Image integration with replaceable content

• US 8,764,560 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bassilic Technologies LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sitrick, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/004,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20110105229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 717/105, 717/113, 715723-726, 463 30- 32, 463 40- 42, 711202-209
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/207 for accessing game resources from local storage, e.g. streaming content from DVD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/16 for preventing non-intended contact between spray heads or nozzles and foreign bodies, e.g. nozzle guards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A video game adapter interface apparatus has a user input device and an associated video display. The user selects a distinguishable visual image representation for association into a video game'"'"'s audiovisual presentation, such as where that user is identified. For example, color, size graphics or shape can be used to distinguish users. In one embodiment a digitized image of each user'"'"'s face is used as the distinguishable representation. Alternatively, the user can create an original image or select one of a predetermined set of visual images as the user'"'"'s identification for use in the video game audiovisual presentation. In a preferred video game embodiment, the video game adapter interface system is coupled to a video game system and a storage card containing User Images. The video game adapter interface system then integrates a selected User Image from the Storage Card into the video game'"'"'s audiovisual presentation, and can also integrate the User Image into the video game play. For non-User Image video game software and for non-video game and audiovisual presentations, an Intercept Adapter Interface Systems permits the integration of User Images into the audiovisual presentation in place of and/or in addition to predefined character images otherwise present in the audiovisual presentation.

Claims

1. An image integration method comprising:

receiving and storing a presentation output comprising predefined image content;

storing replacement image content;

determining a characteristic of the predefined image content;

in response to receiving the presentation output, determining in substantially real time, by a computing device and based on the determined characteristic, associations between at least a portion of replacement image content and at least a portion of the stored predefined image content of the presentation output;

integrating the portion of the replacement image content into the presentation output substantially in real time, the integrating;

based at least in part on the determined associations; and

replacing the portion of the predefined image content with the replacement image content; and

providing a display presentation responsive to the integrated presentation output.

2. The image integration method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of selectable images; and

receiving a selection of a selected one of the plurality of selectable images;

wherein the replacement image content is the selected one of the plurality of selectable images.

3. The image integration method of claim 2 wherein receiving a selection of a selected one of the plurality of selectable images comprises receiving a selection of an image associated with an avatar associated with a display presentation of a respective user.

4. The image integration method of claim 1 wherein storing replacement image content comprises storing image content representative of a respective user and wherein the representation of the respective user is one of:

an audio sound, a voice sound, a visual video display, a digitized picture of the user, an avatar for the user, a recognizable object, a user-created sound, a user-created visual image, a third-party famous person voice, a third-party famous person visual appearance, a still video image, a graphic image, a photographic image, an image representative of a recognizable object, an image representative of a recognizable living being, a facial view of a person;

a facial view of a character;

still image visuals;

a created vehicle;

a spacecraft;

a car;

a hero;

a villain;

a monster;

a weapon;

a preselected character function;

recognizable icons;

sub-image-identifier segments;

a third-party supplied visual image;

a third-party supplied audio image;

clip-art, a still picture, a recognizable visual image of a third person, a recognizable sound image of a third person, a texture map, a representation of a user image, a geometric model, or a motion video clip.

5. The image integration method of claim 1 wherein generating a display presentation comprises generating a display presentation representative of a networked community of a plurality of users interacting in a shared world environment.

6. The image integration method of claim 1, further comprising:

downloading additional image content; and

storing, in a table, associations between at least a portion of the additional image content and at least a portion of the replacement image content, wherein the additional image content appears within the display presentation.

7. The image integration method of claim 1 wherein the associations comprise a pointer to the portion of replacement image content and a pointer to the portion of the stored predefined image content.

8. The image integration method of claim 1 wherein the associations comprise a pointer to a game display function.

9. A video system comprising:

a computing subsystem;

storage for storing predefined image content and variable image content, wherein at least part of the predefined image content and variable image content are configured to be used in generating a display presentation;

a reception interface configured to receive a presentation output comprising the predefined image content;

a presentation analyzer configured to determine a characteristic of the predefined image content and, in substantially real time based on the determined characteristic, determine associations between at least a portion of variable image content and at least a portion of the predefined image content; and

image integration logic for integrating the portion of the variable image content into the presentation output substantially in real time, the integrating;

based at least in part on the determined associations; and

replacing the portion of the predefined image content with the portion of the variable image content; and

wherein the computing subsystem generates the display presentation comprised of the portion of the variable image integrated with the presentation output.

10. The video system of claim 9, further comprising:

a communications interface configured to download additional content to be used to replace at least part of the predefined image content.

11. The video system of claim 9 wherein the variable image content is associated with generating a display presentation representative of at least one of:

an audio sound, a voice sound, a visual video display, a digitized picture of the user, a recognizable object, a user-created sound, a user-created visual image, a third-party famous person voice, a third-party famous person visual appearance, an avatar associated with a display presentation of a respective user, a facial view of a person;

a facial view of a character;

still image visuals;

a created vehicle;

a spacecraft;

a car;

a hero;

a villain;

a monster;

a weapon;

a pre-selected character function;

recognizable icons;

sub-image-identifier segments;

a third-party supplied visual image;

a third-party supplied audio image;

clip-art;

a still picture;

a recognizable visual image of a third person;

a recognizable sound of a third person;

a texture map;

a representation of a user image;

a geometric model;

a geometric mesh;

a motion video clip;

a keyframe;

morphing coordinate points;

geometric constraint information;

colorimetric information;

or substitute game character images.

12. A system, having a processor, for generating a display presentation, the system comprising:

a storage memory configured to receive and store primary image data;

an analyzer configured to determine a characteristic of the primary image data;

a writable memory configured to locally store replacement image data; and

a comparator configured to, in response to receiving the primary image data and in substantially real time, determine a mapping of at least a portion of the replacement image data to at least a portion of the primary image data based on the determined characteristic;

wherein an application software program is configured to provide audiovisual data for use in generation of the display presentation, by replacing the portion of the primary image data with the portion of the replacement image data; and

wherein the replacement portion of the replacement image data is substantially in real time and based at least in part on the mapping of the portion of the replacement image data to the portion of the primary image data.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a component configured to download at least a part of the replacement image data and store the downloaded at least a part of the replacement image data in the writable memory.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the replacement image data is comprised of a plurality of data packets, each having an associated mappable link;

wherein each of the data packets is for a separate recognizable presentation and comprises at least one of an audio portion of the display presentation, a visual portion of the display presentation, or an audiovisual portion of the display presentation;

the system further comprising;

an input apparatus configured to provide a selection of a selected one of the data packets and its associated mappable link for image integration, wherein at least some of the replacement image data comprises the selected one of the data packets; and

wherein the application software program is configured to replace the portion of the primary image data with the portion of the replacement image data by replacing primary image data with data from at least one of the selected one of the data packets.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

at least one of a video game system, a computer video amusement system, a video game development system, a movie development system, a movie presentation system, a personal computing system, a portable video-game system, a part of an on-line gaming network, a part of an on-line virtual community, or a part of an on-line interactive learning network.

16. A video game system comprising:

a computing subsystem comprising a processor, an input apparatus providing a user input, a display apparatus, and storage memory comprised of a first memory portion and a second memory portion, wherein the first memory portion is configured to store an application software program providing game rules logic, and wherein the second memory portion is configured to store presentation image data,

wherein the display apparatus is configured to provide a display presentation of a video game responsive to the application software program, the presentation image data, and the user input,

wherein, a mapping is determined in substantially real time and in response to receiving the primary image data, wherein;

the mapping is of a first portion of the presentation image data to a second portion of the presentation image data,

the mapping is based on a determined characteristic of the first portion of the presentation image data; and

the mapping results in replacing the first portion of the presentation image data with the second portion of the presentation image data;

wherein the game rules logic is configured to select portions of the presentation image data to selectively utilize in generating the display presentation substantially in real time wherein the display presentation contains the second portion of the presentation image data.

17. The video game system of claim 16,

wherein the game rules logic is configured to provide predefined function mapping logic,

wherein the presentation image data is comprised of predefined image data and replaceable predefined image data, and

wherein the processor is configured to selectively provide integration of portions of the predefined image data and portions of the replaceable predefined image data, in the generation of the display presentation, responsive to the predefined function mapping logic.

18. The video game system of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the presentation image data or the second portion of the presentation image data are representative of at least one of:

an audio sound, a voice sound, a visual video display, a digitized picture of the user, a recognizable object, a user-created sound, a user-created visual image, a third-party famous person voice, a third-party famous person visual appearance, an avatar associated with a display presentation of a respective user, a facial view of a person;

a facial view of a character;

still image visuals;

a created vehicle;

a spacecraft;

a car;

a hero;

a villain;

a monster;

a weapon;

a preselected character function;

recognizable icons;

sub-image-identifier segments;

a third-party supplied visual image;

a third-party supplied audio image;

clip-art;

a still picture;

a recognizable visual image of a third person;

a recognizable sound of a third person;

a texture map;

a representation of a user image;

a geometric model;

a geometric mesh;

a motion video clip;

a keyframe;

morphing coordinate points;

geometric constraint information;

colorimetric information;

or substitute game character images.

19. The video game system of claim 16, wherein the second portion of the presentation image data comprises user-defined video graphic objects.

20. The video game system of claim 19 wherein the predefined function mapping logic is configured to provide mapping and linking of user-defined video graphic objects to provide integration of the user-defined video graphic objects to create the presentation image data.

21. The video game system of claim 16, further comprising:

a communications interface configured to download additional content,

wherein the application software program is configured to integrate at least a portion of the additional content with at least a portion of predefined image content to create the second portion of the presentation image data.

22. The video game system of claim 21, wherein the additional content is configured to be utilized for generating a display presentation representative of at least one of:

an audio sound, a voice sound, a visual video display, a digitized picture of the user, a recognizable object, a user-created sound, a user-created visual image, a third-party famous person voice, a third-party famous person visual appearance, an avatar associated with a display presentation of a respective user, a facial view of a person;

a facial view of a character;

still image visuals;

a created vehicle;

a spacecraft;

a car;

a hero;

a villain;

a monster;

a weapon;

a preselected character function;

recognizable icons;

sub-image-identifier segments;

a third-party supplied visual image;

a third-party supplied audio image;

clip-art;

a still picture;

a recognizable visual image of a third person;

a recognizable sound of a third person;

a texture map;

a representation of a user image;

a geometric model;

a geometric mesh;

a motion video clip;

a keyframe;

morphing coordinate points;

geometric constraint information;

colorimetric information;

or substitute game character images.