Method and apparatus for generating stereoscopic three-dimensional images

• US 6,552,697 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI International SRL (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oluta, Lawrence J. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Alecia D.
• Application Number:
  US09/295,949
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 345/32, 345/87, 345/419, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 358/92, 358/88, 348/42, 359/462, 359/465
• US Class Current: 345/7
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying 3-D stereoscopic images is disclosed. A first stencil is used to filter a right eye image. A second stencil is used to filter a left eye image. Generally, the first and second stencil will have mutually exclusive active areas. The filtered left eye image and filtered right eye image are combined to form a single 3-D image having both images. The combined image is displayed on a conventional monitor, and viewed through the use of a pair or 3-D blue/red type lenses.

Claims

1. A method of displaying video graphics, the method comprises the steps of:

applying a first stencil to a first representation of an image to create a right eye image;

applying a second stencil to a second representation of the image to create a left eye image wherein the first stencil masks a first set of pixel locations and the second stencil masks a second set of pixel locations, wherein the first and second set of stencil locations are substantially mutually exclusive, including no more than 20 percent common elements between the first set and the second set; and

providing the right eye image and the left eye image simultaneously to a display port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of applying the first stencil creates a right eye image for a first frame;

the step of applying the second stencil creates a left eye image for a first frame;

the method further comprising;

applying the second stencil to a third representation of the image to create a right eye image for at least one second frame; and

applying the first stencil to a fourth representation of the image to create a left eye image for the at least one second frame.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third representation is approximately the same as the first representation, and the fourth representation is approximately the same as the second representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stencil has a stencil feature size that is based on the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stencil has a stencil feature size that is based on a pixel size.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the stencil feature size is equal to a pixel dimension.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying a first stencil includes applying the first stencil by using a data processor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data processor is a main system processor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the data processor is a graphics engine.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

the step of creating the right eye image includes the sub step of applying a first color to a representation of the image to create the right eye image;

and

the step of creating the left eye image includes the sub step of applying a second color to a representation of the image to create the left eye image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second colors are complementary colors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second colors are primary video colors.

13. A method of displaying video graphics, the method comprises the steps of:

applying a first stencil to a first representation of an image to create a right eye image for a first frame;

applying a second stencil to a second representation of the image to create a left eye image for the first frame;

providing the first frame to a display port;

applying the second stencil to a third representation of the image to create a right eye image for at least a second frame; and

applying the first stencil to a fourth representation of the image to create a left eye image for the second frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third representation is approximately the same as the first representation, and the fourth representation is approximately the same as the second representation.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the stencil has a stencil feature size that is based on the image.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the stencil has a stencil feature size that is based on a pixel size.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the stencil feature size is equal to a pixel dimension.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of applying a first stencil includes applying the first stencil by using a data processor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data processor is a main system processor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data processor is a graphics engine.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein

the step of creating a right eye image includes the sub step of applying a first color to a representation of the image to create the right eye image; and

the step of creating a left eye image includes the sub step of applying a second color to a representation of the image to create the left eye image.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second colors are complementary colors.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second colors are primary video colors.

24. A data processor system comprises:

a processing module; and

a memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

create a right eye image for a first frame of video by applying a first stencil to a first representation of the image;

create a left eye image for the first frame of video by applying a second stencil to a second representation of the image;

provide the first frame of video to a display port;

create a right eye image for at least one second frame; and

create a left eye image for the at least one second frame.

25. The data processing system of claim 24, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to apply the second stencil to a third representation of the image to create the right eye image for the at least one second frame;

apply the first stencil to a fourth representation of the image to create the left eye image for the at least one second frame.