Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MARKER-BASED PIXEL REPLACEMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention.
[0002] The invention relates to location monitoring hardware and software
systems
for use in augmented reality. More specifically, the invention relates to
employing tracking
markers in adapting videographic images to show geometrically adapted
alternative
information to that which is contained in original imagery obtained by a
videographic camera
for use in applications including advertising.
Description of the Related Art
[0003] Augmented Reality (AR) is a live, direct or indirect view of a
physical, real-
world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated input
such as
sound, video, graphics or GPS data. The augmentation is conventionally in real-
time and in
semantic context with environmental elements, such as sports scores on TV
during a match.
With the help of advanced AR technology the information about the surrounding
real world
of the user becomes interactive and digitally manipulable. In other
implementations, sourced
information about the environment and its objects can be overlaid on the real
world.
[0004] An augmented reality system generates a composite view for the user
that is
the combination of the real scene viewed by the user and a virtual scene
generated by the
computer that augments the scene with additional information. The goal of
Augmented
Reality is to create a system in which the user cannot tell the difference
between the real
world and the virtual augmentation of it. Today Augmented Reality is used in
entertainment,
military training, engineering design, robotics, manufacturing and other
industries.
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[0005] Most commonly AR systems seek to place the augmenting information
in an
image of the real world based on markers developed, selected, or derived
within the
augmenting computing system. However, there is considerable commercial and
merit to
systems that allow a remote viewer of a scene to overlay information on the
real scene based
on preselected items in the real world scene.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a first aspect a videographic system is provided comprising: a
videographic
camera configured for obtaining a temporal series of input digital images of a
scene within a
field of view of the videographic camera; a controller disposed and configured
for receiving
the temporal series of input digital images of the scene; at least one display
board disposed
within the field of view of the videographic camera; at least one tracking
marker disposed in
fixed three-dimensional spatial relationship with respect to the at least one
display board; a
database accessible by the controller, the database containing: at least one
set of virtual sub-
images associated with the at least one display board; and information about
the three-
dimensional spatial relationship between the at least one display board and
the at least one
tracking marker; a memory accessible by the controller, and software loaded
into the
memory, being stored in a non-volatile form, wherein the software when
executed by the
controller is capable of replacing in the at least one of the input digital
images input pixels
associated with the at least one display board with pixels from a virtual sub-
image selected
from among the at least one set of replacement virtual sub-images. The
controller may be
disposed within the videographic camera. The at least one tracking marker may
be
vectorized.
[0007] One area of endeavor that can benefit from AR is advertising. One
example is
that of sporting events and their associated advertising display boards at
sports stadiums. No
remote viewer wishes to experience intrusive advertising artificially floated
over his or her
field of view, but does accept as a current social reality any advertising
that is correctly
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geometrically positioned on display boards. However, given that advertising
display boards
in a real world videographic scene are typically fixed in three dimensions,
their varying
position and changing perspective distortion in a videographic image of the
scene severely
complicate the application of Augmented Reality. A system for appropriately
placing such
advertising in a television video feed is therefore of considerable interest
to the advertising
industry.
[0008] The software when executed by the controller may further be capable
of
determining a three-dimensional location and orientation of the at least one
tracking marker
and adapting the at least one virtual sub-image to match a perspective of the
videographic
camera in the at least one input digital image. The database may further
contain geometrical
information about at least one of a three-dimensional shape of the at least
one tracking
marker and a rotationally asymmetric pattern on the at least tracking marker.
The rotationally
asymmetric pattern may comprise a plurality of contrasting portions. At least
one of the
plurality of contrasting portions may have a perimeter that has a
mathematically describable
curved section. The mathematically describable curved section may be a conic
section, such
as an ellipse or a circle.
[0009] The at least one display board may comprise an area on an item of
clothing for
a human; and the at least one tracking marker may be disposed on the item of
clothing. The
tracking marker may form an integrated monolithic part of the display board.
[00010] The system may further comprise a videographic recorder disposed
and
configured for receiving the temporal series of input digital images of the
scene from the
videographic camera and for supplying the temporal series of input digital
images to the
controller.
[00011] The software when executed by the controller may be further capable
of
assigning to pixels of the virtual sub-image within the at least one input
digital image a
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resource location identifier. The system may further comprise an interactive
display system
disposed and configured for receiving from the controller the at least one
input digital image
containing pixels of the virtual sub-image, pixel coordinate information
defining the virtual
sub-image within the at least one input digital image, and the resource
location identifier
assigned to the pixels of the virtual sub-image. The display system may
comprise a digital
pointing and selecting device; and display system software capable when
executed by the
display system of directing the interactive display system to a resource
location identified by
the resource location identifier when the digital pointing and selecting
device selects within
the at least one input digital image pixels of the virtual sub-image.
[00012] In another aspect a method is presented for changing the video
appearance or
contents of a display board present in a temporal series of digital
videographic images, the
method comprising: obtaining from a videographic camera a temporal series of
at least one
input digital image containing the display board and at least one tracking
marker rigidly
disposed with respect to the display board; determining a three dimensional
location and
orientation of the at least one vectorized tracking marker from the at least
one input digital
image based on information about the at least one tracking marker in a
database; first
extracting from the database a fixed three-dimensional location and
orientation of the display
board relative to the at least one tracking marker; second extracting from the
database at least
one virtual sub-image associated with the display board; geometrically
adapting the at least
one virtual sub-image to match a perspective of the videographic camera in the
at least one
input digital image; and replacing within the at least one input digital image
pixels
corresponding to the display board with pixels corresponding to the at least
one virtual sub-
image.
[00013] The method may further comprise storing in the database prior to
use
information comprising: identifying markings on the at least one tracking
marker;
geometrical information about at least one of a three-dimensional shape of the
at least
tracking marker and a rotationally asymmetric pattern on the at least tracking
marker; the
fixed three-dimensional location and orientation of the display board relative
to the at least
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one tracking marker; and the at least one virtual sub-image. The storing in
the database may
comprise relating the at least one virtual sub-image to the display board. The
method may
further comprise rigidly disposing the at least one tracking marker with
respect to the display
board.
[00014] In another embodiment, a plurality of vectorized tracking markers
are rigidly
attached directly to a given display board at known locations on display board
and in known
three-dimensional orientations with respect to display boar. In this
embodiment, the display
board may be flexible. When the videographic camera obtains a temporal series
of at least
one input digital image containing the display board, the display board may be
flexibly
deformed in three dimensions. However, the fixed spatial relationship between
each tracking
marker and the region of the display board to which it is rigidly attached
allows the three
dimensional distortion of the display board to be accurately determined from
the actual three-
dimensional locations and orientations of the plurality of tracking markers.
The controller
may therefore geometrically adapt the at least one virtual sub-image to match
not only a
perspective of the videographic camera in every input digital image, but may
also further
adapt the at least one virtual sub-image to match the three-dimensional
distortion of the
display board.
[00015] As regards the associated method, the obtaining the at least one
input digital
image may comprise in this multi-marker embodiment obtaining from the
videographic
camera at least one input digital image containing a plurality of tracking
markers rigidly
attached to the at least one display board in a fixed three-dimensional
spatial relationship
with respect to the at least one display board. The method may further
comprise determining
from the three-dimensional location and orientation of the plurality of
tracking markers a
distortion of the at least one display board, and further adapting the at
least one virtual sub-
image to match the distortion of the at least one display board in the at
least one input digital
image.
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[00016] In another aspect, a method is provided for directing an
interactive display
system to an information source, the method comprising: associating with a set
of virtual
sub-images in a database a set of corresponding resource location identifiers;
replacing at
least one portion of at least one input digital image in a temporal series of
input digital
images from a videographic camera with one of the virtual sub-images while
changing the at
least one portion based on a changing perspective of the camera; transferring
to the
interactive display system the changed temporal series of digital images,
associated sub-
image pixel coordinate information, and the corresponding resource location
identifiers;
displaying on the interactive display system the changed temporal series of
digital images;
assigning the corresponding resource location identifiers to the changed
portions; and
directing the interactive display system to one of the resource locations when
a
corresponding associated changed portion is selected on the interactive
display system.
[00017] The replacing the at least one portion may comprise: obtaining from
the
videographic camera the temporal series of input digital images containing a
display board
and at least one vectorized tracking marker rigidly disposed with respect to
the display board;
determining a three dimensional location and orientation of the at least one
tracking marker
from the at least one input digital image based on information about the at
least one tracking
marker in the database; first extracting from the database a fixed three-
dimensional location
and orientation of the display board relative to the at least one tracking
marker; second
extracting from the database at least one virtual sub-image associated with
the display board;
geometrically adapting the at least one virtual sub-image to match a
perspective of the
videographic camera in the at least one input digital image; and replacing
within the at least
one input digital image pixels corresponding to the display board with pixels
corresponding
to the at least one virtual sub-image.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00018] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention, and the
manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself
will be better
understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the
invention
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[00019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagrammatic view of a network system in
which
embodiments of the present invention may be utilized.
[00020] Figure 2 is a block diagram of a computing system (either a server
or client, or
both, as appropriate), with optional input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse,
touch screen, etc.)
and output devices, hardware, network connections, one or more processors, and
memory/storage for data and modules, etc. which may be utilized as controller
and display in
conjunction with embodiments of the present invention.
[00021] Figure 3 is a partially schematic diagram of a videographic system
for the
receiver-specific replacement of image segments of videographic images based
on three-
dimensional vectorized tracking markers within the videographic images.
[00022] Figure 4 is a drawing of a flow chart describing a method for
producing a
temporal series of audience-customized output digital images from a series of
input digital
images based on three-dimensional vectorized tracking markers within
videographic images.
[00023] Figure 5 is a partially schematic diagram of a videographic system
for
receiver-specific replacement of image segments of videographic images based
on three-
dimensional vectorized tracking markers within recorded videographic images.
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[00024] Figure 6A, 6B, and 6C show three embodiments of an interactive
video
system directable to an information source by means of receiver-specific
replacement of
segments of videographic images based on three-dimensional vectorized tracking
markers
within recorded videographic images.
[00025] Figure 7 is a drawing of a flow chart describing a method for
directing an
interactive video system to an information source by means of receiver-
specific replacement
of segments of videographic images based on three-dimensional vectorized
tracking markers
within recorded videographic images.
[00026] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts
throughout
the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present
invention,
the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be
exaggerated in order to
better illustrate and explain the present invention. The flow charts and
screen shots are also
representative in nature, and actual embodiments of the invention may include
further
features or steps not shown in the drawings. The exemplification set out
herein illustrates an
embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to
be construed
as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[00027] The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive
or limit
the invention to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed
description. Rather, the
embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may
utilize their
teachings.
[00028] The detailed descriptions that follow are presented in part in
terms of
algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a
computer
memory representing alphanumeric characters or other information. A computer
generally
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includes a processor for executing instructions and memory for storing
instructions and data.
When a general-purpose computer has a series of machine encoded instructions
stored in its
memory, the computer operating on such encoded instructions may become a
specific type of
machine, namely a computer particularly configured to perform the operations
embodied by
the series of instructions. Some of the instructions may be adapted to produce
signals that
control operation of other machines and thus may operate through those control
signals to
transform materials far removed from the computer itself. These descriptions
and
representations are the means used by those skilled in the art of data
processing arts to most
effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art.
[00029] An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-
consistent
sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps are those requiring
physical
manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these
quantities take
the form of electrical or magnetic pulses or signals capable of being stored,
transferred,
transformed, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It proves
convenient at times,
principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits,
values, symbols,
characters, display data, terms, numbers, or the like as a reference to the
physical items or
manifestations in which such signals are embodied or expressed. It should be
borne in mind,
however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the
appropriate physical
quantities and are merely used here as convenient labels applied to these
quantities.
[00030] Some algorithms may use data structures for both inputting
information and
producing the desired result. Data structures greatly facilitate data
management by data
processing systems, and are not accessible except through sophisticated
software systems.
Data structures are not the information content of a memory, rather they
represent specific
electronic structural elements that impart or manifest a physical organization
on the
information stored in memory. More than mere abstraction, the data structures
are specific
electrical or magnetic structural elements in memory that simultaneously
represent complex
data accurately, often data modeling physical characteristics of related
items, and provide
increased efficiency in computer operation.
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[00031] Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in
terms, such as
comparing or adding, commonly associated with mental operations performed by a
human
operator. No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in
most cases, in
any of the operations described herein that form part of embodiments of the
present
invention; the operations are machine operations. Useful machines for
performing the
operations of embodiments of the present invention include general-purpose
digital
computers or other similar devices. In all cases the distinction between the
method operations
in operating a computer and the method of computation itself should be
recognized. The
various embodiments of present invention relate to methods and apparatus for
operating a
computer in processing electrical or other (e.g., mechanical, chemical)
physical signals to
generate other desired physical manifestations or signals. The computer
operates on software
modules, which are collections of signals stored on a media that represents a
series of
machine instructions that enable the computer processor to perform the machine
instructions
that implement the algorithmic steps. Such machine instructions may be the
actual computer
code the processor interprets to implement the instructions, or alternatively
may be a higher
level coding of the instructions that is interpreted to obtain the actual
computer code. The
software module may also include a hardware component, wherein some aspects of
the
algorithm are performed by the circuitry itself rather as a result of an
instruction.
[00032] Some embodiments of the present invention also relate to an
apparatus for
performing these operations. This apparatus may be specifically constructed
for the required
purposes or it may comprise a general-purpose computer as selectively
activated or
reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The algorithms
presented herein
are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus
unless explicitly
indicated as requiring particular hardware. In some cases, the computer
programs may
communicate or relate to other programs or equipments through signals
configured to
particular protocols that may or may not require specific hardware or
programming to
interact. In particular, various general-purpose machines may be used with
programs written
in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove more convenient to
construct more
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specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required
structure for a
variety of these machines will appear from the description below.
[00033] In the following description, several terms that are used
frequently have
specialized meanings in the present context. The terms "network", "local area
network",
"LAN", "wide area network", or "WAN" mean two or more computers that are
connected in
such a manner that messages may be transmitted between the computers. In such
computer
networks, typically one or more computers operate as a "server", a computer
with large
storage devices such as hard disk drives and communication hardware to operate
peripheral
devices such as printers or modems. Other computers, termed "workstations",
provide a user
interface so that users of computer networks may access the network resources,
such as
shared data files, common peripheral devices, and inter-workstation
communication. Users
activate computer programs or network resources to create "processes" which
include both
the general operation of the computer program along with specific operating
characteristics
determined by input variables and its environment. Similar to a process is an
agent
(sometimes called an intelligent agent), which is a process that gathers
information or
performs some other service without user intervention and on some regular
schedule.
Typically, an agent, using parameters typically provided by the user, searches
locations either
on the host machine or at some other point on a network, gathers the
information relevant to
the purpose of the agent, and presents it to the user on a periodic basis. A
"module" refers to
a portion of a computer system and/or software program that carries out one or
more specific
functions and may be used alone or combined with other modules of the same
system or
program.
[00034] It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar
terms are to
be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely
convenient labels
applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent
from the
following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present
invention, discussions
utilizing terms such as "processing" or "accessing" or "writing" or "storing"
or "replicating"
or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or
similar electronic
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computing device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical
(electronic)
quantities within the computer system's registers and memories and other
computer readable
media into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the
computer system
memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or
display devices.
"Databases" comprise the actual storage on a physical storage device (e.g., a
disk drive),
which works in combination with corresponding software. In exemplary
scenarios, a
database comprises tables and records that are laid out in an ordered sequence
of bytes. A
software application that accesses the physical data on the storage device has
a template of
the layout, and may retrieve information from certain portions or fields in
the data.
"Relational" database systems store data in relational structures, such as
tables and indexes.
However, the actual format in which the data is stored, retrieved, and
manipulated, often
bears little relationship to the logical structure of a table. Various
database languages have
been developed to easily access data that is managed by relational database
systems. One
common database language is SQL. Such languages allow users to form queries
that
reference the data as if the data were actually stored in relational
structures. However, the
actual structures in which the relational data is stored and accessed is often
significantly more
complicated than simple two-dimensional tables. A database server stores data
in one or
more data containers. Each container contains records. The data within each
record is
organized into one or more fields. In a database system that stores data in a
relational
database, the data containers are referred to as tables, the records are
referred to as rows, and
the attributes are referred to as columns. In object-oriented databases, the
data containers are
referred to as object classes, the records are referred to as objects, and the
attributes are
referred to as object attributes. Other database architectures may use other
terminology.
[00035] In addition to single images, multiple images are often combined
into a video
stream. Various methods and systems have been developed for encoding and
decoding a
video stream. Each picture in a video stream may be divided into slices, each
of which
contains a contiguous row of macroblocks; each macroblock may contain multiple
blocks
corresponding of all video components to the same spatial location. In such
embodiments,
the blocks within each slice may be used as the basis for encoding the
picture. By encoding
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multiple blocks in a single process using certain scan patterns, the video
stream may
efficiently be converted for displays of varying sizes. In some embodiments,
the encoded
bitstream may include a slice table to allow direct access to each slice
without reading the
entire bitstream. Each slice may also be processed independently, allowing for
parallelized
encoding and/or decoding. Various methods and systems have been developed for
encoding
and decoding a video stream. Each picture in a video stream may be divided
into slices, each
of which may contain a contiguous row of macroblocks; each macroblock may
contain
multiple blocks corresponding of all video components to the same spatial
location. The
blocks within each slice may be used as the basis for encoding the picture. By
encoding
multiple blocks in a single process using certain scan patterns, the video
stream may
efficiently be converted for displays of varying sizes. In some embodiments,
the encoded
bitstream may include a slice table to allow direct access to each slice
without reading the
entire bitstream. Each slice may also be processed independently, allowing for
parallelized
encoding and/or decoding.
[00036] Figure 1 is a high-level block diagram of a computing environment
100
according to one embodiment. Figure 1 illustrates server 110 and three clients
112 connected
by network 114. Only three clients 112 are shown in Figure 1 in order to
simplify and clarify
the description. Embodiments of the computing environment 100 may have
thousands or
millions of clients 112 connected to network 114, for example the Internet.
Users (not
shown) may operate software 116 on one of clients 112 to both send and receive
messages
network 114 via server 110 and its associated communications equipment and
software (not
shown).
[00037] Figure 2 depicts a block diagram of computer system 210 suitable
for
implementing server 110 or client 112. Computer system 210 includes bus 212
which
interconnects major subsystems of computer system 210, such as central
processor 214,
system memory 217 (typically RAM, but which may also include ROM, flash RAM,
or the
like), input/output controller 218, external audio device, such as speaker
system 220 via
audio output interface 222, external device, such as display screen 224 via
display adapter
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226, serial ports 228 and 230, keyboard 232 (interfaced with keyboard
controller 233),
storage interface 234, disk drive 237 operative to receive floppy disk 238,
host bus adapter
(RBA) interface card 235A operative to connect with Fibre Channel network 290,
host bus
adapter (RBA) interface card 235B operative to connect to SCSI bus 239, and
optical disk
drive 240 operative to receive optical disk 242. Also included are mouse 246
(or other point-
and-click device, coupled to bus 212 via serial port 228), modem 247 (coupled
to bus 212 via
serial port 230), and network interface 248 (coupled directly to bus 212).
[00038] Bus 212 allows data communication between central processor 214 and
system memory 217, which may include read-only memory (ROM) or flash memory
(neither
shown), and random access memory (RANI) (not shown), as previously noted. RANI
is
generally the main memory into which operating system and application programs
are
loaded. ROM or flash memory may contain, among other software code, Basic
Input-Output
system (BIOS) that controls basic hardware operation such as interaction with
peripheral
components. Applications resident with computer system 210 are generally
stored on and
accessed via computer readable media, such as hard disk drives (e.g., fixed
disk 244), optical
drives (e.g., optical drive 240), flopy disk unit 237, or other storage
medium. Additionally,
applications may be in the form of electronic signals modulated in accordance
with the
application and data communication technology when accessed via network modem
247 or
interface 248 or other telecommunications equipment (not shown).
[00039] Storage interface 234, as with other storage interfaces of computer
system
210, may connect to standard computer readable media for storage and/or
retrieval of
information, such as fixed disk drive 244. Fixed disk drive 244 may be part of
computer
system 210 or may be separate and accessed through other interface systems.
Modem 247
may provide direct connection to remote servers via telephone link or the
Internet via an
internet service provider (ISP) (not shown). Network interface 248 may provide
direct
connection to remote servers via direct network link to the Internet via a POP
(point of
presence). Network interface 248 may provide such connection using wireless
techniques,
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including digital cellular telephone connection, Cellular Digital Packet Data
(CDPD)
connection, digital satellite data connection or the like.
[00040] Many other devices or subsystems (not shown) may be connected in a
similar
manner (e.g., document scanners, digital cameras and so on). Conversely, all
of the devices
shown in Figure 2 need not be present to practice the present disclosure.
Devices and
subsystems may be interconnected in different ways from that shown in Figure
2. Operation
of a computer system such as that shown in Fig. 2 is readily known in the art
and is not
discussed in detail in this application. Software source and/or object codes
to implement the
present disclosure may be stored in computer-readable storage media such as
one or more of
system memory 217, fixed disk 244, optical disk 242, or floppy disk 238. The
operating
system provided on computer system 210 may be a variety or version of either
MS-DOS
(MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,
Washington),
WINDOWS (WINDOWS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation of
Redmond,
Washington), OS/20 (0S/2 is a registered trademark of International Business
Machines
Corporation of Armonk, New York), UNIX (UNIX is a registered trademark of
X/Open
Company Limited of Reading, United Kingdom), Linux (Linux is a registered
trademark of
Linus Torvalds of Portland, Oregon), or other known or developed operating
system. In some
embodiments, computer system 210 may take the form of a tablet computer,
typically in the
form of a large display screen operated by touching the screen. In tablet
computer alternative
embodiments, the operating system may be iOS (i0S is a registered trademark of
Cisco
Systems, Inc. of San Jose, California, used under license by Apple Corporation
of Cupertino,
California), Android (Android is a trademark of Google Inc. of Mountain View,
California), Blackberry Tablet OS (Blackberry is a registered trademark of
Research In
Motion of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), webOS (webOS is a trademark of Hewlett-
Packard
Development Company, L.P. of Texas), and/or other suitable tablet operating
systems.
[00041] Moreover, regarding the signals described herein, those skilled in
the art
recognize that a signal may be directly transmitted from a first block to a
second block, or a
signal may be modified (e.g., amplified, attenuated, delayed, latched,
buffered, inverted,
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filtered, or otherwise modified) between blocks. Although the signals of the
above-described
embodiments are characterized as transmitted from one block to the next, other
embodiments
of the present disclosure may include modified signals in place of such
directly transmitted
signals as long as the informational and/or functional aspect of the signal is
transmitted
between blocks. To some extent, a signal input at a second block may be
conceptualized as a
second signal derived from a first signal output from a first block due to
physical limitations
of the circuitry involved (e.g., there will inevitably be some attenuation and
delay).
Therefore, as used herein, a second signal derived from a first signal
includes the first signal
or any modifications to the first signal, whether due to circuit limitations
or due to passage
through other circuit elements which do not change the informational and/or
final functional
aspect of the first signal.
[00042] The present invention relates to embodiments of a videographic
system and
method that allows for the processing of videographic images for receiver-
specific
replacement of image segments based on three-dimensional vectorized tracking
markers
identified within the videographic images. In the schematic videographic
system 300 of
Figure 3, tracking marker 310 is at least one of shaped and marked to allow
its location and
orientation to be determined in three dimensions. The term "vectorized" is
used in this
specification to describe tracking markers that are at least one of shaped and
marked so as to
make their orientation in three dimensions uniquely determinable from their
appearance in an
image produced by a videographic camera. If their three-dimensional
orientation is
determinable, then their three-dimensional location is also known. For the
purposes of the
present specification we shall proceed to describe videographic system 300 at
the hand of
specific vectorized tracking marker 310 described in co-pending United States
Patent
Application 13/713,165 titled "System and method for determining the three-
dimensional
location and orientation of identification markers", which is hereby
incorporated by reference
in full.
[00043] The markings on vectorized tracking marker 310, as described in US
Patent
Application 13/713,165, comprise a plurality of contrasting portions arranged
in a
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rotationally asymmetric pattern and at least one of the contrasting portions
has a perimeter
that has a mathematically describable curved section. The perimeter of the
contrasting
portion may comprise a conic section, including for example an ellipse or a
circle. The
markings may be monolithically integrated with tracking marker 310. In other
embodiments
the markings may be scribed, engraved, stamped, embossed or otherwise formed
on tracking
marker 310. Geometric information about the asymmetric pattern may be stored
in database
320 prior to use of system 300. Controller 330, for example central processor
214 of Figure
2, may be used to access the geometric information in database 320. Controller
330 may be a
computer or a dedicated microprocessing system or any other suitable computing
device
capable of videographic editing at individual pixel level and capable of
geometrical
computation. Controller 330 is disposed and configured to receive videographic
image
information of scene 350 as obtained by videographic camera 340. In some
embodiments,
controller 330 may be incorporated within videographic camera 340. In other
embodiments,
controller 330 may be located remotely from videographic camera 340. For the
sake of
clarity in Figure 3, controller 330 and its associated database 320 are shown
distinct from
videographic camera 340. In other embodiments, as described later below at the
hand of
Figure 5, videographic image information of scene 350 as obtained by
videographic camera
340 may be recorded by a suitable videographic recorder and subsequently
supplied to
controller 330.
[00044] By way of example, scene 350 may be a scene of a sporting match in
a sport
stadium. The scene may contain display board 352 bearing real display board
image
information. The real display board image information is most typically of an
advertising
nature, but may more generally comprise any displayable information. Most
typically, the
arrangement of display boards at a sport stadium comprises a plurality of
display boards 352
around the perimeter of the field in front of the spectators, further display
boards 352 above
or behind the spectators, the spectators being located in stands 356.
Typically one or more
large display boards 352 are located high above the spectators, usually
displaying the score
of the sporting match, but sometimes dedicated to advertising or some current
issue of
interest. All of the above, along with one or more player 356 may be located
in the camera
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field of view 360 of videographic camera 340. Player 356 may be wearing
further tracking
marker 310 and have an area on his or her clothing that is dedicated to
sponsorship or
advertising. This area of clothing serves the same function as display boards
352. The term
"display board" is therefore taken in the present specification to also
include an area on a
player's clothing dedicated to advertising or sponsorship.
[00045] In database 320 each vectorized marker 310 is associated with one
or more
display boards 352 and database 320 is provided with information describing
the exact three-
dimensional spatial location and orientation of tracking marker 310 relative
to each display
board 352 associated with tracking marker 310. This data may be added to the
database when
markers 310 are initially rigidly disposed, for example at the stadium, with
respect to the
display boards 352 with which vectorized markers 310 are associated. The same
relationship
holds true between tracking marker 310 worn by player 356 and the area on his
or her
clothing that is dedicated to sponsorship or advertising.
[00046] Within database 320, each display board 352 is furthermore
associated with a
set of blocks of image information to be virtually displayed on display board
352. The term
"virtual sub-image" is used in this specification to describe a block of image
information to
be virtually displayed on display board 352 within the transmitted data stream
from system
300 instead of the real information on that particular display board 352. The
virtual sub-
images may be advertisements or other announcements provided by interested
parties. The
virtual sub-images may be, for example without limitation, the subject of a
business
arrangement with a sponsor or advertising party. The virtual sub-images in a
set may by
sequenced in time on some agreed basis or may be selected at random within a
set.
[00047] Videographic camera 340 produces a temporal series of input
digital images
of the portion of scene 350 located within field of view 360. The temporal
series of input
digital images is passed to controller 330 on input line 370. Input line 370
may be wired or
may be any other form of transmission medium suitable for transmitting
videographic image
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information. In some embodiments, controller 330 may therefore be remote from
controller
330.
[00048] When controller 330 receives a digital image in the temporal
series, it
analyzes the digital image to search for vectorized tracking marker 310. Upon
identifying for
example tracking marker 310 in the digital image, controller 330 searches
database 320 for
the information associated with marker 310. Controller 330 finds in database
320 the relative
orientation and location information for each display board 352 with respect
to marker 310
with which it is associated. Controller 330 also finds the set of stored
display board virtual
sub-images in database 320 that is associated with each display board 352.
[00049] Based on any sequencing information retrieved from database 320,
controller
330 performs pixel replacement on the current digital image in the temporal
series, replacing
the pixels corresponding to each display board 352 with corresponding pixels
from the stored
and sequenced display board virtual sub-images. Since the exact orientation
and location of
each display board 352 relative to marker 310 is known, and the orientation
and location of
marker 310 relative to videographic camera 340 is known, controller 330
applies to the
stored virtual sub-images the required distortion to match the perspective
videographic
camera 340 has of the individual associated display boards 352. Controller 330
may execute
the above steps based on software loaded into memory 380, for example system
memory 217
of Figure 2.
[00050] Having by the above method replaced the real display board image
information on display boards 352 with the stored and sequenced display board
virtual sub-
images, controller 330 transmits the adapted digital image along the
transmission path to
users. The users may be at a remote location and the stored display board
virtual sub-images
may be chosen to suit or address these specific users, whereas the real
display board
information may suit and be addressed to local spectators at the stadium.
Videographic
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system 300 therefore provides a method for producing a temporal series of
audience-
customized output digital images from a series of input digital images.
[00051] A plurality of vectorized tracking markers 310 may be associated
with a
particular display board 352 and a plurality of display boards may be
associated with a given
tracking marker 310. The multiple tag¨to¨display board configuration of system
300 allows
different videographic cameras 340 to view the same scene 350 from different
angles and
locations with different fields of view 360 and improves the likelihood that a
given
videographic camera 340 will have a good view of tracking markers 310
associated with
display boards 352 in the field of view 360 of the particular videographic
camera 340.
[00052] In some embodiments, vectorized tracking markers 310 may be
supplied
integral with display boards 352. In yet further embodiments, tracking markers
310 may be
monolithically integrated with rigid structural components of display boards
352, tracking
markers 310 being manufactured along with rigid structural components of
display boards
352 in the same processing step, such as, for example without limitation,
injection molding
or casting.
[00053] A method [400] of using videographic system 300 to produce a
temporal
series of audience-customized output digital images from a series of input
digital images may
be described as follows at the hand of the flow chart of Figure 4. The method
[400]
comprises: placing [410] in database 320 at least one set of virtual sub-
images comprising at
least one virtual sub-image; first associating [420] within database 320 at
least one display
board 352 with at least one vectorized tracking marker 310; second associating
[430] within
database 320 the at least one display board 352 with the at least one set of
virtual sub-images;
rigidly [440] disposing the at least one tracking marker 310 with respect to
the at least one
display board 352; obtaining [450] a temporal series of at least one input
digital image of a
portion of scene 350 containing the at least one display board 352 and the at
least one
tracking marker 310 located within a field of view 360 of a videographic
camera 340;
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determining [460] a three dimensional location and orientation of the at least
one tracking
marker 310 from the at least one input digital image based on information
about the at least
one tracking marker 310 in a database 320; first extracting [470] from
database 320 a fixed
three-dimensional location and orientation of the display board relative to
the at least one
tracking marker 310; second extracting [480] from database 320 the at least
one virtual sub-
image associated with the at least one display board 352; geometrically
adapting [490] the at
least one virtual sub-image to match a perspective of the at least one input
digital image; and
replacing [495] within the at least one input digital image pixels
corresponding to the at least
one display board 352 with pixels corresponding to the at least one virtual
sub-image. The
second associating [430] comprises storing in database 320 the relative 3D
location and
orientation of the at least one display board 352 relative to the at least one
tracking marker
310. The first extracting [470] comprises extracting from database 320 the
relative 3D
location and orientation of the at least one display board 352 relative to the
at least one
tracking marker 310. Detailed methods for determining orientations and
locations of tracking
markers from input digital images are known to practitioners of the art and
will not be dwelt
upon here. For purposes of later reference in this specification, method 400
may also be
summarized as replacing portions of digital images in a temporal series of
input digital
images from a videographic camera with virtual sub-images while changing the
portions
based on a changing perspective of the videographic camera, thus changing the
video
appearance of the display board.
[00054] The software when executed by controller 330 is further capable of
determining a three-dimensional location and orientation of the at least one
vectorized
tracking marker 310 and adapting the at least one virtual sub-image to match a
perspective of
videographic camera 340 in the at least one input digital image.
[00055] In the present specification the phrase "monolithically integrated"
is used to
describe items that are fashioned together from one piece of material. This to
be contrasted
with a situation where the items are joined together after manufacture, either
detachably or
through a non-integral coupling. In this particular example a suitable rigid
positioning and
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orienting portion of display board 352 is its frame. The frame may, for
example be molded,
cast, machined or otherwise fashioned from one monolithic piece of material
and vectorized
tracking marker 310 is fashioned, formed or made from the same monolithic
piece of
material. Tracking marker 310 may be formed during the same process as that
within which
the frame of display board 352 is made.
[00056] To the extent that vectorized tracking marker 310 is monolithically
integrated
with the frame of display board 352, and the position and orientation of
monolithically
integrated tracking marker 310 relative to the information-bearing part of
display board 352
is fixed and known, knowledge of the three-dimensional position and
orientation of
vectorized tracking marker 310 within the field of view of videographic camera
340 provides
the user with the location and orientation of the information bearing portion
of display board
352.
[00057] The monolithic integration of three-dimensional tracking markers
with a rigid
positioning and orienting portion of a display board is not limited to
sporting display boards.
It may be applied to any information-bearing item having a suitable rigid
positioning and
orienting portion and, indeed, to any apparatus having a suitable rigid
positioning and
orienting portion.
[00058] Vectorized tracking marker 310 may be shaped in three dimensions so
as to
allow its orientation to be determined from a two-dimensional input digital
image of display
board 352 within the field of view of videographic camera 340. In further
embodiments,
monolithically integrated tracking marker 310 may have a monolithically
integrated marking
so as to allow its orientation to be determined from a two-dimensional image
of display
board 352 within the field of view of videographic camera 340. In further
embodiments
tracking marker 310 may be both shaped and marked to allow its orientation,
its location, or
both to be determined.
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[00059] In yet further embodiments, positioning and orienting markings may
be
scribed, engraved, stamped, embossed or otherwise formed on tracking marker
310. Useful
markings for determining the location and orientation of tracking marker 310
are described in
co-pending United States Patent Application 13/713,165, U.S. Patent
Publication No. US
2014-0126767 Al, titled "System and method for determining the three-
dimensional location
and orientation of identification markers", which is hereby incorporated in
full by reference.
[00060] The markings on tracking marker 310 as described in Patent
Application
13/713,165 comprise a plurality of contrasting portions arranged in a
rotationally asymmetric
pattern. At least one of the contrasting portions may have a perimeter that
has a
mathematically describable curved section. The perimeter of the contrasting
portion may
comprise a conic section, including for example an ellipse or a circle. The
markings may be
monolithically integrated with the tracking marker. In other embodiments the
markings may
be scribed, engraved, stamped, embossed or otherwise formed on tracking marker
310. The
geometric information stored in database 320 may comprise information about
the
asymmetric pattern. A suitable controller, for example processor 214 and
memory 217 of
computer 210 of Figure 2, may be used to compare the input digital image
obtained from
videographic camera 340 with the geometric information about tracking marker
310 in order
to determine the three dimensional location and orientation of tracking marker
310 and its
display boards 352.
[00061] In other embodiments, a plurality of vectorized tracking markers
310 are
rigidly attached directly to a given display board 352 at known locations on
display board
352 and in known three-dimensional orientations with respect to display board
352. In this
embodiment, display board 352 may be flexible. When videographic camera 340
obtains a
temporal series of at least one input digital image containing display board
352, display
board 352 may be flexibly deformed in three dimensions. However, the fixed
spatial
relationship between each tracking marker and the region of display board 352
to which it is
rigidly attached allows the three dimensional distortion of display board 352
to be accurately
determined from the actual three-dimensional locations and orientations of the
plurality of
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tracking markers 310. Controller 330 may therefore geometrically adapt the at
least one
virtual sub-image to match not only a perspective of the videographic camera
in every input
digital image, but may also further adapt the at least one virtual sub-image
to match the
three-dimensional distortion of display board 352.
[00062] As regards the associated method, obtaining [450] the at least one
input digital
image as described at the hand of Figure 4 may comprise in this multi-marker
embodiment
obtaining from the videographic camera 340 at least one input digital image
containing a
plurality of vectorized tracking markers 310 rigidly attached to the at least
one display board
352 in a fixed three-dimensional spatial relationship with respect to the at
least one display
board 352. The method may further comprise determining from the three-
dimensional
location and orientation of the plurality of vectorized tracking markers 310 a
distortion of the
at least one display board 352, and further adapting the at least one virtual
sub-image to
match the distortion of the at least one display board 352 in the at least one
input digital
image.
[00063] Figure 5 shows a videographic system 500, wherein the same numbers
indicate the same elements as in embodiments described with reference to
videographic
system 300 of Figure 3. In Figure 5, videographic camera 340 provides live
videographic
image information of scene 350 to videographic recorder 345 and videographic
recorder 345
records the live videographic image information of scene 350. In Figure 5B,
controller 330 is
disposed and configured for receiving the recorded videographic image
information of scene
350 from videographic recorder 345. To the extent that controller 330 in this
embodiment, as
in embodiments described above, bases any pixel replacement actions wholly on
the content
of the videographic image information, the embodiment shown in Figures 5
functions exactly
as the embodiments described above. In this respect, controller 330 does not
differentiate
between recorded and live videographic information. The matter of whether
videographic
information processed by controller 330 is live or recorded may be clarified
to viewers by
another means apart from any shown in the present embodiments.
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[00064] A method associated with this embodiment may also be described by
the steps
in the flow chart of Figure 4. Step [450] of method [400] in that flow chart
does not specify
the source of the at least one input digital image. Input digital image, in
the case of live
videography, is sourced directly from the videographic camera 340 via input
line 370 as per
Figure 3, while, in the case of recorded videographic image information as per
Figure 5, the
input digital image is sourced from videographic recorder 345 via input line
370. Input line
370 may be wired or may be any other form of transmission medium suitable for
transmitting
videographic image information. Similarly, the link between videographic
camera 340 and
videographic recorder 345 may be wired or may be any other form of
transmission medium
suitable for transmitting videographic image information. In some embodiments,
videographic recorder 345 may be disposed remotely from videographic camera
340. In
some embodiments, videographic recorder 345 may be disposed remotely from
controller
330.
[00065] In a further aspect, Figure 6A, 6B, and 6C respectively show an
interactive
video system 600, 600', 600" comprising videographic system 610, being one of
system 300
of Figure 3 and system 500 of Figure 5, providing to interactive display
system 620, 630, 640
respectively a temporal series of audience-customized digital images derived
from a series of
input digital images as described above. Interactive video system 600, 600',
600" may be
configured, for example in software or in firmware, to render user-selectable
to the user of
display system 620, 630, 640 any pixels replaced with a displayed virtual sub-
image. Since
the videographic camera 340 used to obtain the input digital image varies its
perspective,
viewing direction, "zoom" factor, and its field of view, the clickable region
of the input
digital image varies dynamically and is updated "in real time" or "on the
fly".
[00066] In Figure 6A interactive display system 620 may comprise, for
example
without limitation, a personal computer monitor 629 driven by a computer 621
served by a
keyboard 624 and a digital pointing and selecting device 622, such as a
digital mouse, track-
ball, or the like. The digital pointing and selecting device 622 is used to
position a pointer
629 on monitor 629 and may be employed to select a clickable hyperlink or area
on monitor
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629. Computer 621 obtains the temporal series of audience-customized digital
images from
videographic system 610 via digital modem 623 on a suitable wired or wireless
line.
[00067] In Figure 6B interactive display system 630 may comprise a touch-
screen
device 635, for example without limitation a digital tablet, smartphone,
notebook or the like,
that allows control of pointer 639 and selecting of a clickable hyperlink or
area on touch-
screen device 635 by means of human touch or touch by a suitable stylus 632.
Touch-screen
device 635 obtains the temporal series of audience-customized digital images
from
videographic system 610 via digital modem 633 on a suitable wired or wireless
line and
thence via wireless access point 636 and wireless link 637.
[00068] In Figure 6C interactive display system 640 may comprise, for
example
without limitation, a "Smart television" 645 equipped with a suitable keyboard
644, wired or
wireless, remote control, or other television control device 642 that allows
the user to move
pointer 649 on the display of "Smart television" 645 and to select a hyperlink
or pixel-region
on the television display. A variety of such control devices, ranging from an
inertial digital
mouse, through digital camera-based human gesture input devices, to handheld
touchpad
devices are known in the art and will not be discussed in more detail here.
Smart television
645 obtains the temporal series of audience-customized digital images from
videographic
system 610 via digital modem 643 on a suitable wired or wireless line.
[00069] From the perspective of the user, the user is pointing at and
selecting whatever
imagery is being displayed in the virtual sub-image substituted for the
display board 352.
Upon selecting the imagery, display system 620, 630, 640 may be directed to an
alternative
information source. The alternative information source may be a website, an
alternative video
feed, or any other information source to which the user may be usefully
directed. To this end,
interactive display system 620, 630, 640 may comprise software capable of
directing
interactive display system 620, 630, 640 to a resource location identified by
the resource
location identifier when digital pointing and selecting device 622, 632, 642
selects within the
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input digital image pixels of the virtual sub-image. In other embodiments,
upon selecting the
imagery, the display device may undertake an action, such as, for example,
phoning a
telephone number or generating e-mail to a predetermined address. In yet
further
embodiments, upon selecting the imagery, display system 620, 630, 640 may
present in the
place of the virtual sub-image, and therefore in the place of display boards
352, other useful
information such as, for example, historic scores in sports matches or other
relevant
information. By these various mechanisms the virtual sub-image area is
presented to the user
as a "clickable image" or "clickable link" directing the user to other
information sources or
guide the user to actions.
[00070] As per the pixel-replacement method described above, the controller
330 is
already in possession of the geometric data describing exactly which pixels
are being
replaced with virtual sub-images from database 320. Controller 330 may
therefore define in
terms of pixels the area in a given input digital image of a portion of scene
350 that represent
the at least one display board 352. Controller 330 may be configured, for
example in
firmware or software, to transmit to interactive display system 620, 630, 640
the pixel
coordinates defining the clickable region of the input digital image being
displayed on
interactive display system 620, 630, 640. In other embodiments, controller 330
may be
configured to transmit to interactive display system 620, 630, 640 the
coordinates of corners
defining a clickable area of the input digital image being displayed on
interactive display
system 620, 630, 640. In the present specification the phrase "pixel
coordinate information"
is used to describe any such information that may be employed to fully define
the location,
shape, and extent of a sub-image area or clickable area of the input digital
image being
displayed on interactive display system 620, 630, 640. Controller 330 may also
transmit to
interactive display system 620, 630, 640 a uniform resource locator (URL), or
other resource
location identifier, to be assigned to the clickable area. In the present
specification, the phrase
"resource location identifier" is used as a general phrase to describe a
network location that is
accessible, at least at some point in time, to the interactive display system
620, 630, 640.
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[00071] From a user perspective, the resulting video imagery presents
itself as a video
feed on the user's interactive display system 620, 630, 640, with the
"clickable image" areas
within the image varying dynamically in time with the overall image content,
the latter being
determined by the perspective, "zoom" factor, field of view, and view
direction of
videographic camera 340, which is serving as the original source of the
videographic
information, whether live or from a recording.
[00072] Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method for directing [700] an
interactive display
system 620, 630, 640 to an information source, the method comprising:
associating [710]
with a set of virtual sub-images in a first database a set of corresponding
resource location
identifiers; replacing [400] (See above along with Fig. 4) replacing at least
one portion of at
least one input digital image in a temporal series of input digital images
from a videographic
camera with one of the virtual sub-images while changing the at least one
portion based on a
changing perspective of the camera; transferring [720] to the interactive
display system 620,
630, 640 the changed temporal series of digital images, associated sub-image
pixel
coordinate information, and the corresponding resource location identifiers;
displaying [730]
on the interactive display system 620, 630, 640 the changed temporal series of
digital images;
assigning [740] the corresponding resource location identifiers to the changed
portions; and
directing [750] the interactive display system 620, 630, 640 to one of the
resource locations
when a corresponding associated changed portion is selected on the interactive
display
system 620, 630, 640.
[00073] While this invention has been described as having an exemplary
design, the
present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this
disclosure. This
application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or
adaptations of the invention
using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover
such departures
from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the
art to which
this invention pertains.
28
