Blending a graphic

• US 6,229,550 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sportvision, Inc. (Sportsmedia Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: White, Marvin S., Gloudemans, James R., Cavallaro, Richard H., Honey, Stanley K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/160,428
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/427, 345/418, 345/435, 345/113, 345/114
• US Class Current: 345/641
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A graphic and video are blended by controlling the relative transparency of corresponding pixels in the graphic and the video through the use of blending coefficients. One example of a blending coefficient is an alpha signal used in conjunction with a keyer. The value of a blending coefficient for a pixel in the graphic is based on the luminance and chrominance characteristics of a neighborhood of pixels in the video. Inclusions and exclusions are set up which define how the neighborhood of pixels is used to create or change a particular blending characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for blending images, comprising the steps of:

selecting a first portion of a first image, said first portion of said first image includes different color values;

storing information about said different color values;

receiving a first video image after said step of selecting;

accessing color data for said first video image;

comparing said color data to said stored information about said different color values; and

blending a second image with said first video image at least partially based on said step of comparing.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of accessing includes accessing color data for at least a subset of a portion of said first video image; and

said step of blending includes blending said second image with said portion of said first video image.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

said first portion of said first image does not depict said portion of said first video image.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending said second image with a target area in said first video image; and

said first portion of said first image is different than said target area.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first image is a second video image of an event; and

said first video image depicts said event.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said second image is a second video image.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first video image is live and said step of blending includes broadcasting said blended first video image.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of selecting a portion of a first image includes selecting a set of adjacent pixels.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of accessing color data for said first video image includes accessing color data for a subset of pixels for a portion of said first video image; and

said step of blending includes blending said second image with said portion of said first video image.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said different color values pertain to visibly distinct colors.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said color data pertains to visibly distinct colors.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first video image depicts a live event;

said step of receiving said first video image is performed during said live event; and

said step of blending is performed during said live event.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein:

said first image is a second video image depicting a scene prior to said live event.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein:

said first image is a second video image depicting said live event.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a new portion of a new video image during said live event;

storing new information about new color values in said new portion;

receiving a second video image during said live event;

accessing new color data for said second video image;

comparing said new color data to said stored new information; and

blending a third image with said second video image at least partially based on said step of comparing said new color data.

16. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of:

creating an inclusion based on said first portion of said first image, said step of storing includes storing said inclusion.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

said inclusion includes data identifying a range of colors.

18. A method according to claim 16, further including the steps of:

selecting a second portion of said first image or another image; and

creating an exclusion based on said second portion.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending a pixel if said pixel is in said inclusion and not in said exclusion; and

said inclusion and exclusion include overlapping colors.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending a particular pixel according to a ratio of pixels in one or more inclusions to pixels in one or more exclusions, said pixels in said one or more inclusions and said pixels in said one or more exclusions include said particular pixel and neighboring pixels.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said second image comprises a plurality of polygons; and

said step of blending includes assigning blending coefficients to said polygons based on said stored information about said different color values.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

a particular blending coefficient is determined according to a ratio of neighboring pixels in one or more inclusions to neighboring pixels in one or more exclusions.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of:

determining edge points for said polygons, said blending coefficients pertain to said edge points.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein:

a particular blending coefficients is determined by comparing whether a color associated with said polygon is in an inclusion and not in an exclusion.

25. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

determining edge points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said edge points;

determining center points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said center points; and

determining border points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said border points.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

flicker filtering at least a subset of said blending coefficients.

27. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said one or more processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a first portion of a first image, said first portion of said first image includes different color values;

storing information about said different color values;

receiving a first video image after said step of selecting, said first video image includes color data;

comparing said color data to said stored information about said different color values; and

blending a second image with said first video image at least partially based on said step of comparing.

28. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending said second image with a target area in said first video image; and

said first portion of said first image is different than said target area.

29. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

said first image and said second image are video images;

said first video image is live video depicting a live event;

said step of blending is performed during said live event; and

said different color values pertain to visibly distinct colors.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said different color values pertain to visibly distinct colors.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said first video image depicts a live event;

said step of receiving a first video image is performed during said live event;

said step of blending is performed during said live event; and

said first image is a second video image depicting said live event.

32. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein said method further includes the step of:

creating an inclusion based on said first portion of said first image, said inclusion includes data identifying a range of colors.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 32, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

receiving a selection of a second portion of said first image or another image; and

creating an exclusion based on said second portion.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 33, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending a pixel if said pixel is in said inclusion and not in said exclusion; and

said inclusion and said exclusion include overlapping colors.

35. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 33, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending a particular pixel according to a ratio of pixels in one or more inclusions to pixels in one or more exclusions, said pixels in said one or more inclusions and said pixels in said one or more exclusions include said particular pixel and neighboring pixels.

36. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 27, wherein:

said second image comprises a plurality of polygons; and

said step of blending includes assigning blending coefficients to said polygons based on said stored information about said different color values.

37. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 36, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

determining edge points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said edge points; and

determining border points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said border points.

38. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors;

an input device in communication with said one or more processors;

an output device in communication with said one or more processors;

a storage device in communication with said one or more processors, said processor programmed to preform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving a selection of a first portion of a first image, said first portion of said first image includes different color values,

storing information about said different color values,

receiving a first video image after said step of selecting, said first video image includes color data,

comparing said color data to said stored information about said different color values, and

blending a second image with said first video image at least partially based on said step of comparing.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

said step of blending includes blending said second image with a target area in said first video image; and

said first portion of said first image is different than said target area.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein:

said first image is a video image of an event;

said first video image depicts said event; and

said first video image is live.

41. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

said step of receiving a selection of a portion of a first image includes selecting a set of adjacent pixels;

said color data pertains to a portion of said first video image; and

said step of blending includes blending said second image with said portion of said first video image.

42. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

said different color values pertain to visibly distinct colors.

43. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

said first video image depicts a live event;

said step of receiving said first video image is performed during said live event; and

said step of blending is performed during said live event.

44. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said method further includes the step of:

creating an inclusion based on said first portion of said first image, said inclusion includes data identifying a range of colors.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

selecting a second portion of said first image or another image

creating an exclusion based on said second portion.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

said step of blending includes the step of blending a pixel if said pixel is in said inclusion and not in said exclusion; and

said inclusion and said exclusion include overlapping colors.

47. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

said step of blending includes the step of blending a particular pixel according to a ratio of pixels in one or more inclusions to pixels in one or more exclusions, said pixels in said one or more inclusions and said pixels in said one or more exclusions include said particular pixel and neighboring pixels.

48. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

said second image comprises a plurality of polygons; and

said step of blending includes assigning blending coefficients to said polygons based on said stored information about said different color values.

49. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

determining edge points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said edge points; and

determining border points for said second image, said step of assigning blending coefficients to said polygons includes determining blending coefficients for said border points.

50. A method for blending images, comprising the steps of:

receiving video of an environment;

selecting a first region in said video, said first region includes a first set of different color values;

creating inclusion criteria describing said first set of different color values;

selecting a second region in said video, said second region includes a second set of one or more color values;

creating exclusion criteria describing said second set of one or more color values, said first set of color values overlap with said second set of color values;

identifying a target area in said video after said steps of creating inclusion criteria and creating exclusion criteria;

comparing said color data for said target area to said inclusion criteria and said exclusion criteria; and

blending a graphic with said target area at least partially based on said inclusion criteria and said exclusion criteria.