Video object clipping method and apparatus

• US 7,330,194 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• 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): YANG, RYAN R
• Application Number:
  US11/274,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 345/620, 345/647, 345/629
• 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; 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,

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

wherein the method further includes

generating a string of the reference alpha images at a frame rate in a time axis,

determining a set of the criteria original image and the criteria reference alpha image,

performing a phase matching by equalizing a frame rate between a string of the sequential original images and the string of the reference alpha images, the frame rate being equalized by downsampling the string of the reference alpha images using the determined criteria alpha image, and

generating the output alpha images using the string of reference alpha images having the same frame rate as that of the string of the sequential original images.

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, which includes 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, which includes 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, which includes 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 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 to generate a string of the reference alpha images at a frame rate in a time axis,

a third determination unit configured to determine a set of the criteria original image and the criteria reference alpha image,

a phase matching unit configured to perform a phase matching by equalizing a frame rate between a string of the sequential original images and the string of the reference alpha images, the frame rate being equalized by downsampling the string of the reference alpha images using the determined criteria alpha image, and

a generator to generate the output alpha images using the string of reference alpha images having the same frame rate as that of the string of the sequential original images.

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 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.