Patent ID: 8766983

Claim:
A computer implemented method for interactively modifying a video image, the video image transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network and each of the first user and the second user interacting through a respective computing system that is executing a computer program, comprising: capturing real-time video of the first user; detecting selection received from the first user or second user of a real-time graphic effect from a group of real-time graphic effects, the group of real-time graphic effects being predefined; identifying components of the video image of the first user to be modified using the selected real-time graphic effect in the captured real-time video; identifying controller input from either the first user or the second user, the controller input being detected by the computing system, and the identification of the controller input determines which of the identified components in the video image of the first user will be modified; applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the video image of the first user in response to the identified controller input, and the real-time video captured of the first user is augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect, and movements of the first user are tracked so that the selected real-time graphic effect dynamically moves with the movements of the first user, wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components of the video image comprises applying changes to pixel data contained in multiple pixel regions of the video image so that each video frame of the video image is interactively augmented with the selected real-time graphic effect in correspondence to the movements of the first user, wherein applying the selected real-time graphic effect to the identified components includes directing the application of changes to the pixel data contained in the pixel regions of the video image, and the selected real-time graphic effect includes pre-defined video animations, or themes, or custom video animations, and or a combination thereof; and providing data for displaying the augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users, wherein the computer implemented method is executed by a processor.