Blend maps for rendering an image frame

• US 20070291189A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Harville, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/18 Use of a frame buffer in a display terminal, inclusive of the display panel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3182 Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

A method performed by a processing system includes determining at least first and second distances between a first pixel location having a first pixel value in a first image frame and first and second edges of the first image frame, respectively, and determining a first factor that is proportional to a first product of the first and the second distances and configured to attenuate the first pixel value in response to the first pixel value being displayed by a first projector on a display screen such that the first pixel value overlaps with a second pixel value displayed by a second projector.

Claims

1. A method performed by a processing system, the method comprising:

determining at least first and second distances between a first pixel location having a first pixel value in a first image frame and first and second edges of the first image frame, respectively; and

determining a first factor that is proportional to a first product of the first and the second distances and configured to attenuate the first pixel value in response to the first pixel value being displayed by a first projector on a display screen such that the first pixel value overlaps with a second pixel value displayed by a second projector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the first factor in a first blend map.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least third and fourth distances between a second pixel location having the second pixel value in a second image frame and first and second edges of the second image frame, respectively; and

determining a second factor that is proportional to a second product of the third and the fourth distances and configured to attenuate the second pixel value in response to the second pixel value being displayed by the second projector on the display screen such that the second pixel value overlaps with the first pixel value displayed by the first projector.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

storing the second factor in a first blend map.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining the first factor as a first ratio of the first product to a sum of the first product and the second product; and

determining the second factor as a second ratio of the second product to the sum of the first product and the second product.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein a sum of the first factor and the second factor is equal to one.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining at least fifth and sixth distances between a third pixel location having a third pixel value in a third image frame and first and second edges of the third image frame, respectively; and

determining a third factor that is proportional to a third product of the fifth and the sixth distances and configured to attenuate the third pixel value in response to the third pixel value being displayed by a third projector on the display screen such that the third pixel value overlaps with the first pixel value displayed by the first projector and the second pixel value displayed by the second projector.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a sum of the first factor, the second factor, and the third factor is equal to one.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least third and fourth distances between the first pixel location and third and fourth edges of the first image frame, respectively; and

determining the first factor such that the first factor is proportional to a second product of the third and the fourth distances.

10. An image display system comprising:

a first projector configured to display a first image frame on a first position on a display surface;

a second projector configured to display a second image frame on a second position on the display surface, the second position partially overlapping the first position in an overlapping region on the display surface;

a processing system configured to generate the first and the second image frames using first and second blend maps, respectively;

wherein the first blend map includes a first plurality of factors, wherein each of the first plurality of factors is determined from a first plurality of distances between a corresponding pixel location in the first image frame and a plurality of edges of the first image frame and a second plurality of distances between a corresponding pixel location in the second image frame and a plurality of edges of the second image frame, wherein the second blend map includes a second plurality of factors, and wherein each of the second plurality of factors is determined from the first plurality of distances and the second plurality of distances.

11. The image display system of claim 10 wherein the first blend map is configured to cause a first portion of the first image frame to be attenuated according to the first plurality of factors, wherein the second blend map is configured to cause a second portion of the second image frame to be attenuated according to the second plurality of factors, and wherein the first portion and the second portion correspond to the overlapping region.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first blend map is configured to cause the first image frame outside of the first portion not to be attenuated, and wherein the second blend map is configured to cause the second image frame outside of the second portion not to be attenuated.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a third projector configured to display a third image frame on a third position on the display surface, the third position partially overlapping the first position and the second position in the overlapping region;

wherein the processing system is configured to generate the third image frame using a third blend map;

wherein each of the first plurality of factors is determined from the first plurality of distances, the second plurality of distances, and a third plurality of distances between a corresponding pixel location in the third image frame and a plurality of edges of the third image frame, wherein each of the second plurality of factors is determined from the first plurality of distances, the second plurality of distances, and the third plurality of distances, wherein the third blend map includes a third plurality of factors, and wherein each of the third plurality of factors is determined from the first plurality of distances, the second plurality of distances, and the third plurality of distances.

14. A program product stored on a medium readable by a processing system, the program product comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

determine at least first and second distances between a first pixel location having a first pixel value in a first image frame and first and second edges of the first image frame, respectively;

determine at least third and fourth distances between a second pixel location having a second pixel value in a second image frame and first and second edges of the second image frame, respectively, wherein the first pixel value and the second pixel value are configured to at least partially overlap on a display surface in response to being simultaneously displayed by first and second projectors, respectively; and

determine a first factor configured to attenuate the first pixel value using the first, the second, the third, and the fourth distances.

15. The program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

store the first factor in a first blend map.

16. The program product of claim 15 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

determine a second factor configured to attenuate the second pixel value using the first, the second, the third, and the fourth distances.

17. The program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

store the second factor in a second blend map.

18. The program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

determine fifth and sixth distances between the first pixel location and third and fourth edges of the first image frame, respectively;

determine seventh and eighth distances between the second pixel location and third and fourth edges of the second image frame, respectively; and

determine the first factor using the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth distances.

19. The program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

determine at least fifth and sixth distances between a third pixel location having a third pixel value in a third image frame and first and second edges of the third image frame, respectively, wherein the first pixel value, the second pixel value, and the third pixel value are configured to at least partially overlap on a display surface in response to being simultaneously displayed by the first, the second, and third projectors, respectively; and

determine a first factor configured to attenuate the first pixel value using the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth distances.

20. The program product of claim 19 further comprising instructions executable by the processing system to:

determine a second factor configured to attenuate the second pixel value using the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth distances; and

determine a third factor configured to attenuate the third pixel value using the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth distances.