JPH0427255Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image synthesis device that uses a half mirror to capture images with a television camera and synthesizes an image of a subject.

(Prior Art) There are optical methods and electronic methods for photographing a subject with a television camera, synthesizing the two images, and reproducing the composite image on a monitor television. In the optical method, images of two objects superimposed on a half-mirror surface are photographed using a television camera. The electronic method uses a superimposer, a microcomputer with a superimpose function, or a chromakey device to combine the image of the subject photographed by a television camera with images from another television camera, VTR, or microcomputer. .

(Problem that the invention aims to solve) With conventional optical methods, the images of two objects overlap as they are, and it is not possible to overlap only one object with the image of another object, that is, to obtain a chromakey effect. I couldn't. In order to obtain the chroma key effect, an expensive chroma key device must be used. Further, even when using a superimposer or a microcomputer equipped with a superimpose function, a chroma key device is required to obtain a chroma key effect.

Moreover, no inexpensive method or apparatus for combining three images has yet been proposed.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In the image synthesis device of this invention, a half mirror is arranged in front of the television camera so as to be inclined with respect to the optical axis of the camera lens. A white spotlight is arranged that can illuminate any local part of the first subject on the other side of the half-mirror when viewed from the television camera. There is a white background behind the first subject, and the white background is further illuminated by the white backlight. Further, a white illumination lamp is arranged to illuminate a second subject on the television camera side with respect to the half mirror. A superimposer is connected to the television camera, and a monitor television is connected to the superimposer. Furthermore, a computer that stores symbols is connected to the superimposer.

The white spot light and the white backlight have a luminance that cancels out the virtual image of the second subject on the half mirror.

(Operation) The television camera photographs the first subject together with a white background through the half-mirror, and at the same time photographs the image of the second subject on the half-mirror surface. At this time, the portion of the white background blocked by the first subject is darkened. The image of the second object is visible in the darkened areas, but the other parts are hidden by the light from the white background. In other words, the second subject appears to be cut out according to the shape of the first subject. Also,
In order to modify the shape into a desired shape by deleting unnecessary portions of the above shape, the unnecessary portions may be illuminated with a white spotlight. An image stored in a computer is superimposed on the image thus formed by a superimposer.

(Example) Hereinafter, as an example, a fabric try-on video device to which the device of this invention is applied will be described.

Traditionally, when making high-end women's clothing or high-end suits, the designs are selected from design books and the fabric is cut based on predictions that it will look good on the fabric. As a result, forecasts often differ from reality, leaving both customers and vendors dissatisfied, creating a commercially undesirable situation.

This example eliminates these concerns and allows the orderer and the vendor to observe the fabric selection and design selection on a television monitor and, if necessary, on video, in a nearly finished state before cutting the fabric. You can record and check it.

The fabric try-on video device of this embodiment is a device that extracts the uncut costume fabric on a monitor as if it were being worn by the subject. and a light box in the background of the subject person, the costume design on the computer image,
This is a device that synthesizes two images, the subject on the TV image and the clothing material on the half-mirror image, based on the difference in brightness signal level given to each image. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the fabric try-on video device.

As shown in the drawing, a half mirror 3 is placed just in front of the television camera 1. Half Mirror 3 is tilted at 45 degrees to the optical axis of the camera lens. On the other side of the half-mirror 3, there is a human body photographing table 5 where a customer 6 is located. A white spotlight 8 for illuminating a customer 6 is arranged near the human body photographing table 5.

A light box 11 with an acrylic background 12 attached to the front is standing behind the human body photographing stand 5. The background 12 is illuminated from behind by a white backlight 14. The white backlight 14 is on the brightness signal of the television waveform monitor.
It has an extremely bright light intensity of 120%.

A panel 16 is arranged on the television camera 1 side of the half mirror 3 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera lens. A costume fabric 17 is hung on the panel 16, and the costume fabric 17 is attached to a light box 1.
It is illuminated by a light 19 which can be opposed to 1.

The television camera 1 is connected to a monitor television 23 via a superimposer 21 and a VTR 22.
is connected. Also, superimposer 2
1 is connected to a computer 25 that stores symbols.

In the fabric try-on video device configured as described above, the back light 14 of the light box 11 is blocked by the human body of the customer 6 located on the human body photographing table 5, so that it becomes a natural mask in the shape of a human body. An image of the illuminated bright clothes fabric 17 corresponding to the dark human body part is clearly captured by the television camera 1 via the half mirror 3.

On the other hand, in the part of the white background that is not covered by the human body, the amount of bright light directly reaches the lens of the TV camera 1, so the masking effect is lost and that part becomes an extremely bright white screen.
Cancels the virtual image of 7.

After that, if the narrow-angle spot light 8 is used to illuminate the necessary parts such as the head and limbs of the customer 6, the fabric 17 in those areas will be lost on the screen and the face of the customer 6 will be visible. It lifts up and looks as if you were wearing fabric 17.

Although the composite image created as described above has the shape of a human body, it does not yet have the costume design. The design originates from computer 25. The design of the costume to be tailored is registered in advance in the storage device of the computer 25. All registered images are drawn in black with white lines. In addition to the basic pattern of the design, incorporate many modified patterns such as thicker and thinner patterns. These images can be easily called up by an interactive program.

The pattern image, the image of the customer 6, and the television image taken of the costume fabric 17 on the half mirror 3 are mixed by the superimposer 21, and a white design line is created in the human body-shaped fabric 17. It floats up. The customer monitor TV 2 looks as if a new costume has been completed.
It appears in 3.

Of course, it is also easy to record this image on the VTR 22, and it is also possible to take a Polaroid photo of the monitor television 23. The customer takes it home
You will be able to talk about it when you get home, and it will also serve as evidence.

The image synthesis device of this invention can be used not only as the above-mentioned costume fitting video device but also in a wide variety of other applications. For example, by replacing the customer with a car model and incorporating car paint into the computer image, it can be used in an automobile showroom. It can also be used to select hairstyles at beauty salons. Furthermore, the function of the superimposer 21 is that of the computer 2.
It may be built into 5.

(Effects of the invention) The image compositing device of this invention, like the chromakey method of the widely known compositing system, requires expensive compositing equipment and the technology to dye the background blue and illuminate it uniformly. It does not require any difficult work. In addition, since the computer signal and the signal from the TV camera are simply mixed, there is no need for expensive equipment such as a video signal synchronizer or a video switcher for image mixing. It has a great economical effect because it can be used with a high-level computer. Additionally, three images can be easily combined.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an example of this invention, and is a block diagram of an image synthesizing apparatus. 1...TV camera, 3...Half Mira, 6...
...First subject, 8...White spotlight, 1
2...White background, 14...White backlight, 1
7...Second subject, 19...White illumination light,
21...Superimposer, 25...Computer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It is equipped with a television camera 1 and a half mirror 3 disposed immediately in front of the television camera 1, and includes an image of a first subject 6 located on the other side of the half mirror 3 when viewed from the television camera 1, and an image of a first subject 6 located on the side of the television camera 1 with respect to the half mirror 3. In a device for combining an image of a second subject 16, a white spotlight 8 capable of illuminating any local part of the first subject;
White background 12 placed behind the white background 1
a white backlight 14 that illuminates the second subject 17; a white illumination light 19 that illuminates the second subject 17; a superimposer 21 connected to the television camera 1; a monitor television 23 connected to the superimposer 21; A computer 25 that stores symbols and is connected to the superimposer 21
An image synthesizing device characterized in that the white spotlight 8 and the white backlight 14 have a luminance that cancels out a virtual image of the second subject 17 on the half mirror 3.