Digital image sequence display system and method

• US 6,623,428 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Miller, Michael E., Cok, Ronald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/976,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/595, 128/897-898, 434/8, 434/38-44
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015

Abstract

A system and method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, includes the steps of: generating the digital image sequence; and adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion, whereby the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled.

Claims

1. A method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising the steps of:

a) generating the digital image sequence; and

b) adjusting the digital image sequence in response to a viewer selection to control the perception of self-motion such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital image sequence is adjusted by adjusting the images in the digital image sequence, with an adjustment selected from the group comprising:

selectively controlling the sharpness of the entire image, selectively controlling the sharpness of the periphery of the image, selectively controlling the field of view of the image;

selectively controlling the contrast of the displayed image;

selectively controlling whether or not the image sequence is stereo or monoscopic;

selectively controlling the apparent velocity or acceleration of the viewer of the image;

selectively controlling the apparent orientation of the viewer with respect to the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the angular rotation of the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the noise in the periphery of the image;

selectively interposing a fixed reference with respect to the image;

selecting a sequence from a plurality of sequences having different amounts of self motion; and

selectively controlling the control display ratio of a viewer interface device.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein the digital image sequence is stored in a hierarchical compressed format, and the image sharpness is selectively controlled by decompressing a limited number of hierarchies.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting is performed in response to monitoring a viewer'"'"'s physical response to viewing the image sequence.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein the monitoring is selected from one or more of the group comprising:

galvanic skin response, skin temperature, rate of perspiration, skin color, heart rate variability, frequency of eye movements, breathing rate, depth of breathing, and gastro-intestinal activity.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the viewer selection is performed while viewing the image sequence.

7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the viewer selection is performed prior to viewing the image sequence.

8. The method claimed claim 1, wherein the adjusting is performed by a creator of the digital image sequence to create a predetermined perception of self motion.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital image sequence is a computer-generated image sequence.

10. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital image sequence is a photographic image sequence.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjusting step further comprises the steps of:

b1) employing camera position information and edge information in a digital image sequence to determine the likelihood of motion sickness from the image sequence, and

b2) adjusting the digital image sequence as a function of the determined likelihood of motion sickness.

12. The method claimed in claim 11, wherein one or more characteristics selected from the group comprising:

edge velocity and acceleration in the image sequence, display characteristics, a measure of self motion over time, and viewer characteristics are employed to determine the likelihood of motion sickness.

13. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital image sequence is generated from a specification and the specification is adjusted to reduce the propensity to induce motion sickness.

14. A system for generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising:

a) means for generating the digital image sequence; and

b) means for adjusting the digital image sequence in response to a viewer selection to control the perception of self-motion, such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled.

15. The system claimed in claim 14, wherein the means for adjusting the digital image sequence includes means selected from the group comprising:

means for selectively controlling the sharpness of the entire image, selectively controlling the sharpness of the periphery of the image, means for selectively controlling the field of view of the image;

means for selectively controlling the contrast of the image;

means for selectively controlling whether or not the image sequence is stereo or monoscopic;

means for selectively controlling the apparent velocity or acceleration of the viewer of the image;

means for selectively controlling the apparent orientation of the viewer with respect to the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

means for selectively controlling the angular rotation of the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

means for selectively controlling the noise in the periphery of the image;

means for selectively interposing a fixed reference with respect to the image;

means for selecting a sequence from a plurality of sequences having different amounts of self motion; and

means for selectively controlling the control display ratio of a viewer interface device.

16. The system claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for monitoring a viewers physical response to viewing the image sequence and producing a signal and wherein the means for adjusting is responsive to the signal.

17. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein the means for monitoring is selected from one or more monitoring means selected from the group comprising:

galvanic skin response, skin temperature, rate of perspiration, skin color, heart rate variability, frequency of eye movements, breathing rate, depth of breathing, and gastrointestinal activity.

18. The system claimed in claim 14, wherein the viewer selection can be performed while viewing the image sequence.

19. The system claimed in claim 14, wherein the viewer selection can be performed prior to viewing the image sequence.

20. The system claimed claim 14, wherein the means for adjusting is adapted to be operated by a creator of the digital image sequence to create a predetermined perception of self motion.

21. The system claimed in claim 14, wherein the digital image sequence is a computer generated image sequence.

22. The system claimed in claim 14, wherein the digital image sequence is a photographic image sequence.

23. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for adjusting further comprises:

b1) means for employing camera position information and edge information in a digital image sequence to determine the likelihood of motion sickness from the image sequence, and

b2) means for adjusting the digital image sequence as a function of the determined likelihood of motion sickness.

24. The system claimed in claim 23, wherein one or more characteristics selected from the group comprising:

edge velocity and acceleration in the image sequence, display characteristics, a measure of self motion over time, and viewer characteristics are employed to determine the likelihood of motion sickness.

25. The system claimed in claim 15, wherein the digital image sequence is stored in a hierarchical compressed format, and the image sharpness is controlled by decompressing a limited number of hierarchies.

26. The system claimed in claim 15, wherein the digital image sequence is generated from a specification and the specification is adjusted to reduce the propensity to induce motion sickness.

27. A method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising the steps of:

a) generating the digital image sequence; and

b) adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, wherein the adjusting is performed in response to monitoring a viewer'"'"'s physical response to viewing the image sequence and, wherein the monitoring is selected from one or more of the group comprising;

galvanic skin response, skin temperature, rate of perspiration, skin color, heart rate variability, frequency of eye movements, breathing rate, depth of breathing, and gastro-intestinal activity.

28. The method claimed claim 27, wherein the adjusting is performed by a creator of the digital image sequence to create a predetermined perception of self motion.

29. The method claimed in claim 27, wherein the digital image sequence is a computer-generated image sequence.

30. The method claimed in claim 27, wherein the digital image sequence is a photographic image sequence.

31. The method claimed in claim 30, wherein the adjusting step further comprises the steps of:

b1) employing camera position information and edge information in a digital image sequence to determine the likelihood of motion sickness from the image sequence, and

b2) adjusting the digital image sequence as a function of the determined likelihood of motion sickness.

32. The method claimed in claim 31, wherein one or more characteristics selected from the group comprising:

edge velocity and acceleration in the image sequence, display characteristics, a measure of self motion over time, and viewer characteristics are employed to determine the likelihood of motion sickness.

33. The method claimed in claim 29, wherein the digital image sequence is adjusted by adjusting the images in the digital image sequence, with an adjustment selected from the group comprising:

selectively controlling the sharpness of the entire image;

selectively controlling the sharpness of the periphery of the image;

selectively controlling the field of view of the image;

selectively controlling the contrast of the displayed image;

selectively controlling whether or not the image sequence is stereo or monoscopic;

selectively controlling the apparent velocity or acceleration of the viewer of the image;

selectively controlling the apparent orientation of the viewer with respect to the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the angular rotation of the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the noise in the periphery of the image;

selectively interposing a fixed reference with respect to the image;

selecting a sequence from a plurality of sequences having different amounts of self motion; and

selectively controlling the control display ratio of a viewer interface device.

34. The method claimed in claim 33, wherein the digital image sequence is stored in a hierarchical compressed format, and the image sharpness is selectively controlled by decompressing a limited number of hierarchies.

35. The method claimed in claim 27, wherein the digital image sequence is generated from a specification and the specification is adjusted to reduce the propensity to induce motion sickness.

36. A method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising the steps of:

a) generating the digital image sequence; and

b) adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, wherein the adjusting is performed by a creator of the digital image sequence to create a predetermined perception of self motion.

37. The method claimed in claim 36, wherein the digital image sequence is adjusted by adjusting the images in the digital image sequence, with an adjustment selected from the group comprising:

selectively controlling the sharpness of the entire image;

selectively controlling the sharpness of the periphery of the image;

selectively controlling the field of view of the image;

selectively controlling the contrast of the displayed image;

selectively controlling whether or not the image sequence is stereo or monoscopic;

selectively controlling the apparent velocity or acceleration of the viewer of the image;

selectively controlling the apparent orientation of the viewer with respect to the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the angular rotation of the viewer'"'"'s frame of reference;

selectively controlling the noise in the periphery of the image;

selectively interposing a fixed reference with respect to the image;

selecting a sequence from a plurality of sequences having different amounts of self motion; and

selectively controlling the control display ratio of a viewer interface device.

38. A method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising the steps of:

a) generating the digital image sequence; and

b) adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, wherein the digital image sequence is a photographic image sequence.

39. The method claimed in claim 38, wherein one or more characteristics selected from the group comprising:

edge velocity and acceleration in the image sequence, display characteristics, a measure of self motion over time, and viewer characteristics are employed to determine the likelihood of motion sickness.

40. A method of generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising the steps of:

a) generating the digital image sequence; and

b) adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, wherein the digital image sequence is generated from a specification and the specification is adjusted to reduce the propensity to induce motion sickness.

41. A system for generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising:

a) means for generating the digital image sequence;

b) means for adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion, such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled; and

c) means for monitoring a viewer'"'"' physical response to viewing the image sequence and producing a signal, the means for adjusting being responsive to the signal and, wherein the means for monitoring is selected from one or more monitoring means selected from the group comprising;

galvanic skin response, skin temperature, rate of perspiration, skin color, heart rate variability, frequency of eye movements, breathing rate, depth of breathing, and gastro-intestinal activity.

42. A system for generating an immersive digital image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising:

a) means for generating the digital image sequence; and

b) means for adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion, such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, wherein the means for adjusting is adapted to be operated by a creator of the digital image sequence to create a predetermined perception of self motion.

43. A system for generating an immersive digital photographic image sequence capable of providing a perception of self-motion, comprising:

a) means for generating the digital image sequence; and

b) means for adjusting the digital image sequence to control the perception of self-motion, such that the degree of motion sickness induced in a viewer of the digital image sequence is controlled, the means for adjusting including;

b1) means for employing camera position information and edge information in a digital image sequence to determine the likelihood of motion sickness from the image sequence, and

b2) means for adjusting the digital image sequence as a function of the determined likelihood of motion sickness.

44. The system claimed in claim 43, wherein one or more characteristics selected from the group comprising:

edge velocity and acceleration in the image sequence, display characteristics, a measure of self motion over time, and viewer characteristics are employed to determine the likelihood of motion sickness.