Patent No. 5017143 Method and apparatus for producing subliminal images
Patent No. 5017143
Method and apparatus for producing subliminal images (Backus, et al., May 21, 1991)
ASSIGNEE: Popeil Industries, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA
Abstract
A method and apparatus to produce more effective visual subliminal communications. Graphic and/or text images, presented for durations of less than a video frame, at organized rhythmic intervals, the rhythmic intervals intended to affect user receptivity, moods or behavior. Subliminal graphic images having translucent visual values locally dependent on background values in order to maintain desired levels of visual contrast.
Notes:
SUMMARY
OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for producing more
effective visual subliminal images. To that end, graphic and/or text images
may be presented during a single video frame refresh, at organized rhythmic
intervals intended to affect user receptivity, moods or behavior. Such images
may have translucent or opaque visual values that are locally dependent on local
background values in order to maintain desired levels of visual contrast.
Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to display visual subliminal
images which convey information quickly and unambiguously.
A further object is to present visual subliminal images which are not dependent
on the literacy or reading ability of a viewer.
A further object is to increase the number of visual subliminal messages which
may be shown a viewer within a given period of time.
A further object is to increase the effectiveness of visual subliminal messages
by organizing their presentation rhythms to alter viewer moods or behavior,
or enhance viewer receptivity.
A further object is to increase the variety of scenes which may be used as effective
backgrounds for visual subliminal messages.
A further object is to increase allowable visual contrast of subliminal messages
with their backgrounds by reducing subliminal message appearance time.
Readers will find further objects and advantages of the invention from a consideration
of the ensuing description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying
drawings.
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There
are several ways to produce the preferred embodiment's subliminal images. One
of these is to use a video editing studio. Here a tape containing the clearly
perceptible images 22 to be used as background for the preferred embodiment's
subliminal images 24 26 28 is modified using video animation equipment to isolate
each video frame. An artist using a video frame editor adds the preferred embodiment's
subliminal images 24 26 28 to each selected frame. Once all the subliminal messages
are added, the master tape is duplicated to other VCR tapes.
Home or business users may then play the duplicate tapes back on VCRs for television
viewing of both the clearly perceptible and subliminal images.
Many variations of this preferred embodiment may easily be envisioned by someone
skilled in the art. As examples:
Any combination of features from the above could be used without others being
present.
Instead of using a VCR tape duplicated from a studio master, other media could
be used.
Also, the subliminal and background images could emanate locally from separate
sources while in use. This would mean using a local video image combiner and
possibly electronically monitoring the local visual values of the background
images to determine the local subliminal image contrast values.
The subliminal images could have chroma and use color and/or color saturation
to generate local frame contrast.
The subliminal image could be presented on raster systems having more than two
interlaced fields per video frame. In this case, subliminal image rasters would
be omitted which represented one or more refresh fields.
Successive identical subliminal images could be shown with only image shift
being used to keep them from becoming perceptible through overlap.
Subliminal images could be animated by presenting changing subliminal images
representing movement in adjoining or closely proximate video frames or fields.
Each such animated frame could have some or all of the preferred embodiment's
features.
Subliminal messages could be presented serially like the old Berma Shave road
signs. Here individual frames would present words, phrases or graphic symbols
which only make sense when linked together. An example of this is two proximate
subliminal messages, the first saying "THIN" and the second saying "IS HEALTHY".
Also, the same subliminal message could be repeated several times within the
sam video frame.
While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described,
it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications
are possible without departure from the inventive concepts herein. The invention,
therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
Comments