Image sequence enhancement system and method
Scenes from motion pictures to be colorized are broken up into separate elements, composed of backgrounds/sets or motion/onscreen-action. These background and motion elements are combined into single frame representations of multiple frames as tiled frame sets or as a single frame composite of all elements (i.e., both motion and background) that then becomes a visual reference database that includes data for all frame offsets which are later used for the computer controlled application of masks within a sequence of frames. Each pixel address within the visual reference database corresponds to a mask/lookup table address within the digital frame and X, Y, Z location of subsequent frames that were used to create the visual reference database. Masks are applied to subsequent frames of motion objects based on various differentiating image processing methods. The gray scale determines the mask and corresponding color lookup from frame to frame as applied in a keying fashion.
1. A method for modifying a set of time ordered digital images comprising:
associating a plurality of images comprising common background elements;
obtaining a composite background comprising said plurality of images wherein said composite background excludes a set of motion objects moving in relation to said common background elements;
setting at least one color parameter associated with a region within said composite background;
applying said at least one color parameter to at least one image selected from said plurality of images.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
ordering said plurality of images in a time sequence.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
accessing a visual reference database.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining said composite background comprises entering an image calculation into a visual reference database.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter is a function of a luminance value.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying said at least one color parameter comprises accessing a visual reference database.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a hue value and a saturation value to associate with a luminance input value.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises limiting a range of a saturation value based on a luminance input value.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a transparency value based on a luminance input value.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting an alpha value.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a texture map based on a luminance input value.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter is performed by a designer.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining a composite background further comprises:
obtaining a camera angle value for said at least one image selected from said plurality of images.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining a composite background further comprises:
obtaining a camera location value for said at least one image selected from said plurality of images.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining a composite background further comprises:
estimating a camera focal length value for said at least one image.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining a composite background further comprises:
estimating a zoom value for said at least one image.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein said obtaining a composite background further comprises:
blending said plurality of images together.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
stabilizing film weave;
reducing noise and grain in said plurality of images.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said stabilizing film weave comprises:
correcting film weave by algorithmically image-differencing sequential images.
20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
automatically separating said plurality of images at scene changes.
21. A method for modifying a set of time ordered digital images comprising:
associating a plurality of images comprising common background elements;
obtaining a composite background comprising said plurality of images wherein said composite background excludes a set of motion objects moving in relation to said common background elements;
associating a first mask with a motion object selected from said set of motion object in a first image selected from said plurality of images;
copying said first mask to create a second mask associated with a second image selected from said plurality of images; setting at least one motion object color parameter associated with said first mask; applying said at least one motion object color parameter to said second image;
moving said second mask to location of said motion object in said second image;
reshaping said second mask to fit said motion object in said second image.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:
setting at least one color parameter associated with a region within said composite background;
applying said at least one color parameter to at least one non-composited image selected from said plurality of images.
23. A method for modifying a set of time ordered digital images comprising:
associating a plurality of images comprising common background elements;
obtaining a composite background comprising said plurality of images wherein said composite background excludes a set of motion objects moving in relation to said common background elements;
setting at least one color parameter associated with a region within said composite background;
applying said at least one color parameter to at least one non-composited image selected from said plurality of images;
associating a first mask with a motion object selected from said set of motion object in a first image selected from the plurality of images;
copying said first mask to create a second mask associated with a second image selected from the plurality of images;
moving said second mask to location of said motion object in said second image;
reshaping said second mask to fit said motion object in said second image;
setting at least one motion object color parameter associated with said first mask;
applying said at least one motion object color parameter to said second image.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
ordering said plurality of images in a time sequence.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein said first image is in prior time sequence with respect to said second image.
26. The method of claim 23 wherein said first image is in subsequent time sequence with respect to said second image.
27. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
accessing a visual reference database.
28. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter is a function of a luminance value.
29. The method of claim 23 wherein said applying said at least one color parameter comprises accessing a visual reference database.
30. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a hue value and a saturation value.
31. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a hue value and a saturation value to associate with a luminance input value.
32. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises limiting a range of a saturation value based on a luminance input value.
33. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a transparency value based on a luminance input value.
34. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting an alpha value.
35. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one color parameter comprises selecting a texture map based on a luminance input value.
36. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one motion object color parameter is a function of a luminance value.
37. The method of claim 23 wherein said applying said motion object color parameter comprises an access of a visual reference database.
38. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises selecting a hue value and a saturation value.
39. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises selecting a hue value and a saturation value to associate with a luminance input value.
40. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises limiting the range of a saturation value based on a luminance input value.
41. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises selecting a transparency value based on a luminance input value.
42. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises selecting an alpha value.
43. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said motion object color parameter comprises selecting a texture map based on a luminance input value.
44. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said color parameter is performed by a designer.
45. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting motion object color parameter is performed by a designer.
46. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said color parameter and motion object color parameter is performed by an operator selecting a selection color parameter from a list of color selections chosen by a designer.
47. The method of claim 23 wherein said setting said at least one motion object color parameter is performed by a first operator selecting a selection color parameter from a list of color selections chosen by a designer in association with a first operator mask, and a second operator selecting a selection color parameter from a list of color selections associated with a second operator mask.
48. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
adjusting said second mask manually.
49. The method of claim 23 further comprising:
assigning a vector to said motion object to minimize computer searching operations.