Autostereoscopic pixel arrangement techniques

• US 20020011969A1
• Filed: 06/07/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny, Akka, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,671,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/30 Image reproducers optical systems for producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/349 Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307

Abstract

An autostereoscopic display system wherein an interdigitated stereogram is generated and displayed on an electronic display. The display includes a lenticular screen over the surface of the display which allows the user to observe the stereogram on the display and obtain a true stereoscopic effect. In accord with the invention, the resolution of master images is minimized and then the pixels from the master images are mapped to form the interdigitated stereogram. The optimum minimization of the resolution is obtained when the ratio of horizontal resolution to vertical resolution for the master images approximates the screen aspect ratio of the display. In this way, less computation is involved in remapping the pixels to form an interdigitated stereogram.

Claims

1. A method for generating content for an autostereoscopic display, comprising the steps of:

minimizing the resolution of master images generated by a plurality of cameras, and

mapping selected pixels from the master images to form an interdigitated stereogram.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the autostereoscopic display has a predefined screen aspect ratio, and whereby the minimizing step comprises generating each master image to have a ratio of horizontal resolution to vertical resolution approximating the screen aspect ratio.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein pixels are selected in the mapping step in correspondence with their position under a lenticule in the interdigitated stereogram.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the master image C having a pixel in position L is given by C=(1−

L)×

(N−

1), where 1 represents the far left-eye view and where N represents the far right-eye view.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising enhancing the contrast of adjacent pixels in the master images.

6. An autostereoscopic display system for generating stereoscopic images having a resolution of X by Y pixels, comprising:

N cameras each generating a master image having a resolution of approximately X/{square root}{square root over (N)} by Y/{square root}{square root over (N)};

a pixel mapper electronically coupled to the cameras, whereby selected pixels from each master images are interdigitated to form an interdigitated stereogram; and

an electronic display coupled to the pixel mapper and having a lenticular screen coupled to a surface of the display.