Autostereoscopic display with planar pass-through

• US 20060284974A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny, Feldman, Mark H., Schisser, Jerilynn, Akka, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/178 Metadata, e.g. disparity information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/317 using slanted parallax optics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/359 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/72 Modifying the appearance of television pictures by optical filters or diffusing screens

Abstract

A method and system for presenting both autostereoscopic images and planar images in a single display is disclosed. The design comprises processing the planar images received in the form of planar image data. The processing comprises at least one from a group comprising selectively employing bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through a lens sheet comprising slanted lenticules, selectively introducing blurring into the planar image data, and selectively employing anti-alias processing to the planar image data. Certain super pixels may be computed that differ from standard pixels, and lenticules in the data sheet may be slanted at desired angles. The physical lenticules may cause bleed-through that may be processed. Resolution may be computed after processing, and the resolution implemented for display. Mode switching between planar and autostereoscopic imaging may be provided in the form of Metadata or visible flags.

Claims

1. A method for presenting both autostereoscopic images and planar images in a single display, comprising:

processing the planar images received in the form of planar image data, comprising at least one from a group comprising;

selectively employing bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through a lens sheet comprising slanted lenticules;

selectively introducing blurring into the planar image data; and

selectively employing anti-alias processing to the planar image data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing a mode switch indicator comprising one from a group comprising:

Metadata indicating mode switching is desired; and

a visible flag indicating mode switching is desired;

wherein employing the mode switch indicator causes switching between autostereoscopic and planar display modes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing overall resolution of data received; and

implementing the resolution computed for displaying on the display;

wherein said computing and implementing occur subsequent to said planar image processing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selectively introducing blurring comprises lowpass filtering the image data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing comprises:

initially dividing display space for the display into a plurality of super pixels;

computing super pixel dimensions; and

computing planar image data based on super pixel dimensions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one from a group comprising:

computing a Winnek angle for lenticules to be employed with the display; and

computing lenticule slant differing from the Winnek angle for lenticules to be employed with the display;

wherein Winnek angle computing and lenticule slant computing occur before said processing, and said processing accounts for Winnek angle and lenticule slant.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said processing accounts for bleed-through resulting from imperfect optics employed with lenticules used with the display.

8. A system for providing autostereoscopic images and planar images, comprising:

a display configured to receive autostereoscopic and planar images;

a lens sheet positioned proximate the display comprising a plurality of lenticules slanted at an angle from vertical; and

a processor configured to process the planar images received in the form of planar image data, said processor configured to perform at least one from a group comprising;

selectively employ bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through the lens sheet;

selectively introduce blurring into the planar image data; and

selectively employ anti-alias processing to the planar image data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to employ a mode switch indicator comprising one from a group comprising:

Metadata indicating mode switching is desired; and

a visible flag indicating mode switching is desired;

wherein employing the mode switch indicator causes switching between autostereoscopic and planar display modes.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to compute overall resolution of data received, and the system further comprises computer hardware configured to implement the resolution computed for displaying on the display.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said selectively introducing blurring comprises lowpass filtering the image data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

initially divide display space for the display into a plurality of super pixels;

compute super pixel dimensions; and

compute planar image data based on super pixel dimensions.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein lenticule slant for the lens sheet comprises computing a Winnek angle for the lenticules and computing any lenticule slant differing from the Winnek angle based on planar image characteristics.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to account for bleed-through resulting from imperfect optics employed with lenticules used with the display.

15. A method for displaying autostereoscopic images in an autostereoscopic mode and planar images in a planar mode of a display, comprising:

computing a set of initial parameters based on physical characteristics of a lens sheet employed with the display; and

processing the planar images received in the form of planar image data, said processing comprising at least one from a group comprising;

selectively employing bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through the lens sheet;

selectively introducing blurring into the planar image data; and

selectively employing anti-alias processing to the planar image data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said bleed-through processing comprises spreading out pixel information among neighboring pixels.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein blurring comprises spreading out a pixel'"'"'s information among neighboring pixels when the pixel'"'"'s information is to be visible throughout all viewing zones.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein anti-alias processing comprises digitally averaging planar image data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein digitally averaging comprises drawing a graphical element that does not precisely fit an existing pixel grid using varying pixel intensities based on how well the graphical element being drawn fits the pixel grid.