Method and apparatus for automatic electronic replacement of billboards in a video image
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for automatic replacement of a billboard in a video image comprising:
- the billboard comprising a chroma-key surface, a video camera for viewing the billboard, and a chroma-key unit operative to detect at least one chroma-key colour of the billboard chroma-key surface and in which a reference colour of the chroma-key unit is adjustable to conform to the colour of the chroma-key surface, thereby enabling the chroma-key unit to correctly identify the billboard surface and to correctly replace the chroma-key surface of the billboard by a virtual advertisement in the video image with correct occlusion of any foreground object.
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Abstract
Apparatus for automatic replacement of a billboard in a video image is provided. The billboard comprises a chroma-key surface, and the apparatus includes a video camera for viewing the billboard, and a chroma-key unit operative to detect at least one chroma-key color of the billboard chroma-key surface. A reference color of the chroma-key unit is adjustable to conform to the color of the chrom-key surface, thereby enabling the chroma-key unit to correctly identify the billboard surface and to correctly replace the chroma-key surface of the billboard by a virtual advertisement in a video image with correct occlusion of any foreground object.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatic replacement of a billboard in a video image comprising:
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the billboard comprising a chroma-key surface, a video camera for viewing the billboard, and a chroma-key unit operative to detect at least one chroma-key colour of the billboard chroma-key surface and in which a reference colour of the chroma-key unit is adjustable to conform to the colour of the chroma-key surface, thereby enabling the chroma-key unit to correctly identify the billboard surface and to correctly replace the chroma-key surface of the billboard by a virtual advertisement in the video image with correct occlusion of any foreground object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for automatic electronic replacement of billboards in a sports stadium, said billboards having chroma-key surfaces in a video image comprising the steps of:
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i. identifying a first specific area corresponding to a billboard in the video image, said specific area having a defined first chroma-key colour of the chroma-key surface of a first billboard;
ii. recording the first colour of said first specific area in a chroma-key colour store;
iii. identifying a first electronic replacement billboard for substitution into said first specific area; and
iv. replacing by chroma-key techniques said first replacement billboard in said video image said replacement including the step of occluding those parts of the first specific area which are occluded in the video image by an occluding object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
i. identifying further specific area in the video image, each further specific area comprising a further billboard having a related chroma-key colour;
ii. recording the colour of all specific areas in a chroma-key colour store together with information relating to a position of each of said specific area;
iii. identifying replacement billboards for substitution into each of said specific area; and
iv. replacing the substitute billboards into correct respective locations with occlusion by occluding objects.
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12. A method as claimed in claim 10 including the steps of:
updating the recorded chroma-key colours for each specific area at appropriate time intervals to compensate for lighting changes within a stadium.
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13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 further including the steps of:
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i. transmitting together with video image information data identifying the specific area comprising location and size of each of a plurality of billboards;
ii. transmitting for each specific area identified as a billboard a perfect chroma-key colour;
iii. receiving a receiver data identifying each of the plurality of billboards to be replaced and perfect chroma-key colour information for said specific area;
iv. comparing the perfect chroma key colour with a preselected matching perfect chroma-key colour in a chroma-key apparatus in said receiver;
v. substituting the plurality of billboards selected locally at said receiver into the specific area identified for each billboard; and
vi. inserting occluding objects by chroma-key techniques for each billboard using a chroma-keyer in which the chroma-key colour is set to detect the perfect chroma-key colour.
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Specification