Television – Stereoscopic – Stereoscopic display device
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-04
2001-10-16
Rao, Andy (Department: 2613)
Television
Stereoscopic
Stereoscopic display device
C348S052000, C348S042000, C348S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304286
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stereoscopic display apparatus for supplying right and left two images with a difference between visual angles of both eyes to stereoscopic image display means, thereby stereoscopically displaying the images by the stereoscopic image display means.
2. Description of Background Information
A system for stereoscopically displaying an image can be mainly classified into two kinds of a multi-eye type stereoscopic video system and a double-eye type stereoscopic video system.
The multi-eye type stereoscopic video system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Kokai (laying open) Nos. 6-269025, 4-344795, and 6-148763.
FIG. 1
shows an example of a stereoscopic display apparatus using this multi-eye type stereoscopic video system.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a camera group
2
comprising four cameras
2
a
to
2
d
is arranged so that a distance between the adjacent cameras is generally equal to an interval between human eyes, and the camera group
2
shoots a dice
1
as an object. Video signals of the dice
1
taken by the cameras
2
a
to
2
d
are regularly supplied to a video image display apparatus
3
(for example, liquid crystal display apparatus) in accordance with the order of arrangement of the cameras, respectively. A solid video image of the dice
1
is observed from the front side of a lenticular lens
4
.
For example, video images seen by an observer
5
from a front position
5
a
are video images taken by the cameras
2
a
and
2
b
and the dice
1
is observed as a stereoscopic image like an image
6
a
. The video images seen by the observer
5
who has moved to a position
5
b
on the left-hand side are video images taken by the cameras
2
a
and
2
c
and the dice
1
is observed as a stereoscopic image like an image
6
b
. Similarly, when the observer
5
moves to a position
5
c
on the right side, a stereoscopic image
6
c
of the dice
1
which is obtained from the cameras
2
b
and
2
d
is observed.
As mentioned above, in the case of the multi-eye type image display apparatus, when the observer
5
moves along the video image display apparatus in front of the apparatus, the observer sees the video images taken at a position that is equivalent to the position where he has moved. The observer, consequently, can see the video image as if he observed a real image of the object.
The stereoscopic video system has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Kokoku No. 6-34528 and Japanese Patent Kokai No. 61-23116.
FIG. 2
shows a stereoscopic display apparatus using the double-eye type stereoscopic video system. Video signals obtained by shooting the dice
1
by the left and right two cameras
2
a
and
2
b
can be observed by using the video image display apparatus
3
.
According to the stereoscopic display apparatus of the multi-eye type, although the object can be displayed on a screen as a natural form, the apparatus increases in size and becomes complicated and the range of its uses is limited in spite that there is an effective use value in such fields as the product development and education using a stereoscopic image.
According to the double-eye type, as shown in
FIG. 2
, since the video signals obtained by the two cameras
2
a
and
2
b
arranged for the left and right eyes are merely observed by two eyes, although the dice
1
can be observed as a solid video image, even if the observer
5
moves to the left side
5
b
, front
5
a
, and right side
5
c
in front of the video image display apparatus
3
, only the video image
6
a
observed at the (front) position
5
a
is always obtained as a video image that is derived from the video image display apparatus
3
. More particularly, the video images
6
b
and
6
c
which are obtained by the multi-eye type as shown in
FIG. 1
cannot be obtained. As mentioned above, according to the double-eye type, although the object can be observed as a stereoscopic image, it is limited to a range of the stereoscopic video images obtained by shooting the object by two cameras. A video image corresponding to the movement of the viewing point position in association with the motion of the face of the observer or the movement of the observer as in the case of the multi-eye type cannot be obtained.
Therefore, although it is sufficient to use the double-eye type image display apparatus for images if it is targeted to merely stereoscopically observe the object as in the case of a scenery, a flower garden, or the like, a desired target cannot be accomplished with the double-eye type image display apparatus as in the case of an application such that an automobile is examined as a solid structure that is seen from many positions of different viewing angles, and the like situations.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a stereoscopic display apparatus in which when a position of an viewing point of an observer moves, a stereoscopic image similar to that observed at the moved position can be derived.
To accomplish the above problems, according to the invention, there is provided a stereoscopic display apparatus for supplying right and left two images having a difference between viewing angles of both eyes, to stereoscopic image display means, thereby stereoscopically displaying the images by the stereoscopic image display means, comprising: image generating means for generating a plurality of images according to a plurality of viewing point positions for the stereoscopic image display means; position detecting means for detecting the position of the viewing point of the observer who observes the images which are stereoscopically displayed; and selecting means for selecting images corresponding to the viewing point position detected by the position detecting means from the image generating means and for supplying them to the stereoscopic image display means.
Among the above-described means, the viewing point position of the observer is detected by the position detecting means and the images corresponding to the detected viewing point position are selected by the selecting means from the plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of viewing point positions which are generated from the image generating means and are supplied to the stereoscopic image display means, thereby stereoscopically displaying the image.
Even if the viewing point position of the observer is moved, therefore, the position detecting means detects the viewing point position and the images according to the viewing point position are selected and stereoscopically displayed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4959641 (1990-09-01), Bass
patent: 5311220 (1994-05-01), Eichenlaub
patent: 5349379 (1994-09-01), Eichenlaub
patent: 5495576 (1996-02-01), Ritchey
patent: 5502481 (1996-03-01), Dentinger et al.
patent: 5537144 (1996-07-01), Faris
patent: 5541641 (1996-07-01), Shimada
patent: 5552840 (1996-09-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 5644427 (1997-07-01), Omori et al.
patent: 5703717 (1997-12-01), Ezra et al.
patent: 5771066 (1998-06-01), Barnea
patent: 5818399 (1998-10-01), Omori et al.
patent: 5966167 (1999-10-01), Nose et al.
patent: 6014164 (2000-01-01), Woodgate
patent: 6040807 (2000-03-01), Hamagishi
patent: 61-23116 (1986-01-01), None
patent: 6-34528 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 6-148763 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 6-269025 (1994-09-01), None
patent: 4-344795 (1994-12-01), None
Kato Noriyasu
Matsushita Tomohiko
Shirai Kazuyuki
Yoshioka Takayuki
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Pioneer Electronic Corporation
Rao Andy
LandOfFree
Stereoscopic display apparatus for generating images in... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Stereoscopic display apparatus for generating images in..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Stereoscopic display apparatus for generating images in... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2581534