Method of and arrangement for inserting a background signal into parts of a foreground signal fixed by a predetermined key color

• US 5,381,184 A
• Filed: 12/07/1992
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gehrmann, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US07/986,329
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 348/586, 348/587, 348/595, 348/591, 348/592, 358/22 CK, 358/22 PIP
• US Class Current: 348/586
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/75 Chroma key

Abstract

In a method of and an arrangement for inserting a background signal into parts of a foreground signal fixed by a predetermined key color, in which a control signal is derived from the foreground signal, this control signal assuming a first value when the foreground signal represents a color in the region of the key color and a second value when the foreground signal represents a different color, and in which the control signal has a transition range between the two values, a difference, influenced by the control signal, between the vector of the background signal and the vector of a signal representing the key color is vectorially added to the foreground signal.

Claims

1. A method of inserting a background signal into parts of a foreground signal, said parts being fixed by a predetermined key color, said method including the step of deriving a control signal from the foreground signal, said control signal having a first value when the foreground signal represents a color in the region of the key color, and a second value when the foreground signal represents a different color, and in which the control signal has a transition range between the first and the second values, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps forming a difference, influenced by the control signal, between a vector of the background signal and a vector of a signal representing the key color, and vectorially adding said difference to the foreground signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an output signal (OUT) with an inserted background is derived in accordance with the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">OUT=FG+K·

(BG-KC)

in which FG is the foreground signal, K is the control signal, BG is the background signal and KC is the signal representing the key color, and FG, BG and KC have at least two components (C_R, C_B).

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the signals FG, BG and KC comprise components representing a blue component (Cb) and a red component (Cr), and in that a luminance component of the output signal is derived in accordance with the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">OUT=(1-K)·

FG+K·

(BG-KY).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transition range extends as far as the center of the colors represented by the foreground signal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the signals FG, BG and KC comprise three components each.

6. An arrangement for inserting a background signal into parts of a foreground signal, said parts being fixed by a predetermined key color, said arrangement including means for deriving a control signal from the foreground signal, said control signal having a first value when the foreground signal represents a color in the region of the key color, and a second value when the foreground signal represents a different color, and in which the control signal has a transition range between the first and the second values, characterized in that the arrangement comprises a first terminal for receiving chrominance components of the background signal and a second terminal for receiving chrominance components of the foreground signal, means for generating a signal (KC) representing the key color, a first adder having a first input coupled to the first terminal and a second input coupled to said signal generating means for adding the chrominance components of the background signal and an inverse of the signal (KC) representing the key color, a multiplier having a first input coupled to an output of the adder and a second input coupled to said means for deriving the control signal, and a second adder having a first input coupled to an output of the multiplier and a second input coupled to the second terminal carrying the chrominance components of the foreground signal, an output of the second adder carrying the output signal of the arrangement.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the background signal and the foreground signal each include a luminance component, characterized in that said arrangement further comprises a fading circuit, controlled by the control signal and a complement of the control signal, for the luminance components of the background signal and the foreground signal.