Image synthesizing apparatus and method

• US 7,236,645 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Ken, Yamada, Satoshi, Hayashi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hung; Yubin
• Application Number:
  US10/392,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 382/284, 345/634, 345/637, 345639-641, 348584-595
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

An α value in a desired shape in a desired position can be rewritten to a desired value in a desired range. α value rewriting units for rewriting an α value showing an opaqueness degree of an image are provided. When the desired position comes, an area setting signal is outputted in a desired shape from an area setting signal generating unit. While the area setting signal is being outputted, in the α value rewriting unit, an α value of inputted image data is rewritten to a desired value. The rewriting of the α value can be dynamically realized independent of software. By preparing a quadrangular area calculating unit and a circular area calculating unit as an area setting signal generating unit, a quadrangular area and a circular area can be set by hardware.

Claims

1. An image synthesizing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data including a value of an opaqueness degree;

area setting means for setting a rewriting range of said opaqueness degree in a desired shape in a desired position and generating an area setting signal when a present position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range;

opaqueness degree rewriting means for rewriting a value of the opaqueness degree of said inputted image data to a desired value while said area setting signal is being generated; and

synthesizing means for synthesizing said inputted image data in which said opaqueness degree has been rewritten in said desired shape in said desired position and outputting second image data in accordance with the value of said rewritten opaqueness degree;

wherein said inputted image data have priorities and wherein said inputted image data is synthesized using the value of said rewritten opaqueness degree of the inputted image having a higher priority.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area setting means includes quadrangular area setting means for setting a rewriting range of a quadrangular shape.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said quadrangular area setting means comprises:

horizontal direction calculating means for setting a rewriting range in a horizontal direction on the basis of a rewriting position in the horizontal direction and a rewriting size in the horizontal direction and, when a present horizontal position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the horizontal direction, outputting an area setting signal in the horizontal direction;

vertical direction calculating means for setting a rewriting range in a vertical direction on the basis of a rewriting position in the vertical direction and a rewriting size in the vertical direction and, when a present vertical position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the vertical direction, outputting an area setting signal in the vertical direction; and

area setting signal output means for forming an area setting signal for setting a rewriting area of the quadrangular shape on the basis of said area setting signal in the horizontal direction from said horizontal direction calculating means and said area setting signal in the vertical direction from said vertical direction calculating means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area setting means includes circular area setting means for setting a rewriting range of a circular shape.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said circular area setting means comprises:

a conversion table in which sizes in a horizontal direction for a position in a vertical direction of a circle serving as a reference have been stored;

address generating means for advancing an address in said conversion table in accordance with a present vertical position of said inputted image data;

horizontal direction calculating means for setting a rewriting range in the horizontal direction on the basis of a rewriting position in the horizontal direction and an output of said conversion table and, when a present horizontal position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the horizontal direction, outputting an area setting signal in the horizontal direction;

vertical direction calculating means for setting a rewriting range in the vertical direction on the basis of a rewriting position in the vertical direction and a size of the circle and, when the present vertical position of said inputted image data lies within said set rewriting range in the vertical direction, outputting an area setting signal in the vertical direction; and

area setting signal output means for forming an area setting signal for setting a rewriting area of the circle on the basis of said area setting signal in the horizontal direction from said horizontal direction calculating means and said area setting signal in the vertical direction from said vertical direction calculating means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the size in the horizontal direction for the position in the vertical direction of the circle serving as a reference has been stored in said conversion table, the address to said conversion table is advanced in accordance with said size of said circle, and the output of said conversion table is corrected in accordance with said size of said circle.

7. An image synthesizing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data including a value of an opaqueness degree;

setting a rewriting range of said opaqueness degree in a desired shape in a desired position and generating an area setting signal when a present position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range;

rewriting a value of the opaqueness degree of said inputted image data to a desired value while said area setting signal is being generated; and

synthesizing said inputted image data data in which said opaqueness degree has been rewritten in said desired shape in said desired position and outputting second image data in accordance with the value of said rewritten opaqueness degree;

wherein said inputted image data have priorities and wherein said inputted image data is synthesized using the value of said rewritten opaqueness degree of said inputted image data having a higher priority.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a rewriting range of a quadrangular shape is set by said area setting signal.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the area setting signal of said quadrangular shape is formed in a manner such that:

a rewriting range in a horizontal direction is set on the basis of a rewriting position in the horizontal direction and a rewriting size in the horizontal direction and, when a present horizontal position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the horizontal direction, an area setting signal in the horizontal direction is outputted;

a rewriting range in a vertical direction is set on the basis of a rewriting position in the vertical direction and a rewriting size in the vertical direction and, when a present vertical position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the vertical direction, an area setting signal in the vertical direction is outputted; and

an area setting signal for setting a rewriting area of the quadrangular shape is formed on the basis of said area setting signal in the horizontal direction and said area setting signal in the vertical direction.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein a rewriting range of a circular shape is set by said area setting signal.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the area setting signal setting said circular shape is formed in a manner such that:

a conversion table in which sizes in a horizontal direction for a position in a vertical direction of a circle serving as a reference have been stored is provided;

an address in said conversion table is advanced in accordance with a present vertical position of said inputted image data;

a rewriting range in the horizontal direction is set on the basis of a rewriting position in the horizontal direction and an output of said conversion table and, when a present horizontal position of said inputted image data enters said set rewriting range in the horizontal direction, an area setting signal in the horizontal direction is outputted;

a rewriting range in the vertical direction is set on the basis of a rewriting position in the vertical direction and a size of the circle and, when the present vertical position of said inputted image data lies within said set rewriting range in the vertical direction,

an area setting signal in the vertical direction is outputted; and

an area setting signal for setting a rewriting area of the circle is formed on the basis of said area setting signal in the horizontal direction and said area setting signal in the vertical direction.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the size in the horizontal direction for the position in the vertical direction of the circle serving as a reference has been stored in said conversion table, the address to said conversion table is advanced in accordance with said size of said circle, and the output of said conversion table is corrected in accordance with said size of said circle.