Controlling the angular extent of autostereoscopic viewing zones

• US 20060285205A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny, Schisser, Jerilynn
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/463
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/29 characterised by the geometry of the lenticular array, e.g. slanted arrays, irregular arrays or arrays of varying shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses

Abstract

A method and system for providing an increased angular extent of autostereoscopic viewing zones received from a display is presented. The design comprises providing a first column of data having a baseline number of views associated therewith, said first column of data provided to at least one lenticule in a lens sheet associated with the display. The design further comprises altering the first quantity of columns of data to a second quantity of columns of data provided to the at least one lenticule. The second quantity of columns comprises more views than the baseline number of views. Employing the second quantity of columns when constructing an autostereoscopic image provides a display having relatively clear viewing of autostereoscopic images for specific viewing distances.

Claims

1. A method for providing an ability to alter an angular extent of a panoramagram viewing zone received from a display having a first quantity of columns of data associated therewith, comprising:

providing a first column of data having a baseline number of views associated therewith, said first column of data provided to at least one lenticule in a lens sheet associated with the display; and

providing a second quantity of columns of data altered from the first quantity of columns of data to the at least one lenticule;

wherein the second quantity of columns comprises more views than the baseline number of views, and further wherein employing the second quantity of columns when constructing an autostereoscopic image provides a display having relatively clear viewing of autostereoscopic images for specific viewing distances.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the more views to an interdigitation process to create the autostereoscopic image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each lenticule is provided at an angle offset from a vertical orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the more views comprises an integer multiple of the baseline number of views, said integer being at least two.

5. The method of claim 1, further wherein the more views provide reduced angular viewing zones from the display while relatively clear viewing is available at a greater distance from the display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each view is arranged progressively in one row on a column-by-column basis under each lenticule, with a column formed by the perspectives interdigitated into stripes under a row.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lens sheet is formed of a glass substrate.

8. In a method of transmitting autostereoscopic images to a display having a lens sheet comprising at least one lenticule formed therein, the method using an interdigitation process forming autostereoscopic images from multiple views, an improvement comprising:

determining an enhanced number of views provided to the at least one lenticule, the enhanced number of views comprising more views than a baseline number of views;

wherein employing the enhanced number of views in constructing autostereoscopic images subsequently provided to the display provides for relatively clear viewing of the autostereoscopic images within specific viewing zones.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing the enhanced number of views to the interdigitation process to create the autostereoscopic images.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein each lenticule is provided at an angle offset from a vertical orientation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the enhanced number of views comprises an integer multiple of the baseline number of views, said integer being at least two.

12. The method of claim 8, further wherein employing the enhanced number of views provides reduced angular viewing zones from the display while relatively clear viewing is available at a greater distance from the display.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein views are arranged progressively in one row on a column-by-column basis under each lenticule, with a column formed by the perspectives interdigitated into stripes under a row.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the lens sheet is formed of a glass substrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein views are arranged progressively in one row on a column-by-column basis under each lenticule, with a column formed by the perspectives interdigitated into stripes under a row.

15. An apparatus configured to provide an increased angular extent of autostereoscopic viewing zones for a display having a lens sheet associated therewith comprising at least one lenticule, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to determine an enhanced number of views provided to the at least one lenticule, the enhanced number of views comprising more views than a baseline number of views;

wherein employing the enhanced number of views in constructing autostereoscopic images subsequently provided to the display provides for relatively clear viewing of autostereoscopic images within specific viewing zones.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an interdigitation processor configured to receive the enhanced number of views and create the autostereoscopic images.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each lenticule is provided at an angle offset from a vertical orientation.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the enhanced number of views comprises an integer multiple of the baseline number of views, said integer being at least two.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein employing the enhanced number of views provides reduced angular viewing zones from the display while relatively clear viewing is available at a greater distance from the display.