Image tracking and substitution system and methodology

• US 8,549,403 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alto Dynamics, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bassilic Technologies LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sitrick, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/906,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-723, 715726-728, 715853-854, 715/734, 715/738, 715/743, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for processing a video input signal providing for tracking a selected portion in a predefined audiovisual presentation and integrating selected user images into the selected portion of the predefined audiovisual presentation.

Claims

1. A method for processing a predefined presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of user-selected first images;

tracking a portion of individual frames through a sequence of frames of the predefined presentation to provide a tracked portion of the individual frames;

determining an orientation, size, or distortion of the tracked portion of the individual frames;

selecting one or more second images from the plurality of user-selected first images based on the determined orientation, size, or distortion of the tracked portion of the individual frames;

generating one or more integration images based on the selected one or more second images; and

integrating at least a portion of the one or more integration images into the predefined presentation in place of the tracked portion responsive to the tracking.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined presentation is associated with a videogame.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined presentation is associated with a movie.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of user-selected images has an associated mappable link for use in integrating of that user-selected image and wherein the integration uses the mappable link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrating utilizes wire-frame data, an encoder responsive to the tracking, and wire-frame compositing responsive to the wire-frame data and the encoding.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein tracking a portion of at least one individual frame comprises tracking a plurality of consecutive frames of the predefined presentation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the tracked portion comprises an image of a face.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein tracking a portion of at least one individual frame comprises tracking the location of the tracked portion within the at least one individual frame.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the tracked portion is a common portion throughout the sequence of frames.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein an orientation of the common portion varies among frames in the sequence.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of user-selected images have different orientations, sizes, or distortions and the integration image is selected by determining a match in orientation, size, or distortion between one of the the plurality of user-selected images and the orientation, size, or distortion of the common portion.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a predefined image presentation;

receiving a plurality of sets of substitute images;

analyzing a portion of the predefined image presentation and determining a plurality of reference objects;

determining an orientation, size, or distortion of a portion of the predefined image presentation based at least in part on the reference objects;

selecting, based at least in part on the determined orientation, size, or distortion, a set of substitute images from among the plurality of sets of substitute images;

associating the selected set of substitute images with the portion of the predefined image presentation based, at least in part, upon the reference objects within the predefined image presentation; and

substituting the selected set of substitute images for a portion of the predefined image presentation.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of reference objects comprises a plurality of reference points.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein associating the substitute images further comprise selecting an image based at least in part on positions of reference points within the predefined image presentation.

15. A system for serially altering a video signal by substituting images into the video signal, comprising:

a receiving component configured to receive a first video signal containing an original signal and first images;

a storage component configured to store second images; and

an analyzer configured to determine an orientation, size, or distortion of a feature of the first images;

a selector configured to compare and select one or more selected second images from among the second images based at least in part on the determined orientation, size, or distortion of the feature of the first images;

a substitution component configured to substitute the selected second images for first images and produce a second video signal comprising the first video signal and selected second images without first images.