Extracting photographic images from video

• US 6,307,550 B1
• Filed: 06/23/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Presenter.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Brandt, Jonathan Worthen, Chen, Shenchang Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US09/339,475
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/420, 345/433, 345/302, 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/739 in form of a video summary, e.g. the video summary being a video sequence, a composite still image or having synthesized frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/786 using motion, e.g. object motion or camera motion
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4053 based on super-resolution, i.e. the output image resolution being higher than the sensor resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/147 Scene change detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/4448 for frame-grabbing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

Generating photographs from a video. Segments of the video for which frame-to-frame background motion is less than a threshold are identified. For each of the segments, video frames in the segment are combined to generate a photograph representative of the segment.

Claims

1. A method of generating photographs from a video, the method comprising:

identifying segments of the video for which frame-to-frame background motion is less than a threshold; and

for each of the segments, combining video frames in the segment to generate a photograph representative of the segment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically detecting a scene cut in the video; and

selecting at least one video frame of a segment of the video that follows the scene cut to be a photograph.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein combining the video frames to generate a photograph comprises stitching images in the video frames together to generate a panoramic photograph.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein combining video frames to generate a photograph comprises blending pixels from the video frames to generate a photograph having higher resolution than any one of the video frames.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein combining video frames to generate a photograph comprises blending pixels from the video frames to form a multi-resolution photograph.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying segments of the video for which frameto-frame background motion is less than a threshold comprises identifying a succession of frames of the video that each include a portion of an image in a preceding frame.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying the succession of frames of the video that each include a portion of an image in a preceding frame comprises removing a dynamic object from at least one frame of the succession of frames before comparing the at least one frame to a preceding frame in the succession of frames.

8. An apparatus for generating photographs from a video, the apparatus comprising:

a scene change estimator to identify segments of the video for which frame-to-frame background motion is less than a threshold; and

a still image constructor to combine video frames in the segment to generate a photograph representative of the segment.

9. An apparatus for generating photographs from a video, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying segments of the video for which frame-to-frame background motion is less than a threshold; and

means for combining video frames in the segment to generate a photograph representative of the segment.

10. An article of manufacture including one or more computer-readable media that embody a program of instructions for generating photographs from a video, wherein the program of instructions, when executed by a processing unit, causes the processing unit to:

identify segments of the video for which frame-to-frame background motion is less than a threshold; and

for each of the segments, combine video frames in the segment to generate a photograph representative of the segment.

11. The article of claim 10 wherein the one or more computer-readable media comprises a portable storage medium in which at least a portion of the program of instructions is embodied.

12. The article of claim 10 wherein the one or more computer-readable media comprises a propagated data signal in which the program of instructions is embodied.