Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-02
2001-09-04
Vo, Cliff N. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S418000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285368
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display system including an image display apparatus which allows an observer to observe a stereoscopic image by using the parallax between the right and left eyes of the observer and a control apparatus for controlling the display apparatus, and a control method therefor and, more particularly, to an image display system for providing an operation environment for comfortable stereoscopic display, an image display apparatus and an information processing apparatus in the system, and a control method and a storage medium used in the apparatuses.
2. Related Background Art
A lenticular scheme and a parallax barrier scheme have been proposed as schemes for stereoscopic image display apparatuses using neither shutter glasses nor polarization glasses. In these apparatuses, special optical elements such as lenticular lenses and parallax barriers are generally placed on the front surface sides of display devices. These special optical elements are relatively inexpensive and exhibit high productivity. A simple stereoscopic image display apparatus can be easily constituted by a combination of such an optical element and a 2D display. These schemes are means especially effective for liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) and the like having flat display surfaces.
For example, the parallax barrier scheme is disclosed in S. H. Kaplan, “Theory of Parallax Barriers.”, J. SMPTE, Vol. 59, No. 7, pp. 11-21 (1952). According to this scheme, a vertically striped image obtained by alternately arranging at least right and left images of a plurality of parallax images from a plurality of viewpoints into a vertically striped pattern is observed through a slit pattern (called a parallax barrier) having predetermined opening portions placed at a predetermined distance from this image. With this operation, the right and left images of the vertically striped image are independently observed with the right and left eyes. As a result, parallax images corresponding to the right and left eyes are observed with the right and left eyes, thus realizing a stereoscopic view.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 3-119889 and 5-122733 disclose stereoscopic display apparatuses in which a parallax barrier is electronically generated by a transmission type liquid crystal display device and the like, and the shape and position of each stripe are variably controlled to improve the compatibility with conventional 2D image display apparatuses.
FIG. 11
shows the basic arrangement of the stereoscopic image display apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-119889. This stereoscopic image display apparatus includes a transmission type liquid crystal display apparatus
11
for displaying parallax images and an electronic parallax barrier
13
constituted by a transmission type liquid crystal display placed on the liquid crystal display apparatus
11
through a spacer
12
having a thickness D. A parallax barrier pattern is displayed on the electronic parallax barrier
13
. Note that a stereogram having, for example, right and left parallax images alternately arranged into a vertically striped pattern is displayed on the liquid crystal display apparatus
11
. The spacer
12
is made of transparent glass, acrylic resin, or the like.
In this stereoscopic image display apparatus, a vertically striped image consisting of parallax images sensed from two or more directions is displayed on the liquid crystal display apparatus
11
, and a parallax barrier pattern is formed at an arbitrary position on the barrier surface of the electronic parallax barrier
13
upon designation of X and Y addresses by a control means such as a microcomputer
14
, thereby allowing a stereoscopic view based on the principle of the above parallax barrier scheme.
In this apparatus, when the display of the parallax barrier pattern on the electronic parallax barrier
13
is stopped to make the entire image display area of the electronic parallax barrier
13
colorless and transparent, 2D image display can be performed. The compatibility between 2D display and 3D display is realized in this manner.
An apparatus capable of performing mixed display of 3D and 2D images within a single plane is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-122733. In this apparatus, as shown in
FIGS. 12A and 12B
, a barrier striped pattern can be generated in the entire area or a partial area of the electronic parallax barrier
13
.
When a 3D display capable of performing mixed display of 2D and 3D images is to be used, a system for controlling 2D and 3D display areas in accordance with the needs of the user is required. When the image information generated by a computer is to be displayed, in particular, it becomes necessary to draw several windows on the screen of the display apparatus and selectively set the 2D and 3D display modes in units of windows. No conventional computer systems can serve such a purpose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an image display system for providing an operation environment for allowing proper setting of a display area for a 3D image in an image display apparatus capable of performing mixed display of 2D and 3D images, and an image display apparatus and an information processing apparatus in the system.
It is another object of the present invention to allow setting of a display mode indicating whether to perform mixed display of 2D and 3D images so as to allow more flexible setting of mixed display.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow setting of 2D and 3D image display modes in units of windows in displaying a plurality of windows.
It is still another object of the present invention to allow automatic display setting for 2D and 3D display modes in units of windows by using information about windows which is exchanged between an operating system and an application program.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image display system including an image display apparatus capable of mixed display of 2D and 3D images, comprising first generation means for generating image data to be displayed on the image display apparatus, second generation means for generating area information indicating a 3D image area of the image data generated by the first generation means, and control means for controlling 2D image display and 3D image display performed by the image display apparatus, on the basis of the area information.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the above image display system further comprises third generation means for generating display mode information indicating whether to perform mixed display of 2D and 3D images, and the control means controls 2D image display and 3D image display performed by the image display apparatus when the display mode information indicates execution of mixed display.
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the above image display system, the image data corresponds to multi-window display, and the second generation means acquires information about window display which is to be exchanged between an application program and an operating system, and generates the area information on the basis of the information about window display.
In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided an image display apparatus and an information processing apparatus suited to the above image display system.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a control method for the above image display system, image display apparatus, and information processing apparatus.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5875055 (1999-02-01
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Vo Cliff N.
LandOfFree
Image display system and image display apparatus and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image display system and image display apparatus and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image display system and image display apparatus and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2512695