Instantaneous 180-degree 3D Recording and Playback Systems

• US 20180160097A1
• Filed: 12/04/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genisama LLC
• Original Assignee: Genisama LLC
• Inventors: Weng, Juyang
• Granted Patent: US 10,582,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• 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 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera

Abstract

The term instantaneous in this invention means that the roughly 180° horizontal visual field of view that a human senses in real time. The major novelty of the instantaneous 180° (i180°) 3D technology includes (a) a combination of multiple binocular and monocular fields of view for image acquisition, (b) a combination of binocular and monocular fields of view in content playback, (c) a multi-resolution scheme for sensing, processing, transmission, and playback, (d) a realization of physical consistency of the line of sight with minimal distortion of all projection lines between imaging and display, and (e) a method for two-way compatibility for systems with conventional binocular 3D and monocular 2D systems. In addition to applications in consumer electronics, the invention has potential applications in professional business, such as film industry, theaters, museums, advertisements, surgery, rehabilitation, and assistance to the handicapped and elderly.

Claims

1. A method for binocular recording and binocular playing back, comprising:

a recording device having two cameras;

and a playback device having two image displays.

2. The binocular recording method of claim 1 wherein the two cameras are video cameras or film recorders that record a time-varying sequence, onto a recording medium, that has three fields of view, central binocular, left monocular, and right monocular.

3. The binocular recording method of claim 1 wherein the two cameras are still cameras that record two static images on a recording medium that has three fields of view, central binocular, left monocular, and right monocular.

4. The binocular playing back method of claim 1 wherein the two binocular displays are film projectors, video projectors, or TV screens that display a time-varying sequence, from a recorded medium, that has three fields of view, central binocular, left monocular, and right monocular.

5. The binocular playing back method of claim 1 wherein the two binocular displays are static image projectors or image displays that display a static view, from a recorded medium, that has three fields of view, central binocular, left monocular, and right monocular.

7. The physical consistency of claim 1, where the projection line of every pixel of image acquisition and that of the projection line of the corresponding pixel during image playback have the same 3-D direction, as much as possible.

8. The two-way compatibility scheme of claim 1, where a file name stem has multiple levels of file name extensions.

6. A head-mounted display using signals of images, from a mobile phone or portable image player, wherein the phone or player is mounted at the back of the head of the human viewer while the image display is mounted at the front of the human viewer.