Image processing with keying of foreground objects

• Main Author: DUNCAN PAUL ROBERTSON
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.03.2011
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COFFEE MILLS; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; FURNITURE; HOLOGRAPHY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PAYING COUNTERS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS,STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL

Images of foreground objects 101a, 110 in a scene are generated by causing electromagnetic radiation to be emitted having a first spectral power distribution from a surface of a first foreground object 101a, which is adjacent or at least partially obscured by a second foreground object 110. A first image of both of the first and second foreground objects is acquired whilst the first foreground object emits electromagnetic radiation with the first spectral power distribution. A second image of the first and second foreground objects is acquired whilst the first foreground object is not emitting electromagnetic radiation or is emitting electromagnetic radiation with a second spectral power distribution which is different to the first spectral power distribution. An alpha matte of the first and second foreground objects is generated based on a comparison of the first image and second image.