Methods and systems for processing an interchange of real time effects during video communication

• US 8,766,983 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marks, Richard, Zalewski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROOME, SAID A
• Application Number:
  US11/800,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,612 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

Computer implemented methods for interactively modifying a video image are provided. The video image can be transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network. Additionally, the first user and the second user interact through respective computing systems that at least partially execute the computer program. A video capture system is provided that is interfaced with the computer program that can be used to capture real-time video of the first user. The method continues by identifying components of the video image of the first user that can be modified using real-time effects in the captured real-time video. In another operation, the method identifies controller input from either the first user or the second user. The controller input detected by the computing system is identified to determine which of the identified components of the first user will be modified. In response to the identified controller input, another operation of the method augments the real-time video captured of the first user by applying the real-time effects to the identified components of the first user. The method then displays the augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for interactively modifying a video image, the video image transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network and each of the first user and the second user interacting through a respective computing system that is executing a computer program, comprising:

capturing real-time video of the first user;

detecting selection received from the first user or second user of a real-time graphic effect from a group of real-time graphic effects, the group of real-time graphic effects being predefined;

identifying components of the video image of the first user to be modified using the selected real-time graphic effect in the captured real-time video;

identifying controller input from either the first user or the second user, the controller input being detected by the computing system, and the identification of the controller input determines which of the identified components in the video image of the first user will be modified;

applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the video image of the first user in response to the identified controller input, and the real-time video captured of the first user is augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect, and movements of the first user are tracked so that the selected real-time graphic effect dynamically moves with the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the video image comprises applying changes to pixel data contained in multiple pixel regions of the video image so that each video frame of the video image is interactively augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect in correspondence to the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components includes directing the application of changes to the pixel data contained in the pixel regions of the video image, and the selected real-time graphic effect includes pre-defined video animations, or themes, or custom video animations, and or a combination thereof; and

providing data for displaying the augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users, wherein the computer implemented method is executed by a processor.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein controller input is defined by user selection of button presses, or motion, or light indicators, or relative positional movement, or a combination thereof.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the controller input detected by the computing system is via a wired or wireless link.

10. A computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising capturing audio for communication between the first user and the second user.

2. A computer implemented method for interactively modifying a video image, the video image transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network and each of the first user and the second user interacting through a respective computing system that is executing the computer program, comprising:

capturing real-time video of the first user;

detecting selection received from the first user or second user of a real-time graphic effect from a group of real-time graphic effects, the group of real-time effects being predefined;

identifying components of the video image of the first user to be augmented using the selected real-time graphic effect in the captured real-time video;

identifying controller input from either the first user or the second user, the controller input being detected by the computing system, and the identification of the controller input determines which of the identified components in the video image of the first user will be modified;

applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the video image of the first user in response to the identified controller input, and the real-time video captured of the first user is augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect, and movements of the first user are tracked so that the selected real-time graphic effect dynamically moves with the movements of the first user; and

providing data for displaying augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users, wherein the computer implemented method is executed by a processor, wherein interactively modifying a video image includes;

identification of pixel regions of the video image to identify characteristics of the first user;

tracking the pixel regions over one or more frames; and

applying changes to pixel data contained in the pixel regions so that each video frame of the video image is interactively augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect in correspondence to the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components includes directing the application of changes to the pixel data contained in the pixel regions of the video image, and the selected real-time graphic effect includes pre-defined video animations, or themes, or custom video animations, and or a combination thereof.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the identified components of the video image relate to the characteristics of the first user.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the first user include facial and body components, and the facial and body components are identified by recognizing characteristics that are common in facial and body components.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein a location of eyes of the first user defines characteristics that are common facial components.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein when the changes to the pixel data are filtered onto the captured real-time video of the first user, the captured real-time video of the first user is in an augmented state.

8. A computer implemented method for interactively modifying a video image, the video image transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network and each of the first user and the second user interacting through a respective computing system that is executing the computer program, comprising:

capturing real-time video of the first user;

detecting selection received from the first user or second user of a real-time graphic effect from a group of real-time graphic effects, the group of real-time effects being predefined;

identifying components of the video image of the first user to be augmented using the selected real-time graphic effect in the captured real-time video;

identifying controller input from either the first user or the second user, the controller input being detected by the computing system, and the identification of the controller input determines which of the identified components of the first user will be augmented, where determining which of the identified components of the video image of the first user will be augmented is assisted by mapping specific controller inputs to the identified components of the video image;

applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the first user in response to the identified controller input, and the real-time video captured of the first user is augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect, and movements of the first user are tracked so that the selected real-time graphic effect dynamically moves with the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the first user comprises applying changes to pixel data contained in multiple pixel regions so that each video frame of the video image is interactively augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect in correspondence to the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the selected real-time graphic to the identified components includes directing the application of changes to the pixel data contained in the pixel regions of the video image, and the selected real-time graphic effect includes pre-defined video animations, or themes, or custom video animations, or a combination thereof; and

providing data for displaying the augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users, wherein the computer implemented method is executed by a processor.

11. A computer implemented method for interactively modifying a video image and audio, the video image and audio transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network to enable a communication, and each of the first user and the second user interacting through a respective computing system that is executing the computer program, comprising:

capturing real-time video and audio of the first user through a video and audio capture system connected to the computing system of the first user;

receiving a selection of video real-time effects from the first user or the second user;

identifying components of the video image of the first user to be modified using the video real-time effects in the captured real-time video;

identifying audio segments of audio captured by the video and audio capture system to be modified using audio real-time effects;

identifying user input from either the first user or the second user, and the identification of the user input determines which of the identified audio segments of the first user will be modified;

applying the video real-time effects to the identified components of the video image of the first user, wherein movements of the first user are tracked so that the video real-time effects applied to the identified components of the video image dynamically move with the movements of the first user;

applying the audio real-time effects to the audio segments in response to the identified user input; and

providing data for outputting real-time video and audio of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users, the output real-time video and audio including the applied video and audio real-time effects, wherein the computer implemented method is executed by a processor, wherein interactively modifying the video image includes;

identification of pixel regions of the video image to identify characteristics of the first user;

tracking the pixel regions over one or more frames; and

applying changes to pixel data contained in the pixel regions so that the video image is interactively modified and the video real-time effects are integrated into the video frames in correspondence to the movements of the first user,

wherein applying the video real-time effects to the identified components of the video image includes directing the application of changes to the pixel data contained in the pixel regions of the video image, and the video real-time effects including pre-defined video animations, or themes, or custom video animations, or a combination thereof.