Image three-dimensional recognition apparatus

• US 7,706,068 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ito Takaaki
• Original Assignee: Ito Takaaki
• Inventors: Takaaki, Ito
• Primary Examiner(s): AMARI, ALESSANDRO V
• Application Number:
  US12/490,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 359/471, 359/478, 359/479, 359/850, 359/855, 359/856, 359/857, 353/10
• US Class Current: 359/471
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/60 involving reflecting prisms and mirrors only
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/18 by simultaneous viewing

Abstract

The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus is an apparatus for making it possible for an observer to recognize a planar image as a three-dimensional image, and has a first mirror, a second mirror and a mirror fixing part. The mirrors have the mirror planes, respectively. The mirror fixing part fixes the mirrors, and has a base and two support members arranged on the base. The mirrors are fixed at a position sandwiched between the support members by attaching the side faces of the mirrors to the support members. The first mirror is located directly below the second mirror. The mirror plane of the second mirror is directed toward the planar image displayed in a screen of a display device, and is inclined obliquely downward. The mirror plane of the first mirror is directed toward the observer and is inclined obliquely upward.

Claims

1. An image three-dimensional recognition apparatus for making it possible for an observer existing at a particular distance away from the image three-dimensional recognition apparatus to recognize a planar image displayed in an image output device for displaying an image, as a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a first mirror that has a width in a horizontal direction of not less than approximately 6.5 centimeter and not more than a distance from a right-eye-right-edge line connecting between a right eye of the observer and a right edge of the image output device to a left-eye-left-edge line connecting between a left eye of the observer and a left edge of the image output device;

a second mirror that has a width in the horizontal direction of not less than the width in the horizontal direction of the first mirror; and

a mirror fixing part for fixing the first mirror and the second mirror,

wherein the second mirror is fixed to the mirror fixing part in such a manner that a second mirror plane, which is a mirror plane of the second mirror, is directed toward the planar image and is inclined obliquely downward, and

the first mirror is fixed to the mirror fixing part in such a manner that a part or the whole of an image reflected in the second mirror plane is reflected in a first mirror plane, which is a mirror plane of the first mirror, and the first mirror plane is inclined obliquely upward.

2. The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mirror fixing part has:

a base; and

two support members arranged on the base, and

the first mirror and the second mirror are fixed to the support members by attaching both of side faces of the first mirror and the second mirror to the support members.

3. The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first angle changing part for changing an angle at which the first mirror plane is inclined obliquely downward.

4. The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second angle changing part for changing an angle at which the second mirror plane is inclined obliquely upward.

5. The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mirror is placed at a distance of 60 cm or more from the observer.

6. The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a case for installing the first mirror, the second mirror and the mirror fixing part therein; and

a screen part attached to the case and located in front of the first mirror such that the observer can see the first mirror through the screen part.

7. An image three-dimensional recognition apparatus for making it possible for an observer existing at a particular distance away from the image three-dimensional recognition apparatus to recognize a planar image as a three-dimensional image, comprising:

an image output part for displaying an image;

a first mirror that has a width in a horizontal direction of not less than approximately 6.5 centimeter and not more than a distance from a right-eye-right-edge line connecting between a right eye of the observer and a right edge of the image output part to a left-eye-left-edge line connecting between a left eye of the observer and a left edge of the image output part;

a second mirror that has a width in the horizontal direction of not less than the width in the horizontal direction of the first mirror; and

a mirror fixing part for fixing the first mirror and the second mirror,

wherein the second mirror is fixed to the mirror fixing part in such a manner that a second mirror plane, which is a mirror plane of the second mirror, is directed toward the planar image and is inclined obliquely downward, and

the first mirror is fixed to the mirror fixing part in such a manner that a part or the whole of an image reflected in the second mirror plane is reflected in a first mirror plane, which is a mirror plane of the first mirror, and the first mirror plane is inclined obliquely upward.

8. An apparatus that permits an observer, at a specified distance from the apparatus, to perceive a planar image displayed by an image output device as a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a first mirror having a width of between approximately 6.5 centimeters and a distance between (i) a right-eye-right-edge line extending between a right eye of the observer and a right edge of the image output device and (ii) a left-eye-left-edge line extending between a left eye of the observer and a left edge of the image output device;

a second mirror having a width at least equal to the width of the first mirror; and

a mirror holder that holds the first mirror and the second mirror relative to the image output device and the observer, the second mirror being held so that a mirror plane of the second mirror is directed toward the planar image and is inclined obliquely downward, the first mirror plane being held so that it is inclined obliquely upward, and

wherein the first mirror, because it is within an area between the right-eye-right-edge line and the left-eye-left-edge line, reflects only a part or a whole of an image displayed by the image output device and reflected in the mirror plane of the second mirror.