APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING MOTION CAPTURE USING A RANDOM PATTERN ON CAPTURE SURFACES

• US 20150302627A1
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rearden, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rearden Mova, LLC
• Inventors: Cotter, Timothy, Perlman, Stephen G., Speck, John, van der Laan, Roger, Pearce, Kenneth A., LaSalle, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 9,928,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications

Abstract

A method is described comprising: applying a random pattern to specified regions of an object; tracking the movement of the random pattern during a motion capture session; and generating motion data representing the movement of the object using the tracked movement of the random pattern.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

applying a random pattern of material to specified regions of a performer'"'"'s face, body and/or clothing;

capturing sequences of images of the random pattern with a first plurality of cameras as the performer moves and/or changes facial expressions during a motion capture session;

correlating the random pattern across two or more images captured from two or more different cameras to create a 3D surface of the specified regions of the performer'"'"'s face, body, and/or clothing;

generating motion data representing the movement of the 3D surface across the sequence of images;

generating 3D animation wherein visible features in successive frames of the 3D animation are moved relative to the motion data;

displaying the successive frames of the 3D animation.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the successive frames of 3D animation are displayed on a flat panel display or a video projector.

3. The method in claim 1 wherein:

the 3D animation is an application of the motion of the performer to a different animated character.

4. The method in claim 1 wherein:

the 3D animation is included in scenes including computer-generated images.

5. The method in claim 1 wherein:

the motion of the random pattern is captured during a motion capture session and displayed as a 3D animation after processing at a later time.

6. The method in claim 5 wherein:

the display device is a flat panel display or a video projector.

7. The method in claim 1 wherein:

the random pattern of material contains phosphor.

8. The method in claim 7 wherein:

the phosphor is charged by strobing light sources.

9. The method in claim 8 wherein:

the shutters of a first plurality of cameras capturing the light emitted from the phosphor are synchronized to the strobing light sources.

10. The method in claim 8 wherein:

the shutters of a first plurality of cameras capturing images of the performer are synchronized to the strobing light sources.

11. A method comprising:

displaying successive frames of a 3D animation on a display device wherein visible features of a 3D animated object are moved relative to the motion of a random pattern on the surface of a physical object.

12. The method in claim 11 wherein:

the physical object is a region on a performer'"'"'s body.

13. The method in claim 12 wherein:

the region on a performer'"'"'s body is the face.

14. The method in claim 12 wherein:

the 3D animation is an application of the motion of the performer to a different animated character.

15. The method in claim 11 wherein:

the 3D animation is included in scenes including computer-generated images.

16. The method in claim 11 wherein:

the motion of the random pattern is captured during a motion capture session and displayed as a 3D animation after processing at a later time.

17. The method in claim 11 wherein:

the display device is a flat panel display or a video projector.

18. The method in claim 11 where:

the random pattern is created by a material that contains phosphor.