale cameras and the second plurality of cameras are color cameras.

7. A system comprising:

a synchronization signal generator to generate one or more synchronization signals;

a light source configured to strobe on and off responsive to a first one of the one or more synchronization signals, the light source charging phosphorescent paint applied to specified regions of a performer'"'"'s face and/or body for a motion capture session; and

a plurality of cameras having shutters strobed synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent paint, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is open.

8. The system as in claim 7 further comprising:

an image processing device generating motion data representing the movement of the performer'"'"'s face and/or body using the tracked movement of the phosphorescent paint.

9. The system as in claim 7 wherein the phosphorescent paint is applied as a series of curves on the performer'"'"'s face.

10. The system as in claim 7 wherein the phosphorescent paint is applied as a series of markers at specified areas of the performer'"'"'s body.

11. The system as in claim 7 further comprising:

a second plurality of cameras having shutters strobed synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the performer, wherein the shutters of the second plurality of cameras are open when the light source is on and the shutters of the second plurality of cameras are closed when the light source is off.

12. The system as in claim 11 wherein the first plurality of cameras are grayscale cameras and the second plurality of cameras are color cameras.