Stereoscopic image display apparatus

• US 6,201,517 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/028,626
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 345/428, 345/429, 345/8, 345/7, 345/51, 345/52, 345/53, 351/158, 359/462, 359/466
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• 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 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• 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 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A display apparatus displays an image based on image data and distance data concerning each pixel. The display apparatus has a detector, a display data generator. The detector detects a visual range from a viewer'"'"'s eye to the viewer'"'"'s point of regard. The generator produces display data based on the image data, the distance data and the visual range. The display apparatus further has an image display, projector and controller. The image display displays an image based on the display data. The projector projects the displayed image as a virtual image. The controller controls a projection distance of the virtual image so that the virtual image is projected onto the point of regard.

Claims

1. A display apparatus for displaying an image based on image data and distance data concerning each pixel of the image, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a visual range from a viewer'"'"'s eye to a viewer'"'"'s point of regard;

means for generating display data based on the image data, the distance data, and a detected visual range;

means for displaying an image based on the display data;

means for projecting a displayed image as a virtual image; and

means for controlling a projection distance of the virtual image so that the virtual image is projected in consideration of the point of regard,

wherein said generating means is adapted to perform a blurring process on any portion of a displayed image not situated at the point of regard.

2. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects the visual range based on a refractive power of the viewer'"'"'s eye.

3. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means detects the visual range based on a convergence position of the viewer'"'"'s eye.

4. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises means for moving said displaying means.

5. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for performing processing so that the blurring process is not performed on an area of the displayed image in which a blurred portion of the displayed image having distance data representative of a long distance relative to the viewer would overlap another portion of the displayed image having distance data representative of a short distance relative to the viewer.

6. A display apparatus for displaying an image based on image data and distance data concerning each pixel of the image, the apparatus comprising:

first means for displaying in focus any portion of the image situated at a predetermined distance; and

second means for displaying a blurred image, produced from the image data, for any portion of the image not situated at said predetermined distance.

7. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined distance is a viewer'"'"'s viewing distance.

8. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for detecting a visual range relative to a user,

wherein said second displaying means comprises means for generating display data representative of the blurred image based on a detected visual range, the image data, and the distance data.

9. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said visual range is a distance from a viewer'"'"'s eye to the viewer'"'"'s point of regard.

10. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first display means and said second displaying means each comprise means for projecting respective images as virtual images.

11. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said means for projecting respectively comprise means for changing a position where said virtual image is projected.

12. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said means for projecting is adapted to project the image of each of the first displaying means and said second displaying means onto a point of regard.

13. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second means for displaying is adapted to not display at least a portion of the blurred image when such portion corresponds to distance data representative of a long distance from a viewer and such portion overlaps another portion of the image having distance data corresponding to a short distance from the viewer.

14. A display apparatus comprising:

means for receiving image data;

means for detecting a visual range;

means for performing a blurring process for at least a portion of received image data in accordance with the detected visual range; and

means for displaying an image based on the image data on which the blurring process has been performed.

15. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said displaying means comprises a laser light source for emitting a laser beam.

16. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said means for displaying further comprises a condenser lens for condensing the laser beam, means for scanning a condensed laser beam, and an eyepiece optical system for projecting as a virtual image an image formed by the scanning means.

17. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said virtual image is projected onto a point of regard.

18. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising means for controlling a distance between the laser light source and the condenser lens in order to project said virtual image onto a convergence position.

19. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for detecting is adapted to detect the visual range based on a refractive power of a viewer'"'"'s eye.

20. A display apparatus for displaying an image based on image data and distance data concerning each pixel of the image, the apparatus comprising:

an image generator to generate image data for display;

a first controller, coupled to the image generator to receive image data therefrom, that is capable of accentuating any portion of the image situated at a viewer'"'"'s point of regard;

a second controller, coupled to the image generator to receive image data therefrom, that is capable of deaccentuating any portion of the image not situated at the viewer'"'"'s point of regard, whereas a deaccentuated image portion remains visually perceivable; and

a display, coupled to the first controller and the second controller, to display image data supplied from the first controller and the second controller.

21. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second controller is capable of blurring any portion of the image not at the viewer'"'"'s point of regard.

22. A display apparatus for displaying an image based on image data and distance data concerning each pixel of the image, the apparatus comprising:

a focal point determiner that is adapted to determine a visual range from a viewer'"'"'s eye to a viewer'"'"'s point of regard;

an image generator to generate display image data based on the image data, the distance data, and the detected visual range, wherein the image generator is adapted to emphasize any portion of the image at the viewer'"'"'s point of regard and adapted to de-emphasize any portion of the image not situated at the viewer'"'"'s point of regard, whereas a de-emphasized image portion remains visually perceivable; and

a display device to display generated image data.

23. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the image generator is adapted to blur any portion of the image not situated at the viewer'"'"'s point of regard.