Method and apparatus for synchronizing dynamic graphics

• US 7,530,084 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation Of America (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US10/156,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725/86, 725/104, 380/201, 380/217, 345/629, 386/61, 348/511
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91357 by modifying the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for overlaying parts of a displayed presentation of a video by using graphic content rendered by a receiving device such as a set top box or television to complete a displayed presentation of the video. The apparatus receiving frame synchronizing information from a content provider and then conveying the frame synchronizing information as a graphic overlay to the video. The frame synchronizing information comprises frame starting identifier data, frame ending identifier and positional information for describing frame locations and frame timing for overlaying the graphic content and positional information to indicate where to place the graphic content to be overlaid. The frame synchronizing information provides the information necessary to place graphic content, such as a graphic image or graphic animation, at specified positions that are synchronized to the displayed presentation. The same method also enables audio information to be synchronized. The graphic content supplied may include a block of pixel data, an image, an animation or an audio clip.

Claims

1. A graphic censoring system, comprising:

a distributor for distributing incomplete video images and graphic data; and

a restoring device for receiving from said distributor the incomplete video images and the graphic data wherein said restoring device completes the received incomplete video images by using the received graphic data, the restoring device undertaking the act of completing received incomplete video images by displaying the incomplete video images in a video plane and displaying the graphic data in a graphics plane, thereby overlaying the graphics data on the video plane, the restoring device accessing synchronization information including a screen location at which to display the graphic data and a frame or frames of video on which to overlay the graphic data, wherein only upon payment of a fee to said distributor does said restoring device complete the received incomplete video images, wherein the graphic data overlays the video image to complete an original video distributed with at least one portion in the video image removed at a frame location, the frame location being overlaid with graphic data containing the at least one portion of video, wherein if a user wishes to view the original video, the user pays a fee to obtain a key to unlock the graphic data, whereby for copy protection, the restoring device not including the graphic data in a video output signal to a recording device such that a complete video cannot be copied to the recording device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said restoring device is a set top box or a television.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said distributor is a content provider.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said restoring device overlaying graphic data on the distributed incomplete video images.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the said graphic data to display is pixel data associated with motion vector data from MPEG video.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said graphic data comprising frame synchronizing information for correlating said graphic data with said incomplete video images.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said frame synchronizing information being frame starting identifier data, frame ending identifier and position data for describing frame locations, and frame timings.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said frame synchronizing information includes an identifier for audio insertions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic data is received from said distributor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic data is generated by the restoring device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphic data is stored in said receiving device for subsequent playback with the video images.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronizing information is determined prior to being conveyed to said restoring device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein part of or all of said graphic data which is received by said restoring device is overlaid upon said video plane.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said synchronization information data is determined by a content provider.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said graphic data being stored in said restoring device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said overlaying step automatically defining based on a user'"'"'s age.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronizing information includes an identifier for audio insertions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said graphic data being subject to change to overlay more of or less of said video plane.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said overlaying of said graphic data being selectable by a user allowing viewing preferences.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronizing information includes an identifier for video insertions.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronizing information includes data for coordination with audio, video, and graphic information from said restoring device forming a multimedia type presentation for displaying on a display device.

22. A method for unblocking parts of a displayed presentation from a video signal using graphic content rendered by a receiving device, the method comprising:

receiving graphic content related to said video signal, said graphic content including frame synchronizing information comprising frame starting identifier data, frame ending identifier data, for describing frame locations, and frame timings from said graphic contents, the starting and ending identifier data representing a portion of video in a completed video removed from the video signal;

obtaining graphic, video and audio information from said graphic content by said receiving device; and

overlaying the obtained graphic, video, and audio information of said graphic content between said frame starting identifier and said frame ending identifier in accordance with said frame synchronizing information to thereby generate the completed video, wherein the completed video is not viewable without at least the graphic content overlaid on the frame locations identified by the frame starting identifier and said frame ending identifier.

23. A method of uncensoring a display by overlaying graphic content on a video plane, said method comprising:

receiving graphic content within a receiving device and communicating said graphic content to a graphic plane;

receiving frame synchronizing data from said graphic content, said frame synchronizing data comprising frame identifier data, motion vector specifications for describing frame locations, and starting and ending frame coordinate data; and

using said frame synchronizing data for overlaying said graphic content onto said video plane so as to complete a portion of said video plane to have a completed video plane by a user wherein said completed video plane being defined by the frame identifier data, motion vector specifications, and starting and ending frame coordinate data, wherein upon payment of a fee said overlaying act is executed.