Methods and apparatus for the creation and transmission of 3-dimensional images

• US 5,661,518 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Synthonics Incorporated (Synthonics Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palm, Charles S., McLaine, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/481,993
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/43, 348/47, 348/51, 348/55
• US Class Current: 348/42
• 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 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/133 Equalising the characteristics of different image components, e.g. their average brightness or colour balance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/158 Switching image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/167 Synchronising or controlling image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of 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 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/25 using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/334 using spectral multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 : specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 : involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/4448 : for frame-grabbing

Abstract

Three-dimensional color images are produced by combining the red image plane from a left color camera and the blue and green image planes from a right color camera. Techniques for compensating for over or underexposure in a particular image plane are deployed as well as techniques for minimizing subjective disturbance when viewing relatively pure color regions of a 3-dimensional image and for transmission of 3-dimensional color television images to users. TDM and MPEG 2 transmission techniques for stereo image transmission are disclosed. Left and right images are caused to be epipolar to reduce adverse user reaction to extended viewing of stereo images. A three dimensional perspective view may be connected to a stereo view in accordance with the invention.

Claims

1. A method of improving the viewability of three dimensional stereo images of a scene consisting of a left image and a right image which when viewed together give a perception of a stereo view of the scene, comprising:

identifying a point lying in a neutral plane as a reference point,

selecting a point not located in the neutral plane, and

rotating one of said left image or right image by an amount required to cause the locations of the left and right images of said point not located in the neutral plane to have substantially identical vertical displacement in the viewing plane.