Algorithmic interaxial reduction

• US 20080049100A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Real D
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny, Akka, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,736,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/144 for flicker reduction
• 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 2213/002 Eyestrain reduction by processing stereoscopic signals or controlling stereoscopic devices

Abstract

A system and method for determining an intermediate stereoscopic representation, thus offering adjustable interaxial separation values. The design comprises obtaining a first image using a first image collecting device and substantially simultaneously obtaining a second image using a second image collecting device. The two recoding devices are physically separated by a distance, and the second image may be combined with the first image to form a stereoscopic image. The design further determines the intermediate stereoscopic representation based on aspects of the first image combined, typically algorithmically, with aspects of the second image.

Claims

1. A method for creating an intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation of a plurality of stereoscopic images, comprising:

obtaining a first image using a first image collecting device;

obtaining a second image using a second image collecting device physically separated from the first image collecting device by a distance, said second image configured to be combined with the first image to form a stereoscopic image; and

determining the intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation based on aspects of the first image combined with aspects of the second image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises performing an algorithm to combine the first image with the second image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the algorithm comprises an interpolation algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image collecting device and the second image collecting device have substantially parallel image recording axes.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said algorithm comprises a nonlinear algorithm.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation represents a combination of images along an imaginary line joining a first device image recording axis and a second device image recording axis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image and second image are obtained substantially simultaneously.

8. An apparatus for creating an intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation of a plurality of stereoscopic images, comprising:

a first image collecting device configured to record a first image;

a second image collecting device separated by a distance from the first image collecting device and configured to record a second image, said second image configured to be combined with the first image to form a stereoscopic image; and

a processing device configured to compute the intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation based on the first image and the second image.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing device is configured to perform an algorithm to combine the first image with the second image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the algorithm comprises an interpolation algorithm.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first image collecting device and the second image collecting device have substantially parallel image recording axes.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said algorithm comprises a nonlinear algorithm.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation represents a combination of images along an imaginary line joining a first device image recording axis and a second device image recording axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first image collecting device and the second image collecting device are in communication with the processing device and the output of the processing device is a plurality of intermediate images.

15. A method of processing stereoscopic images, comprising:

providing a plurality of image collecting devices each separated from other image collecting devices by a distance; and

computing an intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation from images obtained from at least two of the plurality of image collecting devices;

wherein said image collecting devices are configured to receive images, said images combinable to form a stereoscopic image.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said computing comprises performing an algorithm to combine a first image received from one recording device with a second image received from a second recording device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the algorithm comprises an interpolation algorithm.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein all image collecting devices have substantially parallel image recording axes.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said algorithm comprises a nonlinear algorithm.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the intermediate stereoscopic perspective representation represents a combination of images along an imaginary line joining at least a first device image recording axis and a second device image recording axis.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein images are received by the image collecting devices substantially simultaneously.