Stereoscopic image display

• US 7,705,876 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Kang, Sing Bing, Starkweather, Gary K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe; Gims S
• Application Number:
  US10/948,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 348/51, 348/41, 348/53
• US Class Current: 348/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/302 for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/371 for tracking viewers with different interocular distances; for tracking rotational head movements around the vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/378 for tracking rotational head movements around an axis perpendicular to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/38 for tracking vertical translational head movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes

Abstract

Stereoscopic image display is described. In an embodiment, a location of the eye pupils of a viewer is determined and tracked. An image is displayed within a first focus for viewing with the left eye of the viewer, and the image is displayed within a second focus for viewing with the right eye of the viewer. A positional change of the eye pupils is tracked and a sequential image that corresponds to the positional change of the eye pupils is generated for stereoscopic viewing. In another embodiment, an image is displayed for stereoscopic viewing and a head position of a viewer relative to a center of the displayed image is determined. A positional change of the viewer'"'"'s head is tracked, and a sequential image that corresponds to the positional change of the viewer'"'"'s head is generated for stereoscopic viewing.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic image display system, comprising:

a display system configured to display an image for stereoscopic viewing, the display system further configured to center the image in front of a viewer,

the components of the display system comprising a first computer driven image rendering projective display configured to display the image for viewing with a left eye of the viewer, and a second computer driven image rendering projective display configured to display the image for viewing with a right eye of the viewer, and

a mirror configured to reflect the image displayed for viewing with the right eye of the viewer;

a head position determination system configured to determine a head position of the viewer relative to a center of the display system, the head position determination system further configured to track a positional change of the head of the viewer;

image generation logic configured to generate a sequential image corresponding to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer, the sequential image including a motion parallax depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing; and

a servo control system comprising one or more servos, the servo control system configured to reposition at least one of the displays in entirety responsive to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer as determined by the head position determination system.

2. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the image generation logic is further configured to generate the sequential image to include a rotational depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

3. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system includes infra-red range sensors to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system, and wherein the servo control system is configured to pivot the first display, the second display, and the mirror of the display system to track the positional change of the head of the viewer as determined by the head position determination system.

4. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system is further configured to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system without a user attachable device.

5. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system is further configured to track a horizontal positional change of the head.

6. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system is further configured to track a vertical positional change of the head.

7. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system is further configured to track a rotational positional change of the head.

8. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system includes infra-red range sensors to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system.

9. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system includes infra-red range sensors to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system, and wherein the viewer position logic is further configured to initiate centering the display system in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer according to the infra-red range sensors.

10. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system includes infra-red range sensors to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system, and includes additional infra-red range sensors to more precisely determine the head position of the viewer.

11. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 1, wherein the head position determination system includes infra-red range sensors to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system, and includes additional infra-red range sensors to more precisely determine the head position of the viewer, and wherein the viewer position logic is further configured to initiate centering the display system in front of the viewer according to the infra-red range sensors and the additional infra-red range sensors.

12. A method, comprising:

displaying an image for stereoscopic viewing, the displaying comprising

displaying a first image for viewing by the right eye of a viewer on a first servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display and

displaying a second image for viewing by the left eye of the viewer on a second servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display;

determining a head position of the viewer relative to a center of a display system that displays the image;

centering the display system in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer;

tracking a positional change of the head of the viewer;

actuating a servo in order to reposition either the first or second displays in entirety responsive to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer; and

generating a sequential image corresponding to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer, the sequential image including a motion parallax depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising generating the sequential image to include a rotational depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein displaying the image includes:

displaying the image on a first display for viewing with a left eye of the viewer; and

displaying the image on a second display for viewing with a right eye of the viewer.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein displaying the image includes:

displaying the image on a first display for viewing with a left eye of the viewer; and

displaying the image on a second display for viewing with a right eye of the viewer such that the image displayed on the second display is reflected for viewing.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein determining the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system includes determining the head position of the viewer without a user attachable device.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein tracking the positional change of the head includes tracking a horizontal positional change of the head.

18. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein tracking the positional change of the head includes tracking a vertical positional change of the head.

19. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein tracking the positional change of the head includes tracking a rotational positional change of the head.

20. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein determining the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system includes sensing the head position with infra-red range sensors.

21. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein determining the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system includes sensing the head position with infra-red range sensors, and wherein centering the display system includes centering the display system in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer according to the infra-red range sensors.

22. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a stereoscopic image display device to:

display an image for stereoscopic viewing via

displaying a first image for viewing by the right eye of a viewer on a first servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display and

displaying a second image for viewing by the left eye of the viewer on a second servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display;

determine a head position of the viewer relative to a center of a display system that displays the image;

center the display system in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer;

track a positional change of the head of the viewer;

actuate a servo in order to reposition either the first or second displays in entirety for repositioning of the components responsive to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer; and

generate a sequential image corresponding to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer, the sequential image including a motion parallax depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

23. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to generate the sequential image to include a rotational depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

24. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to:

display the image on a first display of the display system for viewing with a left eye; and

display the image on a second display of the display system for viewing with the right eye.

25. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to:

display the image on a first display of the display system for viewing with a left eye; and

display the image on a second display of the display system for viewing with the right eye, wherein the image displayed on the second display is reflected for viewing.

26. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to determine the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system without a user attachable device.

27. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to track a horizontal positional change of the head.

28. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to track a vertical positional change of the head.

29. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to track a rotational positional change of the head.

30. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to sense the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system with infra-red range sensors.

31. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the stereoscopic image display device to sense the head position of the viewer relative to the center of the display system with infra-red range sensors, and center the display system in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer according to the infra-red range sensors.

32. A stereoscopic image display system, comprising:

displaying an image for stereoscopic viewing, the displaying comprising

displaying a first image for viewing by the right eye of a viewer on a first servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display and

displaying a second image for viewing by the left eye of the viewer on a second servo controlled computer driven image rendering projective display;

means for determining a head position of the viewer;

means for centering the image in front of the viewer and relative to the head position of the viewer;

means for tracking a positional change of the head of the viewer;

means for actuating a servo in order to reposition either the first or second displays in entirety for repositioning of the components being responsive to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer; and

means for generating a sequential image corresponding to the tracking of the positional change of the head of the viewer, the sequential image including a motion parallax depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

33. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 32, further comprising means for generating the sequential image to include a rotational depiction of the image for stereoscopic viewing.

34. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 32, wherein the means for displaying the image includes:

a first display to display the image for viewing with a left eye of the viewer; and

a second display to display the image for viewing with a right eye of the viewer such that the image displayed on the second display is reflected for viewing.

35. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 32, wherein the means for determining a head position of a viewer includes infra-red range sensors.

36. A stereoscopic image display system as recited in claim 32, wherein the means for tracking a positional change of the head of the viewer includes infra-red range sensors.