Synthesized stereoscopic imaging system and method
First Claim
1. An imaging system for producing a synthesized stereoscopic image from a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising:
- a) means for receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal;
b) means for i) digitally converting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by a first analog-to-digital step of acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and therafter temporally displacing and horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images, and for ii) then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images;
c) a single-screen video display receiving and displaying said time-multiplexed three-dimensional video image;
d) viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing said video display by alternate shuttering; and
e) means for controlling said alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses.
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Abstract
An observer is presented, through a pair of viewing glasses, a field/frame multiplexed, synthesized three-dimensional or stereoscopic image on single monitor generated from a two-dimensional monocular video signal. The field/frame multiplexed, synthesized 3D image is generated in a converter. A controller controls the left and right eye vision of the glasses along an unobstructed path without need of any connecting wires. A wide range of input sources can provide the 2D input video signal for conversion. The resulting synthesized 3D image is especially suited for medical and other purposes which require realistic, accurate and visually comfortable 3D visualization of video images, as for example in minimally-invasive surgery to allow complex navigational and manipulational procedures carried out over a continuous period of many hours. The ability to transform a 2D image from a single source into an accurately portrayed synthesized 3D image displayed on a color monitor is also necessary in related biomedical fields including microscopy, medical telecommunications and medical education.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An imaging system for producing a synthesized stereoscopic image from a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising:
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a) means for receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal; b) means for i) digitally converting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by a first analog-to-digital step of acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and therafter temporally displacing and horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images, and for ii) then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images; c) a single-screen video display receiving and displaying said time-multiplexed three-dimensional video image; d) viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing said video display by alternate shuttering; and e) means for controlling said alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for synthesizing stereoscopic imaging of a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal; b) digitally converting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, analog-to-digital conversion of the video images and then storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and thereafter temporally displacing and then horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images and then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images; c) displaying the time-multiplexed three-dimensional video images on a single-screen video display; d) viewing said single-screen video display with viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing; and e) controlling alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses in synchronism with display of the three-dimensional video image. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A mthod for synthesizing stereoscopic imaging of a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal at a first location; b) transmitting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a second location remote from the first location; c) receiving the transmitted single two-dimensional monocular source video signal at the second location; d) digitally converting the received single monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, analog-to-digital conversion of the video images and then storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and therafter temporally displacing and horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images and then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images; e) displaying the time-multiplexed three-dimensional video images on at least one single-screen video display; f) viewing said single-screen video display with viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing; and g) controlling alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses in synchronism with display of the three-dimensional video images.
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13. A medical imaging system for producing a synthesized stereoscopic image from a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising:
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a) means for receiving the single two-dimensional source video signal; b) means for i) digitally converting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by a first analog-to-digital step of acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and thereafter temporally displacing and horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images, and for ii) then time-multiplexing the converted video images; c) a single-screen video display receiving and displaying said time-multiplexed signals; d) viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing said video display by alternate shuttering; and e) means for controlling alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for synthesizing medical stereoscopic imaging of a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal; b) digitally converting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, analog-to-digital conversion of the video images and then storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and thereafter temporally displacing and horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images and then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images; c) displaying the time-multiplexed three-dimensional video images on a single-screen video display; d) viewing said single-screen video display with viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing; and e) controlling alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses in synchronism with display of the three-dimensional video images. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for synthesizing stereoscopic imaging of a single two-dimensional monocular source video signal of a medical procedure, which signal includes a sequence of video images, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal of the medical procedure; b) transmitting the single two-dimensional monocular source video signal to a second location remote from the first location; c) receiving the transmitted single two-dimensional monocular source video signal at the second location; d) digitally converting the received single two-dimensional monocular video signal to a three-dimensional video image signal by acquiring a sequence of the video images from the two-dimensional monocular source video signal, analog-to-digital conversion of the video images and then storing these video images in a digital buffer memory, and thereafter temporally displacing and then horizontally offsetting the digital buffered video images and then time-multiplexing the converted three-dimensional video images; e) displaying the time-multiplexed three-dimensional video images on at least one single-screen video display; f) viewing said single-screen video display with viewing glasses adapted for alternate left-eye, right-eye human viewing; and g) controlling alternate left-eye, right-eye shuttering of said viewing glasses in synchronism with display of the three-dimensional video images.
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Specification