System and method for data assisted chroma-keying

• US 7,091,989 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gibbs, Simon, Hoch, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMJOO, MANUCHER
• Application Number:
  US10/215,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20030030651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/589, 345/592, 345/597, 345/601, 345/602
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/026 Control of mixing and/or overlay of colours in general G09G5/022 and G09G5/024 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/75 Chroma key

Abstract

The invention illustrates a system and method of displaying a base image and an overlay image comprising: capturing a base image of a real event; receiving an instrumentation data based on the real event; identifying a visual segment within the base image based on the instrumentation data; and rendering an overlay image within the visual segment.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a camera device for capturing a base image and instrumentation data associated with the base image;

a segment identifier module for defining a visual segment, based upon the instrumentation data, within the base image, wherein the visual segment is configured to accept an overlay image; and

a color histogram module for analyzing a color histogram of the visual segment and for forming an updated chroma keying key color value, wherein the segment identifier module is configured to use the updated key color value to update the visual segment; and

a compositing module configured for receiving the base image and the overlay image, and for blending the base image and the overlay image for simultaneous display.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a rendering module configured for rendering the overlay image within the visual segment of the base image.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the instrumentation data includes one of a camera position, a camera zoom, a camera pan, a camera tilt, a camera field-of-view, and an object location.

4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a depth map module configured for ordering, based on the instrumentation data, an object relative to the overlay image, and for defining a boundary for the visual segment.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the segment identifier module is configured to track a location of the visual segment within the base image.

6. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor for generating the instrumentation data for measuring a physical parameter of a real event.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the physical parameter comprises one of a force exerted on an object and a location of the object.

8. A computerized method comprising:

capturing a base image of a real event;

receiving instrumentation data based on the real event;

identifying a visual segment within the base image by utilizing the instrumentation data;

identifying an updated chroma keying key color value that is based on a color histogram of the visual segment;

updating the visual segment by utilizing the updated key color value;

rendering an overlay image within the visual segment; and

blending the base image and the overlay image within the visual segment for simultaneous display.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the instrumentation data includes one of a camera position, a camera zoom, a camera pan, a camera tilt, a camera field-of-view, and an object location.

10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising tracking the visual segment via the instrumentation data.

11. The method according to claim 8 further comprising analyzing a color distribution of the visual segment.

12. The method according to claim 8 further comprising calculating a depth map of an object within the base image relative to the visual segment based on the instrumentation data.

13. The method according to claim 12 further refining the visual segment based on the depth map.

14. The method according to claim 8 wherein the overlay image is on one of a graphic and a base image captured by a device.

15. The method according to claim 8 wherein the overlay image is an advertisement.

16. A system comprising:

a sensing device for capturing instrumentation data associated with a base image;

a segment identifier module for defining a visual segment within the base image, wherein the defining is based upon the instrumentation data, and wherein the visual segment is configured to accept an overlay image;

a color histogram module for analyzing a color histogram of the visual segment and for updating a chroma keying key color value wherein the segment identifier module is configured to use the updated key color value to update the visual segment; and

a compositing module configured for receiving the base image and the overlay image, and for blending the base image and the overlay image for simultaneous display.

17. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a camera device for capturing the base image.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

capturing a base image of a real event;

receiving an instrumentation data based on the real event;

identifying a visual segment within the base image by utilizing the instrumentation data;

identifying an updated chroma keying key color value that is based on a color histogram of the visual segment;

updating the visual segment by utilizing the updated key color value;

rendering an overlay image within the visual segment; and

blending the base image and the overlay image within the visual segment for simultaneous display.