Optical: systems and elements – Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels – By surface composed of lenticular elements
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-20
2004-11-02
Ben, Loha (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels
By surface composed of lenticular elements
C359S618000, C359S462000, C359S464000, C359S465000, C359S466000, C348S051000, C348S054000, C348S059000, C345S419000, C345S006000, C345S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06813083
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device for reproducing a three-dimensional image with a background by use of an optical filter, which device can be used in the fields of image technology, broadcasting technology, the arts, the multimedia industry, cameras, and photographs.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional techniques for recording and reproducing three-dimensional images are generally classified into two schemes; i.e., a scheme in which a three-dimensional image is recorded by some method, and the recorded image is reproduced for direct observation by an observer; and a stereoscope scheme in which, instead of a three-dimensional image, a two-dimensional image for the right eye and a two-dimensional image for the left eye are recorded, and the recorded images are reproduced such that an observer can see the image for the right eye through his right eye and the image for the left eye through his left eye.
Typical examples of the former are holograms and integral photography; and typical examples of the latter include three-dimensional movies to be observed by use of polarization glasses, and three-dimensional televisions utilizing a lenticular sheet.
In the latter case, although an image can be observed three-dimensionally, a three-dimensional image is not reproduced, and therefore that the image does not change even when the observation position is changed, and the back side of the image cannot be seen. Therefore, the latter scheme provides pseudo-production of three-dimensional images.
In holography, which is an ideal method of recording and reproducing three-dimensional images (hereinafter referred to as 3D images), data regarding the wave front of light emitted from an object are used in order to record three-dimensional image data. Wave front data are recorded in such a manner that scattered light from an object and separately provided reference light are caused to interfere with each other to thereby form interference fringes, and the thus-formed interference fringes are recorded. Therefore, an optical system and a recording medium to be used must have a spatial resolution close to the wavelength of light, and a coherent light source such as a laser must be used at least for recording. Since interference fringes depend on wavelength, handling of color images; i.e., recording of color images, requires three lasers, for the three primary colors, and a complex configuration.
Because of the above factors, full-color holography for large screen involves considerably high cost; therefore, holography is not used for real-time display of 3D images and three-dimensional movies, although holography is presently used for mediums for recording digital data, as well as for credit cards and ornaments, in which holography can be implemented in a small scale.
Integral photography is the same as a stereoscope in the point that a three-dimensional image is obtained by means of parallax. However, whereas a stereoscope is designed to enable a user to observe images of two angles of view through respective eyes and to attain solidity from binocular parallax, in the case of integral photography, an image is observed from many angles of view in order to record images of different view angles, and the images are reproduced simultaneously in order to provide an image which changes depending on viewing position.
Therefore, such integral photography has advantages in that an image changes upon movement of the eyes and that glasses are unnecessary. Moreover, integral photography has other many advantages, which cannot be attained by use of a holograph; e.g., recording and reproduction can be effected by use of ordinary light, and a background of infinite distance can be reproduced. However, in the case of integral photography, images of all angles of view are imaged at a certain position simultaneously (of course, only portions of the images can be observed from a specific direction). When a user focuses his/her eyes on that position, the user can see the images as being located at different positions. Therefore, the focus position does not coincide with a position of a viewed image, inevitably leading to the problem of unnaturalness (e.g., even when an image can be seen to be located directly in front of a user, the user's eyes are focused on a more remote position).
Images viewed from many different angles of view can be recorded with ease by use of a micro lens array; however, when the thus-recorded images are reproduced in a reverse sequence, a user sees, from the back side, an image to be viewed from the front side (for example, when an image of a face is reproduced, the face can be seen, but the nose can been seen as being depressed). Therefore, integral photography has many drawbacks, including great labor such as cumbersome operation of reversing the image.
Meanwhile, stereoscope-type devices are often used at an exposition or a like place, and a user can enjoy stereoscopic images to some degree; however, such a stereoscope-type device, when considered as a no-glass-type device, has many imperfect portions. In addition, since pseudo-reproduction is effected after all, the stereoscopic images lack realism. Moreover, like integral photography, the stereoscope-type devices have a drawback in that a focus position does not coincide with a position of a viewed image.
As described above, no 3D image recording/reproduction device or system which is sufficiently practical exists at present, and therefore, proposal of a practical 3D image recording/reproduction device or system has been pursued.
Recording and reproduction of 3D images, in particular, motion pictures, which are the most important image information medium, are useful in many fields related to information, broadcasting, movies, and entertainment, and will become a large industry in future. Therefore, research on the recording and reproduction of 3D images has been carried out in many companies, universities, private research institutes, and public research institutes, both in Japan and overseas. However, no satisfactory device has yet been developed.
In order to break with the status quo, the present inventor has proposed a “light ray reproduction method” in which a group of images of multiple viewpoints is projected by use of an array of point light sources in order to artificially generate a group of light rays corresponding to light scattered from an object, to thereby generate a 3D image (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 10-239785). Moreover, the present inventor has proposed a “three-dimensional image reproduction device using a filter” which has improved resolution (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 11-232178). The proposed method and device resemble integral photography (hereinafter referred to as “IP”) in the point that a group of images of multiple viewpoints is used. However, the proposed method and device differ from IP in that the proposed method and device reproduce 3D images having depth and do not utilize parallax, or are rather similar to holography (when an image is photographed by use of a camera, the image is blurred except for the focused portion). The proposed method and device have succeeded in generating mostly satisfactory 3D images of simple objects.
Next, a technique which serves as the basis of the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 2
is a schematic view showing the principle of three-dimensional vision.
In
FIG. 2
, two points P and Q represent objects to be observed, and differ from each other in direction and distance. An observer
101
can detect the directions of the objects from the direction of light rays traveling toward the observer
101
and their distances from the parallax angles of the respective eyes through which the observer
101
views the point objects. Although
FIG. 2
shows a finite number of light rays, in actuality, an infinite number of light rays are present. If such light rays can be generated, the observer
101
can view the two points three-dimensionally, even when the two points P and Q are not actually present.
I
Ben Loha
Japan Science and Technology Corporation
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