METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A COMBINED DIGITAL IMAGE STREAM

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing a combined digital image stream, comprising providing a first digital image stream or sequence, incorporating a machine-readable mark to at least part of the first digital image stream or sequence, the mark at least comprising a position within or with respect to the first image stream or sequence and/or an interval within the length of the first image stream or sequence providing at least a second digital image stream, inserting, based on the mark, with the aid of a computer, the second image stream or sequence into the first digital image stream or sequence at the position and/or interval within the first image stream or sequence, and outputting a combined digital image stream, wherein the second image stream is incorporated in the first image stream or sequence. The invention further relates to a system for performing the method.

Claims

1. Computer implemented method (700) for providing a combined digital image stream, comprising: A. providing (710) a first digital image stream or sequence; B. incorporating (720) a machine-readable mark to at least part of the first digital image stream or sequence, the mark at least comprising: a. a position within or with respect to the first image stream or sequence; and/or b. an interval within the length of the first image stream or sequence; C. providing (730) at least a second digital image stream; D. inserting (740), based on the mark, the second image stream or sequence into the first digital image stream or sequence at the position and/or interval within the first image stream or sequence; and E. outputting (750) a combined digital image stream, wherein the second image stream is incorporated in the first image stream or sequence.

2. Computer implemented method according to claim 1, comprising registering/generating the second image stream during running or playing the first image stream.

3. Computer implemented method according to claim 1 wherein the first image stream comprises a slide show.

4. Computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the mark comprises a BAR, QR or color code, such as multiple pixels comprising a predetermined color.

5. Computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the position and interval are determined by the position and the interval of the mark itself.

6. Computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the mark comprises additional information, such as an input source, a display ratio, a cropping setting and/or a resolution.

7. Computer implemented method according to claim 1, comprising incorporating the same machine-readable mark multiple times or incorporating different machine-readable marks.

8. System (100) for providing a combined digital image stream (141), comprising: A. a first input (110) for receiving a first digital image stream (109) or sequence; B. Tools for incorporating a machine-readable mark (116) to at least part of the first digital image stream or sequence, the mark at least comprising: a. a position within or with respect to the first image stream or sequence; and/or b. an interval within the length of the first image stream or sequence; C. a second input (120), for receiving at least a second digital image stream (119); and D. a processing module (140), for a. inserting, based on the mark, the second image stream or sequence into the first digital image stream or sequence at the position and/or interval within the first image stream or sequence, and b. outputting a combined digital image stream, wherein the second image stream is incorporated in the first image stream or sequence.

9. System according to claim 8, provided with a camera for registering/generating the second sequence during playing the first sequence.

10. System according to claim 8, adapted for displaying a first image stream or sequence formed by a slide show.

11. System according to claim 8, provided with tools for providing a mark, in the form of a BAR, QR or color code, such as multiple pixels with a predetermined color.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the tool is further provided for incorporating additional information in the mark, such as an input source, a display ratio and/or a resolution.

13. System according to claim 8, wherein the tools are provided in a user interface.

14. Non volatile data carrier (800), comprising a program extension for image sequence software, in particular slideshow-software, for providing an incorporating tool for incorporating a machine-readable mark to at least part of the first digital image stream or sequence, the mark at least comprising: a. a position within or with respect to the first image stream or sequence; and/or b. an interval within the length of the first image stream or sequence.

15. Computer system, comprising image sequence software, in particular slide show software, provided with an extension as described in claim 13.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures, wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a system according to the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a machine-readable mark for use in the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the incorporation of the mark in a first image stream;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows how the mark is replaced with the second image stream;

[0030] FIGS. 5a-d show a number of images from a first sequence, provided with the same mark; and

[0031] FIGS. 6a-d show some stills from the resulting combined image stream after inserting the second image stream into the first image sequence.

[0032] FIG. 7 schematically shows an embodiment of the method.

[0033] FIG. 8 schematically shows an embodiment of a computer program product.

[0034]

TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE LIST 100 system 109 DigImgStrm1 first digital image stream 110 DigImgRx1 first digital image stream receiver 111 RxDigImgStrm1 received first digital image stream 115 MrkSrc mark source 116 Mrk machine-readable mark 119 DigImgStrm2 second digital image stream 120 DigImgRx2 second digital image stream receiver 121 RxDigImgStrm2 received second digital image stream 130 Incorp incorporating module 131 PreDigImgStrm preprocessed first digital image stream 140 Insrt inserting device 141 OutpComImgStrm outputted combined digital image stream 150 MrkRd mark reader 151 MrkInfo mark information 160 DigImgMix digital image stream mixer 161 ComImgStrm combined digital image stream 170 Outp outputting module 200 Mrk mark (embodiment) 210 frame 220 webcam symbol 230 QR code 700 sequence diagram 710 prov1 providing first stream 720 incorp incorporating mark in first stream 730 prov2 providing second stream 740 insrt inserting second stream into first stream 750 outp outputting combined stream 800 computer readable storage medium 810 writable part 820 computer program

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a system 100 according to the present invention. The system comprises a first digital image stream receiver 110 for receiving a first digital image stream 109 and providing a received first digital image stream 1111, and a mark source 115 providing a machine-readable mark 116. The system further comprises incorporating module 130 for incorporating the mark into the received first stream thereby generating a preprocessed first digital image stream 131. The system further comprises a second digital image receiver 120 for receiving a second digital image stream 119 and providing a received second digital image stream 121. The system further comprises inserting module 140 for inserting the received second stream into the preprocessed first stream based on the mark for outputting the outputted combined digital image stream 141. The inserting module comprise a mark reader 150 receiving the preprocessed stream 131 for extracting mark information 151 from the mark. The inserting module further comprise a digital image stream mixer 160 for mixing the received second stream 121 into the preprocessed stream 131 based upon the mark information 151 provided by the mark reader. The inserting module further comprise output module 170 receiving the combined stream 161 for providing an outputted combined digital image stream 141.

[0036] All live broadcasts are linear by nature, and require some form of preproduction. Within the concept of video mixing automation, a first digital image sequence is prepared, for instance a slide show made by an operator, which is then provided with visually recognizable patterns called machine readable marks here. The operator can freely place and size these patterns anywhere within the slides at the position where he or she wants the second digital image stream to be placed. A pattern reader forming part of the processing module finds these patterns in real-time, when the first image sequence is played, assesses their position and size, and replaces the mark with the second digital image stream. This replacement may in practice be done by positioning the second image stream directly on top of them, thereby hiding the now underlying pattern.

[0037] The second digital image stream may be generated by a video source, which can for instance be any device that produces video that can be acquisitioned by standards based audio visual equipment. Examples are cameras and desktop PCs. A video mixer, that is any device that is able to acquisition video from multiple Video Sources, and can sequence and composite these sources in real-time may be used. The pattern reader in the processing module may be a software solution that is both able to find visual patterns in a live video source, assess its size, position, and intended other video source, and then instruct a video mixer so that a new composite is created in real-time.

[0038] Effects and advantages, as mentioned in the description, apply to this embodiment of the system.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a machine-readable mark 200 for use in the present invention. This may be a visual pattern, being a pattern that can be easily read by machines.

[0040] The mark 200 comprises a frame 210. The frame may specify the boundaries of the mark. The frame may specify the position and/or ratio of how the second stream is to be inserted into the preprocessed stream.

[0041] The mark further comprises a webcam symbol 220. The webcam symbol may visually identify the mark to an operator placing the mark into the received first stream. The webcam symbol may identify a digital image stream source for the second stream, which is in this case a webcam.

[0042] The mark further comprises a QR code 230. Common examples are barcodes and QR codes but also color codes may be used. The advantage of barcodes or QR codes are that they can comprise extra information, in this case for instance the aspect ratio of 16 times 9 and the fact that the second image stream is to be captured from video source (camera) 1.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the incorporation of the mark in a first image sequence. In practice, a user or operator prepares this by inserting the mark into his or her slide show. The mark itself indicates where in the slide show the video should be.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows how the mark is replaced with the second image stream, which is (evidently not visible in this application) a moving video.

[0045] FIGS. 5a-d show a number of images from a first sequence, provided with the same mark a and FIGS. 6a-d show some stills from the resulting combined image stream after inserting the second image stream into the first image sequence.

[0046] When going through the slides, the video continues, and the presenter may present details to each slide to a final spectator. The output of the method and/or system is a combined digital image stream that can be published online or presented as a video file.

[0047] FIG. 7 schematically shows an embodiment of the method 700 according to the invention. The method comprises the step of providing 710 a first digital image stream. The method further comprises the step of incorporating 720 a machine-readable mark into the first digital image stream, thereby generating a preprocessed digital image stream. The method further comprises the step of providing 730 a second digital image stream. The method further comprises the step of inserting 740 the second stream into the preprocessed stream, thereby generating a combined digital image stream. The method further comprises the step of outputting 750 the combined stream.

[0048] Effects and advantages, as mentioned throughout the description, apply to this embodiment of the method.

[0049] FIG. 8 schematically shows an embodiment of a computer program product, computer readable medium and/or non-transitory computer readable storage medium 800 having a writable part 810 comprising including a computer program 820, the computer program comprising including instructions for causing a processor system to perform a method of an embodiment. The computer program may be embodied on the computer readable medium as physical marks or by means of magnetization of the computer readable medium. However, any other suitable embodiment is conceivable as well. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that, although the computer readable medium 800 is shown here as an optical disc, the computer readable medium 800 may be any suitable computer readable medium, such as a hard disk, solid state memory, flash memory, etc., and may be non-recordable or recordable. The computer program comprises instructions for causing a processor system to perform said method of an embodiment.

[0050] In a practical embodiment the invention may be a program extension for image sequence software such as slide show software, providing a tool (such as a button) for incorporating a machine-readable mark (which preferably comprises a reference to the video source) to at least part of the first digital image stream or sequence (in this case the slide show), which mark then comprises by insertion a position within or with respect to the first image stream or sequence and/or an interval within the length of the first image stream or sequence.

[0051] The thus prepared slide show can then be processed by a system according to the present invention for replacing the mark by the second digital image stream, preferably in real time while generating (i.e. recording) this second image stream.

[0052] It is noted that the method has been described in terms of steps to be performed, but it is not to be construed that the steps described must be performed in the exact order described and/or one after another. One skilled in the art may envision to change the order of the steps and/or to perform steps in parallel to achieve equivalent technical results.

[0053] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms a, an, and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises and/or comprising, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0054] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means, modules or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0055] Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system or a processor, where the program(s) of the program product define functions of the embodiments (including the methods described herein). In one embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of non-transitory computer-readable storage media (generally referred to as storage), where, as used herein, the expression non-transitory computer readable storage media comprises all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal. In another embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of transitory computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, ROM chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., flash memory, floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored.

[0056] Besides the exemplary and non limiting embodiments described above the invention may comprise various embodiments and implementation variants, which fall all within the scope of the following claims.