3850 results about "Special effects" patented technology

Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and / or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a toy “wand” from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in one or more other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use the wand and / or complete one or more special effects, adventures and / or quests. During or following the interactive entertainment phase, the participant may use accumulated points and / or powers to redeem prizes and / or compete against other participants, such as in a duel.

Methods and apparatus for defining a view path through at least one wide-angle video stream and for creation of a resultant unwarped video stream responsive to the view path. Aspects of the invention allow an operator to monitor the wide-angle video stream(s) and select which portion of the wide-angle frame to unwarp in real-time. Further, the operator can stop the playback of the wide-angle video stream and dwell within a particular wide-angle frame to create special effects such as camera tilt, pan and zoom operations in a stop action situation.

Systems and methods for 2D image and spatial data capture for 3D stereo imaging are disclosed. The system utilizes a cinematography camera and at least one reference or “witness” camera spaced apart from the cinematography camera at a distance much greater that the interocular separation to capture 2D images over an overlapping volume associated with a scene having one or more objects. The captured image date is post-processed to create a depth map, and a point cloud is created form the depth map. The robustness of the depth map and the point cloud allows for dual virtual cameras to be placed substantially arbitrarily in the resulting virtual 3D space, which greatly simplifies the addition of computer-generated graphics, animation and other special effects in cinemagraphic post-processing.

A spinning reel slot machine comprises a plurality of mechanical rotatable reels and a video display. In response to a wager, the reels are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area. The video display provides a video image superimposed upon the reels. The video image may be interactive with the reels and include such graphics as payout values, a pay table, pay lines, bonus game features, special effects, thematic scenery, and instructional information.

A visual special effects display device is presented with a control mechanism which enables the unique control and programming of one or more devices simultaneously. The display device may be incorporated into tickets at public events, promotions, toys or other applications. In one embodiment the visual elements are constructed from LEDs and controlled by a combination of a remote transmitter and local switching mechanism. The display devices may be programmed in advance and assigned a unique code which permits the programming of specific images in a large audience. Messages, images and effects may be altered or permanantly programming at any time during the event. Designs include tickets, drink coasters, wands, swords, tops, yo-yos, frisbees, batons, hats, jump ropes and other toys.

Enables intelligent synchronization and transfer of generally concise event videos synchronized with motion data from motion capture sensor(s) coupled with a user or piece of equipment. Greatly saves storage and increases upload speed by uploading event videos and avoiding upload of non-pertinent portions of large videos. Provides intelligent selection of multiple videos from multiple cameras covering an event at a given time, for example selecting one with least shake. Enables near real-time alteration of camera parameters during an event determined by the motion capture sensor, and alteration of playback parameters and special effects for synchronized event videos. Creates highlight reels filtered by metrics and can sort by metric. Integrates with multiple sensors to save event data even if other sensors do not detect the event. Also enables analysis or comparison of movement associated with the same user, other user, historical user or group of users.

Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and / or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a toy “wand” from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in one or more other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use the wand and / or complete one or more special effects, adventures and / or quests. During or following the interactive entertainment phase, the participant may use accumulated points and / or powers to redeem prizes and / or compete against other participants, such as in a duel.

A method and system for modifying the look and feel of a user interface of a broadcast application program without altering the broadcast application program. In one embodiment, user interfaces are represented as a hierarchical scene including a background and several components. Within an electronic network, broadcast applications can become resident, e.g., land, on a vendor's device within the network where the device has the ability to display a user interface. The present invention provides a set of mattes that can be used to modify the visual presentation of the user interface of a broadcast application without altering the broadcast application. In this way, the vendor of the device can have some level of control regarding the way in which user interfaces are displayed on the device. Each matte controls the way in which an associated component of the user interface is displayed and how the component is combined with other components. In one embodiment, mattes can force components to become semi-transparent thereby creating certain fading effects, special effects with respect to windows in focus, special effects on windows becoming iconified, wiping effects, etc., with respect to the components of the user interface. The present invention can be implemented as a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) which can be used by an application manager of the vendor's device, e.g., a digital television receiver. The APIs would be available to broadcast applications and could be used for visual effects involving elements of an application's user interface.

The present invention provides an interface, system, or method for displaying a window on a display in which a thumbnail corresponding to an application window is capable of being modified based on modifications in the application window. The modifications of the thumbnail may be accomplished in real-time. Also, the present invention provides an interface, system, and method for displaying a window or a thumbnail on a display in which a Desktop Window Manager (DWM) registers a source window and a destination window and / or may update or modify a thumbnail associated with the source window. Special effects may be applied to the thumbnail. The present invention further provides a method for registering and / or modifying a thumbnail and its properties or maintaining a list of thumbnail registrations.

When 3D viewing means become much more available and common, it will be very sad that the many great movies that exist today will be able to be viewed in 3D only through limited and partial software attempts to recreate the 3D info. Films today are not filmed in 3D due to various problems, and mainly since a normal stereo camera could be very problematic when filming modern films, since for example it does not behave properly when zooming in or out is used, and it can cause many problems when filming for example smaller scale models for some special effects. For example, a larger zoom requires a correspondingly larger distance between the lenses, so that for example if a car is photographed at a zoom factor of 1:10, the correct right-left disparity will be achieved only if the lenses move to an inter-ocular distance of for example 65 cm instead of the normal 6.5 cm. The present invention tries to solve the above problems by using a 3D camera which can automatically adjust in a way that solves the zoom problem, and provides a solution also for filming smaller models. The angle between the two lenses is preferably changed according to the distance and position of the object that is at the center of focus, and changing the zoom affects automatically both the distance between the lenses and their angle, since changing merely the distance without changing the convergence angle would cause the two cameras to see completely different parts of the image. The patent also shows that similar methods can be used for example for a much better stereoscopic telescope with or without a varying zoom factor. In addition, the patent shows various ways to generate efficiently a 3D knowledge of the surrounding space, which can be used also for example in robots for various purposes, and also describes a few possible improvements in 3d viewing.

The invention provides a wheel driving robot finger device, belonging to a robot technical field which comprises a base, a motor, a reducer, a first gear, a second gear, a close joint shaft, a middle part finger, a far joint shaft and a terminal finger section as well as a driver, a transmission part, a driven wheel, a spring part. The middle part finger is sleeved on the close joint shaft. Two terminals of the spring part are respectively connected with the middle and the terminal finger sections. The device uses a pair of wheel mechanisms to sleeve a plurality of active middle part fingers with the decoupling effect of the spring part comprehensively to realize the special effect that the double joints drive the finger to bend so as to catch the objects. With simple structure, reliability, low cost, convenient installation and maintenance, small volume and light weight, the wheel driving robot finger device similar to human fingers is especially suitable for being used as a thumb of the hand of the humanoid robot or a part of other fingers that uses fewer drivers to drive more rotation joints to automatically adjust to catch the objects of different shapes and sizes.

The present invention has been made in consideration of linear reverse playback of MPEG video data and has particular applications to video special effect editing. According to one aspect of the present invention, the disclosed system uses a minimum number of frame storage to buffer decompressed I and P frames so as to decompress B frames in a reverse order and subsequently display the B frames. Every time, it comes to display the decompressed I and P frames buffered in the frame storage, an I frame or a P frame in a group of picture (GOP) prior to current GOP is decompressed and buffered into one of the frame storage that becomes available when the content therein has been retrieved for display. The cyclic use of the frame storage and the time that would be otherwise spent for decompressing B frames guarantees a linear reverse playback of MPEG video data without showing retardant visual effects that often result from non-even decoding processes in displaying compressed frames.

A mechanism is presented for editing a video stream as the stream is received, allowing real-time displaying and storing of the edited video stream without requiring the received video stream to first be recorded. The mechanism allows the selection of editing options prior to starting or during the record process. The mechanism can monitor the input video stream for specific characteristics and edit the video stream according to predefined editing options based on those characteristics and / or user inputs. Special effects can be intelligently selected based upon internal and external information about the video stream, for example, user actions, input source, and content information.

A method of operating coal mine machinery that protects and maintains machine operators' health and well-being removes the machine operators to a clean, low-noise environment inside a refuge chamber. Inside, are controls, cameras, audio, and informational displays needed to run continuous mining machines nearby and communicate mine-wide with other personnel. Cameras fitted to the mining machines provide straight-ahead views, ground penetrating radars fitted to the cutting drums measure the coal depths in the ceilings above, the floors below, and the coal face ahead. Guidance data is presented on informational displays, and the data from the ceilings and floors is used to drive computer graphics special effects to graphically represent the coal ceilings and coal floors overlaying boundary rock. Audio pickups on the mining machine allow the operator to hear and feel how the machine is functioning, just as operators have always employed their other senses.

Interactive multi-view video presents new types of video capture systems, video formats, video compression algorithms, and services. Many video cameras are allocated to capture an event from various related locations and directions. The captured videos are compressed and are sent to a server in real-time. Users can subscribe to a new type of service that allows users to connect to the servers and receive multi-view videos interactively. In addition to conventional playing controls, users can manipulate controls to the camera positions and orientations, select viewing directions and enjoy special effects such as a sweeping effect and a freeze-and-rotate effect, and so on. Interactive multi-view video provides a brand-new experience in watching events.

Samples of a scene are acquired in synchronization with finely interleaved varying conditions such as lighting, aperture, focal length, and so forth. A time-varying sample at each pixel for each condition is reconstructed. Time multiplexed interleaving allows for real-time, live applications, while handling motion blur naturally. Effects such as real-time video relighting of a scene is possible. Time interleaved exposures also allow segmentation of a scene, and allows for constrained special effects such as triangulation matting using a multi-color interleaved chroma key.

A package wrap for decoratively covering a container having side walls defining an interior space for carrying a product therein, includes a flexible thin sheet of polymeric material adapted to be shrink-wrapped onto the exterior of the container. An illuminating or a sound producing device is positioned between the flexible thin sheet of polymeric material and the exterior of the container so that when the flexible sheet of polymeric material is shrink-wrapped onto the container, the illuminating device or the sound device will be held securely in place. The illuminating device is adapted to be illuminated upon activation by a pressure, motion, or acoustically sensitive switch. The sound device is adapted to produce an audible signal upon activation by a pressure or motion sensitive switch. When the illuminating device is activated, illumination therefrom will be visible through the flexible thin sheet of polymeric material to enhance and highlight a printed pattern on the exterior of the package wrap.

The embodiment of the invention discloses an online-live-broadcast-based information display method. The method includes the steps that a first gift presentation command input by a first audience client based on an online-live-broadcast channel; whether a continuous-presentation special effect targeted to a first gift is enabled or not is judged according to the first gift presentation command; if yes, a second gift presentation command input by a second audience client based on the current online-live-broadcast channel is received within the preset time quantum of the continuous-presentation special effect targeted to the first gift; continuous-presentation special effect information is generated according to the second gift presentation command; the continuous-presentation special effect information is sent to audience clients in the current online-live-broadcast channel, so that the audience clients display the continuous-presentation special effect targeted to the first gift in a first preset display region of the current online-live-broadcast channel according to the continuous-presentation special effect information. The invention further discloses an online-live-broadcast-based information display device and system. By means of the online-live-broadcast-based information display method, device and system, the display effect of gift presentation is improved, and the interactive requirement for presenting gifts among the clients in the online-live-broadcast channel is met.

The invention relates to a device for embossing and / or glazing films. The device for embossing includes a first and second embossing roll, through which flat material can be fed under pressure, in order to create a pattern. An additional embossing roll is connected downstream of the second embossing roll, this additional embossing roll interacting with the first or preceding embossing roll. The patterned flat material may be fed between these embossing rolls, in order to be embossed again with essentially the same pattern. In a simplified embodiment, only a total of two rolls are used. In order to achieve as precise an embossing as possible, with special effects, the first driven embossing roll is provided with teeth, while at least one other embossing roll comprises rings or longitudinal ribs, or is smooth.

A method generates and superposes virtual images to an existing image in order to show special effects. Images are generated depending on the relative position of one or more subjects viewing the existing image. The images are generated in order to see an augmented reality. The subjects are people located near a transparent support such as a screen or a window. These people watch the augmented reality through the screen / window. The virtual objects on the screen are created in such a way as to give a realistic impression for different people watching the same screen / window at the same time, thereby generating virtual images in order to create an augmented reality for one or many viewers watching the same real objects at the same time.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a device for producing a fire special effect that is suitable for applications in which the viewers of the simulated flame are able inspect the device from relatively close range and / or from a number of perspectives. For example, the device can be used as a torchiere or wall sconce.

The invention discloses a medication thermal energy water circulating blanket which comprises a liquid heat radiation circulating loop structure formed by connecting a dialysis macromolecule energy pipe, a constant-temperature furnace, a minitype mute water pump and the like, the dialysis macromolecule energy pipes is evenly arranged on a cotton blanket body to cool the cotton blank body. According to the medication thermal energy water circulating blanket, needed medicinal materials only need to be placed on a filter screen in the constant-temperature furnace, nutrition ingredients of the medicinal materials are absorbed by water, agentia is pumped to the dialysis macromolecule energy pipes to circulate, the dialysis macromolecule energy pipes distribute the nutrition ingredients of the agentia to a bed blanket slowly to be absorbed by a human body through pores of the human body at this moment, and therefore people can be moisturized by the water and can obtain the nutrition effect of the medicinal materials in sleep, people can feel warm and comfortable, and can maintain beauty and keep young, and the special effect of preventing diseases can be achieved. Heating, circulating and heat preservation in the whole process are automatically controlled, the medication thermal energy water circulating blanket is simple in structure, low in cost, convenient to use and good in market prospect and has good market prospects, and social benefits and economic benefits are considerable.

A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device, a small number of SPD devices or thousands of such SPD devices installed in windows in automobiles, aircraft, trains, marine vehicles, residential homes, commercial buildings and skyscrapers. A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device or thousands of such SPD devices in the presentation of a multi-media special effects display. Textual messages, graphical images and simulated motion effects are driven. Such scalable apparatus being capable of driving and using several operational parameters of SPD materials such as frequency range, AC voltage and temperature so as to provide fine control of SPD characteristics such as switching speed and power consumption.

Movement through multi-dimensional space is simulated using a series of panoramic images which are projected or displayed in sequence. The user's direction of view, that is the selected view window, is maintained as the series of images is projected or displayed. Motion in directions other than forward or reverse is simulated by utilizing "branch" points in the sequence. Each path from a branch point simulates motion in a different direction. Branch points are generally indicated to a viewer by visual indicators called "hot spots"; however, branch points may also be hidden and activated in response to the viewer's selected direction of view. If a branch point is indicated by a visual indicator, a user can select motion in a desired direction by clicking on a "hot spot". In order to conserve storage space, the image representing each panorama can be stored in a compressed format. Only the portion of the panorama necessary to create a "view window" that is, the portion of the image displayed in response to the user's direction of view, is decompressed at view time. An index methodology is used to store the panoramic images. Use of the indexing methodology allows the images to be retrieved in both the forward and backward direction to simulate movement in either direction. Sound is provided in a special format, so that special effects can be provided based on the user's point of view and dependent upon the direction of motion selected by the user.

The disclosure relates to jointly transmitting and processing analog-digital information using Inaudible Synchronous Online User-optimized Processing (iSOUP), wherein digital and analog information can be transmitted via one connection. iSOUP may be implemented in real-time MP3 anti-piracy, customized MP3 songs, Internet customized medical devices, Internet customized consumer electronics, Internet controlled psychoacoustic and physiological tests, tinnitus treatment devices, anti-piracy MP3 players, assistive listening MP3 players, healthcare sensor networks, Bluetooth sensors, audio-visual hearing aids (HAs) and cochlear implants (CIs), audio-touch HAs and CIs, Bluetooth HAs and CIs, automated fitting of HAs and CIs. The invention has applicability in copyright protection, data hiding, hearing aid remote controls, children learning devices, musical special effects generators, multiuser multimedia devices, Internet treatment and disease surveillance, wireless medical devices, wireless telemetry, multimedia rehabilitation devices, hearing aids and other implants.

The invention provides a real time human-machine interaction method and a system based on augmented virtual reality and anomalous screen. The method comprises the following operation steps: 1) modeling is carried out on virtual objects to be interacted and statistical average hand model ; 2) video acquisition is carried out on hand by N cameras to obtain original image; 3) processing is carried out in a computer. The system comprises a system for realizing real time transparent strengthened display, algorithm and system of real time false or true grasping and parabolic motion detection and real time parabolic animation generating , and real time multi-anomalous screens interactive system. A whole set of large special effect is constructed by various false or true conversion in large anomalous screen scene, three-dimensional animation or three-dimensional image of interactive content expressed in solid spectacles, additionally, video / audio devices, light control devices and the like.

The invention discloses a preparation method of macromolecule activated carbon composite filler. The preparation method comprises the following steps: fixing fungi with special effect, which is cultured for harmful pollutant, into powdery activated carbon by adopting a microorganism fixing method, then mixing a macromolecule material prepared from polyving akohol and sodium alga acid with activated carbon particles by adopting a crosslinking method, and fixing a mixture on an corrosion-resistant fabric vector with a certain shape, thereby preparing the fixed biological compound filler. The macromolecule activated carbon composite filler provided by the invention has high resilience, is internally provided with a rich net-shaped structure and is beneficial to the adherence and growth of cells; the types and quantity of effective degraded fungi can be controlled, the processing capability of equipment can be greatly improved, the time at the initial stage of starting of waste gas biological processing equipment is shortened, due to large increase in effective area and effective fungus types, the occupied areas and the investment expense during the waste gas processing are reduced compared with those of a common biological method, so that the preparation method of the macromolecule activated carbon composite filler has important popularization value.

3D graphics animation is increasingly used in movies and virtual reality computer games to produce realistic visual simulations of physical and natural phenomena. The animation of diffuse liquids such as gases is an indispensable component in such special effects. The present system and methods utilize physically-based and more intuitive procedurally-based simulation techniques to simulate and render natural phenomena in computer graphics. The present invention facilitates user interaction in order to generate a variety of gas effects, for example, waves within water, plumes within hot gas, and flames within fire. Improved user interaction is achieved by improving rendering performance and introducing a new method of high-level control for Eulerian simulations.