Video object clipping method and apparatus

• US 7,295,217 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ida, Takashi, Matsumoto, Nobuyuki, Takeshima, Hidenori, Hori, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, DAVID H
• Application Number:
  US11/281,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/620
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/275 Generation of keying signals

Abstract

A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Claims

1. A video object clipping method comprising:

storing, in a storage unit, a plurality of sequential original images representing a substantially constant movement of a to-be-clipped object and a plurality of prepared reference alpha images representing a plurality of sequential reference images representing a substantially constant movement of a reference object;

determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images;

determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, the deformation parameter representing at least one of a parallel movement of the original object, a scaling of the original object and a rotation of the original object;

deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images,

wherein determining the deformation parameter includes determining the deformation parameter based on matching of the criteria original image with the criteria reference alpha image, and

wherein the string of the reference alpha images has a higher frame rate than the string of the sequential original images,

generating a plurality of temporary reference alpha image strings with a plurality of phases by downsampling the string of the reference alpha images using a plurality of temporary criteria alpha images;

generating a plurality of temporary output alpha image strings based on the temporary reference alpha image strings; and

selecting one of the temporary output alpha images as a final output alpha image string.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the criteria original image and the criteria reference alpha image includes determining one of the plurality of reference alpha images as the criteria reference alpha image by displaying selectively the plurality of reference alpha images.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the criteria original image and the criteria reference alpha image includes determining one of the plurality of original images as the criteria original image by displaying selectively the plurality of original images.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preparing the reference alpha images with respect to the plurality of sequential reference images individually, and summing the sequential reference images to generate a composite image.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a string of composite output alpha images by summing the sequential reference images of the output alpha images.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

correcting a position of contour of each of the sequential reference images based on the output alpha images.

7. A video object clipping apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a plurality of sequential original images representing a substantially constant movement of a to-be-clipped object and a plurality of prepared reference alpha images representing a plurality of sequential reference images representing a substantially constant movement of a reference object, a string of the reference alpha images having a higher frame rate than a string of the sequential original images;

a first determination unit configured to determine a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images;

a second determination unit configured to determine a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to match the criteria original image therewith, the deformation parameter representing at least one of a parallel movement of the original object, a scaling of the original object and a rotation of the original object;

a deformation unit configured to deform remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images,

a generator configured to generate a plurality of temporary reference alpha image strings with a plurality of phases by downsampling the string of the reference alpha images using a plurality of temporary criteria alpha images;

a generator configured to generate a plurality of temporary output alpha image strings based on the temporary reference alpha image strings; and

a selector configured to select one of the temporary output alpha images as a final output alpha image string.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first determination unit includes a determination unit configured to determine one of the plurality of reference alpha images as the criteria reference alpha image by displaying selectively the plurality of reference alpha images.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first determination unit includes a determination unit configured to determine one of the plurality of original images as the criteria original image by displaying selectively the plurality of original images.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a preparation unit configured to prepare the reference alpha images with respect to the plurality of sequential reference images individually, and to sum the sequential reference images to generate a composite image.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a generator to generate a string of composite output alpha images by summing the sequential reference images of the output alpha images.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a correction unit configured to correct a position of contour of each of the sequential reference images based on the output alpha images.