Infra-red video key

• US 6,198,503 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1997
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steve Weinreich
• Original Assignee: Steve Weinreich
• Inventors: Weinreich, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US08/900,912
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 348/164, 348/590, 348/586, 358/181, 358/183, 358/75, 358/906
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 5/021 Mixing live action with images projected on translucent screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A method and apparatus to isolate the video image of an object, usually a human being, from its background for use in forming a composite image. The viewer'"'"'s image, with its background, is captured in both visible light and infra-red. In the preferred embodiment, the visible light image is modified by replacing, from an independent visible image source, that area corresponding to the cold (non-viewer) areas of the infra-red image.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a composite image comprising:

capturing an infra-red image of a viewer of the composite image, the viewer being in an ordinary environment;

capturing a visible light image of the viewer essentially congruent to the infra-red image;

providing an independent image;

replacing a portion of the visible light image with a portion of the independent image according to the intensity of the infra-red image; and

transmitting the resulting image to a display means, whereby the composite image comprising the independent image and the visible light image of the viewer is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the visible light image of the viewer is displayed left-right reversed.

3. The method of claim 1 where the display means is a video display means.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the image of the viewer is displayed in real time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the visible light image corresponding to a relatively cold area of the infra-red image is replaced by a portion of the independent image.

6. Apparatus for displaying a composite image of an independent image and a viewer of the composite image comprising:

infra-red imaging means, to capture an image of the viewer, the viewer being in an ordinary environment;

visible light imaging means, to capture an image of the viewer essentially congruent to the infra-red image;

an independent image source, to provide the independent image;

replacement means, to replace a portion of the visible light image of the viewer with a portion of the independent image according to the intensity of the infra-red image; and

display means, whereby the composite image is displayed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the display means is a video display means.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of the visible light image corresponding to a relatively cold area of the infra-red image is replaced by a portion of the independent video image.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the independent image source is a video image storage means.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the visible light image of the viewer is displayed left-right reversed.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the visible light image of the viewer is displayed in real time.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the replacement means is a video switching means.