Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited

Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited

Adrien Bain

William Oliver Sykes

Thomas Edward Lucas-Woodley

Nicholas Andrew Lord

A method of generating an internally consistent model of the state of a book captured in a video image is provided. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of pieces of evidence relating to the state of a corresponding plurality of aspects of the book in the video image, associating a quality score with each piece of evidence, generating an initial model of the state of the book wherein the state of the book is constrained by physical properties of the book and at least the highest scoring piece of evidence, and sequentially constraining the model in response to one or more successive pieces of evidence whose scores meet a respective predetermined first threshold value.

Apparatus and method of augmenting video

A book for use with augmented reality applications includes a plurality of stiff leaves, each side of which forms a page of the book. On each page a respective fiduciary marker is positioned substantially in the middle of the page. Each fiduciary marker comprises a different respective asymmetric pattern capable of indicating the scale and orientation of the book to an augmented reality application and of indicating the respective page, and a non-alphanumeric pattern positioned closer to an outside edge of the page of the book than the fiduciary marker. The non-alphanumeric pattern on a respective page is capable of indicating at least the opposing page pair comprising the respective page on which the non-alphanumeric pattern is positioned, when used in conjunction with the scale and orientation of the book as indicated by a fiduciary marker on a different page to that of the respective non-alphanumeric pattern.

Book for augmented reality applications

A book for use in an augmented reality system comprises a plurality of leaves, each side forming a page of the book, with each page comprising a fiduciary marker. The book also includes a cover having larger dimensions than the book's leaves. Thus, the cover's extremhities extend beyond the outer edges of the pages. The inside of the cover comprises a first high contrast pattern along at least a first such extremity. An entertainment device for use in the augmented reality system comprises input means to receive a video image of the book, and image processing means to estimate a position and orientation of the book from a fiduciary marker of the book captured in the video image, to estimate a position and orientation of the first high contrast pattern, and to distinguish between one or more leaves of the book being turned independently of the cover of the book.

Augmented reality system

A method of book leaf tracking comprises receiving a video image comprising a book, estimating the current position and orientation of the book within the video image in response to a fiduciary marker of the book visible in the image, estimating the visibility of one or more predetermined features of the book, calculating a range of leaf turning angles that is consistent with the detected visibility of the or each predetermined feature of the book for the estimated current position and orientation of the book, and estimating the angle of a turning leaf of the book responsive to the calculated range.

System and method of book leaf tracking

A book for use in an augmented reality system includes first and second pages. The first page is on a first leaf of the book and includes a first fiduciary marker for indicating the orientation of the book to a recognition system. The second page is on a second leaf of the book and includes a second fiduciary marker for indicating the orientation of the book to the recognition system and also page marker for indicating the page number of the second page to the recognition system. The page marker orientation is ambiguous without reference to a fiduciary marker. The page marker is positioned on the second page closer to an edge of the page than the second fiduciary marker to become visible to the recognition system before the second fiduciary marker, as the book is turned to the second page.

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London, United Kingdom

Adrien Bain