Apparatus for presenting stereoscopic images

• US 6,246,382 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Simulated Percepts, LLC
• Original Assignee: Francis J. Maguire
• Inventors: Maguire, Jr., Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/195,850
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8, 345/9, 345/7, 345/139
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• 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 13/286 having separate 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 13/322 using varifocal lenses or mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0096 : Synchronisation or controlling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 : of head mounted projectors

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing, in response to successive image signals and a control signal, the successive images at various apparent distances. The relationship between accommodation and convergence may be preserved. The images may have a highly detailed component which has its image content changed according to changes in the direction of a monitored one or more visual axes. The images may be provided stereoscopically.

Claims

1. Apparatus for presenting stereoscopic images, comprising:

means responsive to an image signal for providing a left image signal and a right image signal; and

means responsive to said left image signal and said right image signal for providing successive stereoscopic image pairs, each having a left image having an extent corresponding to a left monocular field of view and a right image having an extent corresponding to a right monocular field of view for viewing by a respective left eye and right eye of a viewer, wherein said left image and said right image are arranged so as to overlap for viewing by said left eye and said right eye in a binocular field of view having an extent less than either of said extent of said left monocular field of view or said extent of said right monocular field of view.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said left monocular field of view of said left image and said right monocular field of view of said right image overlap in a central area.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central area is for viewing with conjugate versions of said viewer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central area is centered about a median line of said viewer wherein said median line perpendicularly intersects said central area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein conjugate versions of said viewer'"'"'s eyes to a lateral extent of not more than approximately 45 degrees on either side of said median line of said viewer define said central area.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein conjugate versions of said viewer'"'"'s eyes to a lateral extent of not more than approximately 45 degrees on either side of a median line of said viewer define said central area.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said left image and said right image overlap so as to match overlapping fields of view of the left eye and the right eye of the viewer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said overlap of said left image and said right image is for viewing with conjugate versions of said left eye and said right eye of the viewer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of said left image and a portion of said right image that overlap have areas of fine resolution that themselves overlap.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said areas of fine resolution move within said portions that overlap are for viewing by conjugate versions of said left and right eyes of the viewer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said successive stereoscopic image pairs are provided at various apparent distances for viewing by the left eye and the right eye of the viewer at said various apparent distances.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said successive stereoscopic image pairs are for viewing at said various apparent distances by the left eye and the right eye of the viewer with a normal relationship between accommodation and convergence preserved.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a portion of said left image and a portion of said right image that overlap have areas of fine resolution that themselves overlap.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said areas of fine resolution move within said portions that overlap are for viewing by conjugate versions of said left and right eyes of the viewer.

15. Apparatus for presenting stereoscopic images, comprising:

means responsive to an image signal for providing a left image signal and a right image signal; and

means responsive to said left image signal and said right image signal for providing successive stereoscopic image pairs, each pair having a left image for viewing by a left eye of a viewer and a separate right image for viewing by a right eye of said viewer, wherein said left image and said right image of selected successive pairs are laterally shifted for varying a lateral separation therebetween for preserving a fixed relationship between accommodation and convergence for corresponding varying fixations of said left eye and said right eye of the viewer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said left image and said right image overlap in a central area.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said central area is for viewing with conjugate versions of said viewer.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said central area is centered about a median line of said viewer wherein said median line perpendicularly intersects said central area.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein conjugate versions of said viewer'"'"'s eyes to a lateral extent of not more than approximately 45 degrees on either side of said median line of said viewer define said central area.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein conjugate versions of said viewer'"'"'s eyes to a lateral extent of not more than approximately 45 degrees on either side of a median line of said viewer define said central area.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said left image and said right image overlap so as to match overlapping fields of view of the left eye and the right eye of the viewer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said overlap of said left image and said right image is for viewing with conjugate versions of said left eye and said right eye of the viewer.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a portion of said left image and a portion of said right image that overlap have areas of fine resolution that themselves overlap.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said areas of fine resolution move within said portions that overlap are for viewing by conjugate versions of said left and right eyes of the viewer.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said successive stereoscopic image pairs are provided at various apparent distances for viewing by the left eye and the right eye of the viewer at said various apparent distances.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said successive stereoscopic image pairs are for viewing at said various apparent distances by the left eye and the right eye of the viewer with a normal relationship between accommodation and convergence preserved.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a portion of said left image and a portion of said right image that overlap have areas of fine resolution that themselves overlap.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said areas of fine resolution move within said portions that overlap are for viewing by conjugate versions of said left and right eyes of the viewer.