Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Image superposition by optical means – Operator body-mounted heads-up display
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-19
2001-06-12
Luu, Matthew (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Image superposition by optical means
Operator body-mounted heads-up display
C345S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246382
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the presentation of images and, more particularly, to the presentation of successive images.
BACKGROUND ART
Virtual reality, immersive simulation, artificial reality, telepresence, virtual world, virtual environment and similar terms are used to describe a viewer-display interface in which successive images are presented and controlled as to content by gestures, by walking around, looking around and using the viewer's hands to simulate the manipulation of objects. But since the images are effectively presented at infinity there is a problem in presenting such images of near objects without discomfort in the viewer's eyes. When close objects are presented, the feeling of discomfort arises because an image at infinity is viewed with accommodation for infinity with a high degree of convergence of the viewer's eyes. This sense of discomfort makes such a presentation of successive images hard to accept and is not easy to look at, especially for long periods. It would be advantageous to be able to provide both close and distant successive images for virtual reality without discomfort.
In the past, a static kind of virtual reality was provided by the parlor stereoscope. It was used to present stereograms taken from differing perspectives corresponding to the separation between human eyes, more or less, to provide a striking illusion of depth. Since such stereograms typically show a distant scene there is little discomfort to the human visual apparatus. However, if “near” objects are presented, as above, the same discomfort arises.
On the other hand, stereo image pairs are now increasingly used for various purposes, including everything from motion pictures to clinical diagnosis. In recent years, the presentation of successive stereopair images has been by means of television. These images have also typically presented both near and far objects as if from infinity. It would be advantageous to be able to provide virtual reality and similar successive image techniques in stereo embodiments that would enable viewing of close “objects” but would eliminate discomfort arising from viewing such close “objects” imaged as if from infinity.
As known, computer imaging calls for extraordinarily high amounts of memory. Virtual reality also suffers from very high speed demands. In fact, there is unfortunately a perceptible lag in the image response of present day hardware. In other words, the viewer will execute movements that will call for changes in the content of the images presented but the hardware will only be able to provide such changed images to the viewer after a delay that makes the viewer wait for the images to “catch up.” See
Looking Glass Worlds
, by Ivars Peterson,
Science News
, Jan. 4, 1992, Vol. 141, No. 1, pp. 8-10, 15. It would be advantageous to speed up the process and reduce or eliminate the lag.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a new method and means of presenting images in succession.
Another object of the present invention is to provide successive images of the scene closer to the viewer so as to allow the close examination of imaged objects.
Still another object of the present invention is to present such images without viewer discomfort.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the successive images are provided at various apparent distances such that a viewer's eye may accommodate to focus on the successive images at the various apparent distances.
In further accord with the first aspect of the present invention, the various apparent distances are selected in such a way as to substantially preserve a normal relationship between accommodation and distance.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, additional successive images are provided at the various apparent distances such that a viewer's eyes may accommodate stereoscopically to focus on the successive images and the additional successive images at the various apparent distances.
In further accord with this second aspect of the present invention, the various apparent distances are selected so as to preserve a normal relationship between accommodation and convergence for the viewer. In this way, the viewer's versions at the various depths within the image space correspond closely to the way in which the viewer would normally acquire visual information in real object spaces.
Still further in accordance with this second aspect of the present invention, the successive optical images are provided from at least one image source for presentation to at least one of the viewer's eyes and wherein the additional successive optical images are provided from at least another image source for presentation to at least one of the viewer's eyes.
Alternatively, in still further accord with this second aspect of the present invention, the successive optical images and the additional successive optical images are provided from a single image source and wherein the successive optical images are for presentation to at least one of the viewer's eyes and wherein the additional successive optical images are for presentation to at least one of the observer's eyes.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, the images provided are mixed images for permitting a less intensive use of memory and bandwidth thereby enabling a speedup in the imaging process.
A “mixed image” comprises one or more images having areas of greater and lesser resolution together being simulative of foveal resolution. For example, such may comprise both highly detailed and lesser detailed portions or, alternatively, in the sense that individual images may individually be of uniform but different resolutions, i.e., may be either highly or lesser detailed, but together such images may be interleaved in some convenient manner, not necessarily alternately, to form a series of images which have the same effect as a series of images with different resolutions in each. A “mixed image signal” is an image signal conditioned so as to produce a mixed image.
The present invention provides a new approach to the presentation of successive optical images of an object space at various apparent distances to a viewer in an image space. The various apparent distances may be controlled by the viewer's eyes which perceive the images as objects, seemingly putting the viewer inside a virtual object space. Or, in a passive embodiment, the various apparent distances are controlled by a cameraman or some other agent (which may include a computer) at the time of image acquisition or formation.
The present invention may be used in a wide variety of applications including entertainment, education and others in which the viewing of successive viewing is appropriate. The manner of presentation is so realistic and such a radical departure from present approaches that viewers are better able to suspend disbelief that the images are not real.
By way of example and not limitation, the successive images may be presented to a screen for viewing by a viewer such as is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,515,450 & 4,427,274 or PCT Patent WO 86/01310 in conjunction with, e.g., a pair of light shutter or polarizer glasses such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,529, or may be provided via image sources in a helmet for mounting on a viewer's head in an approach suggested by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,636,866, or 4,310,849, or many other possible presentation approaches including but not limited to others described below.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of a detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof which follows, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4181408 (1980-01-01), Senders
patent: 4300818 (1981-11-01), Schachar
patent: 5125733 (1992-06-01), Lee
patent: 5175616 (1992-12-01), Milgram et al.
patent: 5252950 (1993-10-01), Saunders et al.
patent: 5363241 (1994-11-01), Hegg et al.
patent: 5365370 (1994-11-01), Hud
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