Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Detail of image placement or content
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2004-01-27
Wallerson, Mark (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Detail of image placement or content
C358S296000, C345S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06683699
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording plural parallax images on a recording medium for reproducing a three-dimensional image. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for interpolating shape changes between parallax images for recording.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among image printing devices, there is an image printing device
300
in which the two-dimensional image information obtained on synthesizing the image information of an imaged object with the letter or figure information is viewed on a monitor and in which the two-dimensional image information when the desired composition has been set is printed on a support. This image printing device is exemplified by an image print supplying device described in, for example, the registered Japanese Utility Model 3014733.
Such image printing device is configured as shown for example in
FIG. 1
, and includes, within the inside of a casing
306
, an image pickup device
301
, a printer
302
for recording and printing an image photographed by the image pickup device, a display device
304
for displaying an image photographed by the image pickup device
301
via a half-mirror
303
, and a memory
305
for storing the information such a as title to be synthesized to the image formed by the image pickup device
301
.
With the image printing device
300
, a two-dimensional image of an object, photographed by the image pickup device
301
, can be printed on a sole sheet as a sole seal or as plural seals divided into, for example, 16 sheets of the same picture pattern.
Meanwhile, the above-described conventional image printing device
300
has a drawback that, since the two-dimensional images, photographed once or in succession by the image pickup device
301
, are directly printed by the printer
302
, output seals are of the same picture patterns, thus lowering the amusement affording properties.
In the conventional image printing devices
300
, images are photographed in succession a plural number of times by the image pickup device
301
to produce plural two-dimensional images of different picture patterns. However, these images suffer from limited correlation among the different images, such that these images, if arrayed chronologically, are not satisfactory in the amusement affording properties.
Moreover, in the conventional image printing device
300
, output images are projected on the display device
304
during the time when a user is kept waiting until completion of printing, such that the user is able to anticipate the finished state of the seal. However, since the displayed image is the same still image, sufficient amusement affording properties cannot be provided for the user during the printing time when the user is kept waiting until completion of printing.
Moreover, the conventional image printing device
300
is configured for printing the two-dimensional image as the two-dimensional information on a seal or the like. However, there lacks such a device that is able to record the three-dimensional information as a user-friendly system, such as the above-described image printing device
300
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image printing method and apparatus having higher amusement affording properties in which the problem in the conventional method and apparatus possibly detracting from the amusement affording properties is overcome.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an image printing device for formulating the printer matter regenerating a three-dimensional image from a parallax image string made up of a plurality of parallax images having grasped an object from a plurality of viewing points, wherein the device includes interpolation means for interpolating shape changes between images making up a plurality of sets of parallax image strings to generate a plurality of interpolated images to generate an interpolated parallax image string including these interpolated images, the interpolated parallax image string having the parallax information, and wherein the device further includes printing means for recording respective images making up the interpolated parallax image string generated by the interpolation means on a recording medium for formulating the printed matter reproducing a three-dimensional image.
With the image printing device, according to the present invention, the shape changes between images making up plural sets of the parallax image strings are interpolated to produce the printed matter which regenerates a three-dimensional image derived from the produced interpolated parallax image string.
Also, with the present image printing device, the imaging from respectively different plural viewing points of the object is repeated a number of times to formulate the printed matter which regenerates the three-dimensional image derived from the produced interpolated parallax image string.
With the present image printing device, the object is imaged a plurality of numbers of times to generate plural sets of the parallax image strings and shape changes between images making up the parallax image strings are interpolated.
The image printing device according to the present invention also includes inputting means for inputting the information necessary for interpolation by the interpolation means, and display means for displaying an image. The inputting means is capable of inputting analog quantities, while the interpolation means is capable of generating a plurality of sets of parallax image strings the degree of interpolation of which has been changed. The display means demonstrates interpolated images obtained on changing the degree of interpolation of shape changes between the images making up the parallax image string responsive to the input information from the inputting means.
With the present image printing device, an interpolated image, the degree of interpolation of which is changed in dependence upon the input information, can be displayed.
The image printing device further includes imaging mans for imaging an object, and storage means having stored therein a parallax image string. The interpolating means uses, as the plural sets of the parallax image strings from which the interpolated parallax image string is to be derived, a parallax image string made up of a plurality of parallax images, obtained on imaging the object from a plurality of different viewing points by the image pickup means, and a parallax image string stored in the storage means.
With the present image printing device, shape changes can be interpolated not only for the parallax image string obtained on imaging the object, but also for the stored parallax image string.
The image printing device also includes storage means for storing an image; and synthesizing means for synthesizing a parallax image string made up of plural parallax images having imaged the object from plural viewing points and an image stored in the storage means to generate a synthesized parallax image string. The interpolation means employs, as at least one of the plural sets of the parallax image strings, from which is derived the interpolated parallax image string, the synthesized parallax image string generated by the synthesizing means.
With the present image printing device, the printed matter is formulated which reproduces a three-dimensional image based on a synthesized parallax image string obtained on synthesizing the imaged parallax image string and the stored parallax image string.
The present image printing device further includes image pickup means for imaging an object, and display means for displaying an image. At least one of the parallax image strings to be interpolated by the interpolating means is a parallax image string made up of a plurality of parallax images obtained on imaging the object by the image pickup means from respectively different plural viewing points. The displaying means demonstrates a photographing index image for guiding the object to its proper position prior to
Ashizaki Koji
Baba Shigeyuki
Ishimoto Ko
Kihara Nobuhiro
Shirakura Akira
Kananen Ronald P.
Radar Fishman & Grauer PLLC
Sony Corporation
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