According to some embodiments, a studio video feed, including a studio subject, may be received from a studio video camera. A remote video feed, including a remote subject, may be received from a remote video camera. The remote video feed may include, for example, the remote subject positioned in from of a solid-colored background. The remote subject may be overlaid into the studio video feed to produce a composite video signal, and at least one of the studio video feed and the remote video feed may be automatically adjusted to create an impression that the studio subject and the remote subject occupy a shared physical space.
FIELD
The present invention relates to systems and methods to combine remote and local video signals. Some embodiments relate to systems and methods for efficiently overlaying remote and local video feeds.BACKGROUND
A broadcast program might simultaneously include video information from two different physical locations. For example, the program might include videos of both (1) an interviewer (e.g., a program host located in a broadcast studio) and (2) a subject who is being interviewed (e.g., located at sports stadium remote from the broadcast studio). Typically, each video is displayed in a separate box on the broadcast display. For example, a first box might display the face of the interviewer (e.g., and the first box might be labeled “ESPN® Studios”) while a second box might display the face of the subject who is being interviewed (and the second box might be labeled “Fenway Park”). In some cases, a “split-screen” display might be provided (e.g., with the left half displaying a studio video feed and the right half displaying a remote video feed). Such approaches, however, re-enforce the impression that the interviewer and subject are not occupying a shared physical space which can distract and/or disorient viewers.
1. A method comprising: receiving a live studio video feed, from a studio video camera, the studio video feed including a live studio subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; receiving a live remote video feed, from a remote video camera, the remote video feed including a live remote subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; overlaying in real-time the live remote video feed and the live studio video feed to produce a real-time composite live video signal; and after receiving at least one of the live studio video feed and the live remote video feed, automatically adjusting in real-time at least one of the already received live studio video feed and the already received live remote video feed based on real-time information about dynamic adjustments being made to the video camera from which the other live video feed is received, such that the real-time composite live video signal creates an impression that the live studio subject image and the live remote subject image occupy a shared physical space in real-time.
9. A system, comprising: a studio instrumented video camera outputting (i) a live studio video feed including a live studio subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background and (ii) real-time data that includes real-time information about dynamic adjustments being made to the studio instrumented video camera; a remote video camera outputting a live remote video feed including a live remote subject in front of a non-solid-colored background; a rendering engine receiving the live remote video feed from the remote video camera and the real-time data that includes the real-time information about the dynamic adjustments from the studio instrumented video camera and generating a real-time adjusted live remote video signal based on the live remote video feed from the remote video camera and the real-time information about the dynamic adjustments; and an overlay engine receiving the real-time adjusted live remote video signal and the live studio video feed and generating a real-time combined live output video signal that creates an impression that the live studio subject image and the live remote subject image occupy a shared physical space in real-time.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising: receiving a live studio video feed, from a studio video camera, the studio video feed including a live studio subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; receiving a live remote video feed, from a remote video camera, the remote video feed including a live remote subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; overlaying in real-time the live remote video feed and the live studio video feed to produce a real-time composite live video signal; and after receiving at least one of the live studio video feed and the live remote video feed, automatically adjusting in real-time at least one of the already received live studio video feed and the already received live remote video feed based on real-time information about dynamic adjustments being made to the video camera from which the other live video feed is received, such that the real-time composite live video signal creates an impression that the live studio subject image and the live remote subject image occupy a shared physical space in real-time.
23. A method comprising: receiving a first live video feed, from a first video camera, the first live video feed including a first live subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; receiving a second live video feed, from a second video camera, the second live video feed including a second live subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; receiving a third live video feed, from a third video camera, the third live video feed including a third live subject image in front of a non-solid-colored background; overlaying the first live video feed and the second live video feed and the third live video feed to produce a real-time composite live video signal; and after receiving the first live video feed, automatically adjusting the first live video feed based on real-time information relating to dynamic adjustments being made to the second video camera from which the second live video feed is received, and relating to dynamic adjustments being made to the third video camera from which the third live video feed is received such that the real-time composite live video signal creates an impression that the first live subject image, the second live subject image and the third live subject image all occupy a shared physical space in real-time.