Personalized video story production apparatus and method

• US 6,463,205 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1994
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sentimental Journeys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sentimental Journeys, Inc.
• Inventors: Aschbrenner, Scott Warren, Bender, Mark Kerry, Algie, Stephanie Rebecca, Oberfield, Craig Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/221,210
• Time in Patent Office: 3,113 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/311, 358/906, 348/143, 348/158, 348/159, 348/207, 364/300, 360/14.1, 360/14.2, 360/14.3, 360/13, 386/4, 386/12, 386/98, 386/52, 386/80
• US Class Current: 386/281
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/02 for optical devices, e.g. telescopes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

Personalized video stories are produced. Unfinished stories are first recorded on a video medium with blank segments. Digital sequences are used to complete the segments, for example, by portraying a character with a keyed-out facial area, using the digitized image of a subject to complete the character. An edit list is also prepared to locate the blank segments. The story is sequentially advanced to each segment in accordance with the edit list and, at each segment, the personalized sequence is recorded, thereby completing the story as though the subject is a character in the story. A plurality of different stories may be prerecorded, each substantially completed but including a plurality of unfinished segments. The stories may include animation, for example in the form of cartoons, the personalizes being recorded onto the previously uncompleted tape in such a way that a smooth, visual transition is realized at the start and ending of each segment. In addition to the merging of personalized imagery, the invention also accommodates audio, including narration, and textual information, such as personalized captioning. The apparatus will also print a customized label to produce an entirely personalized end product.

Claims

1. The method of producing a personalized video story having a playback speed, comprising the steps of:

(a) prerecording a non-personalized video story having one or more uncompleted segments requiring personalization onto a single video recording medium;

(b) preparing an edit list associated with the non-personalized video story for use in locating each uncompleted segment;

(c) providing a personalized video sequence;

(d) automatically advancing to each uncompleted segment in accordance with the edit list at a rate in excess of the playback speed; and

(e) recording the personalized sequence directly onto, the recording medium to complete each segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a personalized video sequence includes:

providing a video sequence including an unfinished portion;

capturing personalizing imagery relating to a personality; and

inserting the personalizing imagery into the unfinished portion.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the personalizing imagery is a still image.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the personalizing imagery includes capturing a motion image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a personalized video sequence includes providing text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a personalized video sequence includes providing personalized audio.

7. The method of producing a personalized video story, comprising the steps of:

(a) prerecording a video story onto a single recording medium, the story having a finished portion and a plurality of blank segments, the playback time of a blank segment being substantially shorter than the playback time of the finished story;

(b) preparing an edit list associated with the location of each blank segment on the recording medium;

(c) storing a digital sequence associated with the completion of a blank segment;

(d) capturing an image of a subject;

(e) merging the image of the subject with the stored digital sequence to provide a personalized sequence for use in completing a blank segment;

(f) automatically advancing to a blank segment of the prerecorded video story in accordance with the prepared edit list at a rate in excess of the playback time;

(g) filling the blank segment by recording the personalized sequence provided in step (e) directly onto the recording medium; and

repeating steps (f) and (g) for each segment in turn, completing the story in such a way that the subject appears to be a character in the story.

8. The method of claim 7, including an animated video story.

9. The method of claim 7, step (e) including the step of digitally keying out a portion of the stored digital sequence so that image of the subject appears within the digitally keyed-out portion.

10. The method of claim 9, the size and position of the keyed-out portion being substantially similar in each segment as the segments are replayed.

11. The method of claim 9, the image of the subject including a facial likeness.

12. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

capturing personalized textual information; and

merging the personalized textual information with the stored sequence.

13. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

capturing a personalized sound track; and

merging the personalized sound track with the stored sequence.

14. The method of claim 7, step (a) further including the steps of:

prerecording a plurality of unpersonalized video stories, each such story having a finished portion and a plurality of blank segments; and

choosing one of the unpersonalized video stories for personalization.

15. The method of claim 7, further including the steps of:

completing the video story in the form of a video tape;

providing a package for the tape; and

printing a label associated with the personalized video story for affixation to the package.

16. The method of producing a personalized video cassette, comprising the steps of:

(a) prerecording a plurality of animated video stories on video tape, each story being substantially completed, but including a plurality of unfinished segments;

(b) preparing an edit list for each story, each edit list indicating the location of the unfinished segments for that story;

(c) storing digital sequences for each story which may be used to complete the unfinished segments, the sequences including the representation of a character in the story, and a visual template which may be used to personalize the character;

(d) choosing one of the unfinished animated video stories;

(e) capturing the facial likeness of a subject and a storing digital information representative of the facial likeness;

(f) aligning the facial likeness within the sequence using the template for the selected story so as to give the character the likeness of the subject; and

(g) advancing to each unfinished segment of the prerecorded video story in accordance with the edit list for that story at a rate higher than the playback rate of the story when finished, and completing each segment in such a way that the subject appears to be a character therein.