Image processing method of transparent display apparatus and apparatus thereof

• US 9,497,448 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, SangLyn, Seo, JungHoon, An, JooYoung, Kim, Jung-Gyum
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/140,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20140184758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0686 with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/122 Improving the 3D impression of stereoscopic images by modifying image signal contents, e.g. by filtering or adding monoscopic depth cues H04N13/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/395 with depth sampling, i.e. the volume being constructed from a stack or sequence of 2D image planes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/86 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8791 Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light

Abstract

There are provided an image processing method. Perspective is calculated from an image, the image is divided into a plurality of objects in consideration of the perspective, and processing levels of the plurality of objects are assigned. A light shielding rate of a transparent display apparatus is calculated based on the processing levels. Further, image processing is performed on the objects on the basis of the processing levels, so that it is possible to improve a stereoscopic effect being felt while using the transparent display apparatus. Furthermore, a shielding rate of light entering from the rear side of the transparent display apparatus is effectively adjusted, and the image is processed to improve the visibility of the image.

Claims

1. A transparent display apparatus comprising:

a transparent display unit at a front side of the transparent display apparatus having an emissive area for display of an image and a transmissive area having a see-through characteristic, the transparent display unit being transparent to external light incident on the transparent display apparatus;

a light shielding unit to shield at least a portion of the external light from passing through the transparent display unit, the light shielding unit disposed at a rear side of the transparent display apparatus; and

at least one processing unit configured to;

determine a first processing level corresponding to a target emphasis for a first object in the image;

determine a second processing level corresponding to a target emphasis for a second object in the image;

control a first shielding rate of the light shielding unit in a first object area corresponding to the first object based on the first processing level; and

control a second shielding rate of the light shielding unit in a second object area corresponding to the second object based on the second processing level.

2. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the first shielding rate of the light shielding unit in the first object area to be higher than the second light shielding rate of the light shielding unit in the second object area responsive to the target emphasis for the first object being higher than the target emphasis for the second object.

3. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the second processing level for the second object relative to the first processing level for the first object.

4. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing unit is configured to compare characteristics of the first object and the second object and determine the first processing level for the first object responsive to the comparison of the characteristics.

5. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a depth map for the image and to determine the first processing level and the second processing level based on the depth map.

6. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a saliency map for the image and to determine the first processing level and the second processing level based on the saliency map.

7. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to adjust sharpness of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the higher target emphasis is sharper than the other.

8. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to adjust blurriness of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the lower target emphasis is blurrier than the other.

9. The transparent display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to adjust saturation of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the higher target emphasis is more saturated than the other.

10. A method comprising:

determining a first processing level corresponding to a target emphasis for a first object and a second object in an image to be displayed by an emissive area of a transparent display unit;

controlling a first shielding rate of a light shielding unit in a first object area corresponding to the first object based on the first processing level and controlling a second shielding rate of the light shielding unit in a second object area corresponding to the second object based on the second processing level,

wherein the transparent display unit includes the emissive area and a transmissive area and allows a user to see behind a transparent display apparatus through the transmissive area and also view the image emitted from the emissive area simultaneously, and wherein a front side of the transparent display apparatus is exposed to a user and the light shielding unit is disposed at a rear side of the transparent display apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first shielding rate of the light shielding unit in the first object area is controlled to be higher than the second light shielding rate of the light shielding unit in the second object area responsive to the target emphasis for the first object being higher than the target emphasis for the second object.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second processing level for the second object is determined relative to the first processing level for the first object.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing characteristics of the first object and the second object,

wherein the first processing level is determined responsive to the comparison of the characteristics.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a depth map for the image,

wherein the first processing level and the second processing level are determined based on the depth map.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a salience map for the image,

wherein the first processing level and the second processing level are generated based on the saliency map.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting sharpness of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the higher target emphasis is sharper than the other.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting blurriness of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the lower target emphasis is blurrier than the other.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting saturation of at least one of the first object or the second object in the image such that one of the first object or the second object having the higher target emphasis is more saturated than the other.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining a first processing level corresponding to a target emphasis for a first object and a second object in an image to be displayed by an emissive area of a transparent display unit;

controlling a first shielding rate of a light shielding unit in a first object area corresponding to the first object based on the first processing level and controlling a second shielding rate of the light shielding unit in a second object area corresponding to the second object based on the second processing level,

wherein the transparent display unit includes the emissive area and a transmissive area and allows a user to see behind the transparent display unit through the transmissive area and also view the image emitted from the emissive area simultaneously, and wherein a front side of a transparent display apparatus is exposed to a user and the light shielding unit is disposed at a rear side of the transparent display apparatus.