METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGES

• US 20120044249A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mashitani, Ken, Hamagishi, Goro, Takemoto, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A three-dimensional sense adjusting unit displays three-dimensional images to a user. If a displayed reaches a limit of parallax, the user responds to the three-dimensional sense adjusting unit. According to acquired appropriate parallax information, a parallax control unit generates parallax images to realize the appropriate parallax in the subsequent stereo display. The control of parallaxes is realized by optimally setting camera parameters by going back to three-dimensional data. Functions to realize the appropriate parallax are made into and presented by a library.

Claims

1. -148. (canceled)

149. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus for processing two-dimensional viewpoint images corresponding respectively to right and left eyes of one or more users to display a three-dimensional image perceived by the one or more users, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive parallax information from a user; and

a control unit configured to provide the two-dimensional viewpoint images with parallax in accordance with the parallax information, wherein

the control unit is configured to slide only one of the two-dimensional viewpoint images in a horizontal direction relative to another two-dimensional viewpoint image to provide the images with the parallax.

150. The apparatus according to claim 149, further comprising an image edge adjusting unit configured to reduce loss of pixels caused as a result of displaying the three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional viewpoint images, one of which is slid in the horizontal direction.

151. The apparatus according to claim 149, wherein

the parallax information is stored in a recording area, and

the control unit provides the two-dimensional viewpoint images with the parallax based on the stored parallax information.

152. A three-dimensional image display apparatus for displaying a three-dimensional image perceived by one or more users based on two-dimensional viewpoint images corresponding respectively to right and left eyes of the one or more users, the apparatus comprising:

a display;

a receiving unit configured to receive parallax information from a user; and

a control unit configured to provide the two-dimensional viewpoint images with parallax in accordance with the parallax information, wherein

the control unit is configured to slide only one of the two-dimensional viewpoint images in a horizontal direction relative to another two-dimensional viewpoint image to provide the images with the parallax.

153. The apparatus according to claim 152, further comprising an image edge adjusting unit configured to reduce loss of pixels caused as a result of displaying the three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional viewpoint images, one of which is slid in the horizontal direction.

154. The apparatus according to claim 152, wherein

the parallax information is stored in a recording area, and

the control unit provides the two-dimensional viewpoint images with the parallax based on the stored parallax information.

155. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus for processing two-dimensional viewpoint images corresponding respectively to right and left eyes of one or more users to display a three-dimensional image perceived by the one or more users, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having a program, the processor executing the program to perform the steps of;

receiving parallax information from a user; and

providing the two-dimensional viewpoint images with parallax in accordance with the parallax information, wherein

the providing step slides only one of the two-dimensional viewpoint images in a horizontal direction relative to another two-dimensional image to provide the images with the parallax.

156. The apparatus according to claim 155, wherein the processor further performs the step of reducing loss of pixels caused as a result of displaying the three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional viewpoint images, one of which is slid in the horizontal direction.

157. The apparatus according to claim 155, wherein the processor further performs the steps of:

storing the parallax information in a recording area, and

providing the two-dimensional viewpoint images with the parallax based on the stored parallax information.

158. A three-dimensional image processing method for displaying a three-dimensional image perceived by one or more users based on two-dimensional viewpoint images corresponding respectively to right and left eyes of the one or more users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving parallax information from a user; and

providing the two-dimensional viewpoint images with parallax in accordance with the parallax information, wherein

the providing step slides only one of the two-dimensional viewpoint images in a horizontal direction relative to another two-dimensional image to provide the images with the parallax.

159. The method according to claim 158, further comprising the step of reducing loss of pixels caused as a result of displaying the three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional viewpoint images, one of which is slid in the horizontal direction.

160. The method according to claim 158, further comprising the steps of:

storing the parallax information in a recording area, and

providing the two-dimensional viewpoint images with the parallax based on the stored parallax information.

161. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having a program for displaying a three-dimensional image perceived by one or more users based on two-dimensional viewpoint images corresponding respectively to right and left eyes of the one or more users, the program, when executed, controlling a processor to perform the steps of:

receiving parallax information from a user; and

providing the two-dimensional viewpoint images with parallax in accordance with the parallax information, wherein

the providing step slides only one of the two-dimensional viewpoint images in a horizontal direction relative to another two-dimensional image to provide the images with the parallax.