3D image processing apparatus and method

• US 20070081716A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ha, Tae-hyeun, Koo, Jae-phil
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• 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 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/144 for flicker reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/002 Eyestrain reduction by processing stereoscopic signals or controlling stereoscopic devices

Abstract

Provided are an image processing apparatus and method which can adjust the disparity of an input three-dimensional (3D) image and stably display the 3D image. The image processing apparatus includes: an image dividing unit receiving a 3D image and dividing the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image; a histogram generation unit estimating disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram of the disparities and the frequency; a horizontal movement value determination unit determining a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and a horizontal movement unit moving the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the determined horizontal movement value. The image processing apparatus can control convergence of an image to enhance 3D effects and reduce eye fatigue.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image dividing unit which receives a three-dimensional (3D) image and divides the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image;

a histogram generation unit which estimates disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measures a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generates a histogram of the disparities and the frequency;

a horizontal movement value determination unit which determines a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and

a horizontal movement unit horizontally which moves at least one of the left-eye image and the right-eye image based on the determined horizontal movement value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit calculates a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive and determines the horizontal movement value using the calculated threshold value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit determines a value corresponding to half the threshold value to be the horizontal movement value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the horizontal movement unit moves the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the threshold value and thus adjusts the disparity.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a user interface unit receiving the predetermined ratio or the threshold value from a user through a user input signal and transmitting the predetermined ratio or the threshold value to the horizontal movement value determination unit, wherein the horizontal movement value determination unit determines the horizontal movement value using the received predetermined ratio or threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a 3D stereo display unit displaying the disparity-adjusted left-eye image and right-eye image output from the horizontal movement unit.

7. An image processing method comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional (3D) image and dividing the 3D image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image;

estimating disparities between the left-eye image and the right-eye image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram of the disparities and the frequency;

determining a horizontal movement value for the left-eye image and the right-eye image using the generated histogram; and

moving at least one of the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the determined horizontal movement value to adjust disparities.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determination of the horizontal movement value comprises:

calculating a threshold value which renders a predetermined ratio of the disparities in the histogram to be positive; and

determining the horizontal movement value using the calculated threshold value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determination of the horizontal movement value comprises determining a value corresponding to half the threshold value to be the horizontal movement value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the horizontal movement of the left-eye image and the right-eye image comprises moving the left-eye image and the right-eye image horizontally based on the threshold value and thus adjusting the disparity.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the predetermined ratio or the threshold value from a user through a user input signal; and

determining the horizontal movement value using the received predetermined ratio or the threshold value.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying the disparity-adjusted left-eye image and right-eye image.

13. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing the method of claim 7 is recorded.

14. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image dividing unit which receives an image and divides the image into a first image and a second image;

a histogram generation unit which estimates disparities between the first image and the second image, measures a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generates a histogram of the disparities and the frequency;

a movement value determination unit which determines a movement value for the first image and the second image using the generated histogram; and

a movement unit which moves at least one of the first image and the second image based on the determined movement value and thus adjusting the disparity of the image.

15. An image processing method comprising:

receiving an image and dividing the image into a first image and a second image;

estimating disparities between the first image and the second image, measuring a frequency with which the estimated disparities occur, and generating a histogram of the disparities and the frequency;

determining a movement value for the first image and the second image using the generated histogram; and

moving at least one of the first image and the second image based on the determined movement value and thus adjusting the disparity of the image.