Three-dimensional image producing method and apparatus therefor

• US 20030007193A1
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Seiji, Sekizawa, Hidehiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A center of rotation O of a camera 10 is determined on an axis 45 passing through the position between pickup target objects A, B and the camera 10 in the direction from a lens 3 to a CCD 2. Before rotation (in a first state), an optical axis 30 of the camera 10 swings to the left with the point O as center and with an angle è with respect to the axis 45, whereas after rotation (in the second state), the optical axis 30 swings to the right with the point O as center and with angle è with respect to the axis 45. The pickup target objects A, B, C form images on a pickup face 2a, respectively. In order that the formed image b₂, for example, of the image picked up after movement may coincide with the formed image b₁ of the image before movement, the image after rotation is moved in the cross direction. Then, the image before rotation and the image obtained by moving the image after rotation in the cross direction are input to a display which allows a stereovision due to binocular parallax, which are seen as a stereoscopic image.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

moving at least one of a first image picked up with a pickup apparatus in a predetermined first state and a second image picked up with the pickup apparatus in a second state different from the first state; and

adjusting a position of fusion of an object designated in the first and second images to generate a stereoscopic image.

2. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 1, characterized in that the second state is the state that the pickup apparatus which carries out pickup in the first state is moved parallel with respect to a pickup face.

3. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 1, characterized in that the second state is the state that the pickup apparatus which carries out pickup in the first state is rotated to a position where with any point on an extension of a connecting line connecting the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object on the side of the pickup apparatus as center, an optical axis of the pickup apparatus forms a predetermined angle with respect to the connecting line.

4. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 1, characterized in that condenser-type optical means are dispose between a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object, the condenser-type optical means being movable to any position holding an optical axis parallel to the optical axis of the pickup apparatus,

wherein the first state is the state before movement of the condenser-type optical means, and

wherein the second state is the state after movement of the condenser-type optical means.

5. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 1, characterized in that angle controlling means are dispose between a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object, the angle controlling means controlling an outgoing angle of light emitted to a pickup face of the pickup apparatus,

wherein the first state is the state that the outgoing angle of the angle controlling means are controlled at a first angle, and

wherein the second state is the state. that the outgoing angle of the angle controlling means are controlled at a second angle different from the first angle.

6. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 5, characterized in that the angle controlling means comprise a variable apex-angle prism.

7. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 5, characterized in that light transmitting means with a light entering face and a light exiting face formed parallel to each other are arranged on a path connecting a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object to be insertable at a predetermined angle,

wherein the first state is the state that the light transmitting means fail to be inserted on the path, and

wherein the second state is the state that the light transmitting means are inserted on the path.

8. The stereoscopic-image generating method as specified in claim 7, characterized in that the light transmitting means comprise a transparent parallel plate.

9. A stereoscopic-image generating apparatus, characterized in that it comprises:

image moving means for moving at least one of a first image picked up with a pickup apparatus in a predetermined first state and a second image picked up with the pickup apparatus in a second state different from the first state, the image moving means adjusting a position of fusion of an object designated in the first and second images to generate a stereoscopic image.

10. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that it comprises frame-image generating means for generating a frame image based on the moved at least one of the first and second images.

11. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that it comprises shift-amount setting means for setting a shift amount of the first and second images.

12. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that it comprises mode selecting means for selecting a shift mode of the first and second images.

13. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that the second state is the state that the pickup apparatus which carries out pickup in the first state is moved parallel with respect to a pickup face.

14. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that the second state is the state that the pickup apparatus which carries out pickup in the first state is rotated to a position where with any point on an extension of a connecting line connecting the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object on the side of the pickup apparatus as center, an optical axis of the pickup apparatus forms a predetermined angle with respect to the connecting line.

15. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that condenser-type optical means are dispose between a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object, the condenser-type optical means being movable to any position holding an optical axis parallel to the optical axis of the pickup apparatus,

wherein the first state is the state before movement of the condenser-type optical means, and

wherein the second state is the state after movement of the condenser-type optical means.

16. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that angle controlling means are dispose between a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object, the angle controlling means controlling an outgoing angle of light emitted to a pickup face of the pickup apparatus,

wherein the first state is the state that the outgoing angle of the angle controlling means are controlled at a first angle, and

wherein the second state is the state. that the outgoing angle of the angle controlling means are controlled at a second angle different from the first angle.

17. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 16, characterized in that the angle controlling means comprise a valuable apex-angle prism.

18. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 9, characterized in that light transmitting means with a light entering face and a light exiting face formed parallel to each other are arranged on a path connecting a pickup element of the pickup apparatus and a pickup target object to be insertable at a predetermined angle,

wherein the first state is the state that the light transmitting means fail to be inserted on the path, and

wherein the second state is the state that the light transmitting means are inserted on the path.

19. The stereoscopic-image generating apparatus as specified in claim 18, characterized in that the light transmitting means comprise a transparent parallel plate.