Stereoscopic moving pictures with two eye image duplication & positioning method and apparatus

• US 20030234909A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Arthur Collender, Robert Bruce Collender
• Original Assignee: Michael Arthur Collender, Robert Bruce Collender
• Inventors: Collender, Robert Bruce, Collender, Michael Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,180,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/7
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 25/00 Viewers, other than projection viewers, giving motion-picture effects by persistence of vision, e.g. zoetrope
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/16 by sequential viewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388

Abstract

When any observer in the audience, viewing either a television or a motion picture by our invention, receives an image of a given scene having the same relative size, shape and location on the retina of each of his two eyes at any instant and that image of the scene is stationary, the image is flat and resides at infinity. When, however, the image of the scene has some component of horizontal motion in any direction due to either motion of the camera, motion of scene objects (or both), during the acquisition of the moving scene, the image viewed is three dimensional. The reason for this is that if the motion occurs, all scene-object points are proportionally spatially located in playback since all of the original ray angles between camera and scene points are reproduced for both eyes by the ray cross-overs at the scene image points in the same proportionally relative positions as the original object points. The key is to have an identical image on the right and left eye of any given observer at nearly the same instant in time and replace this image by a succession of moving images resulting from a relative horizontal motion of the scene/camera and at a rate consistent with persistence of vision. This moving 3-D imagery occurs because of intersecting rays from successive frames in scene/camera relative motion during playback of the scene images. When the successive frames are presented, the brain cognizes the motion in linking the frames by the persistence of vision. For the brain to perceive an item as moving it must connect these various frames, but because of intersecting rays coming from any given spatial location point in successive frames, the brain cannot connect the frames without also locating the points in space. Therefore, our technology presents the scene to the brain in such a way that it can understand the depth information already contained within the image.

Claims

1. A means to have an identical image of a scene on the right and left eye of any given observer at the same instant in time and changing said image by a succession of moving images resulting from a relative horizontal motion of the scene/camera and at a rate consistent with persistence of vision causing intersecting rays from any given object location point in said scene to determine the spatial location of said object location point in said scene in the playback of the scene while allowing the brain to cognize the depth information already contained in said succession of moving images as it cognizes the motion contained in said succession of moving images by means of persistence of vision

2a. a. A means for recording sequential views of a scene with a motion picture camera in a manner such that between each sequential view recorded, some component of horizontal relative motion takes place between said camera and said scene

9. The method of claim 2a wherein said multiple sequential views of a scene are captured by a motion picture camera having a component of horizontal motion

11. The method of claim 2a wherein said multiple sequential views of a scene are captured from a stationary motion picture camera and scene objects having a component of horizontal motion

2b. b. A means for reproducing said recorded sequential views of said scene onto a screen to be viewed by plural observers, said screen or image of said screen appearing to be at a great distance from said plural observers such that all eyes of said plural observers see the same image of said recorded sequential views of said scene at the same time

4. A reproduction apparatus of claim 2b that provides said image of said sequential views of said scene at great distance from said plural observers, comprised of:

a stationary flat screen at the rear of said plural observers;

a segmented spherically concaved mirror in front of said plural observers reflecting said image of said sequential views of said scene from said screen such that all said plural observers see said sequential views of said scene reflected in said segmented spherically concaved mirror and collimated as though appearing to be at great distance from said plural observers

5. A reproduction apparatus of claim 2b that provides said image of said recorded sequential views of a scene at great distance from said plural observers by means of said screen being physically located at a great distance from said plural observers

6. A reproduction apparatus of claim 2b that provides said sequential views of a scene at a great distance from said plural observers by means of a wedge prism over one eye of each of said plural observers although said screen, on which said sequential views of a scene are formed, is at close proximity to said plural observers

7. An apparatus for displaying stereoscopic motion pictures to said plural observers as described in claim 4, said apparatus including:

said screen located substantially at the focal surface of said concaved mirror and located behind said plural observers;

a segmented spherically concaved mirror in front of said plural observers, said concaved mirror made of smaller mirror tiles with top and bottom of said mirror tiles having ledges on said mirror tile back side, said ledges containing slots;

said ledges pointed toward said concaved mirror'"'"'s center of curvature;

each of said mirror tiles attached to a diving board having two spaced holes to receive the prods of a U-shaped pin through said diving board holes and said slots in said mirror tile ledges;

said diving board attached by bolts to a node of a geodesic structure having multiple nodes and struts to make up the entire geodesic structure;

each of said nodes to support a portion of the weight of two of said mirror tiles and to locate the top of a third said mirror tile so as to keep said mirror tiles at the proper attitude in said geodesic structure;

each of said mirror tiles to attach to a geodesic node at each corner of the bottom of said mirror tile and a single geodesic node at the top center of said mirror tile;

said mirror tile captured to said geodesic structure by means of said U-pin through said ledge slot on said mirror tile, said U-pin continuing through said ledge slot and through said two holes in said diving board, said diving board bolted to said node of said geodesic structure

8. the shape of said mirror tile of claim 7 being a trapezoid and cut along latitude lines at said mirror tile top and bottom and along longitude lines at said mirror tile sides so as to resemble a portion of a global map between two latitudes and two longitudes

13. The method of claim 2b wherein said sequential views of said scene are rear projected onto said screen

14. The method of claim 2b wherein said sequential views of said scene are front projected onto said screen, having been horizontally reversed left to right

15. The method of claim 2b wherein the images on said screen are achieved by electronic control of passive picture elements and rear lighting

16. The method of claim 2b wherein the images on said screen are achieved by electronic control of active self emitting picture elements

17. The audience seating area in the reproducing means of claim 7 being on an inclinded floor between said screen and said concaved mirror in which the plan view of said seating area is a trapezoid shape increasing in width toward said concaved mirror

3a. a. A means for obtaining sequential views of a scene using computer graphics in a manner such that between each sequential view, some component of horizontal relative motion takes place between said sequential views and said scene

10. The method of claim 3a wherein said multiple sequential computer graphic views are obtained as though photographed by a camera having a component of horizontal motion

12. The method of claim 3a wherein said multiple sequential views of said computer graphics scene appear to be captured from a fixed location and scene objects having a component of horizontal motion

3b. b. A means for reproducing said sequential views of said computer graphics scene onto a screen to be viewed by plural observers, said screen appearing to be at a great distance from said plural observers such that all eyes of said plural observers see the same image of said sequential views of said computer graphics scene at the same time