Television – Stereoscopic – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-06
2001-08-07
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Stereoscopic
Picture signal generator
C348S064000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06271876
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present invention is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/672,390 filed May 29, 1996 now abandoned, entitled “A Camera for Recording Images on a Photographic Film or on Magnetic Tape” to McIntyre et al; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/738,389 filed Oct. 25, 1996 U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,412 now abandoned, entitled “Camera for Selectively Recording Images Recorded on a Photographic Film on a Magnetic Tape” to McIntyre et al; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/796,349 filed Feb. 7, 1997 now abandoned, entitled “Apparatus and Method of Producing Digital Image With Improved Performance Characteristic” to McIntyre et al; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/781,676 filed Jan. 10, 1997 U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,356 now abandoned, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Recording on Separate Film Frames Right and Left Picture-Taking Positions of Single-Lens Camera for Stereoscopic Photography” to Lungershausen et al; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/637,116, Apr. 24, 1996 U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,051 now abandoned, entitled “A Non-Photographic Strip Having a Base Layer Similar to a Photographic Filmstrip and a Magnetic Recording Layer” to McIntyre et al, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of these related applications are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of stereoscopic photography, and in particular to a method of making stereo images of a subject.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A stereo camera typically has a pair of matched taking lenses designed to take, simultaneously, two pictures of the same scene. When displayed through a suitable stereo viewing device, the two images are simultaneously observed to produce a perceived three-dimensional representation of the scene.
The desired spacing from two different viewpoints requires that the images be spaced by the same distance on a roll of film. In order to maximize the number of images on a roller film, for example, a 35 mM roll of film, the images are typically exposed in an interleaved fashion. Even with this efficient interleaving approach, not all of the useable film is used, thus limiting the number of exposures that can be made on a roll of film. The constraint of image spacing (74 mM) and image interleaving, coupled with the desire to achieve good image quality, results in a film image size that is smaller in size (24 mM height×22 mM width) and is in a vertical or portrait format. As most scenes better lend themselves to a horizontal or landscape format, the aspect ratio of stereo images is often not esthetically pleasing. It should be noted that stereo cameras cannot be rotated since the line of the two lenses must be parallel to the ground to achieve the desired stereo effect.
The problem of image spacing has been overcome by utilizing a non-film stereo recording device such as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,078 to Paxton wherein a compact still video camera with two sensors is used to capture spaced images of the same scene. However, the image quality of still video cameras is low compared to film cameras.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide stereo images which eliminate the above mentioned problems such as aspect ratio, number of shots per roll, and display stereo image quality.
This object is achieved in a method of making a stereo image of a scene, comprising the steps of:
a) capturing and digitizing a first image of the scene in a first image capture medium;
b) capturing and digitizing a second image of the same scene but from a displaced position from which the first and second image was captured on a second different image capture medium; and
c) producing visual images of the first and second captured digital images which, to a viewer, provides a stereo image of the scene.
ADVANTAGES
In addition to overcoming the above mentioned problems, the present invention, by capturing two different images on two different media, utilizes the benefits of both capture media. For example, by using a hybrid camera with film capturing one view and an electronic sensor capturing the other view, the electronic image capture can be used as an instant preview. This preview of the scene can then be used to make subsequent decisions such as should this be a stereo scene upon display? Does the image need re-taken due to an unacceptable composition or other problems?
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Loveridge Jennifer C.
McIntyre Dale F.
Weldy John A.
Eastman Kodak Company
Garber Wendy R.
Owens Raymond L.
Wilson Jacqueline
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