THREE-DIMENSIONAL ON-SCREEN DISPLAY IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120044241A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Himax Technologies Ltd. (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: WANG, TZUNG-REN, CHEN, CHUN-YU
• Application Number:
  US12/860,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/156 Mixing image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/183 On-screen display [OSD] information, e.g. subtitles or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a 3D OSD imaging system and method. A depth generator generates at least one image depth map according to a 2D image, and an image mixer superimposes an OSD image on the 2D image, thereby resulting in a 2D image with OSD. An OSD unit provides an OSD depth map and the OSD image, and a depth mixer superimposes the OSD depth map on the image depth map, thereby resulting in a composite depth map. A depth-image-based rendering (DIBR) unit generates a left image and a right image according to the 2D image with OSD and the composite depth map.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) on-screen display (OSD) imaging system, comprising:

a depth generator configured to generate at least one image depth map according to a two-dimensional (2D) image;

an image mixer configured to superimpose an OSD image on the 2D image, thereby resulting in a 2D image with OSD, wherein the OSD image includes at least one OSD region;

an OSD unit configured to provide an OSD depth map and the OSD image;

a depth mixer configured to superimpose the OSD depth map on the image depth map, thereby resulting in a composite depth map; and

a depth-image-based rendering (DIBR) unit configured to generate a left image and a right image according to the 2D image with OSD and the composite depth map.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the OSD image and the OSD depth map are provided by the OSD unit whenever a command is issued.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the OSD depth map is obtained based on spatial information that defines spatial characteristics of each said OSD region and depth information that sets a depth value on each pixel or block of pixels within each said OSD region.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the spatial information and the depth information are retrieved from a command received by the OSD unit or a predetermined setting.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the depth values in the OSD region are a fixed value.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the depth values in the OSD region have a gradient change in magnitude horizontally or vertically.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the depth values in the OSD region increment or decrement outwards.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each said OSD region is globally set such that depth of each said OSD region is wholly set according to the OSD depth.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each said OSD region includes a plurality of objects, and depth of each said object is set distinctly.

10. A three-dimensional (3D) on-screen display (OSD) imaging method, comprising:

generating at least one image depth map according to a two-dimensional (2D) image;

superimposing an OSD image on the 2D image, thereby resulting in a 2D image with OSD, wherein the OSD image includes at least one OSD region;

providing an OSD depth map;

superimposing the OSD depth map on the image depth map, thereby resulting in a composite depth map; and

generating a left image and a right image according to the 2D image with OSD and the composite depth map by depth-image-based rendering (DIBR).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the OSD image and the OSD depth map are provided by whenever a command is issued.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the OSD depth map is obtained based on spatial information that defines spatial characteristics of each said OSD region and depth information that sets a depth value on each pixel or block of pixels within each said OSD region.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the spatial information and the depth information are retrieved from a command received by the OSD unit or a predetermined setting.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the depth values in the OSD region are a fixed value.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the depth values in the OSD region have a gradient change in magnitude horizontally or vertically.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the depth values in the OSD region increment or decrement outwards.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein each said OSD region is globally set such that depth of each said OSD region is wholly set according to the OSD depth.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein each said OSD region includes a plurality of objects, and depth of each said object is set distinctly.