Automatic photography booth

• US 5,696,995 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Alpha, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Alpha, Inc.
• Inventors: Hiraiwa, Hiroyuki, Huang, Sming
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/704,902
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 396/2, 396/3, 396/4, 396/5, 396/429, 348/722, 348/581, 348/582, 348/584, 348/586, 348/587, 348/552, 348/373, 348/152, 348/156, 348/64, 358/909.1, 358/453
• US Class Current: 396/2
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

The present invention teaches a computerized automatic photography booth for generating a synthesized composite or altered image from two or more initial images and a method therefor. The initial images to be converted may be real-time images taken on sight and/or stored images previously programmed into the memory of the computer. The computer maps out the essential characteristics of each image and converts the two images into the composite image by blending, merging and/or superimposing some or all of the characteristics mapped out for each initial image. The invention further teaches stationary or moving cameras which are capable of centering the composite in a picture frame.

Claims

1. An automatic photography booth which contains a microprocessor, said booth comprising:

a housing comprising an apparatus compartment and an adjoining studio compartment, said studio compartment having at least one opening for providing ingress and egress therein;

a video camera mounted within said housing for receiving at least one real-time image of at least one subject-user, said camera having circuitry connected to said microprocessor for operating the photographic functions thereof and for receiving said real-time image, said microprocessor containing a memory having a plurality of stored images and a software program for converting at least two of said images into a composite image;

a video display monitor associated with said camera and interconnected to said microprocessor for visually representing said real-time image, said stored image and said composite image;

a positioning system for automatically positioning an image of said subject-user inside a lens of a camera, said positioning system comprising a camera mounting including means for pivoting said camera on a vertical axis to provide a horizontal field of view adjustment, an ultra sonic sensor positioned in said studio compartment for sensing and transmitting the location of said subject-user and an actuator board interconnected to said microprocessor for receiving a transmitted signal from said sensor and for automatically activating said pivoting means for adjusting the position of said camera so as to obtain a correct sight of said subject-user, whereby said monitor directs an alignment of said camera in relation to said subject-user.

actuating means positioned in said studio compartment for enabling said subject-user to start operation of said booth; and

control means positioned in said studio compartment and operably connected to said microprocessor for enabling said subject-user to control operation thereof, said control means being adapted for actuation by said subject-user to select one or more of said stored images for display on said monitor and to effect operation of said camera to focus upon said subject-user to obtain said real-time image, said control means being further adapted upon the command of said subject-user to fix said selected real-time image and to effect operation of said microprocessor to produce said composite image.

2. The booth of claim 1 further including:

means for instructing said subject-user as to the manner and sequence in which said control means are actuable;

means for informing said subject-user as to when said composite image is to be captured;

means for recording and printing said captured composite image; and

a main control board interconnected to said microprocessor for coordinating control of the operation of said booth.

3. The booth according to claim 2, wherein said recording and printing means comprise a video printer interconnected to said microprocessor, said printer having a film cartridge, a paper tray and paper.

4. The booth according to claim 1, said booth further comprising a one way mirror which is positioned in relation to said monitor and said subject-user such that a reflection of said monitor is transmitted to said subject-user.

5. The booth according to claim 1, said booth further comprising a mirror which is positioned in relation to said camera and said subject-user such that a reflection of said subject-user is transmitted to said camera lens.

6. The booth according to claim 5 which includes:

a transparent window positioned between said apparatus and studio compartments for forming a frame of a viewing screen for the subject-user and for receiving the reflection sent by said monitor through said one way mirror;

sitting means positioned in said studio compartment and extending transversely substantially along the entire width of said studio compartment, said sitting means being intended for use by said subject-user to sit on during operation of photographic functions;

an opaque covering of said opening in said studio compartment, said covering comprising a system selected from the group consisting of a door and a moveable curtain attached to a rod; and

a second video display monitor positioned outside of said booth housing and interconnected to said microprocessor for visually representing all of said images to nonsubject-users.

7. The booth according to claim 1, wherein said stored image comprises an image selected from the group consisting of geographical sights, animals, humans, and works of art.

8. The booth according to claim 7, wherein said software program comprises at least three subprograms, said first subprogram including means for converting at least two of said real-time images into said composite image, said second subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said geographical sight images into said composite image, and said third subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said animal images, human images or works of art images into said composite image.

9. The booth according to claim 8, wherein said resulting composite image of said first and third subprograms consists of a blend of some of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image and said resulting composite image of said second subprogram consists of an incorporation of all of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image.

10. the booth according to claim 1, wherein said microprocessor memory contains a plurality of physical attributes which can be assigned to said composite image;

wherein said control means include means for selecting one or more of said attributes to assign to said composite image, and wherein said attributes comprise characteristics selected from the group consisting of gender, age, hair, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, lips, ears, checks, neck, chin, color and ethnicity.

11. The booth according to claim 1, wherein said positioning system include a steering mechanism for providing translational and rotational camera movement.

12. The booth according to claim 1, said camera mounting further including means for pivoting said camera on a horizontal axis to provide a vertical field of view adjustment.

13. The booth according to claim 12, wherein said horizontal and vertical pivoting means include a robot arm and a step motor.

14. An automatic photography booth which contains a microprocessor, said booth comprising:

a housing comprising an apparatus compartment and an adjoining studio compartment, said studio compartment having at least one opening for providing ingress and egress therein;

a video camera mounted within said housing for receiving at least one real-time image of at least one subject-user, said camera having circuitry connected to said microprocessor for operating the photographic functions thereof and for receiving said real-time image, said microprocessor containing a memory having a plurality of stored images and a first software program for converting at least two of said images into a composite image;

a video display monitor associated with said camera and interconnected to said microprocessor for visually representing said real-time image, said stored image and said composite image;

a second software program in said memory of said microprocessor for automatically positioning an image of said subject-user inside a lens of said camera, said second software program including a substantially symmetrical geometrical figure for marking a position of said subject-user such that features of a face of said subject-user are determined;

actuating means positioned in said studio compartment for enabling said subject-user to start operation of said booth; and

control means positioned in said studio compartment and operably connected to said microprocessor for enabling said subject-user to control operation thereof, said control means being adapted for actuation by said subject-user to select one or more of said stored images for display on said monitor and to effect operation of said camera to focus upon said subject-user to obtain said real-time image, said control means being further adapted upon the command of said subject-user to fix said selected real-time image and to effect operation of said microprocessor to produce said composite image.

15. The booth according to claim 14, wherein said first software program comprises at least three subprograms, said first subprogram including means for converting at least two of said real-time images into said composite image, said second subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said geographical sight images into said composite image, and said third subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said animal images, human images or works of art images into said composite image.

16. The booth according to claim 15, wherein said resulting composite image of said first and third subprograms consists of a blend of some of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image and said resulting composite image of said second subprogram consists of an incorporation of all of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image.

17. The booth according to claim 14, further including a colored background in said studio compartment and a wide-angled lens mounted onto said camera such that said camera views substantially all of a back wall of said studio compartment.

18. The booth according to claim 14, wherein said colored background comprises blue of green colors.

19. The booth according to claim 14, wherein said symmetrical figure comprises a hexagon.

20. The booth according to claim 14, whereby said camera takes a picture of said studio compartment which forms a picture frame for said composite image and thereafter said second software program scans said picture frame from the top down until a head of said subject-user is located and thereafter said scanning is continued until eyes of said subject-user are located and centered within said picture frame.

21. An automatic photography booth which contains a microprocessor, said booth comprising:

a housing comprising an apparatus compartment and an adjoining studio compartment, said studio compartment having at least one opening for providing ingress and egress therein;

a video camera mounted within said housing for receiving at least one real-time image of at least one subject-user, said camera having circuitry connected to said microprocessor for operating the photographic functions thereof and for receiving said real-time image, said microprocessor containing a memory having a plurality of stored images and a software program for converting at least two of said images into a composite image;

said stored images comprises images selected from the group consisting of geographical sights, animals, humans, and works of art;

said software program including at least three subprograms, said first subprogram including means for converting at least two of said real-time images into said composite image, said second subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said geographical sight images into said composite image, and said third subprogram including means for converting at least one of said real-time images and at least one of said animal images, human images or works of art images into said composite image.

a video display monitor associated with said camera and interconnected to said microprocessor for visually representing said real-time image, said stored image and said composite image;

means for automatically positioning an image of said subject user inside a lens of said camera;

actuating means positioned in said studio compartment for enabling said subject-user to start operation of said booth; and

control means positioned in said studio compartment and operably connected to said microprocessor for enabling said subject-user to control operation thereof, said control means being adapted for actuation by said subject-user to select one or more of said stored images for display on said monitor and to effect operation of said camera to focus upon said subject-user to obtain said real-time image, said control means being further adapted upon the command of said subject-user to fix said selected real-time image and to effect operation of said microprocessor to produce said composite image.

22. The booth according to claim 21, wherein said resulting composite image of said first and third subprograms consists of a blend of some of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image and said resulting composite image of said second subprogram consists of an incorporation of all of the characteristics of each selected real-time or stored image.