Video Camera/Recorder/Animator Device

The present invention relates to video camera/recorders, known in the art as "camcorders" and in particular discloses a camcorder which is integrally provided with a real-time animation facility.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a video camera and recorder comprising camera means for providing a real-time image signal, an input for animation image dam, processing means for selecting one animated image from said image data, real-time (RTO) processor means connected to said processor means for rendering said one animated image and video switch means connected to said RTO processor means and said real-time image signal for combining same with said render animated image to form a combined real-time image signal, and recorder means for recording said combined real-time image signal.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the circuitry of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is an inverted plan view of the preferred embodiment;

The present invention is a specific application of technology disclosed in:

(i) Australian Patent Application No. 38244/93 entitled "A Real-Time Object Based Graphics System," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2147 of 29 Apr. 1992;

(ii) Australian Patent Application No. 38270/93 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Filling an Object Based Rasterised Image," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2148 of 29 Apr. 1992;

(iii) Australian Patent Application No. 38242/93 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Providing Transparency in an Object Based Rasterised Image," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2153 of 29 Apr. 1992;

(iv) Australian Patent Application No. 38233/93 entitled "Object Sorting and Edge Calculation for Graphics Systems," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2156 of 29 Apr. 1992 and Australian Patent No. PL 2145 of 29 Apr. 1992;

(v) Australian Patent Application No. 38250/93 entitled "A Preprocessing Pipeline for RTO Graphics System," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2142 of 29 Apr. 1992;

(vi) Australian Patent Application No. 38246/93 entitled "Object Based Graphics Using Quadratic Polynomial Fragments," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2150 of 29 Apr. 1992; and

(vii) Australian Patent Application No. 38239/93 entitled "Bezier Spline to Quadratic Polynomial Fragment Conversion," claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2149 of 29 Apr. 1992. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,378, filed Apr. 28, 1993, entitled "A Preprocessing Pipeline for RTO Graphics System", claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL2142, filed Apr. 29, 1992; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,219, filed Apr. 28, 1993, entitled "Object Based Graphics Using Quadratic Polynomial Fragments", claiming priority from Australian Patent No. PL2150, filed Apr. 29, 1992; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,213, filed Apr. 28, 1993, entitled "Bezier Spline to Quadratic Polynomial Fragment Conversion", claiming priority from Australian Patent No. Pl2149, filed Apr. 29, 1992,

all lodged by the present applicant, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In FIG. 1, the circuitry of the preferred embodiment which is a camcorder system is illustrated. The circuitry 40 includes known camcorder functions 60 and additional animation based devices. The existing camcorder functions 60 include an alpha-numeric liquid crystal display (LCD) 61 and various miscellaneous controls 62 such as an auto zoom controller 66, and a manual zoom control 70 as seen in FIG. 2. Other existing functions 60 include a charge coupled display (CCD) 63 for detecting a visual image and outputing red, green and blue (RGB) colour data. A video cassette recorder (VCR) 64 is also included which acts to record video information in the known manner.

In a standard camcorder, the CCD 63 and VCR 64 are directly connected, however, in the preferred embodiment each are connected to a video switch 32, seen in FIG. 1. The switch 32 allows for signals from the CCD 63 to be combined with animation signals despatched from a digital to analog converter (DAC) 23. Alternatively, either signal can be outputted directly to the VCR 64 for recording.

The circuitry 40 of the system receives user input via a keyboard 17 which includes an alpha-numeric keypad 33, a touch panel 31, and animation control keys 38 (seen in FIG. 2). The keyboard 17 connects to a controller 16 which interprets commands and provide control commands onto a bus 25 which interconnects other components within the system 40. A memory card reader 15 is provided connected to the bus 25 to allow for the insertion of a pre-programmed memory card 83 which can contain system code, alterable animation sequences, sound effects, a font, and graphic objects. The touch panel 31 is located over the card reader 15 to allow for selecting a desired animation sequence.

The LCD 61 and miscellaneous controls 62 are also connected to the bus 25 and their operation is controlled by a pre-programmed read-only memory (ROM) 21, which acts for system control and boot up. A host processor 19 is provided to generate and update object based animation data units in a RAM 22 for each video field. This must be done 60 times per second for NTSC systems and 50 times per second for PAL systems. Various animation forms can be achieved in real-time, including moving of objects on arbitrary paths, smoothly enlarging or reducing objects, and changing the colour and shape of objects.

Preferably, the processor 19 is an i960SB processor capable of executing more than four million instructions per second. Generally however, the processor 19 is not capable for calculating pixel data for animated images where the required rate of calculation is approximately 13.33 million pixels per second. This function is provided in a real-time object (RTO) processor 20.

The RTO processor 20 reads object lists from the RAM 22 and operates in real-time, rendering the outline information with the use of a dedicated quadratic polynomial fragment (QPF) RAM 18. The RTO processor 20 calculates outline intersections with every scanned line, re-sorts the outlines if any should cross over, and determines the viewing object priority. This priority determines which object is on top for each section of a scanned line. The object priorities are output in real-time at a resolution of 720 pixels per line. This information is then passed to a colour look-up table included within the DAC 23 which assigns a colour to each object level. This colour can be any of 16 million colours in a digital video palette. This output can be either RGB as shown illustrated, or YUV, in CCIR601 4:4:4 format. The DAC 23 can, for example, be a standard 478 type RAM DAC.

There is also a "special" object colour. This "colour" selects the video input from the CCD 63. As this "colour" can be animated in exactly the same way as other colours, the system 40 is capable of fully animated video wipes and keys. These wipes can be between the CCD 63 image and graphics, or between a fade of the CCD 63 image and graphics.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the camcorder is shown including other standard components such as view finder 65, the auto zoom controller 66, a microphone 67, a sliding lens cover 68, a lens 69, the manual zoom controller 70, an input/output panel 71, a carry handle 72 and the normal camcorder buttons 73. Also shown is a number of animation controls 38 which comprise OVER, IN, OUT and GO buttons. An insertion slot 39 is provided for the memory card 83.

The controls 38 provide for alterable animation which provides a number of primary features including real-time animation at full television resolution, pre-constructed animations which can be customised by the user, smooth colour transitions, real-time video wipes, animation over live video, high quality titling capability including many effects and animations, animatable business graphics and complex video transitions without extra equipment.

Alterable animation is a new concept for consumer video. It is a combination of preformatted animations created by expert animators, text entered by the user, various user choices, sound effects, and the user's video images.

The camcorder of the preferred embodiment can be operated in the following way:

1. One of the nine alterable animations on the memory card is selected by pressing on the touch sensitive panel over the picture of the desired animation.

2. Any text required is typed in on the alphanumeric keyboard.

3. Any "canned" graphics required is selected.

4. OVER, IN or OUT animation type is selected by pressing the corresponding button, and

5. As the video is being recorded, the GO button is pressed.

Each alterable animation contains three animations types: OVER, IN and OUT. These allow sophisticated video sequences to be assembled using the circuitry 40 alone, with no extra equipment. This currently requires more than US$200,000 of professional video equipment to produce, and much skill and time.

An OVER sequence produces animation, including titles, which appears superimposed over the live video. Both the start and the end of the animation sequence leave the video image as 100% video, with no animation superimposed.

An OUT animation sequence "fades" out the live video to a still image. This out sequence can happen in many ways, but the basic principle is that the live video is progressively obscured until the image becomes 100% graphics.

An IN animation sequence leads into the live video from a still image.

An OUT and an IN sequence combine to provide a sophisticated transition from one video shot to the next. This is because an OUT always ends in a computer generated still image. The corresponding IN starts from the same computer generated still. Therefore, video recording can be stopped after an OUT and a new shot can be set up. The new shot is started with the corresponding IN, generated by the computer, resulting in complete video continuity.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.