Digital image compositing system and method

A digital image compositing system comprising:

• a plurality of digital video signal inputs;
• a key signal processing system;
• a video image compositor;
• a first plurality of crosspoint switches, coupling said plurality of digital video signal inputs to said key signal processing system and to said video image compositor;
• a key input coupled through said plurality of crosspoint switches to said key signal processing system;
• a plurality of digital video signal outputs;
• and
• a second plurality of crosspoint switches, coupling said key signal processing system and said video image compositor to said plurality of digital video signal outputs;
• wherein said video image compositor has at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) said video image compositor is configured to provide user selectable randomized rounding of fractional values of digital video signals to integers over different ranges of fractional values, with fractional values outside said different ranges being rounded to a closest digit;
• and
• (ii) said video image compositor and said key signal processing system are configured to provide user selectable randomized rounding of fractional values of digital video signals to integers over different ranges of fractional values, with fractional values outside said different ranges being rounded to a closest digit.

A digital image compositing method comprising the following steps:

• selectively providing a plurality of digital video input signals including a key signal to a key signal processing means and to a video image compositor;
• processing said selected plurality of digital video input signals in said key signal processing means and processing said selected plurality of the digital video input signals in said video image compositor;
• and
• selectively providing a plurality of processed digital video output signals from said key signal processing means and from said video image compositor;
• said method including at least one set of steps selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) sub-pixel positioning by interpolation for edge blending the key signal;
• (ii) selecting different look-up table input/output characteristics for a television frame to provide different outputs for different portions of said television frame;
• (iii) processing said selected plurality of digital video input signals in said video image compositor including selecting randomized rounding of fractional values of digital video signals to integers over different ranges of fractional values, with fractional values outside said different ranges being rounded to a closest digit;
• (iv) providing a key signal, a mask signal, and a fade control signal to said key signal processing means, processing said key signal in said key signal processing means, modifying said mask signal using said fade control signal to provide a modified mask signal, and selectively using said modified mask signal to modify said key signal before and after processing of said key input signal;
• and
• (v) selectively inverting said key signal before supplying said key signal to said key signal processing means to give a selectively inverted key signal, and forming a modified key signal by processing said selectively inverted key signal in said key signal processing means.