Process and system for encoding and playback of stereoscopic video sequences

• US 9,479,755 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3DN, LLC
• Original Assignee: 3DN, LLC
• Inventors: Routhier, Nicholas, Thibeault, Claude, Belzile, Jean, Malouin, Daniel, Carpentier, Pierre-Paul, Dallaire, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILIPPE, GIMS S
• Application Number:
  US14/455,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240.25, 348/51, 348/43, 348/42, 386/248, 345/419
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/144 for flicker reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/167 Synchronising or controlling image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0096 Synchronisation or controlling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/002 Eyestrain reduction by processing stereoscopic signals or controlling stereoscopic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/007 Aspects relating to detection of stereoscopic image format, e.g. for adaptation to the display format

Abstract

A method for decoding a compressed image stream, the image stream having a plurality of frames, each frame consisting of a merged image including pixels from a left image and pixels from a right image. The method involves the steps of receiving each merged image; changing a clock domain from the original input signal to an internal domain; for each merged image, placing at least two adjacent pixels into an input buffer and interpolating an intermediate pixel, for forming a reconstructed left frame and a reconstructed right frame according to provenance of the adjacent pixels; and reconstructing a stereoscopic image stream from the left and right image frames. The invention also teaches a system for decoding a compressed image stream.

Claims

1. A method for playback of video sequences on a display device, the method comprising:

receiving a stream of merged images, the stream comprising at least a first merged image, the first merged image comprising a pair of images being time-synchronized with parallax for perception of depth when displayed in a three-dimensional (3D) viewing mode;

transferring at least some pixels representative of at least some of at least one image of the pair of images to memory location of a buffer;

processing at least some pixels representative of at least some of at least one image of the pair of images to generate a first rebuilt image; and

outputting at least a portion of said first rebuilt image in one of a plurality of output formats for display on the display device, said plurality of output formats including at least one stereoscopic 3D output mode and a conventional two-dimensional (2D) output mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stream of merged images further comprises a second merged image, the second merged image comprising a second pair of images being time-synchronized with parallax for perception of depth when displayed in the 3D viewing mode, the method further comprising:

processing at least some pixels representative of at least some of at least one image of the second pair of images to generate a second rebuilt image; and

outputting at least a portion of said second rebuilt image in one of a plurality of output formats for display on the display device, said plurality of output formats including at least one stereoscopic 3D output mode and a conventional 2D output mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises spatial interpolation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing increases horizontal fidelity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is a television and wherein each of the receiving, the transferring, the processing and the outputting are performed at the television.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first rebuilt image comprises a left image and a right image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first rebuilt image comprises a left image.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

spatially filtering the at least a portion of said first rebuilt image to reduce flicker when the at least a portion of said first rebuilt image is to be displayed in a stereoscopic 3D output mode.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the outputting of the at least a portion of said first rebuilt image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises decimating pixels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the decimating selects only pixels of even lines.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

time interpolating at least one of (a) at least a portion of the first rebuilt image, or (b) at least a portion of the second rebuilt image, or (c) at least a portion of both the first rebuilt image and the second rebuilt image, to generate at least one third image; and

outputting at least a portion of said third image for display on the display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the time interpolation comprises temporal interpolation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the time interpolation comprises repeating the first rebuilt image.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of said third image is output for display on the display device in a stereoscopic 3D mode.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of said third image is output for display on the display device in a conventional 2D mode.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

adjusting synchronization between the outputting and a shutter glass unit to reduce crosstalk.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting comprises changing left-right frame polarity of an output signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the adjusting comprises changing a polarity of a timing signal sent from a driver to the shutter glass unit.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the stream of merged images comprises 24 frames per second and wherein said time interpolating increases a display frame rate to an integer multiple of 24 frames per second.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the stream of merged images comprises 30 frames per second and wherein said time interpolating increases a display frame rate to an integer multiple of 30 frames per second.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said time interpolating comprises repeating.

23. The method of claim 8, wherein the spatially filtering comprises:

evaluating a green level value of at least some pixels representative of at least some of at least one image of the pair of images; and

decreasing corresponding pixel colours proportionally when the green level value is above a certain value.

24. A digital display system for playback of video sequences, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a stream of merged side-by-side images, the stream comprising at least a first merged image and a second merged image;

a processor operable to process pixels of the first merged image to generate a first rebuilt image, and operable to process pixels of the second merged image to generate a second rebuilt image;

a time interpolator operable to time interpolate at least one of (a) at least a portion of the first rebuilt image, or (b) at least a portion of the second rebuilt image, or (c) at least a portion of both the first rebuilt image and the second rebuilt image, to generate at least one third image; and

an outputter operable to output at least a portion of the at least one third image in an output signal in one of a plurality of output formats for display, said plurality of output formats including at least one stereoscopic 3D output mode and a conventional 2D output mode.

25. The digital display system of claim 24, wherein the time interpolating comprises repeating at least one of (a) at least a portion of the first rebuilt image, or (b) at least a portion of the second rebuilt image, or (c) at least a portion of both the first rebuilt image and the second rebuilt image.

26. The digital display system of claim 24, wherein the digital display system is a television.

27. The digital display system of claim 24, further comprising:

an anti-flicker filter operable to spatially filter at least a portion of said first rebuilt image to reduce flicker when the output signal is to be displayed in a stereoscopic 3D output mode.