Compatible composite image process

• US 4,092,673 A
• Filed: 05/18/1976
• Issued: 05/30/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jay W. Adams
• Original Assignee: Jay W. Adams
• Inventors: Adams, Jay W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/687,442
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 358/183, 358/185, 352/48, 352/53, 352/88
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/75 Chroma key

Abstract

The conventional chroma key television process is used to effect composite images by employing a master camera whose subject may be live action against a single hued background and a slave camera directed at a static background, such as a miniature set or a back-projection screen. The inventive process includes the steps of linking the master and slave cameras so that a sensing of the current flow in the actuating motors for panning, dollying, trucking or otherwise changing the master camera causes a scale-related like motion of the slave camera, each camera moving in proper ratio with respect to its subject. The slave camera image is fed to the conventional mixer and fills that portion of the composite image occupied by the single hued background of the master camera subject image. A time delay may slow transmission of the master camera to the mixer if it is found that the action or motion of the slave camera lags behind the like action or motion of the master camera.

Claims

1. In a composite video picture process employing the video chroma key process and at least a first and second video camera each having actuating motors engaging control mechanisms for controlling camera attitude toward the camera subject, the process comprising the steps of comprehending with the first camera a first subject before a single hued background, preparing a second correlated subject having a pre-selected scale relationship to the first subject, comprehending said second subject with said second video camera, sensing the current flow in the actuating motors of the first video camera at each change of first camera attitude, imposing the sensed current flow on the like motors of the second video camera, altering the effect of the current flow on the second camera actuating motors such that the control mechanism of said second camera respond in accordance with the pre-selected scale relationship between said first and second subjects, feeding the output of the first camera to a signal compositor switching system, feeding the output of the second video camera to a signal compositor switching system, and effecting a single composite image on a receptor device separate from the signal compositor system.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1 further including the step of conducting a portion of the image output of the second video camera to the viewing aperture of the first video camera.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein altering the effect of the current flow on the second camera actuating motors comprises the step of feeding the sensed current flow from the first video camera to a servo relay adjusted in accordance with the preselected ratio of scale.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein altering the effect of the current flow includes the step of adjusting the gear ratio of the control mechanisms of the second camera.