Interactive television graphics interface
DCFirst Claim
1. An interactive television graphics apparatus comprising:
- video input means for receiving a background video signal, said background video signal including at least one graphics control signal for performing one or more of the following functions;
selecting a locally generated graphic image overlay component, positioning a graphic image overlay component, and defining a bit map of a graphic image overlay component;
memory means for storing at least one graphic image overlay component, including one or more of;
a locally generated graphic image overlay component, and a bit map of a graphic image overlay component received from said video input means; and
processor means, coupled to said video input means and said memory means for receiving said graphics control signals and generating a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received graphics control signals,wherein said graphics control signals comprise signals for selecting a graphic image stored in said display means.
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Abstract
Apparatus for use with standard television (TV) for superimposing images, captions, titles, or other information over the television scene. Synchronization of the superimposed images with the television scene is brought about by phase locking the images to the horizontal synchronization pulse train of the television scene. A joystick input device allows the television viewer to select from a library of superimposed images and to move the images to any location over the television scene. The viewer may continue to move the superimposed images over the television scene to set up and maintain humorous or other expressive effects. The apparatus can also be used as an educational tool in conjunction with appropriate broadcasted or recorded programming. Closed-graphics information received with a television signal may generate and control locally generated graphic overlay images to provide interactive gaming or educations applications. The horizontal synchronization pulse train of the television scene can be modified by introducing variable time delays from one pulse to the next. This variable synchronization delay can be used to create fun-house mirror effects.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An interactive television graphics apparatus comprising:
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video input means for receiving a background video signal, said background video signal including at least one graphics control signal for performing one or more of the following functions;
selecting a locally generated graphic image overlay component, positioning a graphic image overlay component, and defining a bit map of a graphic image overlay component;memory means for storing at least one graphic image overlay component, including one or more of;
a locally generated graphic image overlay component, and a bit map of a graphic image overlay component received from said video input means; andprocessor means, coupled to said video input means and said memory means for receiving said graphics control signals and generating a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received graphics control signals, wherein said graphics control signals comprise signals for selecting a graphic image stored in said display means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An interactive television graphics apparatus comprising:
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video input means for receiving a background video signal including graphics control signals; memory means for storing at least one graphic image; processor means, coupled to said video input means and said memory means for receiving said graphics control signals and generating a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received graphics control signals; a user input means, coupled to said processor means, for generating user graphics controls signals in response to a user input; synchronization means, coupled to said video input means, for generating synchronization signals from said background video signal; address generator means, coupled to said memory means, said processor means and said synchronization means for selectively generating memory addresses for said memory means in response to said processor means and in synchronization with said synchronization means; video output means, coupled to said memory means, for selectively reading graphic image data from said memory means in synchronization with said synchronization means and merging said graphic image with said background video image; and second memory means, coupled to said processor means, for storing a plurality of graphic image data representing a plurality of overlay images, wherein said processor means receives selected overlay image data corresponding to a selected image from said second memory means and stores the selected overlay image data in said first memory means; wherein said processor means receives said user graphics control signals and generates a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received locally generated graphics control signals, and wherein said user input means comprises position input means, actuatable by an user, for generating a position signal to position an image on a display. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for inserting an overlay image onto a background video image, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a background video signal, said background video signal including at least one graphics control signal for performing one or more of the following functions;
selecting a locally generated graphic image overlay component, positioning a graphic image overlay component, and defining a bit map of a graphic image overlay component,storing at least one graphic image overlay component, including one or more of a locally generated graphic image overlay component and a received bit map of a graphic image overlay component, generating a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received graphics control signals, generating synchronization signals from said background video signal, receiving an input command from a user to select an overlay image, generating overlay image data in response to said input command and storing said overlay image data in a first memory, selectively generating memory addresses for the first memory in synchronization with said synchronization signals, and selectively reading the overlay image data from the first memory in synchronization with said synchronization signal and merging said overlay image with said background video image. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method for inserting an overlay image onto a background video image, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a background video signal including graphics control signals, storing at least one graphic image, generating a graphic image as an overlay over said background video in response to received graphics control signals, generating synchronization signals from said background video signal, receiving an input command from an user to select an overlay image, generating overlay image data in response to said input command and storing said overlay image data in a first memory, selectively generating memory addresses for the first memory in synchronization with said synchronization signals, selectively reading the overlay image data from the first memory in synchronization with said synchronization signal and merging said overlay image with said background video image; storing a plurality of overlay image data in a second memory representing a plurality of overlay images, and receiving an input command from an user to select an overlay image from said plurality of overlay images and storing the selected overlay image data in the first memory; wherein said step of receiving an input command from an user comprises the step of; actuating a position input by an user to generate a position signal to position an image on a display. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification