System for establishing a three-dimensional garbage matte which enables simplified adjusting of spatial relationships between physical and virtual scene elements
First Claim
1. A method for generating a garbage matte which masks undesired objects in view of a television camera transmitting video images of a physical set, said video images being combined with virtual images to thereby generate a composite output image without the undesired objects, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) modeling the physical set in a virtual environment;
(2) generating a virtual garbage matte enclosure in the virtual environment which surrounds the model of the physical set; and
(3) rendering the model of the physical set from the television camera'"'"'s current position to thereby remove the model of the physical set such that a resulting shape for the garbage matte is a negative image of the model of the physical set.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A new method and apparatus for creating, positioning and manipulating a garbage matte which obscures everything outside of a three-dimensional physical set or blue stage. Effectively, the garbage matte is a "negative" of a blue stage. What is important is that the garbage matte is created either as a virtual enclosure around all virtual objects in the virtual environment, or simply as a background color of the graphics engine generating the garbage matte. In this way, the garbage matte provides extensions of blue screens which comprise the blue stage, extending all the way around and behind the television cameras. Consequently, a compositor will not include in a composited output image those physical set elements which are masked by the virtual garbage matte. The compositor will replace areas hidden by the garbage matte with image data supplied by the computer image generator which stores the virtual environment. Furthermore, it is now possible to move the virtual location of the physical set (including the television cameras) within the virtual environment without having to readjust the position of the garbage matte relative to the model by anchoring virtual objects together so as to maintain relative position relationships at all times.
49 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method for generating a garbage matte which masks undesired objects in view of a television camera transmitting video images of a physical set, said video images being combined with virtual images to thereby generate a composite output image without the undesired objects, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(1) modeling the physical set in a virtual environment; (2) generating a virtual garbage matte enclosure in the virtual environment which surrounds the model of the physical set; and (3) rendering the model of the physical set from the television camera'"'"'s current position to thereby remove the model of the physical set such that a resulting shape for the garbage matte is a negative image of the model of the physical set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for generating a garbage matte which masks undesired objects in view of a television camera transmitting video images of a physical set, said video images being combined with virtual images to thereby generate a composite output image without the undesired objects, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(1) modeling the physical set in a virtual environment; (2) assigning a first color to the model of the physical set; (3) assigning a second color as a background color of a graphics engine generating the garbage matte; and (4) not changing the second color anywhere except where the first color covers the background from the television camera'"'"'s current position to thereby remove the model of the physical set such that a resulting shape for the garbage matte is a negative image of the model of the physical set. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method for manipulating virtual objects which at least include a model of a physical set, and at least one garbage matte which masks undesired objects in view of a television camera transmitting video images of a physical set, said video images being combined with virtual images to thereby generate a composite output image without the undesired objects, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(1) modeling the physical set in a virtual environment; (2) generating a garbage matte which is a negative image of the model of the physical set; (3) anchoring the garbage matte to the model of the physical set and a model of the television camera to form a single unit of virtual objects; and (4) manipulating a location of the single unit within the virtual environment without disturbing relative positions such that the virtual objects within the single unit are always positioned in a same relative position. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A system for generating a garbage matte which transmitting video images of a physical set, said video images being combined with virtual images to thereby generate a composite output image without the undesired objects, said system comprising:
-
(a) the television camera for creating video images of the physical set; (b) a video delay means for delaying the video images to enable synchronization of the video images and the virtual images; (c) a television camera tracker associated with the television camera for monitoring position information of the television camera; (d) a control computer in communication with the television camera tracker for receiving the position information and for executing software which controls functions of the system; (e) a graphics computer coupled in communication with the control computer for generating a virtual environment from which the virtual images are taken for combining with the video images to generate the composite output image, wherein a model of the physical set is generated in the virtual environment, and wherein a virtual three dimensional garbage matter enclosure is generated to thereby surround corresponding objects in the physical set that are not to be seen in the composite output image; and (f) a compositor which receives the video images from the video delay means and the graphics computer to thereby generate the composite output image.
-
Specification