Automatic shutdown of 3D based on glasses orientation

• US 9,465,226 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osman, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US13/206,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 359462-477
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/279 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/378 for tracking rotational head movements around an axis perpendicular to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are presented for shutting down the 3D effect of active shutter 3D glasses by synchronizing the transparency of the lenses with respect to each other when the 3D glasses have been rotated beyond a threshold angle. The threshold angle can be pre-set through a user-selectable switch. Transitioning from an alternating shutter mode to a synchronized shutter mode can include a fade in which the duty cycles of the lens are adjusted. Direct measurement techniques for measuring the differential roll angle between the lenses and left and right eye images on a display are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for viewing a stereoscopic display, comprising:

a pair of active shutter lenses, each lens enabled to alternate opacity and transparency to allow a transmission of a first set of images directed to a first eye through a first lens and transmission of a second set of images directed to a second eye through a second lens;

a roll orientation sensor for detecting a roll orientation of the lenses; and

a circuit connected with the active shutter lenses, the circuit configured to switch the lenses from alternating opacity with respect to each other to synchronizing opacity with respect to each other based at least in part on a signal from the sensor to allow transmission of the first set of images through the first lens and second lens while blocking transmission of the second set of images by the first lens and second lens, the signal indicating exceeding a threshold based at least in part on roll orientation, wherein the circuit is configured to delay switching the lenses between opacity and synchronization for a period of time to confirm that the threshold is exceeded.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

fade logic configured to fade one of the lenses from alternating opacity with respect to the other lens to synchronizing opacity with respect to the other lens.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fade logic shortens a duty cycle of the faded lens during fading.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fade logic reduces a maximum transparency of the faded lens during fading.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an indicator configured to activate upon switching the lenses from alternating opacity with respect to each other to synchronizing opacity with respect to each other, the indicator selected from the group consisting of an audio speaker, a light, and a vibration motor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to send the signal based on a predetermined roll angle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, a mercury switch, and an inclinometer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a selector operatively coupled with the circuit, the selector configured to select between two or more roll angles at which the circuit is configured to switch the lenses from an alternating opacity with respect to each other to synchronizing opacity with respect to each other.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the selector is user selectable.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the selector includes means for inferring an age of a wearer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a timer operatively coupled with the circuit, wherein the timer is configured to delay a switch from alternating to synchronized opacity to confirm that the roll angle is exceeded.

12. A system for viewing a stereoscopic display, comprising:

a pair of active shutter lenses comprising a first lens and second lens, each lens enabled to alternate opacity and transparency;

a detection system for detecting a differential roll angle of the lenses with respect to an orientation of left eye and right eye images on a display; and

a circuit connected to the active shutter lenses, the circuit configured to switch the lenses from alternating opacity with respect to each other to synchronizing opacity with respect to each other based on a signal from the detection system to allow transmission of either a set of left eye images or a set of right eye images through the active shutter lenses, the synchronizing opacity blocking the right eye images by the first lens and second lens when transmitting the set of left eye images or blocking the left eye images by the first lens and second lens when transmitting the set of right eye images, the signal indicating exceeding a threshold based at least in part on roll orientation, wherein the circuit is configured to delay switching the lenses between opacity and synchronization for a period of time to confirm that the roll angle is exceeded.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a circuit configured to be coupled with a display, the circuit configured to shut down 3D on the display by displaying only left eye or right eye images, the shutting down based on receiving a signal from the system for detecting a roll angle of the lenses with respect to an orientation of left eye and right eye images on the display.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the system for detecting the roll angle comprises:

a sensor for detecting a roll orientation of the lenses with respect to gravity;

a transmitter configured to transmit a signal representing a roll orientation of the left eye and right eye images on the display with respect to gravity; and

a receiver configured to receive the signal, the receiver operatively connected with the circuit,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine the differential roll angle by determining a difference between the roll orientation of the lenses with respect to gravity and the received roll orientation of the left eye and right eye images on the display with respect to gravity, thereby cancelling out a direction of gravity.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the transmitter and receiver communicate via radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) signals.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the system for detecting the roll angle comprises:

a camera rigidly coupled with the pair of lenses, the camera configured to detect an orientation of points displayed on a display, the points indicating the orientation of the images.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the system for detecting the roll angle comprises:

a camera rigidly coupled with the pair of lenses, the camera configured to detect an orientation of a rectangular image of the display.

18. A method for viewing a stereoscopic display, the method comprising:

alternating opacity and transparency in each lens of a pair of active shutter lenses, the lenses alternating opacity with respect to each other to allow a transmission of a first set of images directed to a first eye through a first lens and transmission of a second set of images directed to a second eye through a second lens;

detecting a roll orientation of the lenses;

synchronizing opacity of the lenses with respect to each other based at least in part on the roll orientation detection to allow transmission of the first set of images through the first lens and second lens while blocking transmission of the second set of images by the first lens and second lens, the signal indicating exceeding a threshold based at least in part on roll orientation; and

delaying the synchronization for a predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

fading one of the lenses from alternating opacity with respect to the other lens to synchronizing opacity with respect to the other lens.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting an orientation of points displayed on the display, the points indicating the orientation of the images.