User image integration and tracking for an audiovisual presentation system and methodology

• US 6,425,825 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1998
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: David H Sitrick
• Inventors: Sitrick, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/184,600
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/30-35, 463/40-44, 345/418, 345/302, 345/429-439, 345/473, 345/112-118, 345/147-149
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

An amusement park entertainment system that integrates an image of a patron into an audiovisual presentation. The patron enters a room where the lighting, sound, and scenery can be controlled. A standardized input sequence is obtained by computer automated/assisted process where user images (video camera input, voice parameters, etc.) prompting the user to provide certain views and voiced statements. Alternatively, photo scan or diskette/CD readers can accept user input image data. A one, two, or three dimensional image data representation of the user images is then generated, including the speech parameters of the patron. The image can later be manipulated to change the appearance of the image. This appearance change includes attire and adding tools relevant to the entertainment area used by the patron. The image can then be smoothly integrated into a preexisting audiovisual presentation, thus making the patron a synthetic actor in the production.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a source of a first video image signal representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of at least one common predetermined character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within the background images;

a source of a user image signal representative of a user image;

means for selecting one predetermined character functions as a selected predetermined character function within the respective background images;

means for mapping the user image to the selected predetermined character function;

apparatus for providing an integrated video output wherein the user image appears integrated into the respective background images in place of the respective recognizable video presentation for the selected character function responsive to the mapping of the selected predetermined character function to the user image signal.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the processor apparatus provides for scaling the user image providing the integrated video output.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein the processor provides for the resizing and translating of the user image corresponding to respective sizing and translating of the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function for each of the respective background images containing the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function.

4. The system as in claim 2, wherein the scaling is comprised of at least one of adjustment of resolution, formatting, mapping, and sizing.

5. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

apparatus for storing a signal representative of the integrated video output onto a storage medium.

6. The system as in claim 5, wherein the storage medium is comprised of at least one of a videotape, a floppy disk, a compact disk, a digital video disk, a photographic print and a computer image printout.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of background images, the system further comprising:

a user input apparatus; and

control logic for selecting at least one of the plurality of the background images for integration responsive to the user input apparatus.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the user input apparatus is comprised of at least one of a mouse, a joystick, a light pen, voice recognition, image recognition, a touch screen, a touch pad, and a keyboard switch.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein the user image signal is provided by at least one of a camera, a computer, a communications device, and a storage device.

10. The system as in claim 1, wherein the background image is further comprised of at least a portion of a person;

wherein the user image is representative of at least one of facial expression features, voice data, arrangement of hair, addition of hair to a selected part of the portion of the person, color of hair, hair accessories, removal of hair from a selected part of the portion of the person, tools, instruments, clothing, accessories and facial cosmetic makeup.

11. The system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the source of the first video image signal and the source of the user image signal is comprised of at least one of an interface with a modem, a CD-ROM, a DVD cartridge, a floppy disk, a smart card, magnetic storage, optical storage and semiconductor storage.

12. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a source of tracking data for defining the position of the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function within each of the background images;

wherein the integrated presentation is comprised of the user image integrated into the background images in accordance with the tracking data.

13. The system as in claim 1, wherein the video output generates a video display presentation of a movie.

14. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a video entertainment apparatus, comprising the processor, a memory, a display output, a user input device, and a data interface;

wherein the video entertainment apparatus provides the display of a selected one of a default presentation comprising the background image, including the recognizable video presentation therewithin, and, of an integrated presentation comprising the user image mapped to the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function including the recognizable video presentation therewithin; and

means for selecting one of the default and the integrated presentation as a selected presentation type, wherein the processor is responsive to the selecting of the integrated presentation to provide the integrated video output.

15. The system as in claim 14, including the recognizable video presentation therewithin.

16. An image integration system comprising:

a source of presentation signals defining a video presentation representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of at least one common predefined character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within at least two respective ones of the background images and associated therewith;

means for selecting a selected character function;

a source of external image signals defining an external video image;

a source of integration signals defining linkage mapping, for the respective ones of the background images, of the external video image to the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions for integration of the external image signals with the presentation signals; and

apparatus for automatically integrating the external image signals with the presentation signals responsive to the integration signals, for providing an integrated display output wherein the external video image appears as the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function within the respective ones of the background images.

17. The system as in claim 16, wherein the external image signal is at least one of an analog signal, a digital signal, a broadcast video signal, signal parameter data, video image data, digital audio data, and integration control signals.

18. The system as in claim 16, wherein the integration signal is representative of at least one of motion tracking of identifiable images within the video presentation, computer generated tracking, and positional and temporal placement information for providing for the external video image integration.

19. The system as in claim 16, wherein the integration signals are generated responsive to the presentation signals.

20. A display integration system comprising:

apparatus providing display signals for a display presentation comprising a plurality of background images representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a recognizable video presentation within the background images, associated with a common character function, wherein the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function has respective position within the respective ones of the background images and timing characteristics uniquely associated with the respective ones of the background images

a source of user image signals having an associated user image presentation;

apparatus for integrating the user image presentation into the display presentation and responsive to the position and timing characteristics for the selected character function to provide a modified display presentation comprising the user image integrated into the display presentation and having the position and timing characteristics therein associated with the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function.

21. The system as in claim 20, wherein the user image signals are further comprised of a texture map.

22. The system as in claim 20, wherein the position and timing characteristics are provided as separate signals from the display signals.

23. The system as in claim 20, wherein the user image signals are further comprised of parameter data, wherein the apparatus for integrating is responsive to the parameter data for texture wrapping of the user image display over the associated selected one of the predefined characters.

24. The system as in claim 20, wherein the position and timing characteristics are derived from the display signals.

25. The system as in claim 20, wherein the display presentation is a movie.

26. A method of generating a visual presentation comprising:

representing a user video presentation as a user image signal;

representing a video presentation as video presentation signals comprised of video signals and tracking signals wherein the video signals are representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within the background images, and wherein the tracking signals are comprised of timing and position signals; and

integrating the video signals and the user image signals responsive to the tracking signals, to integrate the respective user presentation for the user image signal as the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function within the respective video presentation for the video signals to provide an integrated video presentation output.

27. The method as in claim 26, further characterized in that said tracking signals are comprised of timing and position data for the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions within each of the background images, the method further comprising:

utilizing the timing and position data to control placement of the user presentation into the video presentation.

28. The method as in claim 26, wherein the tracking signals are comprised of at least one of manually generated tracking data, automatically generated tracking data, and motion capture data representative of at least one of a plurality of defined actor positions.

29. A method of providing a visual display presentation comprising:

providing digitized image data representative of a display presentation of at least a portion of a person;

providing ancillary data representative of a display presentation of ancillary attributes;

selecting one of a plurality of image integration options for selectively mapping and linking the display presentation for respective ones of the image data and the ancillary data;

integrating the respective image data and the respective ancillary data responsive to the selected image integration option to modify the display presentation of the at least portion of the person with the ancillary attributes, to provide modified image data;

providing the visual display presentation responsive to the modified image data; and

integrating the modified image data into at least one of a movie, a video game, and an animation.

30. The method as in claim 29, wherein the ancillary data is comprised of at least one of a video and an audiovisual presentation, hairstyle, facial hair, removal of hair, clothing, hair accessories, clothing accessories, hair color, facial cosmetic makeup, weapons, glasses and tools.

31. A display presentation system for providing a presentation output comprising:

a source of image data representative of a visual display presentation;

a source of presentation data representative of a plurality of ancillary attributes for modifying the visual display presentation of the image data, wherein each of the ancillary attributes is associated with at least one of a plurality of selectable options for modifying the visual display presentation;

a user input apparatus providing for the user to select one of the plurality of selectable options;

application software comprising control logic for providing for generation of the presentation output as a video display comprising the combination of the visual display presentations for the image data and at least one of the ancillary attributes selected responsive to the user input apparatus;

a processor, responsive to the application software, the input apparatus, the presentation data, and the image data, for integrating the presentation output into at least one of an animation, a video game, and a movie.

32. The system as in claim 31, wherein the visual display presentation is representative of the image of a person, and wherein the ancillary attributes are further comprised of at least one of color, lighting, clothing, hairstyle, removal of specified hair, addition of hair to a specified area of the image of the person, hair accessories, non-jewelry clothing accessories, jewelry, glasses, applied cosmetics, tools and weapons.

33. The system as in claim 31, wherein the image data is coupled from an image source comprised of at least one of a camera, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, a semiconductor device, and a communications link to a remote device.

34. A system for user creation and storage of user image signals, comprising:

apparatus for generating user image signals for a plurality of poses of a same user'"'"'s user image;

storage apparatus; and

apparatus for formatting the user image signals and storing the formatted user image signals as digital data in the storage apparatus;

apparatus providing display signals for a display presentation comprising a plurality of background images representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a recognizable video presentation within the background images, associated with a common character function, wherein recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function has respective position within the respective ones of the background images and respective predefined character function pose characteristics uniquely associated with the respective ones of the background images;

wherein the recognizable video presentation is comprised of a plurality of poses utilized in respective ones of a plurality of the background images;

means for selecting one of the character functions;

apparatus for mapping the user image signals for different ones of the poses therefor with each of the respective poses for the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions within the respective background images of the video presentation, responsive to the respective position and the respective pose characteristic.

35. The system as in claim 34, wherein the plurality of poses are at least one of front facial view, side facial view, top facial view, facial expressions, sitting, standing, kneeling, jumping and lying down.

36. The system as in claim 34, wherein the mapping of the poses is according to an associated emotional function.

37. A display integration system comprising:

apparatus providing display signals for a display presentation comprising a recognizable video presentation for a respective character function within a plurality of background images means for providing position and timing characteristics associated with the display signals and the display presentation thereof for each of the background images;

a source of user image signals having an associated user image display presentation;

apparatus for integrating the user signals with the display signals, responsive to the position and timing characteristics for a selected predefined character function, to provide an integrated display presentation comprising the user image display presentation having the position and timing characteristics associated with a respective selected predefined character function.

38. A method of producing a customized videotape presentation comprising:

providing a signal for a background video representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within at least some of the background images;

providing a customized image; and

integrating the customized image with the background video in place of the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function to provide an integrated video presentation, and

producing a customized video tape of the integrated video presentation.

39. The method as in claim 38, wherein the background image is at least one of a video presentation, an audiovisual presentation, and an audio presentation.

40. The method as in claim 39, wherein the background video is a predetermined sequence of a plurality of background images.

41. The method as in claim 38, wherein the customized image is at least one of a video image, an audio sequence and an audiovisual image.

42. The method as in claim 38, further comprising:

displaying a video display presentation responsive to the customized videotape.

43. A system for integrating an image from a secondary source into a predefined image source, comprising:

means for providing a presentation output from the image source;

means for providing a user image from the secondary source; and

means for providing a presentation architecture having means that integrate and utilize the user image from the secondary source to participate with predefined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor.

44. The system as in claim 43, wherein the predefined image source is a video image source.

45. A system for integrating a user image into a predefined image source presentation output, comprising:

means for providing a user image;

means for selecting an image portion of the presentation output as a selected portion for user image associative integration,

means for analyzing the presentation output associated with the selected portion;

means for integrating the user image with the selected image portion; and

means for providing a modified presentation output wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected image portion in the presentation output.

46. The system as in claim 45, wherein the predefined image source is a video image source.

47. A method of integrating an image from a secondary source into a predefined image source, comprising:

providing a presentation output from the image source;

providing a user image from the secondary source; and

providing a presentation architecture having means that integrate and utilize the user image from the secondary source to participate with predefined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the predefined image source is a video image source.

49. A method for integrating an image into a video output, the method comprising:

providing a user image;

providing as the video output a presentation output associated with a predefined image source wherein the video output is representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images;

selecting an image portion for the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions as a selected portion for user image associative integration;

analyzing the signal for the presentation output associated with the selected portion;

integrating the user image in place of the selected image portion responsive to the analyzing; and

providing a modified presentation output wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected image portion in the presentation output.

50. The system as in claim 49, wherein the predefined image source is a video image source.

51. A presentation system providing a presentation output, said system comprising:

means for providing a user image;

integration means for mapping the user image into the presentation output as an extra actor with predefined associative actions wherein the user image becomes a part of the presentation output.

52. The system as in claim 51, further comprising:

means for providing visual presentation data for the presentation;

means for identifying defined portions of the visual presentation data for integration with the formatted user-image data;

means for integrating the formatted user image data with the defined portions of the visual presentation data to provide integrated image data;

means for providing an integrated visual presentation responsive to the integrated image data.

53. A method of integration of an image from a secondary source into a predefined image source, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a presentation output from the image source;

providing a user image from the secondary source;

analyzing the presentation output; and

integrating the user image from the secondary source to participate with predefined associative actions in the presentation output as an extra actor, responsive to the analyzing.

54. A method of producing a customized display presentation comprising:

providing an audiovisual display presentation responsive to stored audiovisual content produced by the process of;

providing a background video representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images;

providing a customized image; and

producing a customized audiovisual presentation responsive to integrating the customized image in place of the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions within the respective ones of the background images.

55. The method as in claim 54, further comprising:

displaying the customized display presentation responsive to the customized audiovisual presentation.

56. The method as in claim 54, wherein the audiovisual presentation is stored on a video tape.

57. A method of providing a display presentation to a user, the method comprising:

providing an audiovisual display presentation responsive to stored audiovisual content produced by the process of;

providing a predefined audiovisual presentation representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images;

providing at least one user image;

selecting an image portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation for the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character function as a selected portion for user image associative integration;

analyzing the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation; and

integrating the user image with the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation, responsive to the analyzing, for producing the output audiovisual presentation wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation within the respective ones of the background images.

58. A system for providing a display presentation, the system comprising:

a display;

a storage device containing a stored audiovisual presentation produced by the process of;

providing a predefined audiovisual presentation recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions;

providing at least one user image;

selecting an image portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation containing the recognizable video presentation of the respective selected character functions as a selected portion for user image associative integration;

analyzing the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation;

integrating the user image with the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation, responsive to the analyzing, for producing the output audiovisual presentation wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation;

storing the output audiovisual presentation in a non-volatile form.

59. The system as in claim 58, wherein the display provides a display presentation is comprised of at least one of visual, audio, and audiovisual.

60. The system as in claim 59, wherein the display presentation is provided for at least one of a movie, a television broadcast display, a computer generated display and a video game display.

61. The system as in claim 58, further comprising:

storing the output audiovisual presentation on a storage device comprising at least one of visual, audio, and audiovisual.

62. A method of providing a display presentation to a user, the method comprising:

providing an audiovisual display presentation responsive to stored audiovisual content produced by the process of;

providing a predefined audiovisual presentation representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images;

providing at least one user image;

selecting an image portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation for a recognizable video presentation of a selected character function as a selected portion for user image associative integration;

analyzing the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation;

integrating the user image with the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation, responsive to the analyzing; and

producing the output audiovisual presentation wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation.

63. The method as in claim 62, further comprising:

displaying a movie in response to the output audiovisual presentation.

64. A method of providing an audiovisual presentation for viewing, the method comprising:

providing stored audiovisual content produced by the process of;

providing predefined audiovisual content representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images;

providing at least one user image;

selecting an image portion of the predefined audiovisual content for the recognizable video presentation of a selected character function as a selected portion for user image associative integration;

analyzing the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual content;

integrating the user image with the selected portion of the predefined content, responsive to the analyzing, for producing modified audiovisual content wherein the user image is associated with and integrated into the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual content;

storing the modified audiovisual presentation in a non-volatile form as the stored audiovisual content.

65. The method as in claim 64, further comprising:

storing the output audiovisual presentation in a non-volatile form.

66. The stored audiovisual presentation as in claim 65, wherein the non-volatile form is one of semiconductor storage, optical storage and magnetic storage.

67. The method as in claim 64, further comprising:

providing a display presentation for viewing a movie responsive to the stored audiovisual content.

68. The method as in claim 64, further comprising:

providing a display presentation responsive to the stored audiovisual content.

69. A method of providing a display presentation, the method comprising:

providing an audiovisual display presentation responsive to stored audiovisual content produced by the process of;

providing user data;

providing a predefined source, wherein the source comprises audiovisual program content representative of a plurality of background images of which at least two of which are comprised of a common character function therewithin having a recognizable video presentation within respective ones of the background images and program data;

selecting a portion of the audiovisual program content for the recognizable video presentation of a selected character function responsive to the program data, as a selected portion for user data associative integration;

integrating the user data with the selected portion responsive to the program data;

providing a modified output content in an audiovisual format responsive to the integrating wherein the user data is associated into the selected portion of the audiovisual program content.

70. The method as in claim 69, wherein the step of storing the modified output content uses at least one of a magnetic storage, semiconductor storage and optical storage.

71. The method as in claim 69, the method further comprising:

providing said audiovisual display presentation responsive to said stored audiovisual content to at least one user.

72. The method as in claim 69, wherein the step of providing an audiovisual display presentation is one of a projected movie display, a broadcast television display, a computer generated display and a video game generated display.

73. The method as in claim 69, further comprising:

storing the modified output content as stored audiovisual content.