Selective Image and Object Enhancement to Aid Viewer Enjoyment of Program

Abstract

A system and method is provided for enhancement of an object in a video frame, where the method includes recognizing and locating an object within an image frame and performing an automatic enhancement process on the object. The automatic enhancement process may include performing image and/or object enhancement on the object to make the object easier for an observer to detect. Such object enhancement may include enhancement to part of the object, such as the perimeter of the object, or to the entire object, and may also include varying enhancement, such as causing enhancing features to blink, flash or otherwise change to catch a viewer's attention, making the object easier to detect.

1 . An apparatus for providing selective image enhancement to motion images in a digital video signal conveying an entertainment television program including:
 a receiving circuit for receiving video data containing motion images of an object which moves in its physical environment in a sporting event;   an object recognition circuit responsive to said video data received by said receiving circuit to recognize said object in response to parameters including identifying characteristics of said object and to locate said object within the image frames during at least a portion of its movement;   an object enhancement circuit responsive to said object recognition circuit and to video data representing said object as it moves within image frames of said video signal, said object enhancement circuit temporally enhancing the natural visibility of said object during said at least a portion of its movement.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said object enhancement includes applying detail enhancement and contrast sharpening to said object or its position within said image frames during at least a portion of its movement. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said object enhancement includes making an object more pleasing to view by reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws on said object. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said object enhancement includes making an object more pleasing to view by hiding, covering, distinguishing or otherwise reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws on said object. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said object is a person's face and said object enhancement includes making said person's face more pleasing to view by at least one of whitening teeth, adding a tan to skin, softening wrinkles, hiding blemishes or hiding beard shadows thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said object recognition operates further in response to whether object enhancement is activated to provide enhanced or original versions of said object. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein said identifying characteristics of the object include one of size, shape, color, surface texture, brightness or histograms. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as in  claim 1  including a parameter circuit coupled to said object recognition circuit to provide said parameters thereto wherein said parameters are adjustable in response to the recognition and successful location of said object within the image frames to automatically update or modify said image parameters. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for providing selective image enhancement to motion images in a digital video signal conveying an entertainment television program including:
 a receiving circuit for receiving and providing video data containing a temporal sequence of video frames of motion images including a particular moving object which changes position within said temporal sequence of video frames;   an object recognition circuit coupled to said receiving circuit and responsive to said video data to recognize and locate said particular moving object within said temporal sequence of video frames and providing a key signal indicating the location therein of said particular moving object;   an object enhancement circuit coupled to said object recognition circuit and responsive to an adjustable parameters circuit, said key signal and said video data to temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object in ones of said temporal sequence of video frames.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said object enhancement includes applying detail enhancement and contrast sharpening to said object or its position in said ones of said temporal sequence of video frames. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making an object more pleasing to view by reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws on said particular moving object. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making an object more pleasing to view by hiding, covering, distinguishing or otherwise reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws on said particular moving object. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said particular moving object is a person's face and said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making said person's face more pleasing to view by at least one of whitening teeth, adding a tan to skin, softening wrinkles, covering blemishes or hiding beard shadows on said person's face. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein said adjustable parameters circuit operates in response the recognition and successful location of said object within the image frame to automatically update or modify said image parameters. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for providing selective image enhancement to motion images in a digital video signal conveying an entertainment television program including:
 a receiving circuit for receiving and providing video data containing a temporal sequence of video frames of motion images including a particular moving object which changes position within said temporal sequence of video frames;   an object recognition circuit coupled to an adjustable parameters circuit, said receiving circuit and responsive to said video data for recognizing and locating said particular moving object within said temporal sequence of video frames and providing a key signal indicating the location therein of said particular moving object;   said adjustable parameters circuit receiving said video data and in response thereto providing parameters to provide characteristics of said particular moving object for utilization by said object recognition circuit as part of recognizing and locating said particular moving object within said temporal sequence of video frames, wherein said parameters are automatically updated in response to said object recognition circuit successfully recognizing and locating said particular moving object;   an object enhancement circuit coupled to said object recognition circuit and responsive to said key signal and said video data to temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object in ones of said temporal sequence of video frames.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein said object enhancement includes applying detail enhancement and contrast sharpening to said particular moving object or its position in said temporal sequence of video frames. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making said particular moving object more pleasing to view by reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making said particular moving object more pleasing to view by hiding, covering, distinguishing or otherwise reducing the visibility of blemishes and flaws on said particular moving object. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein said particular moving object is a person's face and said temporally enhance the natural visibility of said particular moving object includes making said person's face more pleasing to view by reducing the visibility of blemishes on said person's face. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein said object enhancement includes enhancing the perimeter but not the entirety of said particular moving object.