Method and system for controlling the motion of stereoscopic cameras using a three-dimensional mouse

• US 20030112328A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geo-Rae Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Geo-Rae Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoon, Byoungyi
• Granted Patent: US 7,084,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/20 using two or more projectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• 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 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system of controlling the motion of a set of stereoscopic cameras. The method comprises displaying at least one stereoscopic image on a set of display device, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images. The method also comprises providing at least one input device indicator, and moving the at least one input device indicator from a first location to a second location on the two-dimensional plane images. The method comprises determining a location value for the second location of the device indicator, and transmitting the determined location value to a set of stereoscopic cameras located at a remote site. The method comprises receiving the determined location value at the remote site, and controlling the motion of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received location value.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the motion of a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising:

displaying at least one stereoscopic image on a set of display device, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;

providing at least one input device indicator on the two-dimensional plane images;

moving the at least one input device indicator from a first location to a second location on the two-dimensional plane images;

determining a location value for the second location of the at least one device indicator;

transmitting the determined location value to a set of stereoscopic cameras located at a remote site;

receiving the determined location value at the remote site; and

controlling the motion of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received location value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aligning each center point of a viewer'"'"'s eye lenses with each center point of the two-dimensional plane images; and

calculating location values of the center points of each of a viewer'"'"'s eye lenses based on the second location value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one input device indicator comprises a pair of mouse cursors controlled by a mouse that is in data communication wtih the display devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the calculating of the location values comprises:

setting the middle point M between the center points of the viewer'"'"'s eyes as an origin coordinate O (0, 0,

     0);

setting a distance value (d) that a viewer perceives for the displayed images;

determining a location M_L (I_L, J_L, K_L) for one mouse cursor displayed on one of the two-dimensional plane images, and a location M_R (I_R, J_R, K_R) for the other mouse cursor displayed on the other of the two-dimensional plane images;

determining a center point location M_N (I_N, J_N, K_N) between the locations M_L and M_R, wherein I_N is determined as (I_L+I_R)/2, J_N is determined as (J_L+J_R)/2, and K_N is determined as the distance value d;

determining each location of the center points of the eyes as A_3L (−

W_a/2, 0,

     0) and A_3R (W_a/2, 0,

     0), wherein W_a represents a distance between the center points of a viewer'"'"'s eyes;

calculating the distance Z_L between the A_3L point and the M_N point using Equation VII, wherein the Equation VII is as follows;

$Z_L=\sqrt{{\left(\left[I_N-\left(-\frac{W_a}{2}\right)\right]\right)}^2+{\left(\left[J_N-0\right]\right)}^2+{\left(\left[K_N-0\right]\right)}^2}=\sqrt{{\left(\left[I_N+\left(\frac{W_a}{2}\right)\right]\right)}^2+{\left(\left[J_N\right]\right)}^2+{\left(\left[K_N\right]\right)}^2};<br><br>$

 

and

determining each of the center points of the eye lenses, A_2L (x1, y1, z1) and A_2R (x2, y2, z2) using Equation VIII, wherein the Equation VIII is as follows;

$\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{x1}=\left(-\frac{W_a}{2}\right)+\frac{\left[\left(I_N+\frac{W_a}{2}\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\\ \mathrm{y1}=0+\frac{\left[\left(J_N\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\\ \mathrm{z1}=0+\frac{\left[\left(K_N\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\\ \mathrm{x2}=\left(\frac{W_a}{2}\right)-\frac{\left[\left(I_N+\frac{W_a}{2}\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\\ \mathrm{y2}=0+\frac{\left[\left(J_N\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\\ \mathrm{z2}=0+\frac{\left[\left(K_N\right)\times <br><br>S\right]}{Z_L}\end{array}$

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the setting of the distance value (d) is performed by adjusting a distance (M_d) between the mouse cursors.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling of the stereoscopic camera motion comprises:

providing a rotation axis member configured to rotate each of the stereoscopic cameras, the rotation axis member being fixed while the cameras are moving;

determining a location value for each of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received eye lens location values; and

rotating the stereoscopic cameras around the rotation axis member based on the determined camera location values such that each of the cameras follows the eye lens movement.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rotating comprises rotating the stereoscopic cameras in longitudinal and latitudinal directions.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the mouse comprises a scroll button, and wherein the determining of the distance value is performed by turning the scroll button of the mouse.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the distance between the first location and second location on the two-dimensional plane images.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the calculating of the distance comprises:

determining and storing a location value of the first location;

determining and storing a location value of the second location; and

calculating the distance between the first and second locations based on the stored location values.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a viewer with at least one of the location values.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a viewer with the distance value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing comprises displaying the distance or providing a voice signal representing the distance.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of display device comprises a unitary display device adapted to sequentially the two-dimensional plane images.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of display device comprises a pair of display devices configured to display simultaneously the two-dimensional plane images, respectively.

16. A system for controlling the motion of a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising:

a set of display device configured to display at least one stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;

an input device configured to control movement of at least one input device indicator being displayed on the two-dimensional plane images, the at least one input device indicator being configured to move to a target location on the two-dimensional plane images;

a computing device configured to determine a location value for the target location of the at least one indicator;

a transmitter configured to transmit the determined location value to a set of stereoscopic cameras;

a receiver configured to receive the location value; and

a camera controller configured to control the motion of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received location value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the set of display device is located remotely from the stereoscopic cameras.

18. A system for controlling the motion of a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising:

a set of display devices configured to display at least one stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;

an input device configured to control movement of at least one input device indicator being displayed on the two-dimensional plane images, the at least one input device indicator being configured to move to a target location on the two-dimensional plane images;

a viewing point structure defining at least one opening configured to allow tracking of movement of a viewer'"'"'s eyes, the opening being aligned with center points of each screen of the display devices;

a computing device configured to determine the target location of the at least one input device indicator and calculate location values of the center points of each of a viewer'"'"'s eyes based on the target location;

a transmitter configured to transmit the calculated location values to a set of stereoscopic cameras;

a receiver configured to receive the location values; and

a camera controller configured to control the motion of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received location values.

19. A system for controlling the motion of stereoscopic cameras, comprising:

a set of display device configured to display at least one stereoscopic image and at least one input device indicator and to determine a target location value of the at least one input device indicator, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images, the at least one input device indicator being located on the two-dimensional plane images;

a transmitter configured to transmit the determined location value to a set of stereoscopic cameras located at a remote camera site;

a receiver configured to receive the location value at the remote camera site; and

a camera controller configured to control the stereoscopic cameras based on the location value.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of display device comprises a unitary display device adapted to sequentially the two-dimensional plane images.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of display device comprises a pair of display devices configured to display simultaneously the two-dimensional plane images, respectively.

22. A system for controlling the motion of a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising:

means for displaying at least one stereoscopic image on a set of display device, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;

means for providing at least one input device indicator on the two-dimensional plane images;

means for moving the at least one input device indicator from a first location to a second location on the two-dimensional plane images;

means for determining a location value for the second location of the at least one device indicator;

means for transmitting the determined location value to a set of stereoscopic cameras located at a remote site;

means for receiving the determined location value at the remote site; and

means for controlling the motion of the stereoscopic cameras based on the received location value.