System and method for tracking an object in a video and linking information thereto

• US 6,774,908 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Creatier Interactive LLC
• Original Assignee: Creative Frontier, Inc.
• Inventors: Bates, Daniel Louis, Geaga, Jorge, Arnold, Glenn Christopher, Le, Thach Cam, Kaesman, Ann Marie, Jaroszewicz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US09/944,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 345/581-589, 382/103, 382/107
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/24 Aligning, centring, orientation detection or correction of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots

Abstract

An image processing system for use in development and playback of interactive video. In a development mode of operation, pixel or video objects are selected in a frame by way of a developmental graphical user interface. The system automatically tracks the selected pixel objects in the preceding and succeeding video frames by determining range limits for various color variables of the selected pixel object to compensate for the effects in lighting changes and decompression effects. The system automatically locates pixel objects within the calculated range limits in the preceding and succeeding video frames and generates a pixel object file which identifies the coordinates of the selected pixel object in each frame. The pixel object file is linked to a data object file which links the selected pixel objects to data objects. The pixel object file and data object file, collectively “linked video files,” are created during a development mode of operation. During a playback mode of operation, the linked video files are imported to a video hosting platform which includes a video playback application and a common media player application programming interface (API) for playback of the video content. The video playback application supports processing of the linked video files to enable pixel objects to be selected by a pointing device and linked to data objects by way of a client side graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method for automatically tracking an object selected in a sequence of video frames, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining an initial color variable range for said selected pixel object;

(b) sampling pixels at a first predetermined radius relative to said selected pixel object;

(c) locating pixels within said initial color variable range defining located pixels;

(d) determining a second color variable range for said located pixels;

(e) sampling a second predetermined pixel radius, larger than said first predetermined pixel radius;

(f) locating pixels in said second color variable range;

(g) calculating a third color range for said pixels located in step (f);

(h) locating pixels in said third color range;

(i) determining the centroid and coordinates of pixels located in step (h);

(j) storing the centroid and coordinates determined in step (i); and

(k) repeating steps (b)-(j) starting at the centroid of the previous frame until all frames in the video sequence have been processed.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of determining breaks between segments in said sequence of video frames as a function of changes in said color variables in one or more frames.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further including the step of compensating for changes in said color variable as a function of said section breaks.