Electric Planet, Inc.

Other

Charles R Kellner

Disclosed is an inventive method for providing visual chat. A character image is read into memory representing a character a user wishes to be for the duration of the visual chat. Continuous frames of video images are then received, typically using video camera, which include image data of a person. The head image of the person is then tracked by the system, and portions of the head image are extracted from the video images. These extracted portions are preferably features of the person in the video image. Finally, the extracted portions of the head image are blended into corresponding areas of the character image, such that the features of the blended character image match the features of the person, and change as the features of the person change.

System and method for visual chat

A system and method are disclosed for providing an unencumbered capture by a computer system of an object in real-time. An object is placed in a displayer having an appropriate blue-screen surface which is positioned in the view of a camera connected to a computer. The camera captures a frame of an input image which included the object within the displayer being held by a user and possibly other background items. The system identifies a reduced-noise image of the input image and begins isolating the object. Any background items are filled out thereby recognizing the existence of the displayer. The displayer is then filled out leaving the object to be captured and entered into the computer for further manipulation and augmentation. The process is done with minimal human intervention and relies entirely on real-time visual input.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Charles R Kellner