Image tracking and substitution system and methodology for audio-visual presentations

• US 9,135,954 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/043,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20140029920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-723, 715726-728, 715/734, 715/738, 715/743, 715/771, 715/711
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 computer readable memory storing instructions configured to, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations for processing a visual presentation, the operations comprising:

receiving a plurality of first images;

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

automatically determining a visual characteristic of the tracked portion of the individual frames;

selecting one or more second images from the plurality of first images based on the determined visual characteristic 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 visual presentation in place of the tracked portion based on the tracking.

2. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the visual presentation is associated with a videogame.

3. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the visual presentation is associated with a movie.

4. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the integrating at least a portion of the one or more integration images into the visual presentation is based on mappable links associated the first images.

5. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the integrating at least a portion of the one or more integration images into the visual presentation 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 computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the tracking a portion of the individual frames comprises tracking a plurality of consecutive frames of the visual presentation.

7. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the tracked portion comprises an image of a face.

8. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the tracking a portion of individual frames comprises tracking a location within the at least one individual frame.

9. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the tracked portion is a common portion throughout the sequence of frames.

10. The computer readable memory of claim 9, wherein an orientation of the common portion varies among frames in the sequence of frames.

11. The computer readable memory of claim 1, wherein the visual characteristic comprises an orientation, size, or distortion.

12. The computer-readable memory of claim 1, wherein selecting the second images is further based on positions of reference points within the sequence of frames of the visual presentation.

13. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a time-sequenced series of images comprising a visual presentation;

means for replacing a portion of a first image in the time-sequenced series of images with a first alternate image;

means for comparing the portion of the individual images between the first image and a second image within the time-sequenced series of images and detecting a change between the first image and the second image;

means for determining a second alternate image based on the detected change between the first image and the second image; and

means for replacing a portion of the second image of the time-sequenced series of images with the second alternate image.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the visual presentation is associated with a videogame.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the detected change is a detected change in orientation, size, or distortion.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the detected change is based on positions of reference points within the time-sequenced series of images.

17. A method for processing a visual presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of first images;

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

automatically determining a visual characteristic of the tracked portion of the individual frames;

selecting one or more second images from the plurality of first images based on the determined visual characteristic 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 visual presentation in place of the tracked portion based on the tracking.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the tracking a portion of the individual frames comprises tracking a plurality of consecutive frames of the visual presentation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the tracked portion comprises an image of a face in a video game.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the second images is further based on positions of reference points within the sequence of frames of the visual presentation.