System and apparatus for recording, transmitting, and projecting digital three-dimensional images

• US 7,027,081 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanley H. Kremen
• Original Assignee: Stanley H. Kremen
• Inventors: Kremen, Stanley H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims
• Application Number:
  US10/515,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 348/51, 348/42, 348/40, 348/49, 348/63, 348/91, 345/419, 345/139, 345/98, 345 4- 6, 345/32, 378/50, 359/28
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• 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 13/229 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding

Abstract

A system and method for recording and reconstructing uniformly magnified three-dimensional images from digital representations of integral photographs. Several camera and projector embodiments are provided along with a means for direct transmission without projection to a special screen that reconstructs the three-dimensional images. This invention is particulary applicable to showing non-stereoscopic three-dimensional motion pictures that reconstruct from integral photographs or holograms that may be viewed without the need for special glasses.

Claims

1. A method to reconstruct an image representing a scene from a digital representation of that scene comprising:

a) forming a digital representation of a first integral frame that represents the scene, wherein said digital representation is capable of being stored and transmitted, and wherein said first integral frame comprises a first separation characteristic and a first image characteristic;

b) transmitting the digital representation to a device capable of receiving the digital representation and transforming the digital representation into a visual presentation;

c) forming the visual representation from the transmitted digital representation as a second integral frame having a second separation characteristic and a second image characteristic wherein;

i) the second integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and second integral frames are equal;

d) from the image characteristic of the second integral frame, determining the focal characteristic of a set of imaging arrays adapted to optically produce the second integral frame, wherein every imaging array in the set has a focal characteristic and a separation characteristic, said separation characteristic of each imaging array in the set being identical to the separation characteristic of the second integral frame;

e) selecting an imaging array from the set of imaging arrays; and

,

f) reconstructing an image from said second integral frame using the selected imaging,

whereby the ratio of every dimension of the reconstructed image to every dimension of the scene is equal in all directions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

a) forming an intermediate integral frame having an intermediate separation characteristic and an intermediate image characteristic, wherein;

i) the intermediate integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and intermediate integral frames are equal; and

,

b) transmitting the intermediate integral frame to form the second integral frame, wherein;

i) the second integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and second integral frames are equal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scene is two-dimensional.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the scene is three-dimensional.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising everting the reconstructed image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein eversion is accomplished by using an everting imaging array to reconstruct an orthoscopic image.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein eversion is accomplished by modifying the second integral frame prior to reconstruction.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein eversion is accomplished by modifying the digital representation of the first integral frame.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein eversion is accomplished by modifying the first integral frame prior to forming the digital representation.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital representation comprises monochromatic pixels, and color is restored to the reconstructed image.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the monochromatic pixels are represented by 8-bits.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the monochromatic pixels are formed by discarding bits from 12-bit or 24-bit pixels.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the first integral frame as a composite of a plurality of sub-integral frames, wherein each of the sub-integral frames is representative of the same scene from a different viewpoint.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising forming the digital representation of the first integral frame or a sub-integral frame from an initial pair of digital images, each being an elemental image representing the scene from a different viewpoint, wherein said forming operation comprises:

a) for each pixel on one digital image, finding the corresponding pixel on the other digital image;

b) repeating step (a) until all of the pixels on one image uniquely determine corresponding pixels on the other image;

c) calculating three-dimensional coordinates for all points in space represented by the pairs of pixels; and

,

d) synthesizing other elemental images each representing the same scene from a viewpoint other than the viewpoints of the initial digital images.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming the first integral frame from a plurality of adjacent pairs of digital images.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the second integral frame as a composite of a plurality of sub-integral frames, wherein each sub-integral frame represents the scene from a different viewpoint.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising compressing the digital representation of the first integral frame to reduce storage space on a digital medium.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising compressing the digital information from elemental images on the first integral frame by intra-frame compression.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising compressing the digital information from a plurality of integral frames by inter-frame compression.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising video streaming the second integral frame and discarding it once transmission has occurred.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

a) transmitting each of the sub-integral frames representing the second integral frame to the input face of a modular integral magnifier of a modular screen wherein;

i) the modular screen comprises a plurality of modular integral magnifiers;

ii) each modular integral magnifier has an input face and an output face, the input face being smaller than the output face, and the output face has edges;

iii) the input faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers do not touch each other;

iv) the output faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers are organized into an essentially planar array such that they touch each other at their edges; and

,

v) at least one imaging array is attached in fixed alignment to the output faces of the modular integral magnifiers; and

,

b) enlarging each of the sub-integral frames so that it fills the output face of its corresponding modular integral magnifier.

3. The method of 2 wherein the second integral frame is transmitted onto a screen that is an imaging array adapted to reconstruct the image therefrom.

23. A system that reconstructs an image representing a scene from a digital representation of that scene comprising:

a) a means for forming a digital representation of a first integral frame that represents the scene, wherein said digital representation is capable of being stored and transmitted, and wherein said first integral frame comprises a first separation characteristic and a first image characteristic;

b) a means for transmitting the digital representation to a means capable of receiving said digital representation and transforming the digital representation into a visual presentation;

c) a means for forming the visual representation from the transmitted digital representation as a second integral frame having a second separation characteristic and a second image characteristic wherein;

i) the second integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the Image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and second integral frames are equal; and

,

d) a means for reconstructing an image from the second integral frame, said means having a separation characteristic equal to that of the second integral frame and a focal characteristic determined from the image characteristic of the second integral frame, as that required to enable said means to optically form the second integral frame

whereby the ratio of every dimension of the reconstructed image to every dimension of the scene is equal in all directions.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

a) a means for forming an intermediate integral frame having an intermediate separation characteristic and an intermediate image characteristic, wherein;

i) the intermediate integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and intermediate integral frames are equal; and

,

b) a means for transmitting the intermediate integral frame to form the second integral frame, wherein;

i) the second integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and second integral frames are equal.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the second integral frame is transmitted to a means for reconstructing the image therefrom.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the scene is three-dimensional.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising a means for everting the reconstructed three-dimensional image.

28. The system of claim 26 further the means for everting comprises a means for modifying the second integral frame prior to reconstruction.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for everting comprises a means for modifying the digital representation of the first integral frame.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for everting comprises a means for modifying the first integral frame prior to forming the digital representation.

31. The system of claim 23 further comprising a means for restoring color to the reconstructed image where the digital representation comprises monochromatic pixels.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the monochromatic pixels are represented by 8-bits.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the monochromatic pixels are formed by discarding bits from 12-bit or 24-bit pixels.

34. The system of claim 23 further comprising a means for forming the first integral frame as a composite of a plurality of sub-integral frames, wherein each sub-integral frame represents the scene from a different viewpoint.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a means for synthesizing the first integral frame or a sub-integral frame from an initial pair of digital images, each being an elemental image representing the scene from a different viewpoint.

36. The system of claim 35 further comprising a means for forming the first integral frame from a plurality of adjacent pairs of digital images.

37. The system of claim 23 further comprising a means for forming the second integral frame as a composite of a plurality of sub-integral frames, wherein each sub-integral frame represents the scene from a different viewpoint.

38. The system of claim 23 further comprising a means for compressing the digital representation of the first integral frame to reduce storage space on a digital medium.

39. The system of claim 38 further comprising a means for compressing the digital information from elemental images on the first integral frame by intra-frame compression.

40. The system of claim 39 further comprising a means for compressing the digital information from a plurality of integral frames by inter-frame compression.

41. The system of claim 37 further comprising a means for video streaming the second integral frame and a means for discarding it once transmission has occurred.

42. The system of claim 37 further comprising a modular screen comprised of modular integral magnifiers wherein:

a) the modular screen comprises a plurality of modular integral magnifiers;

b) each modular integral magnifier has an input face and an output face, the input face being smaller than the output face;

c) the input faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers do not touch each other;

d) the output faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers essentially touch each other;

e) at least one imaging array is attached in fixed alignment to the output faces of the modular integral magnifiers.

43. The system of claim 42 further comprising:

a) a means for transmitting each of the sub-integral frames representing the second integral frame to the input face of a modular integral magnifier of the modular screen; and

,

b) a means for enlarging each of the sub-integral frames so that it fills the output face of its corresponding modular integral magnifier.

44. A system and apparatus for reconstructing a three-dimensional image representing a scene from a digital representation of that scene comprising:

a) a device that produces a digital representation of a first integral frame that represents the scene, wherein said digital representation is capable of being stored and transmitted, and wherein said first integral frame comprises a first separation characteristic and a first image characteristic;

b) a device that stores the digital representation of the first integral frame.

c) a transmitter that transmits the digital representation to a device capable of receiving the digital representation and transforming the digital representation into a visual presentation;

d) a device capable of forming a visual representation from the transmitted digital representation as a second integral frame having a second separation characteristic and a second image characteristic wherein

i) the second integral frame is geometrically similar to the first integral frame, and

ii) the ratios of the image characteristic to the separation characteristic for both first and second integral frames are equal; and

,

e) a screen that is an imaging array that reconstructs an image from the second integral frame, the screen imaging array having a separation characteristic and a focal characteristic, wherein said separation characteristic is the same as the separation characteristic of the second integral frame and said focal characteristic is determined from the image characteristic of the second integral frame, as that required to enable such an array to optically form the second integral frame,

whereby the ratio of every dimension of the reconstructed image to every dimension of the scene is equal in all directions.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the device that produces the digital representation is a computer.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the device that produces the digital representation is a camera.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein the device that stores the digital representation is a computer.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein the device that stores the digital restoration is a video recording device taken from the group consisting of:

a videocassette recorder,

a DVD recorder,

a laser disc recorder,

a video tape recorder, and

a device that records directly to a disk or memory stick.

49. The system of claim 44 wherein the device capable of forming the visual representation is a video monitor device taken from the group consisting of:

a cathode ray tube (CRT),

a liquid crystal display (LCD), and

a plasma display.

50. The system of claim 44 wherein the device capable of forming the visual representation is a video projection device taken from the group consisting of:

an optical analog projector;

a computer digital projector, and

a projector comprising at least one digital light processor chip.

51. The system of claim 44 wherein the means for transmitting is a means for forming the second integral frame by optical projection.

52. The system of claim 44 wherein the scene is three-dimensional.

53. The system of claim 52 further comprising an optical system for everting the reconstructed three-dimensional image.

54. The system of claim 52 further comprising a computer and software to accomplish eversion is by modifying the second integral frame prior to reconstruction.

55. The system of claim 52 further comprising a computer and software to accomplish eversion by modifying the digital representation of the first integral frame.

56. The system of claim 52 further comprising an optical system to accomplish eversion by modifying the first integral frame prior to forming the digital representation.

57. The system of claim 44 further comprising a color filters for restoring color to the reconstructed image where the digital representation comprises monochromatic pixels.

58. The system of claim 57 further comprising a computer and software, wherein the monochromatic pixels are represented by 3-bits, said computer and software forming the pixels by discarding bits from 12-bit or 24-bit pixels.

59. The system of claim 44 further comprising a device that forms the first integral frame as a composite of a plurality of sub-integral frames, wherein each sub-integral frame represents the same scene from a different viewpoint.

60. The system of claim 59 wherein the device that forms the first integral frame is a computer with software.

61. The system of claim 59 wherein the device that forms the first integral frame is a camera system.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the first integral frame is formed from a plurality of adjacent pairs of digital images.

63. The system of claim 44 further comprising a computer and software that compresses the digital representation of the first integral frame to reduce storage space on a digital medium.

64. The system of claim 63 further comprising a computer and software that compresses the digital information from elemental images on the first integral frame by intra-frame compression.

65. The system of claim 64 further comprising a computer and software that compresses the digital information from a plurality of integral frames by inter-frame compression.

66. The system of claim 63 further comprising a computer and software that video streams the second integral frame and discards it once transmission has occurred.

67. The system of claim 44 further comprising a modular screen comprised of modular integral magnifiers wherein:

a) the modular screen comprises a plurality of modular integral magnifiers;

b) each modular integral magnifier has an input face and an output face, the input face being smaller than the output face;

c) the input faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers do not touch each other;

d) the output faces of adjacent modular integral magnifiers essentially touch each other.

e) at least one imaging array is attached in fixed alignment to the output faces of the modular integral magnifiers.

68. The system of claim 67 further comprising video monitors that transmit the sub-integral frames representing the second integral frame to the input faces of the modular integral magnifiers of the modular screen.