THREE-DIMENSIONAL TELEVISION SYSTEM

• US 3,674,921 A
• Filed: 11/12/1969
• Issued: 07/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfred Norton Goldsmith
• Original Assignee: Alfred Norton Goldsmith
• Inventors: Goldsmith, Alfred Norton
• Primary Examiner(s): Murray, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pecori, P. M.
• Application Number:
  US04/875,796
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 178/6.5R,5.4R 179/15BT,1.6,1.6P,15.55R
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/00 Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/10 Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
• 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 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers

Abstract

The high frequency difference between the complete respective left and right eye representative video signals is shifted to the low frequency video signal spectrum and transmitted at reduced amplitude in the vestigial sideband of the picture carrier, the complete sideband of which conveys one of the complete video signals to a receiver at which the complete video and difference signals are separately recovered, the latter being restored to its original amplitude and position in the frequency spectrum and combined with the recovered complete video signal to simulate the other complete video signal. The fully transmitted and recreated video signals are employed to produce two horizontally interleaved images on the screen of a cathode ray tube for viewing through vertical lenticulations. The difference signal may be modified before transmission to compensate for certain anomalous optical effects and/or to create a desired psychophysical effect in the picture reproduced by the cathode ray tube.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional television system comprising:

means for developing first and second video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject to be transmitted;

means responsive to said first and second video signals for producing a third video signal representing the difference between the higher frequency components of said first and second video signals, said third video signal being limited to a relatively narrow band of frequencies compared to the band of frequencies occupied by said first and second video signals;

means for transmitting to a receiver said third video signal and a selected one of said first and second video signals;

means at said receiver for combining said third video signal with said selected one of said first and second video signals in a manner to effectively recreate the non-selected one of said first and second video signals;

an image reproducing device operable to produce two horizontally interleaved images; and

means for impressing said selected and effectively recreated non-selected ones of said first and second signals upon said image reproducing device to produce, respectively, said two interleaved images.

2. A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said subject is a three-dimensional scene.

3. A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said subject is a record having juxtaposed left-eye and right-eye representations of a three-dimensional scene.

4. A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said record is a photographic film.

5. A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said juxtaposed representations occupy two adjacent areas of each frame of said film.

6. A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 5 wherein:

each of said juxtaposed representations is a two-to-one horizontally anamorphosed version of said scene.

7. In a three-dimensional television system for operation in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum, a transmitter comprising:

means for producing first and second complete video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies;

means responsive to said first and second video signals for producing a third video signal representing the difference between the higher frequency components of said first and second video signals, said third video signal being limited to a narrow band of frequencies relative to said first and second video signals; and

means for transmitting a composite signal representative of said two stereoscopically related images, said composite signal comprising said third video signal and a selected one of said first and second video signals.

8. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes:

means for limiting said third video signal to a relatively narrow band at one end of said relatively wide range of frequencies.

9. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 8, wherein said transmitter includes:

means for shifting said third video signal to the other end of said relatively wide range of frequencies.

10. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 9, wherein said transmitter includes:

means for reducing the amplitude of said third video signal.

11. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 10, wherein said transmitter includes:

means for producing a picture carrier having a frequency adjacent one end of said channel;

means for modulating said picture carrier by said selected one of said first and second video signals to produce modulation products including a complete sideband and a vestigial sideband within said channel;

means for producing a difference signal carrier having a frequency within said channel; and

means for modulating said difference signal carrier by said third video signal to produce modulation products including sidebands within said channel.

12. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 11, wherein:

said difference signal carrier has a frequency within said vestigial sideband of said picture carrier.

13. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes:

means for modifying the character of said third video signal.

14. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 13, wherein said signal character-modifying means comprises:

means for altering said third video signal to modify its character in such a manner as to create a desired psychophysical effect in the picture reproduced by an image reproducing device.

15. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 14, wherein said signal-altering means comprises:

means to compensate for certain anomalous effects including zone flattering, giantism and puppetry in the reproduced picture.

16. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying the phase of said third video signal.

17. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying the amplitude of said third video signal.

18. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying the linearity of said third video signal.

19. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises:

means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in time.

20. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises:

means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in amplitude.

21. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises:

means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in both time and amplitude.

22. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying said third video signal in both phase and amplitude.

23. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying said third video signal in both phase and linearity.

24. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying said third video signal in both amplitude and linearity.

25. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises:

means for varying said third video signal in phase, amplitude and linearity.

26. In a three-dimensional television system in which there is transmitted in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum a composite signal including (1) a picture carrier with a complete sideband and a vestigial sideband produced by the modulation of said picture carrier by a selected one of first and second video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies, anD (2) a difference signal carrier with modulation sidebands produced by a third video signal limited to a relatively narrow band of frequencies representative of the high frequency difference between said first and second video signals, a receiver comprising:

means for separately recovering said third video signal and said selected one of said first and second video signals;

means for combining said recovered third video signal with said recovered selected one of said first and second video signals in a manner to effectively recreate the non-selected one of said first and second video signals;

an image reproducing device operable to produce two horizontally interleaved images; and

means for impressing said selected and effectively recreated non-selected ones of said first and second video signals upon said image reproducing device to produce, respectively, said two interleaved images.

27. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 26, in which said third video signal is transmitted as a relatively narrow band of low frequencies, wherein said receiver includes:

means for shifting said recovered third video signal to a relatively narrow band of high frequencies corresponding to said high frequency difference between said first and second video signals.

28. In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 27, in which the modulation sidebands of said difference frequency carrier are transmitted at reduced amplitude, wherein said receiver includes:

means for enhancing the amplitude of said recovered third video signal before its combination with said selected one of said first and second video signals.