Author: claimsbot

1. A method for standby lighting, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) monitoring an alternating current supplied to a high intensity discharge lamp through an electronic ballast;
(b) when a drop in said alternating current is detected, supplying a direct current to an auxiliary lamp;
(c) when said monitored alternating current rises to a predetermined threshold current level, starting a timer to count down a first predetermined period of time; and
(d) when said first predetermined period of time has been count down, turning off said direct current to said auxiliary lamp.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said drop in said alternating current is below one ampere.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined threshold current level is about one ampere.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first predetermined period of time for said countdown is about fifteen minutes.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said supplying step (b) further comprises the step of:
determining if said drop in said alternating current is sustained for a second predetermined period of time before supplying said direct current to said auxiliary lamp.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said drop in said alternating current sustained for said second predetermined period of time is about one to two seconds.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said supplying step (b) further comprises supplying said direct current to said auxiliary lamp gradually over a third predetermined period of time.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said third predetermined period of time for gradually supplying said direct current to said auxiliary lamp is about one to two seconds.
9. A method according to claim 7 wherein said auxiliary lamp is an incandescent lamp.
10. A method according to claim 7 wherein said supplying step (b) further comprises:
converting said alternating current into direct current;
sensing an input signal which is proportional to an input line voltage from a line voltage supply for said alternating current;
generating a switching duty cycle and a frequency to maintain a constant voltage for said direct current based upon said input signal from said input line voltage; and
outputting said direct current to said auxiliary lamp.
11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:
when said monitored alternating current rises to said predetermined threshold current level, determining if said threshold current level is sustained for a fourth predetermined period of time before starting said timer.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said fourth predetermined period of time for said threshold current level to be sustained is more than two seconds.
13. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
determining if said monitored alternating current drops again before said timer has finished said count down of said first predetermined period of time;
when said monitored alternating current drops again before said timer has finished said count down of said first predetermined period of time, determining if said drop again in said alternating current is sustained for a fifth predetermined period of time; and
when said drop again in said alternating current is sustained for said fifth predetermined period of time, resetting said timer to begin again to count down said first predetermined period of time.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said drop again in said alternating current is below one ampere.
15. A method according to claim 13 wherein said drop again in said alternating current sustained for said fifth predetermined period of time is about one to two seconds.
16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:
resetting said timer after said timer has finished said count down of said first predetermined period of time.
17. An apparatus for standby lighting comprising:
a standby lamp module having a circuit, said circuit further comprising:
a current sensor module for sensing an alternating current from a line voltage supply;
a rectification module for converting said alternating current into a direct current;
a voltage sensor module for maintaining a constant output voltage by adjusting a switching frequency through sensing an input signal which is proportional to an input line voltage from said line voltage supply;
a processor module connectable to said current sensor module, said rectification module, and said voltage sensor module, for generating a switching duty cycle and a frequency to maintain a constant voltage direct current based upon input signals from said current sensor module and said voltage sensor module; and
a power switching module connectable to said rectification module and to said processor module for outputting said constant voltage direct current.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said current sensor module further comprises a circuit having a transformer, at least one resistor, at least one polarized capacitor, at least one amplifier, and at least one switching diode.
19. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said rectification module further comprises a circuit having a full wave bridge rectifier, and at least one polarized capacitor.
20. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said voltage sensor module further comprises a circuit having at least one resistor, and at least one polarized capacitor.
21. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said power switching module further comprises a circuit having a low side metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor driver, at least one polarized capacitor, at least one resistor, an inductor, a bipolar signal transistor, and a diode.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said at least one polarized capacitor and said at least one resistor act as a snubber to reduce noise.
23. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said standby lamp module further comprises:
a phase in terminal connectable to said circuit;
a phase out terminal connectable to said circuit;
a neutral terminal connectable to said circuit, wherein said line voltage supply is connectable between said phase in terminal and said neutral terminal;
a first output terminal;
a second output terminal, wherein said first and second output terminals are connected to said circuit; and
an auxiliary lamp connectable between said first and second output terminals, wherein said constant voltage direct current is supplied to said auxiliary lamp.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said processor module further comprises a circuit having a polarized capacitor, a resistor, a control circuit direct current bus, and a microcontroller, wherein said processor module supplies said constant voltage direct current to said auxiliary lamp for a first predetermined period of time when said processor module detects a drop in current from said line voltage supply for a second predetermined period of time, wherein said first predetermined period of time is about fifteen minutes, and said second predetermined period of time is about one to two seconds.
25. The apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising:
a switching frequency output from said processor module to said power switching module, wherein said switching frequency output is held constant by said processor module by modifying said switching duty cycle based upon changes in said input line voltage.
26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said microcontroller in said processor module further comprises:
a lookup table, wherein said processor module maintains said switching frequency output constant by comparing said input line voltage to a reload value stored in said lookup table, wherein said reload value is used to update said switching duty cycle.
27. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said switching frequency output has a frequency of 25 KHz.
28. The apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising:
an electronic ballast having a phase input terminal, a neutral input terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal, wherein said phase out terminal of said standby lamp module is connectable to said phase input terminal, and said neutral terminal of said standby lamp module is connectable to said neutral input terminal; and
a high intensity discharge lamp connectable between said first and second output terminals of said electronic ballast.
29. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said input line voltage is between 200 to 300 volts, said auxiliary lamp is a quartz incandescent lamp, and said constant voltage direct current is 120 volts.
30. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said circuit further comprises:
a first logic power supply module for regulating the voltage for said power switching module.
31. The apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said first logic power supply module further comprises at least one resistor, at least one polarized capacitor, and a zener diode.
32. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said circuit further comprises:
a second logic power supply module for regulating the voltage for said processor module.
33. The apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said second logic power supply module further comprises at least one resistor, at least one polarized capacitor, a zener diode, a microcontroller, and a control circuit direct current bus.
34. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said circuit further comprises:
an overvoltage protection module for protecting said circuit from surge peaks and overvoltage.
35. The apparatus according to claim 34 wherein said overvoltage protection module further comprises at least on polarized capacitor, a metal oxide varistor, and a fuse.
36. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said circuit further comprises:
an electro magnetic interference filter module for reducing electro magnetic interference emissions to said input line voltage.
37. The apparatus according to claim 36 wherein said electro magnetic interference filter module further comprises at least one polarized capacitor, and at least one inductor.
38. An apparatus for standby lighting comprising:
a standby lamp module having a circuit, said standby lamp module further comprising:
a phase in terminal connectable to said circuit;
a phase out terminal connectable to said circuit;
a neutral terminal connectable to said circuit, wherein a line voltage supply is connectable between said phase in terminal and said neutral terminal;
a first output terminal;
a second output terminal, wherein said first and second output terminals are connected to said circuit; and
an auxiliary lamp connectable between said first and second output terminals, wherein a constant voltage direct current is supplied to said auxiliary lamp; and

an electronic ballast, said electronic ballast further comprising:
a phase input terminal;
a neutral input terminal;
a first output terminal;
a second output terminal; and
a high intensity discharge lamp;
wherein said phase out terminal of said standby lamp module is connectable to said phase input terminal, and said neutral terminal of said standby lamp module is connectable to said neutral input terminal, and said high intensity discharge lamp is connectable between said first and second output terminals of said electronic ballast.
39. The apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said circuit of said standby lamp module further comprises:
a current sensor module for sensing an alternating current from a line voltage supply;
a rectification module for converting said alternating current into a direct current;
a voltage sensor module for maintaining a constant output voltage by adjusting a switching frequency through sensing an input signal which is proportional to an input line voltage from said line voltage supply;
a processor module connectable to said current sensor module, said rectification module, and said voltage sensor module, for generating a switching duty cycle and a frequency to maintain a constant voltage direct current based upon input signals from said current sensor module and said voltage sensor module; and
a power switching module connectable to said rectification module and to said processor module for outputting said constant voltage direct current.
40. The apparatus according to claim 39 wherein said circuit of said standby lamp module further comprises:
a first logic power supply module for regulating the voltage for said power switching module;
a second logic power supply module for regulating the voltage for said processor module;
an overvoltage protection module for protecting said circuit from surge peaks and overvoltage; and
an electro magnetic interference filter module for reducing electro magnetic interference emissions to said input line voltage.
41. The apparatus according to claim 39 further comprising:
a switching frequency output from said processor module to said power switching module, wherein said switching frequency output is held constant by said processor module by modifying said switching duty cycle based upon changes in said input line voltage.
42. The apparatus according to claim 41 wherein said processor module further comprises:
a microcontroller having a lookup table, wherein said processor module maintains said switching frequency output constant by comparing said input line voltage to a reload value stored in said lookup table, wherein said reload value is used to update said switching duty cycle.
43. The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said switching frequency output has a frequency of 25 KHz.
44. The apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said input line voltage is between 200 to 300 volts, said auxiliary lamp is a quartz incandescent lamp, and said constant voltage direct current is 120 volts.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for improving the electrical conductivity of a mineral oil distillate having a water content of less than 150 ppm, the mineral oil distillate being selected from the group consisting of jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, heating oil, the mineral oil distillate having an electrical conductivity of below 10 pSm, wherein the method comprises the step of adding to the mineral oil distillate a composition which comprises at least one alkylphenol-aldehyde resin (constituent I) which has a structural element of the formula
in which R5 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, O\u2014R6 or O\u2014C(O)\u2014R6, R6 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, and n is from 2 to 100, and, from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of at least one polar oil-soluble nitrogen compound (constituent II), based on the alkylphenol-aldehyde resin in such an amount that the mineral oil distillate has a conductivity of at least 50 pSm.
2. A method of claim 1, wherein the aldehyde used for the condensation of the alkylphenol-aldehyde resin comprises from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
3. A method of claim 1, wherein the alkylphenol-aldehyde resin comprises an alkyl group of from 1 to 200 carbon atoms.
4. A method of claim 1, wherein the alkylphenol-aldehyde resin has a molecular weight of from 400 to 20 000 gmol.
5. A method of claim 1, wherein the alkylphenol-aldehyde resin comprises the repeat structural unit of the formula
wherein R5 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl and n is from 2 to 100.
6. A method of claim 1, wherein the polar oil-soluble nitrogen compound comprises a reaction product of a compound of the formula NR6R7R8 in which R6, R7 and R8 may be the same or different, and at least one of R6, R7 and R8 is C8-C36-alkyl, C6-C36-cycloalkyl, C8-C36-alkenyl, and the remaining R6, R7 and R8 are either hydrogen, C1-C36-alkyl, C2-C36-alkenyl, cyclohexyl, or a group of the formulae -(A-O)x-E or -(CH2)n\u2014NYZ, wherein A is an ethyl or propyl group, x is from 1 to 50, E=H, C1-C30-alkyl, C5-C12-cycloalkyl or C6-C30-aryl, and n=2, 3 or 4, and Y and Z are each independently H, C1-C30-alkyl or -(A-O)x, with compounds which include a functional group of the formula
>C\u2550O.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the compound of the formula NR6R7R8 is reacted with a carbonyl compound which is a copolymer of a first compound selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, and itaconic acid with a second compound selected from the group consisting of olefins, alkyl esters of acrylic acid, alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, alkyl vinyl esters, and alkyl vinyl ethers having from 2 to 75 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical, wherein the olefins have from 2 to 75 carbon atoms and the alkyl radical is bonded to the double bond, the copolymer having a molecular weight being between 400 and 20 000.
8. A method of claim 6, wherein the polar nitrogen compound is a reaction product of at least one mono-carboxylic acid or a polycarboxylic acid or a mixture thereof and at least one amine which has at least one acidic hydrogen atom.
9. A method of claim 1, further comprising a copolymer of ethylene and from 6 to 21 mol % of a compound selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ester, an acrylic ester, a methacrylic ester, an alkyl vinyl ester, an alkene, and mixtures thereof.
10. A method of claim 1, further comprising a comb polymer of the formula
wherein
A is R\u2032, COOR\u2032, OCOR\u2032, R\u2033\u2014COOR\u2032, OR\u2032;
D is H, CH3, A or R\u2033;
E is H, A;
G is H, R\u2033, R\u2033\u2014COOR\u2032, an aryl radical or a heterocyclic radical;
M is H, COOR\u2033, OCOR\u2033, OR\u2033, COOH;
N is H, R\u2033, COOR\u2033, OCOR\u2033, an aryl radical;
R\u2032 is a hydrocarbon chain having from 8 to 50 carbon atoms;
R\u2033 is a hydrocarbon chain having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms;
m is between 0.4 and 1.0; and
n is between 0 and 0.6.
11. A method of claim 1, further comprising a polyoxyalkylene compound selected from the group consisting of an ester, an ether, and an etherester having at least one alkyl radical having 12 to 30 carbon atoms.
12. A method of claim 1, further comprising a copolymer which, in addition to structural units of ethylene, have a structural unit derived from an \u03b1-olefin having from 3 to 24 carbon atoms, said copolymer having a molecular weight of up to 120 000 gmol.
13. A method of claim 1, further comprising a polysulfone derived from an olefin having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms.
14. A process for improving the electrical conductivity of mineral oil distillate having a water content of less than 150 ppm, the mineral oil distillate being selected from the group consisting of jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, heating oil, the mineral oil distillate having an electrical conductivity of below 10 pSm, and comprising from 0.1 to 200 ppm of at least one polar, oil-soluble nitrogen compound, said process comprising adding to the mineral oil distillate from 0.1 to 200 ppm of at least one alkylphenol-aldehyde resin which has a structural element of the formula
in which R5 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, O\u2014R6 or O\u2014C(O)\u2014R6, R6 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl and n is from 2 to 100, so that the mineral oil distillate has a conductivity of at least 50 pSm.
15. A process for improving the electrical conductivity of a mineral oil distillate having a water content of less than 150 ppm, the mineral oil distillate being selected from the group consisting of jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, heating oil, the mineral oil distillate having an electrical conductivity of below 10 pSm, and comprising from 0.1 to 200 ppm of at least one polar, oil-soluble nitrogen compound (constituent II), wherein the process comprises adding to the mineral oil distillate at least one alkylphenol-aldehyde resin (constituent I) which contains a structural element of the formula
wherein R5 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, O\u2014R6 or O\u2014C(O)\u2014R6, R6 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, and n is from 2 to 100, in an effective amount that the mineral oil distillate has a conductivity of at least 50 pSm.
16. A mineral oil distillate having an aromatics content of less than 21% by weight, a water content of less than 150 ppm and a conductivity of at least 50 pSm, the mineral oil distillate being selected from the group consisting of jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, heating oil, the mineral oil distillate having an electrical conductivity of below 10 pSm, and comprising from 0.1 to 200 ppm of at least one alkylphenol-aldehyde resin (constituent I) which contains a structural element of the formula
wherein R5 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl, O\u2014R6 or O\u2014C(O)\u2014R6, R6 is C1-C200-alkyl or C2-C200-alkenyl and n is from 2 to 100, and from 0.1 to 200 ppm of at least one polar oil-soluble nitrogen compound (constituent II).
17. A method of claim 6, wherein at least one of R6, R7 and R8 is C12-C24-alkyl, C12-C24-alkenyl or cyclohexyl.

1. A stencil printer for printing viscous material on a substrate, the stencil printer comprising:
a frame;
a stencil coupled to the frame;
a substrate support coupled to the frame to support a substrate in a print position;
a print head, coupled to the frame, to deposit and print viscous material over the stencil, the print head comprising
a squeegee assembly comprising at least one squeegee blade and a squeegee blade movement mechanism configured to move the at least one squeegee blade from a raised position in which the at least one squeegee blade is spaced from stencil and a lowered position in which the at least one squeegee blade engages and applies a force on the stencil, and
a device to detect a first reference point associated with a first force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil and a second reference point associated with a second force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when moving the at least one squeegee blade to the lowered position; and

a controller coupled to at least the print head, the controller being configured to control the operation of the stencil printer, the controller further being configured to (a) determine a calibrated position for each of the first and second force values and (b) calculate and apply a desired print force based upon the calibrated positions of first and second force values and actual positions of the first and second force values as detected by the device with the at least one squeegee blade in place.
2. The stencil printer of claim 1, wherein the squeegee blade movement mechanism comprises a first movable member coupled to the frame of the stencil printer and a second movable member coupled to the first movable member and to the at least one squeegee blade.
3. The stencil printer of claim 2, wherein the squeegee blade movement mechanism further comprises a lead screw housed by the frame of the stencil printer and a lead nut secured to the first movable member and threadably engaged with the lead screw to move the first and second movable members so as to move the at least one squeegee blade between the raised and lowered positions.
4. The stencil printer of claim 3, wherein the squeegee blade movement mechanism further comprises a compression spring disposed around the lead screw to provide a resistance force between the first movable member and the second movable member, the arrangement being such that when moving the at least one squeegee blade to the lowered position against the stencil, the second movable member moves toward the first movable member against the resistance of the compression spring.
5. The stencil printer of claim 4, wherein the second movable member includes a squeegee blade holder to secure the at least one squeegee blade to the second movable member.
6. The stencil printer of claim 4, wherein the device comprises a flag secured to one of the first movable member and the second movable member and a sensor secured to the other of the first movable member and the second movable member, the sensor being configured to detect at least two features of the flag when moving the at least one squeegee blade to a position of an applied force from the lowered position.
7. The stencil printer of claim 6, wherein the first and second reference points are associated with the at least two features of the flag.
8. The stencil printer of claim 7, further comprising a gauge, which replaces the at least one squeegee blade, to measure the force of the gauge against the stencil.
9. The stencil printer of claim 8, wherein the gauge is configured to measure a simulated force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when the first reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor and when the second reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor.
10. A stencil printer for printing viscous material on a substrate, the stencil printer comprising:
a frame;
a stencil coupled to the frame;
a substrate support coupled to the frame to support a substrate in a print position;
a print head, coupled to the frame, to deposit and print viscous material over the stencil, the print head comprising
at least one squeegee blade,
a first movable member coupled to the frame of the stencil printer,
a second movable member coupled to the first movable member and to the at least one squeegee blade, the first and second movable members being configured to move the at least one squeegee blade from a raised position in which the at least one squeegee blade is spaced from stencil and a lowered position in which the at least one squeegee blade engages and applies a force on the stencil,
a flag secured to one of the first movable member and the second movable member, and
a sensor secured to the other of the first movable member and the second movable member, the sensor being configured to detect the flag when moving the at least one squeegee blade, the flag and sensor being configured to detect a first reference point associated with a first force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil and a second reference point associated with a second force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when moving the at least one squeegee blade to the lowered position; and

a controller coupled to at least the print head, the controller being configured to control the operation of the stencil printer, the controller further being configured to (a) determine a calibrated position for each of the first and second force values and (b) calculate and apply a desired print force based upon the calibrated positions of first and second force values and actual positions of the first and second force values as detected by the flag and sensor with the at least one squeegee blade in place.
11. The stencil printer of claim 10, wherein the print head further comprises a lead screw housed by the frame of the stencil printer and a lead nut secured to the first movable member and threadably engaged with the lead screw to move the first and second movable members so as to move the at least one squeegee blade between the raised and lowered positions.
12. The stencil printer of claim 11, wherein the print head further comprises a compression spring disposed around the lead screw to provide a resistance force between the first movable member and the second movable member.
13. The stencil printer of claim 12, wherein the second movable member includes a squeegee blade holder to secure the at least one squeegee blade to the second movable member.
14. The stencil printer of claim 12, wherein the device comprises a flag secured to the second movable member and a sensor secured to the first movable member, the sensor being configured to detect at least two features of the flag when moving the second movable member toward the first movable member.
15. The stencil printer of claim 14, wherein the first and second reference points are associated with the at least two features of the flag.
16. The stencil printer of claim 15, further comprising a gauge, which replaces the at least one squeegee blade, to measure the force of the gauge against the stencil.
17. The stencil printer of claim 16, wherein the gauge is configured to measure a simulated force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when the first reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor and when the second reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor.
18. A print head to deposit and print viscous material over the stencil, the print head comprising:
a frame;
at least one squeegee blade;
a first movable member coupled to the frame;
a second movable member coupled to the first movable member and to the at least one squeegee blade, the first and second movable members being configured to move the at least one squeegee blade from a raised position in which the at least one squeegee blade is spaced from stencil and a lowered position in which the at least one squeegee blade engages and applies a force on the stencil;
a flag secured to one of the first movable member and the second movable member;
a sensor secured to the other of the first movable member and the second movable member, the sensor being configured to detect the flag when moving the at least one squeegee blade, the flag and sensor being configured to detect a first reference point associated with a first force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil and a second reference point associated with a second force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when moving the at least one squeegee blade to the lowered position; and
a controller coupled to the print head, the controller being configured to (a) determine a calibrated position for each of the first and second force values and (b) calculate and apply a desired print force based upon the calibrated positions of first and second force values and actual positions of the first and second force values as detected by the flag and sensor with the at least one squeegee blade in place.
19. The print head of claim 18, wherein the print head further comprises a lead screw housed by the frame of the stencil printer and a lead nut secured to the first movable member and threadably engaged with the lead screw to move the first and second movable members so as to move the at least one squeegee blade between the raised and lowered positions.
20. The print head of claim 19, wherein the print head further comprises a compression spring disposed around the lead screw to provide a resistance force between the first movable member and the second movable member.
21. The print head of claim 20, wherein the second movable member includes a squeegee blade holder to secure the at least one squeegee blade to the second movable member.
22. The print head of claim 20, wherein the device comprises a flag secured to the second movable member and a sensor secured to the first movable member, the sensor being configured to detect the flag when moving the at least one squeegee blade to the lowered position.
23. The print head of claim 22, wherein the first and second reference points are associated with at least two features of the flag.
24. The print head of claim 23, further comprising a gauge, which replaces the at least one squeegee blade, to measure the force of the gauge against the stencil.
25. The print head of claim 24, wherein the gauge is configured to measure a simulated force of the at least one squeegee blade against the stencil when the first reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor and when the second reference point of the flag is detected by the sensor.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An automated video editing system for real-time generation of game show output video streams, comprising steps for:
predefining a set of possible scenes for a game show;
receiving one or more real-time input video streams of one or more game show participants;
providing one or more video clips of a game show host;
determining a subset of one or more scenes from the set of possible scenes that are appropriate for a current stage of the game show;
partitioning one or more of the input video streams into one or more possible candidate shots corresponding to the subset of appropriate scenes;
evaluating the possible candidate shots to identify a current best scene from the subset of appropriate scenes;
constructing the current best scene from any one or more of the corresponding possible candidate shots and the video clips of the game show host; and
outputting the constructed current best scene for real-time playback of a current scene of the game show output video stream.
2. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein the video clips of the game show host are pre-recorded scripted scenes of the game show host.
3. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein the video clips of the game show host are real-time videos of the game show host.
4. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein constructing the best scene further includes one or more pre-recorded audience reaction video clips in the constructed best scene.
5. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein constructing the best scene further includes one or more real-time live audience reaction video streams in the constructed best scene.
6. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein types of possible candidate shots include any one or more of:
a close-up of any of the participants;
a close-up of the game show host;
a reaction-shot of any of the participants;
a reaction shot of the game show host;
a pan shot from any of the participants and host to any other of the participants and host; and
an inset shot, showing any one or more participants and the host in scaled insets overlaid on top of a larger shot of any one of the participants and the host.
7. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein the predefined set of possible scenes for the game show include any one or more of:
a new participant joining the game show;
a participant responding to a comment from another participant;
a participant responding to a comment from the game show host;
a participant about to beat another participants score;
a participant correctly answering a question;
a participant making a mistake; and
audience reactions to any possible scene.
8. The automated video editing system of claim 1 wherein constructing the current best scene further comprises segmenting portions of one or more video frames of the corresponding candidate shots and video clips and applying one or more of: digital video cropping, overlays, insets, digital zooms, and predefined backgrounds, to construct the current best scene for real-time playback.
9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for implementing the automated video editing system of claim 1.
10. A method for generating an edited output video stream for real-time viewing by one or more participants in a television-style game show, comprising using a computing device to:
receive one or more input video streams of one or more game show participants;
receive one or more input video streams of a game show host;
locate each person in each input video stream by bounding unique regions in each video stream corresponding to one or more of the located people;
determine a subset of one or more scenes from a set of predefined scenes that are appropriate for a current stage of the game show;
partition one or more of the input video streams into one or more possible candidate shots corresponding to the subset of appropriate scenes, and relative to the bounded regions in each video stream;
evaluate the possible candidate shots to identify a current best scene from the subset of appropriate scenes; and
construct the current best scene from the corresponding possible candidate shots in real-time while providing the constructed scene as an output video stream for real-time playback and viewing.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing the real-time playback of the constructed scene to a plurality of third party observers.
12. The method of claim 10 further comprising recording the real-time playback of each constructed scene for non-real-time playback of the television-style game show.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein identification of the current best scene further comprises evaluating a set of predefined cinematic rules with respect to the corresponding possible candidate shots.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the cinematic rules define desired shot criteria including one or more of:
an approximate preferred frequency of particular shot types;
a limitation of shot type repetition; and
a preferred shot sequence.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein constructing the current best scene comprises mapping one or more of the corresponding possible candidate shots to the output video stream using any combination of shot translations, scales, warps, insets, overlays, and predefined backgrounds.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein constructing the current best scene further comprises mapping one or more text labels to one or more positions within the output video stream.
17. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for automatically generating at least one output video stream for playback and viewing by participants in a real-time television-style game show, said computer executable instructions comprising:
examining one or more input video streams of participants in the game show to detect and bound faces of the participants in the input video streams;
identifying a set of possible candidate shots from each input video stream as a function of the bounded faces and a determination of whether any of the participants are speaking;
identify a set of set of possible scenes, which can be constructed from the possible candidate shots, that are appropriate for a current stage of the game show;
evaluating the set of possible scenes to identify a best current scene for the current stage of the game show as a function of a predefined set of cinematic rules; and
constructing the best scene, and providing simultaneous real-time playback of an output video stream of the constructed best scene, from the corresponding possible candidate shots.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein constructing the best scene further comprises including one or more shots of a game show host in the constructed best scene.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein constructing the best scene further comprises including one or more shots of an audience reaction in the constructed best scene.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein constructing the best scene further includes segmenting portions of one or more frames of the corresponding possible candidate shots and applying one or more of: digital video cropping, overlays, insets, digital zooms, predefined backgrounds, scalings, translations, warps, and mapped text labels to construct the output video streams.