Interactive animation of sprites in a video production

• US 7,432,940 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Brook, John Charles, Kowald, Julie Rae, Ma, Choi Chi Evelene, Lawther, Michael Jan, Reeve, Rupert William Galloway, Qian, Lena, Magarey, Julian Frank Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu; David H
• Application Number:
  US10/268,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 715/716, 715719-726
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A method of animating a sprite in a video production comprising a plurality of sequential video frames is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of selecting (2004) a feature, with which the sprite is to be juxtaposed, in one of said video frames, applying (2006) a feature tracking process to the video production to thereby output (2008), for a series of said plurality of video frames containing the feature, a temporal-spatial record for the feature across the plurality of video frames, and compositing (2010), with the series of said plurality of video frames, a corresponding series of instantiations of the sprite dependent upon the temporal-spatial record.

Claims

1. An apparatus for extracting frames for printing from a production represented by a production description, said production comprising video frames which include an animation layer, said production having been formed using a means for animating a sprite in the animation layer of said video frames, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining printing suitability measures for the frames to be extracted dependent upon meta-data in said production description, said meta-data being associated with an animated sprite in said animation layer of said video production; and

means for extracting said frames for printing from the production dependent upon said printing suitability measures;

wherein the means for animating the sprite in the video production comprises;

means for selecting a sprite and a feature in a video frame of the video production in relation to which the sprite is to be animated;

means for applying a feature tracking process to the video production to thereby output a trajectory for the feature; and

means for compositing instantiations of the sprite with the video production depending upon the trajectory to thereby form a first animated production;

said apparatus further comprising;

means for selecting another feature in a video frame of one of the video production and the first animation production to which the sprite is to be animated;

means for applying the feature tracking process to said one of the video production and the first animated production to thereby output another trajectory for said other selected feature; and

means for compositing instantiations of the sprite with the first animated production depending on the other trajectory to thereby form a second animated production;

wherein the animated sprite in the first animated production has an associated animation time, and the other trajectory for the other selected feature has an associated trajectory time;

and wherein, if the associated animation time differs from the associated trajectory time for the other trajectory, then the compositing depending on the other trajectory is performed by;

means for scaling the other trajectory so that the associated trajectory time conforms to the associated animation time; and

means for compositing instantiations for the sprite with the first animated production depending on the scaled other trajectory to thereby form a second animated production.

2. A method of extracting frames for printing from a production represented by a production description, said production comprising video frames which include an animation layer, said production having been formed by a process of animating a sprite in the animation layer of said video frames, the method comprising the steps of:

determining printing suitability measures for the frames to be extracted dependent upon meta-data in said production description, said meta-data being associated with an animated sprite in said animation layer of said video production; and

extracting said frames for printing from the production dependent upon said printing suitability measures;

wherein the animation of the sprite in the video production comprises the steps of;

selecting a sprite and a feature in a video frame of the video production in relation to which the sprite is to be animated;

applying a feature tracking process to the video production to thereby output a trajectory for the feature; and

compositing instantiations of the sprite with the video production depending upon the trajectory to thereby form a first animated production;

said method comprising the further steps of;

selecting another feature in a video frame of one of the video production and the first animated production to which the sprite is to be animated;

applying the feature tracking process to said one of the video production and the first animated production to thereby output another trajectory for said other selected feature; and

compositing instantiations of the sprite with the first animated production depending on the other trajectory to thereby form a second animated production;

wherein the animated sprite in the first animated production has an associated animation time, and the other trajectory for the other selected feature has an associated trajectory time;

and wherein, if the associated animation time differs from the associated trajectory time for the other trajectory, then the compositing depending on the other trajectory comprises the steps of;

scaling the other trajectory so that the associated trajectory time conforms to the associated animation time; and

compositing instantiations of the sprite with the first animated production depending on the scaled other trajectory to thereby form a second animated production.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

the trajectory end points are defined by event bounds comprising a begin frame and an end frame; and

the compositing step is performed in relation to a video frame of the video production falling between said begin and said end frames.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

the trajectory end points are defined by event bounds comprising a begin frame and an end frame; and

the compositing step is performed in relation to a video frame of the video production falling in the neighborhood of at least one of said begin and said end frames.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said printing suitability measures are determined dependent upon a production template used to form said production.