3D graphics processor and autostereoscopic display device using the same

• US 8,279,221 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Song, Myoung-Seop, Lee, Jang-Doo, Jang, Hyoung-Wook, Nam, Hui, Kim, Beom-Shik
• Primary Examiner(s): HAJNIK, DANIEL F
• Application Number:
  US11/499,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,251 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/427
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/359 Switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic modes

Abstract

A stereoscopic image display device displays a stereoscopic image by generating stereoscopic image data based on 3D graphics data. The stereoscopic image display device includes a display unit for displaying an image, a driver, and a controller. The controller receives a synchronization signal, the 3D graphics data, and a user selection parameter for modifying a stereoscopic effect level, and outputs a control signal based on the synchronization signal and a stereoscopic image data signal, which is generated by combining left eye image data and right eye image data generated through performing matrix operations on the 3D graphics data and the user selection parameter, to the driver. The driver drives the display unit based on the control signal and the stereoscopic image data signal to display the stereoscopic image on the display unit.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic image display device having a display unit for displaying an image, the stereoscopic image display device comprising:

a first matrix generator for generating a first matrix based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix and a user selection parameter, the 3D graphics transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object;

a second matrix generator for generating a second matrix based on the 3D graphics transformation matrix and the user selection parameter;

a first matrix operator for generating first view space coordinate information using 3D space information of 3D graphics data and the first matrix;

a second matrix operator for generating second view space coordinate information using the 3D space information of the 3D graphics data and the second matrix;

a first rendering engine for generating first view image data using the first view space coordinate information and texture information of the 3D graphics data;

a second rendering engine for generating second view image data using the second view space coordinate information and the texture information of the 3D graphics data, wherein the first rendering engine and the second rendering engine are configured to concurrently generate the first view image data and the second view image data, respectively, when a stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and to alternately generate 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed;

a memory unit for storing the first view image data and the second view image data;

a driver for receiving the first and second view image data from the memory unit, and driving the display unit to display an image corresponding to the first and second view image data; and

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second rendering engines and outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines.

2. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the 2D image or the stereoscopic image based on a driving signal of the driver.

3. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 2, further comprising a generator selector for receiving a stereoscopic image activation signal indicating whether the 2D image or the stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and for alternately transmitting the 3D graphics transformation matrix to the first matrix generator or the second matrix generator in a frame by frame manner when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the 2D image is to be displayed.

4. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 3, wherein the first and second matrix generators transmit the 3D graphics transformation matrix when the user selection parameter indicates the 2D image.

5. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 4, wherein the generator selector outputs a selection signal indicating that the 3D graphics transformation matrix of a current frame has been transmitted to the first matrix generator or the second matrix generator.

10. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 1, wherein the user selection parameter comprises an angle formed by a left eye of an observer, an object, and a right eye of the observer, and the first view space coordinate information and the second view space coordinate information become the same when the angle is selected to be 0 degrees.

31. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 3, wherein the generating the first and second view image data of a subsequent frame starts before generating the first and second view image data of a previous frame is completed when the 3D graphics data is displayed as the 2D image.

32. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 1, wherein the user selection parameter comprises:

an angle formed by a left eye of an observer, an object, and a right eye of the observer; and

a distance between the object and the observer.

6. A stereoscopic image display device having a display unit for displaying an image, the stereoscopic image display device comprising:

a first matrix generator for generating a first matrix based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix and a user selection parameter;

a second matrix generator for generating a second matrix based on the 3D graphics transformation matrix and the user selection parameter;

a first matrix operator for generating first view space coordinate information using 3D space information of 3D graphics data and the first matrix;

a second matrix operator for generating second view space coordinate information using the 3D space information of the 3D graphics data and the second matrix;

a first rendering engine for generating first view image data using the first view space coordinate information and texture information of the 3D graphics data;

a second rendering engine for generating second view image data using the second view space coordinate information and the texture information of the 3D graphics data;

a memory unit for storing the first view image data and the second view image data; and

a driver for receiving the first and second view image data from the memory unit, and driving the display unit to display an image corresponding to the first and second view image data, wherein the display unit displays a 2D image or a stereoscopic image based on a driving signal of the driver;

a generator selector for receiving a stereoscopic image activation signal indicating whether the 2D image or the stereoscopic image is to be displayed, for alternately transmitting the 3D graphics transformation matrix to the first matrix generator or the second matrix generator in a frame by frame manner when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the 2D image is to be displayed, wherein the first and second matrix generators transmit the 3D graphics transformation matrix when the user selection parameter indicates the 2D image, and for outputting a selection signal indicating that the 3D graphics transformation matrix of a current frame has been transmitted to the first matrix generator or the second matrix generator;

an operator selector for receiving the stereoscopic image activation signal, and outputting the 3D space information to the first matrix operator or the second matrix operator based on the selection signal when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the 2D image is to be displayed; and

an engine selector for receiving the stereoscopic image activation signal, and outputting the texture information to the first rendering engine or the second rendering engine based on the selection signal when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the 2D image is to be displayed.

7. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 6, wherein the memory unit comprises:

a first memory for storing the first view image data output by the first rendering engine; and

a second memory for storing at least one of the first view image data output by the first rendering engine or the second view image data output by the second rendering engine.

8. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 7, wherein the second memory is driven as a stereoscopic image memory or a 2D image memory based on the stereoscopic image activation signal,

the stereoscopic image display device further comprising a memory selector for receiving the stereoscopic image activation signal, transmitting the first view image data output by the first rendering engine to the first memory when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the 2D image is to be displayed, and transmitting the first view image data output by the first rendering engine to the second memory when the stereoscopic image activation signal indicates that the stereoscopic image is to be displayed.

9. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 8, further comprising an outputting unit for outputting the image data stored in at least one of the first memory or the second memory to the driver based on the stereoscopic image activation signal and the selection signal.

11. A 3D graphics data processor comprising:

a geometric engine for generating space coordinate information by using space information of 3D graphics data, the space coordinate information comprising left eye image coordinate information and right eye image coordinate information, the geometric engine comprising;

a first matrix generator for generating a left eye matrix for the left eye image coordinate information based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix and a user selection parameter, the 3D graphics transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object;

a second matrix generator for generating a right eye matrix for the right eye image coordinate information based on the 3D graphics transformation matrix and the user selection parameter;

a first matrix operator for performing an operation on the left eye matrix and the space information of the 3D graphics data, and outputting the left eye image coordinate information; and

a second matrix operator for performing an operation on the right eye matrix and the space information of the 3D graphics data, and outputting the right eye image coordinate information;

a rendering engine comprising a first engine and a second engine for generating image data using the space coordinate information output from the geometric engine and texture information of the 3D graphics data;

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second engines; and

a memory unit for storing the image data output from the rendering engine,

wherein the rendering engine is configured to concurrently generate first view image data and second view image data, when a stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and to alternately generate 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed, and

wherein the engine selector is for outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second engines.

12. The 3D graphics data processor of claim 11, wherein the first engine is for generating left eye image data of the image data using the left eye image coordinate information output from the first matrix operator and the texture information of the 3D graphics data;

and

the second engine is for generating right eye image data of the image data using the right eye image coordinate information output from the second matrix operator and the texture information of the 3D graphics data.

13. A 3D graphics data processor for processing 3D graphics data of a first frame and a second frame subsequent to the first frame, the 3D graphics data processor comprising:

a geometric engine for generating space coordinate information by performing a matrix operation on space information of 3D graphics data of the first and second frames, the geometric engine comprising;

a first matrix generator for generating a first matrix based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix and a user selection parameter, the 3D graphics transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object;

a second matrix generator for generating a second matrix based on the 3D graphics transformation matrix and the user selection parameter;

a generator selector for transmitting the 3D graphics transformation matrix to the first matrix generator for a first frame period and transmitting the 3D graphics transformation matrix to the second matrix generator for a second frame period;

a first matrix operator for performing an operation on the first matrix and the space information of the 3D graphics data for the first frame period and outputting first coordinate information;

a second matrix operator for performing an operation on the second matrix and the space information of the 3D graphics data for the second frame period and outputting second coordinate information;

a first rendering engine and a second rendering engine for generating image data using the space coordinate information output from the geometric engine and texture information of the 3D graphics data;

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second rendering engines; and

a memory unit for storing the image data output from the first and second rendering engines,

wherein the first rendering engine and the second rendering engine are configured to concurrently generate first view image data and second view image data, respectively, when a stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and to alternately generate 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed, and

wherein the engine selector is for outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines.

14. The 3D graphics data processor of claim 13, wherein the generator selector outputs a selection signal indicating that a current frame is the first frame or the second frame,

the 3D graphics data processor further comprising an operator selector for transmitting the space information to the first matrix operator or the second matrix operator based on the selection signal.

15. A 3D graphics data processor for processing 3D graphics data, the 3D graphics data processor comprising:

at least one matrix generator configured to generate a first matrix and a second matrix using a 3D graphics transformation matrix, the 3D transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object;

a first rendering engine for generating first image data using texture information of the 3D graphics data and first coordinate information calculated by using the first matrix and space information of the 3D graphics data;

a second rendering engine for generating second image data using the texture information of the 3D graphics data and second coordinate information calculated by using the second matrix and the space information of the 3D graphics data;

a first memory for storing the first image data;

a second memory for storing, based on a control signal, both the first and second image data or either the first image data or the second image data;

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second rendering engines; and

a memory selector for transmitting the first image data output from the first rendering engine to the first memory or the second memory based on the control signal,

wherein the first rendering engine and the second rendering engine are configured to concurrently generate the first image data and the second image data, respectively, when a stereoscopic image is to be displayed, according to the selection by the engine selector, and to alternately generate 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed, according to the selection by the engine selector, and

wherein the engine selector is for outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first image data and the second image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines.

16. The 3D graphics data processor of claim 15, wherein the first image data comprises left eye image data, the second image data comprises right eye image data, and

the second memory comprises a stereoscopic image data storage memory capable of storing the first image data and the second image data.

17. A stereoscopic image display device comprising:

a display unit for displaying an image;

a controller for receiving a synchronization signal, 3D graphics data, and a user selection parameter for modifying a stereoscopic effect level, outputting a control signal based on the synchronization signal, and outputting a stereoscopic image data signal, generated by combining left eye image data and right eye image data generated by performing matrix operations using the 3D graphics data and the user selection parameter and left and right eye matrices, respectively, wherein the left and right eye matrices are each generated based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object, wherein the controller concurrently generates the left and right eye image data, when a stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and alternately generates 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed;

a driver for driving the display unit based on the control signal and the stereoscopic image data signal to display the image on the display unit;

a first rendering engine for generating the left eye image data;

a second rendering engine for generating the right eye image data; and

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second rendering engines and outputting texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the left eye image data and the right eye image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines, according to the selection by the engine selector, or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines, according to the selection by the engine selector.

18. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 17, wherein the controller receives a stereoscopic image activation signal, and selectively generates the stereoscopic image data signal or the 2D image data according to the stereoscopic image activation signal.

19. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 17, wherein the user selection parameter comprises a distance between an object displayed according to the stereoscopic image data signal and left and right eyes of an observer, and an angle formed by the left eye of the observer, the object, and the right eye of the observer.

20. A stereoscopic image display device comprising:

a display unit for displaying a stereoscopic image;

a driver for driving the display unit;

a controller for externally receiving 3D graphics data, extracting space coordinate information and texture information from the 3D graphics data, generating stereoscopic image data based on the space coordinate information and the texture information, and outputting the generated stereoscopic image data to the driver, wherein the controller comprises;

an engine selector for selecting at least one of a first rendering engine and a second rendering engines; and

a 3D graphics data processor adapted to receive a stereoscopic image activation signal indicating that the stereoscopic image is to be displayed on the display unit, and to generate the stereoscopic image using first and second matrices generated using a 3D graphics transformation matrix, the 3D transformation graphics matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object,

wherein the first and second rendering engines concurrently generate first and second view image data, respectively, when the stereoscopic image is to be displayed, according to the selection by the engine selector, and alternately generate 2D image data, respectively, when a 2D image is to be displayed, according to the selection by the engine selector,

and wherein the engine selector is for outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines.

21. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 20, wherein

the 3D graphics data processor further comprises:

a space information awareness unit for extracting the space coordinate information of the 3D graphics data;

a space information operator for respectively generating a left eye space coordinate and a right eye space coordinate by modifying the space coordinate information extracted by the space information awareness unit to generate left eye image data and right eye image data;

a texture information awareness unit for extracting texture information of the 3D graphics data;

an image generator for generating the left eye image data and the right eye image data by combining the texture information with the left eye space coordinate and the right eye space coordinate, respectively; and

an image combiner for generating the stereoscopic image data by combining the left eye image data and the right eye image data generated by the image generator according to a configuration of the display unit.

22. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 21, wherein the display unit comprises:

a display panel for displaying an image corresponding to the stereoscopic image data input from the driver; and

a barrier arranged in correspondence to the display panel, and being driven based on a driving signal of the driver.

23. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 21, wherein the space information operator, the image generator, and the image combiner are driven when the stereoscopic image activation signal is input.

24. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 21, wherein:

the space information operator calculates a first space coordinate of an object based on space coordinate information by performing a matrix operation, the first space coordinate determined from an angle to the object in reference to a left eye of an observer, outputs the calculated first space coordinate as the left eye space coordinate for a left eye image, and calculates a second space coordinate of the object based on the space coordinate information by performing the matrix operation, the second space coordinate determined from an angle to the object in reference to a right eye of the observer, and outputs the calculated second space coordinate as the right eye space coordinate for a right eye image.

25. The stereoscopic image display device of claim 21, wherein the space information operator is capable of modifying the space coordinate information and is capable of setting a modification level of the space coordinate information according to a user'"'"'s selection.

26. A driving method of a stereoscopic image display device having a display unit for displaying a stereoscopic image, the driving method comprising:

inputting 3D graphics data comprising space coordinate information and texture information of an object to the stereoscopic image display device;

converting the 3D graphics data into stereoscopic image data by performing matrix operations using the 3D graphics data and a user selection parameter for modifying a stereoscopic effect level and first and second matrices each generated based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix, the 3D transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object; and

displaying the stereoscopic image with the display unit by using the stereoscopic image data,

wherein first and second rendering engines concurrently generate first and second view image data, respectively, when the stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and alternately generate 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed, and

wherein an engine selector selects at least one of the first and second rendering engines and outputs the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines.

27. The driving method of claim 26, wherein the converting of the 3D graphics data into the stereoscopic image data comprises:

extracting the space coordinate information and the texture information;

modifying a space coordinate in order to generate left eye image data and right eye image data;

generating the left eye image data and the right eye image data by using the texture information and the modified space coordinate; and

combining the generated left eye image data and right eye image data based on a configuration of the display unit.

28. A 3D graphics data processor of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying a stereoscopic image, the 3D graphics data processor comprising:

a space information awareness unit for receiving 3D graphics data comprising space coordinate information and texture information of an object, and extracting the space coordinate information;

a space information operator for modifying the space coordinate information extracted by the space information awareness unit to generate left eye image data and right eye image data;

a texture information awareness unit for extracting the texture information from the 3D graphics data;

an image generator for receiving the space coordinate information and the texture information respectively from the space information operator and the texture information awareness unit, and for generating the left eye image data and the right eye image data by performing at least one 3D matrix operation using a matrix generated based on a 3D graphics transformation matrix, the 3D graphics transformation matrix comprising transformation data expressing at least one of a shape or a movement of a 3D object,

wherein the image generator concurrently generates first and second view image data, when the stereoscopic image is to be displayed, and alternately generates 2D image data, when a 2D image is to be displayed;

an image combiner for combining the left eye image data and the right eye image data generated by the image generator according to a configuration of the display device;

a first rendering engine for generating the first view image data;

a second rendering engine for generating the second view image data; and

an engine selector for selecting at least one of the first and second rendering engines and outputting the texture information to the selected at least one of the first and second rendering engines for generation of the first view image data and the second view image data concurrently by the first and second rendering engines, according to the selection by the engine selector, or generation of the 2D image data alternately by the first and second rendering engines, according to the selection by the engine selector.

29. The 3D graphics data processor of claim 28, wherein the space information awareness unit outputs a space coordinate corresponding to observing an object at an angle to the object in reference to a left eye of an observer as a space coordinate for a left eye image based on the space coordinate information of the 3D graphics data by performing the at least one 3D matrix operation, and outputs another space coordinate corresponding to observing the object at an angle to the object in reference to a right eye of the observer as a space coordinate for a right eye image.

30. The 3D graphics data processor of claim 29, wherein the space information operator is capable of adjusting the matrix used for the matrix operation by the observer.