THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20110169825A1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishiyama, Eiji, Yahagi, Kouichi, Masuda, Tomonori
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/183 On-screen display [OSD] information, e.g. subtitles or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A subject is imaged at a predetermined time interval by a plurality of imaging units which obtains a plurality of images having a parallax of a subject viewed from different viewpoints by imaging the subject from different viewpoints. An evaluation value which includes at least one of a luminance and a high frequency component of the images obtained by the imaging units at the predetermined time interval is calculated. When the evaluation value has changed by an amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value, the distance information calculation and three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and object are performed. Here, a relative position of the object with respect to the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional space is changed based on the distance information such that overlapping of the object and the three-dimensional image on top of each other is prevented when the three-dimensional display is performed.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising

a plurality of imaging unit for obtaining a plurality of images having a parallax with respect to a subject viewed from different viewpoints by imaging the subject from different viewpoints;

a three-dimensional processing unit for performing three-dimensional processing for three-dimensional display on the plurality of images and performing the three-dimensional processing on an object to be displayed in the three-dimensionally displayed three-dimensional image in a superimposed manner;

a display unit for performing at least the three-dimensional display of the three-dimensional image;

a distance information calculation unit for calculating distance information of the three-dimensional image;

an imaging control unit for controlling the imaging unit to image the subject at a predetermined time interval;

an evaluation value calculation unit for calculating an evaluation value which includes an evaluation value of at least one of a luminance and a high frequency component of the images obtained by the imaging unit at the predetermined time interval; and

a control unit for controlling the distance information calculation unit and the three-dimensional processing unit to respectively perform the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object when the evaluation value has changed by an amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that changes a relative position of the object with respect to the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional space based on the distance information such that overlapping of the object and the three-dimensional image on top of each other is prevented when the three-dimensional display is performed.

19. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the distance information calculation unit is a unit that calculates the distance information for each pixel in a reference area where the object is displayed in a reference image serving as a reference of the plurality of images; and

the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that changes a relative position of the object in a depth direction with respect to the three-dimensional image in the three-dimensional space based on the distance information in the reference area such that the object is three-dimensionally displayed at a position on the front side of the three-dimensional image.

20. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the distance information calculation unit is a unit that calculates a parallax of corresponding points between each of the plurality of images as the distance information.

21. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 20, wherein the distance information calculation unit is a unit that extracts a characteristic portion of the plurality of images and calculates the parallax of corresponding points from the characteristic portion.

22. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 20, wherein the distance information calculation unit is a unit that calculates the parallax of corresponding points based on an imaging condition at the time of obtaining the plurality of images.

23. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 22, wherein the distance information calculation unit is a unit that calculates a distance on the front side of a depth of field from the imaging condition, and calculates a maximum parallax of the corresponding points from the front side distance, a baseline length, and a focal length at the time of the imaging.

24. The three-dimensional display apparatus of any of claim 20, wherein the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that performs the three-dimensional processing on the object so as to have a parallax greater than or equal to a maximum parallax of the parallaxes of the corresponding points calculated in the reference area.

25. The three-dimensional display apparatus of any of claim 20, wherein the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that, when the three-dimensional processing is performed on the object so as to have a predetermined parallax, performs the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images such that a maximum parallax of the parallaxes of the corresponding points calculated in the reference area becomes less than or equal to the predetermined parallax.

26. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that changes a position of the object in a direction orthogonal to a depth direction in the three-dimensional space based on the distance information such that the object is displayed at a position where overlapping of the object and the three-dimensional image on top of each other is prevented.

27. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 26, wherein the distance calculation unit is a unit that calculates a parallax of corresponding points between each of the plurality of images as the distance information.

28. The three-dimensional display apparatus of claim 27, wherein the distance information calculation unit is a unit that extracts a characteristic portion of the plurality of images and calculates the parallax of corresponding points from the characteristic portion.

29. The three-dimensional display apparatus of any of claim 18, further comprising a control unit for controlling the distance information calculation unit and the three-dimensional processing unit to respectively perform the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object at a predetermined time interval.

30. The three-dimensional display apparatus of any of claim 18, further comprising a control unit for controlling the distance information calculation unit and the three-dimensional processing unit to respectively perform the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object when an optical system of the imaging unit is driven.

31. A three-dimensional display method for use with a three-dimensional display apparatus which includes a plurality of imaging unit for obtaining a plurality of images having a parallax with respect to a subject viewed from different viewpoints by imaging the subject from different viewpoints, a three-dimensional processing unit for performing three-dimensional processing for three-dimensional display on the plurality of images and performing the three-dimensional processing on an object to be displayed in the three-dimensionally displayed three-dimensional image in a superimposed manner, and a display unit for performing at least the three-dimensional display of the three-dimensional image, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating distance information of the three-dimensional image;

changing a relative position of the object with respect to the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional space based on the distance information such that overlapping of the object and the three-dimensional image on top of each other is prevented when the three-dimensional display is performed;

controlling the imaging unit to image the subject at a predetermined time interval;

calculating an evaluation value which includes an evaluation value of at least one of a luminance and a high frequency component of the images obtained by the imaging unit at the predetermined time interval; and

performing the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object when the evaluation value has changed by an amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

32. A program for causing a computer to perform a three-dimensional display method for use with a three-dimensional display apparatus which includes a plurality of imaging unit for obtaining a plurality of images having a parallax with respect to a subject viewed from different viewpoints by imaging the subject from different viewpoints, a three-dimensional processing unit for performing three-dimensional processing for three-dimensional display on the plurality of images and performing the three-dimensional processing on an object to be displayed in the three-dimensionally displayed three-dimensional image in a superimposed manner, and a display unit for performing at least the three-dimensional display of the three-dimensional image, the program causing the computer to perform the steps of:

calculating distance information of the three-dimensional image;

changing a relative position of the object with respect to the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional space based on the distance information such that overlapping of the object and the three-dimensional image on top of each other is prevented when the three-dimensional display is performed;

controlling the imaging unit to image the subject at a predetermined time interval;

calculating an evaluation value which includes an evaluation value of at least one of a luminance and a high frequency component of the images obtained by the imaging unit at the predetermined time interval; and

performing the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object when the evaluation value has changed by an amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

33. A three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising

a plurality of imaging unit for obtaining a plurality of images having a parallax with respect to a subject viewed from different viewpoints by imaging the subject from different viewpoints;

a three-dimensional processing unit for performing three-dimensional processing for three-dimensional display on the plurality of images and performing the three-dimensional processing on an object to be displayed in the three-dimensionally displayed three-dimensional image in a superimposed manner;

a display unit for performing at least the three-dimensional display of the three-dimensional image;

a distance information calculation unit for calculating distance information of the three-dimensional image;

an imaging control unit for controlling the imaging unit to image the subject at a predetermined time interval;

an evaluation value calculation unit for calculating an evaluation value which includes an evaluation value of at least one of a luminance and a high frequency component of the images obtained by the imaging unit at the predetermined time interval; and

a control unit for controlling the distance information calculation unit and the three-dimensional processing unit to respectively perform the calculation of distance information and the three-dimensional processing on the plurality of images and the object when the evaluation value has changed by an amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the three-dimensional processing unit is a unit that changes a relative position of the object with respect to the three-dimensional image in a three-dimensional space based on the distance information such that a positional relationship in which a portion or a whole of the object is hidden by the three-dimensional image is prevented when the three-dimensional display is performed.