Motion information generating apparatus

Abstract: A motion information generating apparatus arranged such that a desired portion of a picture (27) displayed on a monitor receiver (11) is designated by a bar mark (28) and image data corresponding to the desired portion of the designated picture is sampled in a one-dimensional fashion, whereby an information indicating a motion of a picture is formed on the basis of the thus sampled image data.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to motion information generating apparatus for generating data indicating a motion of a picture and, more particularly, is directed to a motion information generating apparatus for generating data indicative of a motion of a desired portion of a picture. Description of the Prior Art With the advancement of image processing techniques, it became possible to make an animation program by using so-called computer graphics (CG). In that case, a today's theme is how to make a character of animation move in complicated and natural way just like a real person. For this theme, the assignee of the instant application has previously proposed an image processing apparatus (described in U.S. Patent no 4,791,581). According to this previously-proposed image processing apparatus, curved surface data of a plurality of primitive countenances are stored and curved surface data of a certain or desired countenance data is formed from the curved surface data of a plurality of primitive countenances by a predetermined interpolation coefficient. However, an apparatus for expressing a complex motion of man in a numeric representation fashion at high accuracy is not yet realized. Also, it is quite difficult to form an interpolation coefficient by which a complex and natural action of man is effected. EP-A-0 079 195 describes a system for generating a correction signal for use in overcoming the effects of camera shake on a video image. An operator designates one or more areas of the image in which a respective reference line is located. The apparatus then determines movement of the line within the reference area from one frame to the next. The resultant correction signal is also proposed for use in animating a reference image, e.g. an image of a ship. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved motion information generating apparatus which can eliminate the defects encountered in the prior art. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motion information generating apparatus in which even when a position of a character or object is considerably changed in a predetermined event, information indicating a complicated motion of a predetermined portion of the character or the object can be expressed as a function of time by a numeric representation with ease and at high accuracy. It is another object of the present invention to provide a motion information generating apparatus which can form a data base of operation parameters used to produce an animation program or a movie according to the computer graphics. The present invention provides a motion information generating apparatus for generating data indicative of motion of a desired portion of a picture displayed on a monitor receiver, comprising: (a) designating means for designating a desired portion of said picture displayed on said monitor receiver ; (b) sampling means for sampling in a one-dimensional fashion image data corresponding to said desired portion of the picture designated by said designating means ; and (c) generating means for generating information indicating motion of a picture on the basis of the image data sampled by said sampling means characterised in that: the generating means is adapted to output a signal indicative of the variation with time of the distance between a selected pair of points in the picture sampled in one-dimensional fashion, on the basis of the image data sampled by said sampling means. The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar parts in the several views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a motion information generating apparatus according to the present invention ; Fig. 2A is a schematic diagram showing an example of data stored in an input frame memory of the motion information generating apparatus of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 2B is a schematic diagram showing an example of data stored in an output frame memory of the motion information generating apparatus of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a flow chart to which reference will be made in explaining an operation of the motion information generating apparatus of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4A to 4D, Figs. 5A to 5D and Fig. 6 are schematic diagrams showing examples of processed results of the motion information generating apparatus of Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a motion information generating apparatus according to the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the motion information generating apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a host computer 1 which functions as control means 2 for controlling the whole apparatus and as generating means 3 for generating a time series data file involving a motion information. There is shown a system bus 4 which is composed of a data bus, an address bus, a control bus or the like. The host computer 1 controls the whole of the apparatus via the system bus 4. There is shown a video tape recorder (VTR) 5 in which there is loaded a video tape cassette (not shown) in which various events such as ones involving man's actual motions in a television drama, a sports program or the like. A video signal reproduced by this video tape recorder 5 is processed by some suitable means to provide a luminance signal Y and red and blue color difference signals R-Y and B-Y (according to the so-called 4 : 2 : 2 standard) or to provide red, green and blue three primary color signals R, G and B. The thus processed video signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 6, in which it is converted to digital image data. This image data is supplied to one input/output (I/O) port of an input frame memory 7. The input frame memory 7 might be a 2-buffer memory formed of two frame memories or a complete dual port memory in which data can be independently read and/or written in two ports, etc. The other I/O port of the input frame memory 7 is connected to the system bus 4 and one input port of a mixing circuit 9. There is shown a superimposing video memory 8. This superimposing video memory 8 includes the same address area as that of the input frame memory 7 in size to store selection data of one bit each in response to image data of, for example, 16 bits of one pixel (picture element) of the input frame memory 7. The selection data of one bit at a high level [1] portion thereof corresponds to a bar mark 28 which will be described later. One and the other I/O ports of the superimposing video memory 8 are respectively connected to the system bus 4 and the other input port of the mixing circuit 9. The mixing circuit 9 mixes the image data read out of the input frame memory 7 and the selection data read out from the superimposing video memory 8 and supplies mixed data to a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter 10. The D/A converter 10 supplies a mixed analog video signal to a monitor receiver 11. The monitor receiver 11 displays a picture screen 11a thereof a picture which results from mixing a picture 27 corresponding to the input frame memory 7 and the bar mark 28 instructed by the superimposing video memory 8. In that case, although the picture 27 is changed at a frame frequency of 30 Hz, the position of the bar mark 28 is kept constant so long as the operator does not issue a command, as will be described later. There is provided an output frame memory 12 in which there are written image data and so on extracted from the input frame memory 7. One and the other I/O ports of the output frame memory 12 are respectively connected to the system bus 4 and the input port of a D/A converter 13, and the analog output of the D/A converter 13 is supplied to a monitor receiver 14. There is shown an image processor 15. This image processor 15 samples image data from the selected area of the input frame memory 7 in response to the instruction from the host computer 1 and writes the image data sampled in a predetermined area of the output frame memory 12 by timebase-compressing or timebase-expanding the same data. In order to select the area in which the image data of the input frame memory 7 is sampled, the image processor 15 writes data of high level [1] in the superimpose video memory 8 at a certain area corresponding to a certain straight line or curve. The position of the high level [1] constructs the bar mark 28. The address area in the input frame memory 7 corresponding to the address area of the bar mark 28 becomes a region in which the image data is sampled by the image processor 15. The position of the bar mark 28 in the superimpose video memory 8 can be freely changed by operating input bar mark moving means (e.g., a mouse or a track ball) 16 from the outside. Accordingly, if the function of the image processor 15 is expressed from a hardware standpoint, it is to be appreciated that the image processor 15 is comprised of input bar mark deciding means 17 for deciding the position of the bar mark 28, bar mark data read-out means 18 for reading image data from the input frame memory 7 at its address area corresponding to the bar mark 28 and bar mark data writing means 19 for writing the image data thus read-out in the output frame memory 12. The bar mark 28 is made by a one-dimensional manner and data in which the image data defined by the bar mark 28 is expanded in the time base direction is referred to as expanded data. Further, the image processor 15 includes image processing means 20 for forming a motion information from the expanded data written in the output frame memory 12. This image processing means 20 can be realized by a software of a microcomputer. If the function thereof is expressed as means by way of example, the image processing means 20 is comprised of binary encoding means 21 for encoding the expanded data in the binary form, edge extracting means 22 for extracting an edge of binary data, labelling means 23 for assigning data of high level [1] only to the edge portion of, for example, red color (for example, configuration of lips, etc.), length extracting means 24 for extracting the length between labelled two points as a function of time and for again writing the extracted function in the output frame memory 12, etc. In Fig. 1, reference numeral 25 designates an I/O circuit and 26 a recording apparatus such as a magnetic disc apparatus or the like. Information such as length or the like written in the output frame memory 12 is recorded on the recording apparatus 26 via the system bus 4 and the I/O circuit 25. With reference to steps in Fig. 3, let us explain an operation in which image data corresponding to the bar mark 28 is read out from the image data of one frame time stored in the input frame memory 7 and is written in the output frame memory 12. In that case, as shown in Fig. 2A, coordinates of each pixel of the input frame memory 7 are expressed by (VX1 (in the horizontal direction) and VY1 (in the vertical direction)). Correspondingly, as shown in Fig. 2B, coordinates of each pixel of the output frame memory 12 are expressed by (VX2 (in the horizontal direction) and VY2 (in the vertical direction)), and coordinates of a starting point P₁ and an ending point P₂ of the bar mark 28 in the input frame memory 7 are expressed by (X1,Y1) and (X2,Y2), respectively. Image data corresponding to the position of the bar mark 28 is read-out from the input frame memory 7 at every frame, timebase-compressed or timebase-expanded and is written in the output frame memory 12 at its adjacent areas d₁, d₂, d₃, ...of L dots in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, a time difference between the areas d₁, d₂, d₃ corresponds to a 1/30th of a second which is a frame cycle. More precisely, image data corresponding to the position of the bar mark 28 is sequentially written in the output frame memory 12 at every frame as a function of a time t from left to right in Fig. 2B. The length over which image data can be expanded in the horizontal direction is represented by t max . Referring to the flow chart of Fig. 3, following the Start of operation, the processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to step 101. In step 101, in order to write image data corresponding to respective pixels on the bar mark 28 into the output frame memory 12 at the areas d₁, d₂, d₃, ... of L dots thereof, the image data are timebase-compressed or timebase-expanded. Compressing ratios ΔX and ΔY in the horizontal and vertical directions are expressed as follows: ΔX = (X2 - X1)/L ΔY = (Y2 - Y1)/L The timebase compressing ratio means that the length of ΔX dots in the horizontal direction and the length of ΔY dots in the vertical direction on the input frame memory 7 are compressed into the length of one dot in the vertical direction on the output frame memory 12. When ΔX and ΔY are not integers, an interpolation is performed by using image data of four nearby pixels, whereby image data at a certain position on the input frame memory 7 is computed. Further, in step 101, initial values of coordinates (VX1,VY1) are set to the coordinates (X1,Y1) of the starting point P₁ of the bar mark 28. After the time t is reset to zero, image data of first frame is read-in the input frame memory 7. Then, the processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to the next step 102. In step 102, the initial values of coordinates (VX2,VY2) of the output frame memory 12 are set to (X S+t , Y s ) and a parameter a is reset to zero. The coordinates (X s ,Y s ) become coordinates of a starting point SP of the area in which image data is written (see Fig. 2B). The processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to steps 103 and 104, whereat a value of a pixel at the coordinates (VX1,VY1) on the input frame memory 7 is read-out and is written as a value of a pixel at the coordinates (VX2,VY2) on the output frame memory 12. After the value of parameter a is incremented by 1, the values of the coordinates VY2, VX1 and VY1 are updated by the following equations. VY2 = Y S+a VX1 = VX1 + ΔX VY1 = VY1 + ΔY The processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to the next decision step 105, whereat it is determined whether or not the value of parameter a is less than L. If the value of the parameter a is less than L as represented by a YES at step 105, the processing of the host computer 1 returns to step 103. In step 103, a value of the next pixel of the input frame memory 7 is read-out and is written in the output frame memory 12. If on the other hand the value of the parameter a reaches L as represented by a NO at step 105, which means that the extraction of all image data of the bar mark 28 is completed, then the processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to the next step 106. In step 106, the value of the time t is incremented by 1, and image data of the next frame is read-in the input frame memory 7 in step 107. Then, the processing of the host computer 1 proceeds to the next decision step 108, whereat it is determined whether or not the time t is less than the maximum value t max . If the time t is under the maximum value t max as represented by a YES at step 108, then the processing of the host computer 1 returns to step 102. In step 102, the image data extracted by the bar mark 28 is written in the output frame memory 12 at its area in which the time base of the output frame memory 12 is displaced to the right by 1, i.e., the area d₂. If the time t reaches the maximum value t max as represented by a NO at step 108, which means that the sampling of image data during a predetermined time period is completed, the processing of the host computer 1 proceeds from step 108 to the next step 109, wherein the processing of the next stage is executed. An example of an operation in which the processing of the next stage in step 109 (see Fig. 3) is executed will be described with reference to Figs. 4A to 4D. An input picture screen 11a in Fig. 4A expresses a picture corresponding to the image data read-in the input frame memory 7, whereas an output picture screen 14a in Fig. 4B expresses expanded data 31 which is provided by sampling the input picture screen 11a at the position of the bar mark 28. In this embodiment, on the input picture screen 11a of Fig. 4A there is displayed an event in which man 27 speaks predetermined words, and the bar mark 28 is positioned so as to cross an upper lip 29 and a lower lip 30 of the man 27. In that case, the expanded data 31 in Fig. 4B plots the spacing between the upper and lower lips 29 and 30 under the condition that the time base is represented in the abscissa. However, the data 31 is not sufficient and cannot be applied to the production of animation picture so that, after the expanded data 31 of Fig. 4B is converted to the binary data, a red position of that data, i.e., portions corresponding to the upper and lower lips 29 and 30 are labelled to high level [1]. Further, a lower side edge 32 of the upper lip 29 and an upper side edge 33 of the lower lip 30 are extracted and plotted as shown in Fig. 4C. By plotting the spacing between the edges 32 and 33 relative to the time base, it is possible to obtain time series data 34 as shown in Fig. 4D. The time series data 34 corresponds to an opening ratio of lips when man speaks predetermined words. This time series data 34 is stored in the output frame memory 12. Further, if the time series data 34 of Fig. 4D is recorded in the recording apparatus 26 and the opening ratio of lips of a character in the animation program is changed in accordance with the time series data 34 upon production of the animation program, it is possible to make the animation character behave just like a real person. For example, computing an interpolation coefficient of an animation producing apparatus, described in U.S. Patent No. 4,791,581, from the time series data 34 and making the animation on the basis of the computed interpolation coefficient, it is possible to make the animation character behave like the real person. Furthermore, let us assume that on the input picture screen 11a there is displayed such an event that animation character 27A waves his hands as shown in Fig. 5A. In that case, in order to express the motion of hands in a numeric representation, the position of a bar mark 28A has to cross the arm of the animation character 27A. In that case, the bar mark 28A is formed as an arcuate bar mark. At that time, expanded data, provided by plotting image data sampled by the bar mark 28A under the condition that the time base is represented in the abscissa, is represented on an output picture screen 14a as shown in Fig. 5B. Fig. 5C illustrates expanded data that is obtained after some suitable processings such as a binary-encoding processing, a labelling processing and an edge extracting processing. Fig. 5D shows time series data 34A in which a position of an intermediate point of two edges shown in Fig. 5C is plotted relative to the time base. The time series data 34A is equivalent to a numeric representation of a motion in which man waves his hands. According to the motion information generating apparatus of this embodiment, of the image data sequentially written in the input frame memory 7, the portion corresponding to the one-dimensional bar mark 28 and which is written in the superimpose video memory 8 is sampled, and the thus sampled image data is plotted along the time base by the output frame memory 12, whereby a complex motion of animation character in the predetermined event sequentially written in the input frame memory 7 can be expressed as the function of time by the numeric representation with ease. While the position of the bar mark 28 is fixed in the above-described embodiment as shown in Fig. 2A, the position of the bar mark 28 may be moved in accordance with the movement of the animation character 27 in the input picture screen 11a as shown in Fig. 6 from a time standpoint. In the example of Fig. 6, when the character 27 is moved to a position 27B with a change of time, the bar mark 28 is moved to a position 28B simultaneously. In that case, the bar mark 28 may be rotated as well as being moved parallelly. The positional displacement of the bar mark 28 can be performed with ease by operating the input bar mark moving means 16. As described above, according to this embodiment, even when the position of character or object is considerably changed in a certain event, there is then the advantage that the information of complex movement of these character and object can be expressed as the function of time by the numeric representation easily and precisely. Further, by accumulating various information of complex motion obtained by the motion information generating apparatus of this embodiment, it is possible to form a data base of operation parameters used to produce an animation program (or movie, etc.) by computer graphics. As set forth above, according to this invention, in the desired event of television program recorded by a video tape recorder or the movie, information of complex motions such as when man speaks or man waves his hands can be expressed in the numeric representation with ease. Furthermore, when these motion informations are utilized as parameters, a character in the animation program according to the computer graphics can act like the real person.

Claims: A motion information generating apparatus for generating data indicative of motion of a desired portion of a picture displayed on a monitor receiver, comprising: (a) designating means (16,17) for designating a desired portion of said picture displayed on said monitor receiver (11); (b) sampling means (1,18,19) for sampling in a one-dimensional fashion image data corresponding to said desired portion of the picture designated by said designating means (16,17); and (c) generating means (20) for generating information indicating motion of a picture on the basis of the image data sampled by said sampling means (15); characterised in that: the generating means (20) is adapted to output a signal indicative of the variation with time of the distance between a selected pair of points in the picture sampled in one-dimensional fashion, on the basis of the image data sampled by said sampling means (18,19). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said generating means comprises: detecting means (22) for detecting edges of the picture sampled in one-dimensional fashion on the basis of the image data sampled by said sampling means (18,19); labelling means (23) for labelling a selected pair of points in the picture sampled in one-dimensional fashion; length extracting means (24) for determining a distance between said pair of labelled points; and means (12,15) for forming time series data (34) indicating motion of a picture on the basis of the output from said length extracting means (24). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and comprising a first memory means (7) for storing therein a video signal supplied from a video signal source; and a second memory means (12) for storing therein information indicating motion of the picture generated by said generating means (20); wherein the designating means (16,17) is arranged to designate a desired portion of said picture read out from said first memory means (7) and which is displayed on said monitor receiver (11). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said designating means (16,17) is comprised of input means (16) for inputting data used to designate the desired portion of said picture and superimposing means (8,9) for superimposing bar data indicative of a designated area upon a video signal read-out from said first memory means (7) on the basis of an output signal from said input means (16). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sampling means (15) reads-out image data corresponding to the desired portion of said picture designated by said designating means (16,17) from said first memory means (7) and supplies the thus read-out image data to said second memory means (12). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said generating means (20) reads out said image data from said second memory means (12) to form information indicative of motion of said picture and writes said information in said second memory means (12). A motion information generating apparatus as claimed in any previous claim, wherein said sampling means (1,18,19) is adapted to control the time base of the sampled image data by setting the one-dimensional sampling interval (ΔXΔY) dependent upon the length (X₁,Y₁-X₂,Y₂) of the portion of the image designated by said designating means (16,17).

Inventors: OHBA AKIO, OHBA, AKIO
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: G06T7, G06T15, H04N5, H04N7, G06T13