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US 20080166111A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2008/0166111 A1 DidoW et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 10, 2008 (54) BACK LIGHT SCREEN FOR CHROMA-KEY (52) us. c1. .......................................................... .. 396/3 PHOTOGRAPHY (76) Inventors: Richard DidoW, Tomball, TX (US); (57) ABSTRACT Robert Bryant, Houston, TX (U S) A chromo-key screen method and device having a ?rst Correspondence Address: chroma-key screen component With a front surface and a back LAW OFFICE OF DAVID MCEWING surface and screen enclosure Wherein the screen enclosure is PO. BOX 231324 capable of re?ecting light from a back enclosure screen to the HOUSTON, TX 77023 back surface of the chroma-key screen and transmitted to the front surface of the chroma-key screen component. Further, (21) Appl. No.: 12/054,873 one or more lights or other electromagnetic energy generators transmit energy onto the back screen that is re?ected to the (22) Filed: Mar. 25, 2008 chroma-key screen component and transfused to the front surface of the chroma-key screen and transmitted from the Related US. Application Data front surface into area subject of an image capturing device, eg photographic or digital camera. The invention applies to (63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/002,532, chroma-key photography Wherein the background screen is ?led on Dec. 1, 2004. lighted, at least in part, from a source behind the screen. The device may include an enclosure to restrict color spilling into Publication Classi?cation the foreground. The enclosure can comprise a top and tWo (51) Int. Cl. sides, in addition to the back screen and the chroma-key or G03B 15/00 (2006.01) green screen. Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 1 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 m Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 2 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 3 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 1%? , Q 692-’ my Ff. Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 4 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 f m Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 5 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 55%. 5 Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 6 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 7 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 -/’ 24123 9 Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 8 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 i Mags// Figs YQ %% 51% Patent Application Publication Jul. 10, 2008 Sheet 9 0f 9 US 2008/0166111 A1 US 2008/0166111A1 Jul. 10, 2008 BACK LIGHT SCREEN FOR CHROMA-KEY maintain a uniform and featureless background behind the PHOTOGRAPHY photo subject. This has limited the applicability or utility of the method. RELATED APPLICATION [0008] Frequently, the background is a colored screen is made from a Woven fabric. This is an ideal material due to it [0001] This application is a continuation in part of applica being lightWeight, foldable and having the ability to be cut in tion Ser. No. 11/002,532, ?led Dec. 1, 2004 and entitled “Back Light Screen for Chroma-Key Photography” and a variety of siZes and shapes. It also provides a good support Which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. or substrate for color coating, printing or paintings. The Hita chi invention utiliZes a small and rigid LED type lighted screen behind the photo subject While the subject stands or BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION sits in a small booth like compartment that is shielded from [0002] 1. Field ofUse outside light sources. The background screen is therefore [0003] This invention relates to a light enclosing back limited in siZe and shape and is not collapsible or lightWeight. ground screen structure in color difference image composite photography or “chroma-key” still or motion photography. SUMMARY OF INVENTION Light transfuses through the ?rst front screen. The enclosure contains lights that are direct to the back, side, or top screens [0009] The method and device subject of the present inven for the diffusion of the light. The invention may be used With tion includes a ?rst chromo-key screen With a front surface traditional silver halide photographic imagery or With elec and a back surface. The speci?cation also discloses a light tronic digital photography. The invention also relates to a enclosing screen structure supported by a frame. The struc method of lighting a background screen to minimiZe shadoWs ture comprises a second back screen, tWo side screens (con and to compress the space betWeen the foreground photo necting the ?rst front screen and second back screen) and a subject and the ?rst front (chroma-key) screen. top screen. The lights may be mounted on the frame and be [0004] 2. RelatedArt directed to the second back screen or side screens to re?ect [0005] Chroma-key and “color difference”, “green screen” and diffuse the light to the ?rst translucent chroma-key front screen. The other screens of the enclosure structure are not or “blue screen” photography are knoWn. One limitation has been the di?iculty of removing or subtracting of the back translucent and may be closely attached to the frame With ground or background color from the foreground image When hook and loop attachment mechanisms or similar devices. the background is non-uniform. The variation of the front Light is emitted from the ?rst front screen in a ?at, featureless manner. The light Will have a distinctive color such as blue or screen may be caused by uneven lighting or shadoWs.Another problem has been “color spilling”. Another limitation has green. The invention applies to chroma-key photography Wherein the chroma-key screen is lighted, at least in part, been the amount of space and cost of lighting required to achieve a suf?ciently uniform background or maintain the from a source behind the screen. background due to movement of the photo subjects or changes in other light sources. Several methods or devices SUMMARY OF DRAWINGS have been used in efforts to overcome these limitations. For [0010] The accompanying draWings, Which are incorpo example US. Pat. Nos. 5,897,413 and 6,211,941 (Erland) rated in and constitute a part of the speci?cation, illustrate teach use of a bi-axially stretchable fabric of synthetic ?bers preferred embodiments of the invention. These draWings, treated With a dye. The technique utiliZes the photochemical together With the general description of the invention given properties of light to actinically energiZe the treated ?bers for above and the detailed description of the preferred embodi improved illumination of the background screen surface. ments given beloW, serve to explain the principles of the Other methods have attempted to alter the placement of lights invention. or light re?ective surfaces. [0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective vieW of the preferred [0006] US. Pat. No. 6,674,485 (Akiyama) assigned to embodiment of the invention Wherein the lighting source is Hitachi SoftWare Engineering Inc., describes the chroma contained Within an enclosed structure and the lighting is keying as an image compositing method Wherein a picture is taken of a subject, composting a foreground (subject) image directed to a re?ective back screen. of the picture With a background image and printing out the [0012] FIG. 2A illustrates a cross sectional vieW Wherein combined or composite image. The method comprises the there is no enclosure and there is color spilling on the fore steps of: extracting the foreground image from the back ground subject. ground; memorizing saturation, brightness and hue distribu [0013] FIG. 2B illustrates the a cross sectional vieW of the tion of the background image; and correcting saturation, illustration of FIG. 1 With the minimization of color spilling brightness and hue distribution of the foreground image With as taught by an embodiment of the present invention. respect to the saturation, brightness and hue distribution of [0014] FIG. 3 illustrates the ?rst screen material (chroma the background image. key screen) in relation to the light source, the transmission of [0007] Further chromo-keying requires a blue or green light on to the back surface of the chroma-key screen, the screen (or other color screen as Will be appreciated by persons transfusion or diffusion of light through the screen material skilled in the art) behind the foreground (photo subject) that is and the transmission of light from the front surface of the substantially uniform, featureless and Without shadoW. This chroma-key screen into the foreground. requires a number of multi-directional light sources behind [0015] FIG. 4 illustrates the prior art relationship of the the subject to prevent the shadoW of the subject from casting photo subject, foreground, lighting and chroma-key screen. on the background screen. Accordingly chroma-keying [0016] FIG. 5 illustrates the relationship of the photo sub requires considerable cost and suf?ciently large space to ject, foreground, lighting, chroma-key screen and back practice due to the exacting lighting requirements needed to ground enclosure as taught by the present invention. US 2008/0166111A1 Jul. 10, 2008 [0017] FIG. 6 illustrates the assembly of support or frame screen alloWs the foreground subject or photo subject to be components for the enclosure structure. positioned closer to the ?rst screen. The foreground subject [0018] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E illustrate the relationship can therefore be the principal object, e.g., light quantity and and possible sequential installation of the support compo quality, of the lighting in front of the chroma-key screen. nents and the light enclosure structure components. Concern With shadoW can be reduced since the background is noW providing its oWn light source.