Television – Stereoscopic
Reexamination Certificate
1995-07-31
2001-05-22
Le, Vu (Department: 2613)
Television
Stereoscopic
C348S043000, C348S047000, C348S053000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236428
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Present invention relates to a multi-eye image sensing, recording and reproduction apparatus, which obtains a plurality of images with parallax using a plurality of image sensing means and, more particularly to an image-signal converting apparatus for converting images for stereoscopic vision into predetermined format signals, a display device for displaying images for stereoscopic vision, and a multi-eye image recording and reproduction apparatus for recording and reproducing images for stereoscopic vision.
As the first example of stereoscopic image recording apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-283792 has introduced, a construction that performs thinning of an image for the right eye (hereinafter referred to as “right image”) and an image for the left eye (hereinafter referred to as “left image”) in line units in a vertical direction to ½, and combines the vertically-compressed ½ images for obtaining stereoscopic vision.
As the second example of stereoscopic image recording apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-245784 discloses, a construction that compresses the right image and the left image in a horizontal direction.
Generally, in television display, the resolution in a horizontal direction is higher than that in a vertical direction. Accordingly, the vertical compression as in the first example further degrades the vertical resolution. On the other hand, the horizontal compression as in the second example lowers the horizontal resolution. Both cases impair the balance between the vertical and horizontal resolutions of a television signal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situations, and has as its first object to generate a video signal with well-balanced horizontal and vertical resolution.
It is another object of the present invention to generate a video signal for easily obtaining stereoscopic vision.
It is another object of the present invention to precisely synchronize a plurality of image sensing systems using a simple construction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for easily separating a video signal combined from images taken from different views.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for displaying right and left images at positions appropriate to a user by changing display positions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for realizing display-position change using a simple construction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for changing display positions over a wider range.
It is another object of the present invention to realize an apparatus for image-sensing, recording and reproducing the sensed images for obtaining stereoscopic vision, using a simple construction.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-eye image-sensing apparatus comprising: multi-eye image-sensing means for image-sensing an object using a right and a left image-sensing means in synchronization with each other, and for generating a first image signal from the left image-sensing means, and a second image signal, from the right image-sensing means; and signal conversion means for converting the first and second image signals, obtained from the left and right image-sensing means, into a third image signal, wherein said signal conversion means includes selection means for selecting a part of the first image signal and a part of the second image signal, respectively as a first partial image and a second partial image, and wherein the third image signal contains the first and second partial images arranged in a horizontal direction. This construction converts the right and left image signals into a composite image signal where the right and left image signals, having well-balanced horizontal and vertical resolutions, are arrayed in a horizontal direction, and allows recording using an ordinary VTR and the like.
Further, the present invention provides a multi-eye image-sensing apparatus having the above construction, wherein upon arranging the first and second partial images selected by said selection means, as the third image signal, the first partial image is positioned at the right part of the third image signal, and the second partial image is positioned at the left part of the third image signal. This construction enables stereoscopic vision using a reproduced image, by a crossing method.
Further, the present invention provides an image-signal converting apparatus that inputs a first image signal and a second image signal, respectively obtained by a left image-sensing means and a right image-sensing means in synchronization with each other, and generates a third image signal from the input first and second image signals, comprising selection means for selecting a part of the first image signal and a part of the second image signal, respectively as a first partial image and a second partial image, wherein said apparatus generates the third image signal by arranging the first and second partial images, selected by said selection means, in a horizontal direction. This construction converts the right and left image signals into a composite image signal where the right and left image signals, having well-balanced horizontal and vertical resolutions, are arrayed in a horizontal direction, without increasing the size and the weight of an image-sensing apparatus, and enables recording by an ordinary VTR and the like.
Further, the present invention provides an image-signal converting apparatus having the above construction, wherein upon arranging the first and second partial images selected by said selection means, as the third image signal, the first partial image is positioned at the right part of the third image signal, and the second partial image is positioned at the left part of the third image signal. This construction enables stereoscopic vision using a reproduced image by a crossing method.
Further, the present invention provides a multi-eye image-sensing apparatus comprising: a plurality of optical means having optical axes different from each other; a plurality of solid-state image-sensing devices for converting object images, obtained by said plurality of optical means, into electric signals; image-sensing device drive means for driving said solid-state image-sensing devices; a plurality of video-signal processing means equal to the number of said solid-state image-sensing devices, for converting image signals from said solid-state image-sensing devices into predetermined video signals; reference-clock generating means for generating a reference clock of a predetermined frequency; a plurality of drive-pulse generating means respectively for supplying a drive pulse to said image-sensing device drive means; signal-processing pulse generating means for generating timing pulses for operating said plurality of video-signal processing means, based on the reference clock; and reset-signal generating means for generating reset signals to initialize said drive-pulse generating means and said signal-processing pulse generating means, wherein said plurality of drive-pulse generating means and said signal-processing pulse generating means are initialized in response to the reset signal, and wherein after initialization, said plurality of drive-pulse generating means operate in synchronization with each other, and said signal-processing pulse generating means supplies the same timing pulse to said plurality of video-signal processing means. This enables synchronization of a plurality of image sensing systems of a multi-eye image sensing apparatus, using a simple construction.
Further, the present invention provides an image-signal converting apparatus that separates a composite image signal, in which a first image signal and a second image signal are arranged in a horizontal direction within one field, into a third image signal including the first image signal and a fourth image signal including the second image signal. This
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Le Vu
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
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