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Methods and systems for controlling video compositing in an interactive entertainment system

Methods and systems for controlling video compositing in an interactive entertainment system description/claims

This application is a divisional of, and claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/836,729, filed Apr. 30, 2004, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/467,480, filed on May 2, 2003, and entitled “INTERACTIVE SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME CHROMA KEY COMPOSITING,” the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference and is to be considered part of this specification.

1. Field

Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for signal compositing, and more particularly, to a system and method for interactive video compositing.

2. Description of the Related Art

Interactive entertainment is a popular leisure activity for people across the globe. One favorite activity for many is karaoke, which temporarily turns lay persons into “stars” as they sing the lyrics to a favorite song. Karaoke machines play the music of a selected song while simultaneously displaying the song lyrics to a user, thus allowing the user to sing along with the background music.

Another favorite leisure activity for millions is watching movies. Billions of dollars are spent each year on ticket sales for new box office hits. In addition, an increasing number of people are beginning to view movies at home. One popular technology that has been recently adopted is the digital video disk (DVD) technology. Movies are recorded in digital format onto a disk that allows for repeated viewings at the convenience of the user. The sound and picture quality of DVDs, along with the convenient features that accompany digital media, have made DVDs a popular replacement to standard video cassette technology.

However, movie watching has predominantly been a passive activity. That is, one either travels to a theater or inserts a disk into a DVD player and sits back to watch the movie. Though one may watch the same movie repeatedly, each time the same characters appear and recite the same lines and perform the same actions. As of yet, one has not been able to act out his or her favorite scene while appearing to be in the movie itself in a real-time manner.

Accordingly, there is a need for an interactive system that allows for video images to be inserted into a prerecorded video, such as a movie. In one embodiment of the present invention, chroma-key technology is used to produce a composite video image, wherein it appears that a target image, such as one captured by a video camera, is superimposed in real time onto a prerecorded image. The compositing process is managed by internal circuitry and data files that direct when and how the real-time image is inserted into the prerecorded image.

In one embodiment, an interactive video compositing device includes a mixer, video switcher and control circuitry. The mixer utilizes chroma-key technology to remove a chroma element from a real-time video image. The mixer combines the modified image with a prerecorded video image to form a composite image, which includes the modified real-time image overlaid on the prerecorded image. The video switcher automatically selects either the composite image or the prerecorded image to be output to a display. This selection is managed by the control circuitry and is based on data file information that corresponds to the content of scenes of the prerecorded image. For example, the data files may contain information relating to the presence (or absence) of a particular character in the movie scene, thus allowing for the output of the real-time composite image instead of the prerecorded image at appropriate times.

In another embodiment of the invention, a system for real-time, chroma-key compositing comprises a first input structured to receive a first video signal; a second input structured to receive a second video signal; a chroma-key mixer coupled to the first input and to the second input, wherein the chroma-key mixer is structured to output a composite signal comprising portions of the first video signal and portions of the second video signal; a data file associated with the first video signal, wherein the data file has at least first reference data and second reference data; and a switcher that selects between outputting the composite signal and outputting the first video signal, wherein the switcher outputs the composite signal at a time identified by the first reference data, and wherein the switcher outputs the first video signal at a time identified by the second reference data.

In another embodiment, a reference data system used for video compositing comprises first reference information associated with a first video signal; second reference information associated with the first video signal; and a video switcher configured to switch between outputting either the first video signal or a composite signal that includes portions of the first video signal and portions of a second video signal, wherein the video switcher outputs the composite signal at a time identified by the first reference information, and wherein the video switcher outputs the first video signal at a time identified by the second reference information.

In another embodiment of the invention, a software program comprises code for controlling the superimposing of a real-time image onto a prerecorded image, wherein said code identifies portions of the prerecorded image during which the real-time image is to be superimposed onto the prerecorded image.

In another embodiment, a system for real-time video compositing comprises a means for generating a composite signal by chroma-key mixing a first video signal and a real-time second video signal; and a means for switching between the selection of the first video signal and the selection of the composite signal, wherein the means for switching is controlled according to reference information stored in at least one data file that relates to the first video signal.

In another embodiment, a method for video compositing comprises receiving a first video signal having multiple frames; receiving a second video signal; creating a composite signal by chroma-key mixing the first video signal and the second video signal; and selectively switching, with a video switcher, between outputting the first video signal and outputting the composite signal, wherein said selective switching is performed automatically and is based on a control signal received by the video switcher, wherein the control signal is derived at least in part from prerecorded data that corresponds to frames of the first video signal.

In another embodiment, a method for coordinating the display of multiple signals comprises receiving a first signal; receiving a second signal; forming a composite signal comprising portions of the first signal and portions of the second signal; receiving with a switcher the first signal and the composite signal; receiving reference data that corresponds to portions of the first signal; and switching between displaying the first signal and displaying the composite signal, wherein the timing of said switching is based on information contained in the reference data.

In another embodiment, a method for creating a data file used for controlling the superimposing of video images comprises identifying a portion of a first video image during which a second video image is to be superimposed onto the first video image, said first video image portion having a beginning frame and an ending frame; recording in a data file first information that identifies said beginning frame; and recording in the data file second information that identifies said ending frame.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

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