Color television chroma keying signal generator

• US 4,051,520 A
• Filed: 08/09/1976
• Issued: 09/27/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Koppe, Rudolf P., Davidse, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Murray, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saffian, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US05/712,947
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 358/22, 358/40, 358/30, 340/324 AD
• US Class Current: 348/592
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/75 Chroma key

Abstract

A chroma keying signal generator which does not operate in the usual manner with luminance dependent color difference signals (R-Y) and (B-Y) but with luminance independent chromaticity signals (R-Y)/Y and (B-Y)/Y. On the one hand a signal division may follow in the generator for deriving the chromaticity signals and on the other hand a threshold circuit may be used having a threshold voltage which varies with the luminance. Owing to the fact that generating the signal is independent of the luminance an intense, uniform background illumination without shadows thereon is no longer required.

Claims

1. A colour television chroma keying signal generator comprising a matrix circuit means for supplying to an output a colour signal combination of colour signals supplied to inputs thereof, two signal combination and multiplication circuits coupled to the matrix circuit output, each having an adjustable multiplication factor and output means for providing colour difference signals, a signal adder circuit means coupled to said output means for forming a composite colour difference signal, and a chromaticity signal operated threshold circuit means coupled to the adder circuit for supplying a chroma keying signal to an output of the generator.

2. A colour television chroma keying signal generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold circuit comprises a signal divider stage having a first input means coupled for supplying the signal to be divided to the adder circuit and a second input means coupled to the output of the matrix circuit with the colour signal combination for supplying the dividing signal, a signal comparator having a first input coupled to the divider stage output, a second input coupled to a source of adjustable dc. voltage, and output means for providing the chroma keying signal.

3. A colour television chroma keying signal generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold circuit comprises a first signal comparator having a first input coupled to the adder circuit which supplies the composite colour difference signal, a second input coupled to the output of the matrix circuit with the colour signal combination, and an output means for providing a chroma keying signal.

4. A colour television chroma keying signal generator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold circuit further comprises a second signal comparator having a first input coupled to one of the two inputs of the first comparator, a second input coupled to a source of adjustable dc voltage, and an output;

and a coincidence gate having a pair of inputs coupled to said comparator outputs respectively, and an output coupled to said generator output.

5. A colour television chroma keying signal generator as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an adjustable signal multiplication circuit coupled between the output of the matrix circuit with the colour signal combination and the threshold circuit.

6. Colour television studio equipment provided with a chroma keying signal generator as claimed in claim 1.