Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-13
2004-07-06
Vo, Cliff N. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C382S154000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06760021
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a Internet and other network-based image processing and display system and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for inputting two-dimensional images, converting the image to a three dimensional or sequential view image file with user selectable image parameters and outputting the file on a user selectable display or printer unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Various methods and apparatus for forming an image that appears to have three dimensions when viewed are known in the art. The term “three dimensions,” for purposes of this description, is for the image of an object, or arrangement of objects, to have an appearance of height, width and depth. This contrasts with conventional photographs and unmodified digital format conversions of the same, which display the dimensions of height and width but, for reasons including lack of parallax, do not display a true image of depth.
There are at least two known methods for arranging and re-formatting two-dimensional photographic images, or pluralities thereof, onto a flat medium that when viewed create an impression of depth. One is commonly known as the “3-d glasses” method. In its simplest form, a scene is photographed with two cameras, one corresponding to a person's left eye and one corresponding to a person's right eye. The developed pictures, or sequence of pictures for a movie, taken by the two cameras are then projected, one image atop the other, onto a flat screen through two respective projector lenses. The projector lenses apply a different color or polarization to the left and right image, with respect to one another, before overlaying them on the viewing screen. The viewer then wears special glasses that filter, by color or polarization, the overlaid images such that his or her left eye sees only the image from the “left eye” camera, while his or her right eye sees only the image from the right eye camera. Because of the parallax between the image seen by the left eye and right eye, the viewer senses an apparent depth, i.e., three dimensions.
There are, however, problems with the “3d glasses” method. One problem is that the viewer must wear the special glasses. Another is that many viewers become nauseated due to visual distortions when viewing the picture.
A second known method for transforming a two dimensional photograph onto a different medium which displays it to have apparent depth is the lenticular lens method. The lenticular lens method interlaces Q different images or Q viewing angles of a single image, using a raster type interlacing, and then places a sheet formed of a plurality of elongated strip lenses, or lenticules, over the raster image. The overlay is such that each lenticule or lens overlays Q raster lines. The lenticules are formed such that one image is presented to the viewer's left eye and another image is presented to the viewer's right eye. The difference between the left image and the right image approximates the parallax that the viewer would have experienced if viewing the original image in person.
The optical principles of lenticular screen imaging are well known to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art. However, referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, the principles of operation will be described.
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, a lenticular plastic
2
consists of clear plastic containing a vertical overlay of N cylindrical lenses
4
, commonly referred to as “lenticules”, on the front surface
2
a
of the plastic. These lenses
4
image light in one direction and are historically designed with their focal points on the back plane
2
b
of the plastic. The focal plane of each cylindrical lens
4
is measured from the apex
4
a
of the single refractive surface and is consequently equal to the overall thickness of the plastic sheet
2
.
FIG. 1A
also shows a top view of a typical viewing situation of a person (not numbered) looking at the plastic sheet
2
through his or right eye R and his or her left eye L. It is assumed for this example that the viewer has the average inter-pupil distance, which is 2.5 inches.
As shown in
FIG. 1A
, the viewer looks at an image at the vertical centerline VC. For ease of understanding only three of the N lenticules
4
are shown, and each is depicted with a significantly enlarged scale. As shown in
FIG. 1A
, three rays of light, labeled as a, b, and c, radiate from points under the lenticular sheet
2
labeled A, B, and C, respectively. Point A is under lenticule L
1
, point B is under lenticule L
2
and point C is under lenticule L
3
. Each of the three rays of light a, b, and c pass through the center of curvature of its respective lenticule L
1
, L
2
and L
3
and travels to the right pupil R of the viewer.
The light rays a, b and c are straight lines because they each emerge normal to the cylindrical surface
4
a
of their respective lenticules and, therefore, are not refracted. Further, as shown at
FIG. 1B
, each of the light rays emerging from point C other than the center ray c will emerge from the lenticule L
3
parallel to c. The off-center rays are parallel to c due to their respective angle of refraction at the L
3
a
surface. Therefore, all rays from points A, B and C will emerge parallel to a, b, and c. In other words, points A, B and C are imaged into infinity since they lie in the focal plane of the three lenticules.
The viewer's left eye will see points D, E, and F, by way of rays d, e, and f passing through center of the respective center of curvature of the lenticules L
1
, L
2
, and L
3
. As shown at
FIG. 1A
, the points D, E, and F are displaced horizontally on the surface
2
b
with respect to the points A, B and C.
All of the remaining lenticules (not shown) have a pair of points such as A and D of lenticule L
1
, one being visible by the viewer's right eye and the other being visible by the viewer's left eye.
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, the lenticules L
1
, L
2
and L
3
are shown in cross-section. Seen from a front view (not shown) each of the N lenticules extends a vertical length equal to the height of the screen
2
. The points A and D of
FIG. 1A
extend the same length along a narrow width. Therefore, each lenticule covers two thin vertical areas, one being visible by the viewer's right eye and the other being visible by the viewer's left eye.
When the analysis of lenticules L
1
, L
2
and L
3
is expanded to include all N lenticules of the viewed sheet
2
, it can be seen that the viewer's left eye sees one set of N vertical fine areas, one behind each lenticule, with his right eye, and a different set of N vertical fine areas with his left eye. As described above, the left and right vertical fine areas under each lenticule are horizontally displaced with respect to one another.
Referring to
FIG. 1B
the width of each of the vertical fine areas is a function of the acceptance angle, and the angle subtended by the viewer's pupil. This width is normally a small fraction of the width WL of the lenticule.
An example of the width of the vertical line areas is as follows:
Assume a lenticular sheet with an acceptance angle of 32 degrees and a viewer with ⅛″ pupils located
17
inches from the sheet, as shown in FIG.
1
A. From any given in the sheet, the viewer's pupil subtends an angle of arctan (0.125/17), which equals approximately 0.42 degrees. Hence, for this example, the viewer sees a line behind each lenticule which is 0.42/32, or 1.3% of the lenticule width.
Thus, if an image is converted into N vertical raster lines, placing one behind each of the lenticules L
1
, L
2
and L
3
, centered on points A, B, and C, respectively, and each of the remaining N-3 lines on an appropriate vertical line behind each of the remaining lenticules, the image would be visible only through the viewer's right eye. Similarly, if a second image is converted into N vertical raster lines, with one placed under each lenticule at locations corresponding to points D, E, and F, for lenticules L
1
, L
2
and L
3
, that im
Karszes William M.
Nims Jerry C.
Peters Paul F.
Orasee Corp.
Patton & Boggs LLP
Vo Cliff N.
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