3D imaging device and 3D imaging method

• US 9,049,434 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Haruo, Ito, Takeshi, Ono, Hiromichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Repko, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Yi
• Application Number:
  US13/582,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 345/653, 345/664, 345/679, 348/42, 382/106
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• 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 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A 3D imaging device determines during imaging whether the captured images will be viewed three-dimensionally without causing fatigue while simulating actual human perception. In a 3D imaging device, a warning unit provides a warning to a photographer indicating that the captured images of the scene to be imaged will not be perceived as a 3D video having an appropriate 3D effect when a control unit determines that the captured images will not be perceived as such an appropriate 3D video. The 3D imaging device is prevented from obtaining an inappropriate 3D image (3D video).

Claims

1. A 3D imaging device for three-dimensionally imaging a subject and capturing a 3D image formed by a first viewing point image and a second viewing point image, the 3D imaging device comprising:

an optical system configured to form an optical image of the subject;

an image generator configured to generate the 3D image based on the formed optical image;

a disparity detector configured to detect a disparity of the 3D image;

a display parameter gatherer configured to obtain a display parameter associated with an environment in which the 3D image is viewed;

a 3D perception determiner configured to determine, during imaging for generating the 3D image, whether the generated 3D image will be easy to view three-dimensionally based on the detected disparity and the obtained display parameter;

the 3D perception determiner calculates, based on the disparity detected by the disparity detector, a maximum subject distance Rf that is a distance to a farthest subject having a maximum subject distance in a scene to be imaged three-dimensionally and a minimum subject distance Rn that is a distance to a nearest subject having a minimum subject distance in the scene to be imaged three-dimensionally, and determines, during 3D imaging, whether the scene to be imaged will be easy to view three-dimensionally at a backward position to which the 3D imaging device is moved by determining whether the formula below is satisfied;

2. The 3D imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller prohibits 3D imaging from being performed when the control mode is a mode in which a distance between the 3D imaging device and the subject is to be changed.

3. The 3D imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

when a distance between the 3D imaging device and the subject is changed and the 3D perception determiner determines that a scene to be imaged three-dimensionally will be easy to view there-dimensionally, the controller changes the control mode to a 3D imaging mode in which 3D imaging is allowed to be performed.

4. The 3D imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm configured to provide a warning to a user of the 3D imaging device,

wherein the 3D perception determiner calculates a minimum backward movement distance Δ

R₁₃min satisfying the formula below;

5. The 3D imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the controller calculates a zoom ratio to be used in the 3D imaging device to compensate for a decrease in a size of the three-dimensionally imaged subject caused by moving the 3D imaging device from the current position to the backward position, and performs zooming with which a zoom ratio used in the 3D imaging device will be the calculated zoom ratio.

6. The 3D imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm configured to provide a warning to a user of the 3D imaging device,

wherein when the 3D perception determiner determines that the scene to be imaged will not be viewed three-dimensionally, and the scene to be imaged includes a short-range view subject at around an edge of a virtual screen, the alarm provides a warning to the user instructing to move the 3D imaging device laterally in a manner to exclude the short-range view subject out of the virtual screen.