Optical viewing system for viewing 3-D images

• US 5,559,632 A
• Filed: 09/07/1993
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Lawrence, Linda S. Lukens
• Original Assignee: John Lawrence, Linda S. Lukens
• Inventors: Lawrence, John, Lukens, Linda S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US08/117,499
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 359/464, 359/462, 359/478, 359/888, 351/44, 351/45
• US Class Current: 359/478
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/23 using wavelength separation, e.g. using anaglyph techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/104 having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/26 using polarised or coloured light separating different viewpoint images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing

Abstract

Improved methods for 3-D motion picture, video or video game images with a one camera system. When a scene is photographed using this system to create 3-D, the scene must be lit so that the midground light intensity is approximately 50% greater than the intensity on the foreground and the background light intensity is approximately double that of the foreground with some subjects in the scene being backlit as well. The scene is photographed by a movable video or motion picture camera moving about the scene at a constant angular velocity in the range of 25-60 degrees per second. Additional cameras photograph the scene from fixed locations spaced approximately 120 degrees apart about the scene. When editing the 3-D film or video tape a method is used to alleviate dizziness by inserting approximately 5-40 seconds of the flat shots from said fixed locations between segments of 3-25 seconds of film or video shot by said moving camera and providing viewing glasses having lenses, one of metallized (mirrored) plastic film creating a silvered effect, void of spectral peaks and of color absorption across all wavelengths, and which gives the lens a neutral density in the range of 0.5 to 2.0; and one lens formed of clear film which provides 100% light transmission when viewing through it.

Claims

1. An optical viewing system for viewing 3-D images, said optical viewing system comprising:

a pair of lenses with a first of said lenses passing light at an intensity less than 50% of the intensity passed by a second lens and with no discernable wavelength, color or spectral peak in either, said first lens having vapor deposited metal formed thereon production a mirror effect and resulting in low transmittivity without color absorption to distort picture colors, wherein when said lenses are used to view an environment having layered lighting, optimized use of chromostereograpby is provided and an improved simulated stereoscopic effect is achieved.

2. The pair of glasses of claim 1, wherein:

said pair of lenses comprises said second lens providing 100% light transmission and said first lens having a specific neutral density in the range of 0.5 to 2.0.

3. The pair of glasses of claim 1, wherein:

said pair of lenses comprises said second lens providing substantially unobstructed light transmission and said first lens comprising a plastic film with said vapor deposited metal formed thereon, said first lens having a neutral density in the range of 0.5 to 2.0.

4. The pair of glasses of claim 1, wherein:

said first lens is formed of plastic film coated with a said metal film to give a silvered appearance which is void of color absorption across all wavelengths.

5. The pair of glasses of claim 1, wherein:

said first lens is made of partially mirrored film, being between 0.75-30.0 mils thick, that exhibits two distinct modes of optical transmission, one, when measured spectroscopically, and the second, when viewed through the lenses of glasses by the human eye, the former mode being such that, when graphed upon an abscissa covering the human visual range, the curve is flat, exhibiting no discernable wavelength, color or spectral peaks, and when used as a lens, the effective neutral density is in the range 12 of 0.5-2.0.