Stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and stereoscopic TV apparatus

• US 6,175,379 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Masamichi, Uomori, Kenya, Morimura, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/447,638
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/43, 348/47, 345/425
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/122 Improving the 3D impression of stereoscopic images by modifying image signal contents, e.g. by filtering or adding monoscopic depth cues H04N13/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• 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 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/279 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/289 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/356 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• 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 13/373 for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 : Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0096 : Synchronisation or controlling aspects

Abstract

The stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and a stereoscopic TV apparatus, has a projection transformation section which, based on three-dimensional structural information describing a three-dimensional shape of an object, generates a plurality of two-dimensional projection models as viewed from a plurality of viewpoints, a distance information extraction section which generates a camera-to-object distance information used for calculations in the projection transformation section, and a camera parameter determining section which, based on the output of the distance information extraction section, the screen size of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying finally generated two-dimensional projection models, and a viewer'"'"'s viewing distance, determines camera parameters so that stereoscopic CG images will be brought within the viewer'"'"'s binocular fusional range. According to the thus constructed stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and stereoscopic TV apparatus, proper camera parameters (focal length or field of view, camera spacing, and converging point) are determined based on the camera-to-object distance information, the magnitude of parallax of the generated stereoscopic CG images on the display device (or in a window on the display screen), and the viewing distance, so that easy-to-view stereoscopic CG images are automatically generated regardless of the display size, and by horizontally translating left-eye and right-eye images, binocular parallax of displayed images is automatically brought within the viewer'"'"'s binocular fusional range regardless of the size of a stereoscopic display used.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic computer graphics (CG) image generating apparatus comprising:

a projection transformer for generating a plurality of two-dimensional projection images of an object as viewed from a plurality of cameras by using three-dimensional information of the object;

a rendering section for generating a CG image from the output of said projection transformer;

a parallax map calculator for generating depth data of the CG image by using said three-dimensional information;

fusional range calculator for computing a binocular fusional range of a viewer when viewing a screen of a stereoscopic image of said object, by using pre-entered parmeters including size of said screen and a viewing distance between said screen and said viewer;

pixel calculator for calculating the number of pixels in the stereoscopic image lying within the binocular fusional range of said viewer by using said computed binocular fusional range of the viewer and said generated depth data; and

a camera parameter determining section for determining camera parameters to achieve larger binocular fusional region in the output image by using said calculated number of pixels;

whereby said projection transformation section generates said plurality of two-dimensional projection images by using said determined camera parameters.

2. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a CG operator designates a specific region on a display screen, and

said pixel calculator calculates the number of pixels in the image lying within the binocular fusional range of said viewer within said specific region.

3. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said pixel calculator detects a sub-region of the image in which said viewer achieves binocular fusion, and

a specific image processing section is included for applying specific image processing to portions outside the binocular fusible sub-region.

4. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said specific image processing section includes a clipping section for determining a location of a clipping plane so that CG images lying in portions outside the clipping plane are not generated.

5. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said specific image processing section includes a section for gradually changing image contrast over an area extending from a neighborhood within binocular fusional limits into a neighborhood without binocular fusional limits.

6. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said specific image processing section includes a fog effect section for superimposing a fog on a region in the image where binocular fusional limits are exceeded.

7. A stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said specific image processing section includes a focus section for defocusing an image as binocular fusional limits of said viewer are exceeded.