Television – Stereoscopic – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-22
2001-05-15
Kelley, Chris (Department: 2613)
Television
Stereoscopic
Picture signal generator
C396S324000, C352S058000, C352S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233003
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a parallax image input apparatus. This invention particularly relates to a novel apparatus for acquiring a plurality of images having parallax.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Techniques for detecting the information concerning the depth direction of an object by utilization of parallax images and restoring the information belong to the field of “computer vision” or “image understanding” in research of image processing. The techniques are considered as being important for realization of artificial visual functions.
As techniques for inputting parallax images, various techniques utilizing two cameras, which are located so as to simulate the binocular vision of the human, have heretofore been proposed. Such techniques are described in, for example, “Computer Vision” by Koichiro Deguchi, Maruzen, pp. 83-88, and “Image Processing Handbook” by Morio Ogami, Shokodo, pp. 395-397. Techniques utilizing three or more cameras have also been proposed. The techniques utilizing three or more cameras are described in, for example, “Object Detection Using Multiview Stereo Images” by Omori and Morishita, SICE collected papers, Vol. 18, 7, pp. 716-722, July 1982; “Recognition of Three-Dimensional Object Using Multiple Images” by Masahiko Taniuchida, Nikkei Mechanical, Vol.157, pp.82-91, January 1984; “Stereo Vision Corresponding Points Processing with Trinocular Images” by Itoh and Ishii, 29'th national meeting of Information Processing Society of Japan, 2M-3, September 1984; and “Trinocular Vision Stereo” by Ota and Ikeda, ibid., 2M-4. These techniques are referred to as the compound eye stereoscopic techniques.
However, the aforesaid proposed techniques have the practical drawbacks in that the apparatuses cannot be kept small in size and cheap in cost, and in that complicated adjustments are required with regard to the direction of each camera, the focusing point of each camera, and other factors.
Further, as different techniques for inputting parallax images, techniques for successively moving a single camera and thereby acquiring parallax images have been proposed. Such techniques are described in, for example, “Determining Three-Dimensional Structure From Image Sequences given by Horizontal and Vertical Moving Camera” by Yamamoto, collected papers of The Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan, Vol. J69-D, No. 11, 1631; “Depth measurement by motion stereo” by R. Nevatia, Comput. Graphics Image Process., Vol. 9, pp. 23-214, 1976; “Depth from camera motion in a real world scene” by T. D. Williams, IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., PAMI-2, pp. 511-516, 1980. With the proposed techniques, parallax images are obtained as time series continuous images. The proposed techniques are referred to as the motion stereoscopic techniques. With the motion stereoscopic techniques, parallax images seen from a markedly larger number of viewpoints than in the aforesaid compound eye stereoscopic techniques can be obtained. A plurality of parallax images, which have been sampled at a high density such that they may have only a slight parallax, are referred to as the continuous parallax images. With the motion stereoscopic techniques, since it is sufficient for only a single camera to be used, the problems with regard to the adjustments of the cameras with respect to one another, the matching of the camera positions, and the like, as in the aforesaid compound eye stereoscopic techniques can be avoided.
However, with the motion stereoscopic techniques, since the camera must be successively translated to positions having been set previously, it is necessary for a large-scale translation mechanism to be used. In general, a track, such as a rail, is constructed, or an accurate moving stage is located. Also, a drive device for translating the camera is used. Thus the motion stereoscopic techniques require complicated mechanisms, and therefore cannot be practical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a parallax image input apparatus having a simple constitution for obtaining parallax images seen from a plurality of viewpoints, the parallax images being used in detecting and restoring information, which concerns a depth direction of an object, and in reconstructing a stereoscopic image signal carrying the depth information.
The present invention provides a parallax image input apparatus for acquiring a plurality of images seen from different viewpoints, comprising:
i) an image forming means for forming images of the external world,
ii) a parallax image pickup means for selectively imaging pieces of image information, which have passed through different positions in the image forming means, and converting the pieces of image information into image signals, and
iii) an image recording means for recording the image signals, which have been obtained from the parallax image pickup means.
In the parallax image input apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the image forming means may be an optical lens, which forms an optical image.
Also, the parallax image pickup means may comprise:
a) a light amount control means for determining a light transmission range at a pupil plane of the optical lens,
b) a light transmission range control means for the light amount control means, the light transmission range control means translating the light transmission range of the light amount control means in a direction parallel to the pupil plane of the optical lens, such that only the image information passing through a specific position in the image forming means may be selectively transferred, and
c) an imaging means for imaging the image information, which has been transferred by the light amount control means, and converting the image information into an image signal.
By way of example, the light amount control means may be a light shutter. In such cases, the light transmission range control means may be a drive circuit for the light shutter.
Alternatively, the parallax image pickup means may comprise:
a) an image forming element group, which is composed of a plurality of image forming elements, each of the image forming elements forming an image of one of different portions of an image, which has been formed on a first image plane by the image forming means, on a second image plane, and
b) an imaging means, which has a plurality of small regions located on the second image plane so as to correspond to the plurality of the image forming elements,
each of the small regions of the imaging means having a single picture element area or a plurality of picture element areas, and converting the image information, the image of which has been formed, into an image signal.
In such cases, the imaging means may comprise a plurality of imaging elements, and each of the imaging elements may have an imaging plane, which corresponds to one of the small regions.
Also, in such cases, the image forming element group may be a lens array, which has refracting power in two-dimensional directions. Alternatively, the image forming element group may be a cylindrical lens array, which has refracting power only in a one-dimensional direction.
Further, the imaging means may simultaneously image a plurality of pieces of image information, which have passed through different positions in the image forming means. Alternatively, the imaging means may successively image a plurality of pieces of image information, which have passed through different positions in the image forming means.
Furthermore, the imaging means may be a photoelectric conversion imaging means (such as a CCD image sensor) or a photochemical reaction imaging means (such as silver halide photographic film).
Effects of the parallax image input apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be described hereinbelow.
Firstly, the principle of how the continuous parallax images are acquired will be described hereinbelow.
FIG. 1
shows how images of the external world are formed on an imaging device by a single image forming l
An Shawn S.
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Kelley Chris
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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