Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Graph generating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-05
2001-01-16
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2772)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Graph generating
C382S296000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175371
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method of transforming images, in particular photographs, into stereoscopic images, and also to images and visual or audiovisual programs including sequences of images obtained by said method, in particular to motion pictures on film stock or magnetic media, and also to video games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years, the depth effect of stereoscopic images has exerted great fascination on viewers. This effect is obtained by the left eye seeing an image that is horizontally offset from the image seen by the right eye. When looking directly at three-dimensional objects, holograms, or 3D images provided with lens arrays, the offset between the images seen in each eye is due to the physical offset between the optical axes of the eyes. Unfortunately, those techniques cannot be implemented for looking at printed images suitable for being widely distributed. Other stereoscopic systems use a first image for the left eye which is made invisible to the right eye by first masking means, and a second image for the right eye which is made invisible to the left eye by second masking means.
In stereoscopic slide viewers, which are typically fitted with two identical converging lenses forming two eyepieces, an opaque partition lying in the sagittal plane between the eyes and the slides acts as masking means by preventing the left eye from seeing the image for the right eye, and vice versa.
The physical offset of the two images of the slide requires a viewer that is relatively complex and expensive in order to look at the stereoscopic image, which viewer must also be adapted to the format of the slides to be looked at. Since there is no single image, there is no simple way of looking at a two-dimensional image (without depth).
In another type of known device, masking means are provided by spectacles comprising a first polarizing filter having a first polarization placed in front of the left eye and a second polarizing filter having a second polarization that is crossed relative to the first placed in front of the right eye, thereby enabling the two eyes to see different images either simultaneously or alternately.
Polarizing filters can be replaced by shutters, e.g. liquid crystal shutters, placed in front of the eyes, with a first shutter being transparent when the second is opaque and vice versa, with the shutter cycles lasting, substantially one-thirtieth of a second, for example. To enable stereoscopic images to be seen, a computer system monitor displays images for the left eye interlaced with images for the right eye. Equipment that is complex and expensive is needed to see such stereoscopic images.
In the above cases, from the moment the pictures are taken, it is necessary to acquire two images: respectively for the left eye and for the right eye. Making a stereoscopic image from a plane image, e.g. a conventional photograph, is impossible, or at any rate extremely complex.
Finally, in known manner, the masking means may comprise a red filter placed in front of the left eye and a blue filter placed in front of the right eye. The image to be looked at comprises either a blue image for the right eye superposed on a red image for the left eye, thereby generating a good depth effect, or else a color image in which the foreground subject has red and blue fringes of considerable width on its left and right sides, thereby generating a moderate depth effect. The quality of such images is insufficient to enable the plane images (i.e. without any depth effect) to be acceptable when looked at without using colored spectacles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,359 describes a method of transforming monochrome images into stereoscopic color images by coloring the image and by adding colored elements which are offset relative to the original image.
The Applicants have discovered that stereoscopic images are looked at mainly without using spectacles, particularly when they are being looked at for selection purposes. With the exception of three-dimensional images covered in lens arrays, which technique and high price have not enabled widespread distribution, present techniques do not make it easy to look at images without using additional equipment, in particular when selecting images to be looked at and/or purchased.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide stereoscopic images that reproduce a three-dimensional effect by using means placed in front of the eyes for selecting or separating images for the left eye and for the right eye, while also making it easy to look at the image without any image separating means and with minimal reduction in the quality of the image as perceived when looked at directly (but without the three-dimensional effect).
Another object of the present invention is to provide such images that are suitable for being printed or for being viewed on any known display means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such stereoscopic images requiring means for selecting or separating images for the left eye and for the right eye that are simple and cheap.
Another object of the present invention is to provide video games or a motion picture on any possible medium and including a sequence of such stereoscopic images.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of transforming conventional two-dimensional images (having no depth effect), in particular photographs, into stereoscopic images.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method that is simple, quick to implement, and cheap.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method enabling stereoscopic images to be obtained by creating and/or transforming two-dimensional images (having no depth effect) by means of a graphics editor of known type.
According to the invention, these objects are achieved by:
separating a background of the image into color components of complementary colors, advantageously red, blue, and green;
displacing at least one of the color components relative to the others, advantageously by displacing two color components in opposite directions through a small amplitude, with the third color component, typically green, remaining stationary; and
superposing an image that forms a foreground of the image.
In a first implementation, the relative displacement is horizontal or substantially horizontal translation.
In a second implementation, the relative displacement is rotation.
In a third implementation, the relative displacement corresponds to translation combined with rotation.
The Applicants have discovered that horizontal displacement of the color components relative to one another can be combined with and/or replaced by relative rotation of at least one of the color components relative to the others. When implementing the method of the present invention, such rotation serves to emphasize the three-dimensional effect and/or to reduce possible horizontal displacement of the color components relative to one another, thereby minimizing degradation in the image perceived when it is looked at directly (without the 3D effect). In most cases, for rotations of small amplitude, the offset is not perceptible to the naked eye while nevertheless giving rise to three-dimensional images being perceived when looking through colored spectacles. In addition, rotating the color components makes it possible to improve perception of a continuous transition between various planes of the three-dimensional image.
The stereoscopic image of the invention is looked at through colored spectacles whose colors correspond to the complementary colors that are displaced in the background of the image (typically a red filter in front of the left eye and a blue filter in front of the right eye, or vice versa). Nevertheless, it should be understood that treatment using color components other than red and blue, together with appropriate filters, could be performed without going beyond the ambit of the present invention.
The main object of the invention is to provide a method of transforming i
Mac Donald Keith
Schoulz Philippe
Alston & Bird LLP
Schoulz Philippe
Stevenson Philip H.
Zimmerman Mark
LandOfFree
Process for transforming images into stereoscopic images,... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process for transforming images into stereoscopic images,..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process for transforming images into stereoscopic images,... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2478015