Automatic Repositioning of Video Elements to Avoid Overlaps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing live broadcast video insertion systems face challenges in automatically repositioning virtual and physical elements to avoid conflicts, leading to delays and loss of realism in video broadcasts, as manual repositioning by operators can disrupt the seamless integration of virtual elements into live events.

Innovation Solution

The system incorporates an automatic repositioning unit that analyzes elements' priorities and spatial relationships, computes an insertion map, and repositions dynamic elements to avoid overlaps, while allowing structural modifications to accommodate nearby elements, ensuring that virtual elements do not occlude physical ones, using a method that includes an indicia reconstruction unit, automatic repositioning unit, and indicia database.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual repositioning by operators is used to avoid conflicts between virtual and physical elements, then element placement conflicts are resolved, but delays occur and realism is lost in video broadcasts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelement placement accuracyVSAvoidrepositioning delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects conflicts between virtual and physical elements and repositions them without human intervention. The conflict detection module identifies overlapping elements, and the automatic repositioning algorithm computes new positions based on priority assignments, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention and associated delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of operator-based repositioning with an automated computational system. The system uses computer vision to detect elements, algorithms to compute conflicts, and automated rendering to apply repositioning, substituting human operators with a fully automated digital pipeline that operates in real-time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If virtual elements are inserted at pre-determined positions in the scene, then insertion efficiency is improved, but conflicts with physical elements occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsertion efficiencyVSAvoidelement placement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary conflict detection and repositioning calculations before final element insertion. By pre-computing potential conflicts based on detected physical element positions and assigning priorities, the system prepares repositioning strategies in advance, maintaining both insertion efficiency and placement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the video feed for physical elements, detects conflicts between virtual and physical elements, and adjusts virtual element positions accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that virtual elements are placed efficiently while avoiding conflicts with dynamically detected physical elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2574042B1Automatic repositioning of video elements
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 DISNEY ENTERPRISES INC
  • EP2574042B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2574042B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2574042B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system and method for automatically repositioning virtual and physical elements in a scene. The system and method being configured to receive a video frame, receive data, including position data, describing a first element to be imaged in the video frame, receive data, including position data, describing a second element to be imaged in the video frame, assign a dynamic status to the first element and automatically reposition at least the first element to create a modified video frame.