Method and apparatus for enhancing a televised object

{
  "publication_number": "US4064528A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Method and apparatus for enhancing a televised object",
  "abstract": "An image enhancement method and apparatus are provided for use with television equipment whereby a uniquely treated object within the field of a television camera is enhanced electronically for presentation on a television receiver to make it more readily observable to the viewer. A particular application involves treating, as by coating, a hockey puck, football or other target such as used in a sporting event that is being televised, with a material which radiates a spectral code or reflects light of a particular frequency not normally present to the same degree in ambient lighting conditions. The technique may be achieved with a single camera and a filter matched to the unique radiation from the target, or, a pair of ganged cameras where, one is of conventional design adapted to televise the entire scene and the other is particularly sensitive to the unique radiation of the target. Two images are formed in each case where the treated object is enhanced, either naturally or with a symbol, with respect to the overall scene making it easily observable to the viewer. A tracking system may be employed that is responsive to the position of the enhanced image whereby the cameras will automatically follow the puck, ball or the like.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of enhancing a televised object comprising the steps of: a. treating the object to make the same spectrally unique in a natural environment in order to provide a radiating spectral code; b. scanning said natural environment including said object with television camera means sensitive to both said environment and said spectral code to form an electrical image of the environment and of the shape and position of the spectral code in the environment; c. signal processing said image to detect the position of the spectral code; d. electronically generating a representation of the object independent of the shape of the object detected by said scanning, e. substituting said representation in the position where the spectral code has been detected; and f. displaying concurrently said image of the environment and said representation of the object on an output screen.",
    "2. A method of enhancing the display of a scene where the scene includes a spectrally unique object having a shape and location within the scene comprising the steps of: scanning said scene to generate image signals representing said scene, sensing said image signals to detect the location of said spectrally unique object in said scene, generating a representation of said spectrally unique object independently of the shape of said object represented by said image signals, displaying said image signals to form a display of said scene, and concurrently displaying said representation superimposed on said display of said scene at said location.",
    "3. The method of claim 2 wherein said scanning step includes scanning said scene with a first camera to generate first image signals representing said scene and scanning said scene with a second camera to generate second image signals representing said spectrally unique object, and wherein said sensing step is responsive to said second image signals.",
    "4. A method of enhancing the display of a scene where the scene includes a spectrally unique object comprising the steps of: scanning said scene with camera means to generate image signals representing said scene, generating a representation of said spectrally unique object independent of the shape of said object represented by said image signals, storing a position address to form a stored address for defining the location of said spectrally unique object in said scene, sensing said image signals to form a detected address defining the location of said spectrally unique object in said scene, and updating said stored address with said detected address, displaying said image signals to form a display of said scene, concurrently displaying said representation superimposed on said display of said scene at said stored address.",
    "5. The method of claim 4 including the step of updating said stored address with a simulated address when said spectrally unique object is not sensed in said image signals.",
    "6. The method of claim 4 including the steps of storing a plurality of stored addresses and sequentially displaying said representation at locations defined by each of said stored addresses.",
    "7. An apparatus for enhancing the display of a scene where the scene includes a spectrally unique object comprising, means for scanning said scene to generate image signals representing said scene, means for sensing said image signals to detect the location of said spectrally unique object in said scene, means for generating a representation, when enabled, of said spectrally unique object, said means for generating operable independently of the shape of said object represented by said image signals, means for displaying said image signals to form a display of said scene, and means for concurrently enabling said means for generating to superimpose said representation on sid display of said scene at said location.",
    "8. An apparatus for enhancing the display of a scene where the scene includes a spectrally unique object comprising, scanning means for scanning said scene to generate image signals representing said scene, address means for defining the scan address of said scanning means, sensing means for sensing said image signals to provide a detected signal when said spectrally unique object is detected, memory means for storing the scan address from said address means to form a stored address in response to said detected signal, a symbol generator for generating a symbol representing said spectrally unique object, display means for displaying said image signals to form a display of said scene, and control means for concurrently enabling said symbol generator to superimpose said symbol on said display of said scene at said stored address.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said address means includes X and Y registers for storing said stored address as the instantaneous X and Y coordinates of a raster scan pattern and wherein said memory means includes X and Y latches for storing the contents of said X and Y registers.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control means includes means for generating a simulated address and means for storing said simulated address in said memory means.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control means includes a comparator for comparing the scan address from said address means with the stored address from said memory means to provide said detected signal when said scan and stored addresses are equal.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said memory means includes push-down stack means having a first stage for storing said stored address and at least a second stage for receiving the contents of said first stage as a second stage address, wherein said control means includes means for forming a simulated address equal to said stored address added to the difference between said stored address and said second stage address, and wherein said control means includes means for storing said simulated address in said first stage in response to the absence of said detected signal.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said memory means includes a push-down stack of N+2 stages for storing the last N+2 addresses of said symbol and wherein said control means includes means for cycling the addresses from said push-down stack into said first stage whereby said symbol generator is caused to retrace its position on said display of said scene.",
    "14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein memory means inclues means for storing N+2 addresses of said symbol and means to display said N+2 addresses."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThis invention relates to television and other displays and more particularly to a novel method and apparatus for enhancing a displayed object and to a tracking system for enhancing one or more selected objects within a field of view to make the objects more readily observable to the viewer.\n\n2. Description of the Prior Art\n\nConventional television equipment electro-optically converts a scene to electric signals according to light values of various parts of the scene. While equipment currently in use is satisfactory for most television needs, it tends to be somewhat deficient particularly for sporting events, in which a relatively small ball or puck is used. When a game is being televised, normally the camera must be kept at a long range focus in order that the overall play may be observed. However, when viewed in long range, the ball or puck becomes extremely difficult to follow because of its size as well as of the crowding and action of the players. Oftentimes, even the camerman finds difficulty in following the course of the ball and, from time to time, may direct the camera elsewhere than where the ball is actually located. Viewers, of course, find this frustrating and it detracts from their enjoyment of the game.\n\nIt is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus adapted to enhance one or more objects in a scene whereby those objects will be made more visible to the viewer. Another object of this invention is to provide a tracking system for television equipment whereby the television camera automatically will follow a particular object within the televised scene.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01S 3/7864"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01S 3/786"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "William R. Bowerman"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1974-10-07",
  "publication_date": "1977-12-20",
  "grant_date": "1977-12-20",
  "priority_date": "1972-05-25",
  "application_number": "US-51295974-A",
  "family_id": "22973963",
  "cited_by_count": 57,
  "citations": [
    "US3379830A",
    "US3039002A",
    "US3761612A",
    "US3566026A",
    "US3562423A",
    "US3571504A",
    "US3646264A"
  ]
}