JP2656787B2 - 3D image communication device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image communication device having a high sense of reality.

(Prior Art) An image communication apparatus such as a videophone can transmit and receive an image in addition to voice, so that it is a communication apparatus that gives a sense as if a communication partner is actually in front of the eyes. Such communication devices are:
An audio communication part and an image communication part have been used, and a telephone has been used for the audio communication part, and a set of a display device and an imaging device have been used for the image communication part.

However, an image transmitted and received by such a communication device is a two-dimensional image and therefore has no sense of depth, and thus cannot provide a sufficient sense of presence.

There are various methods for displaying a three-dimensional image with a sense of depth by capturing an image of a landscape or an actual object, and can be roughly classified into a method without glasses and a method requiring glasses. The “glasses” referred to here mean various light modulators, which will be described in detail later.

There are holography, varifocal type, lenticular type, etc. in the above-mentioned glassesless method, and the observer can see a three-dimensional image without wearing glasses. There is an excellent feature that a natural feeling can be obtained because it is not applied.

However, the holography has a fatal drawback that there is no display medium capable of displaying a moving image, and has a drawback that transmission is difficult because the amount of information to be transmitted is extremely large. The varifocal method has a drawback that an opaque object is displayed transparently, and has a drawback that the amount of information to be transmitted is large.

Among these, the lenticular type can perform three-dimensional display with about two to ten pieces of image information, so that the transmission amount is two-dimensional image
Although it is a feasible method of about 10 times, it has a drawback that the range in which an image can be observed is narrow, and it is difficult to produce a lenticular lens plate having good image quality.

On the other hand, methods that require “glasses” include a red-blue filter type, a polarization type, a time-division type, and a polarization / time-division type. There is a drawback that the natural feeling is impaired due to the application, but it is an excellent method that can be realized within the scope of the current technology, and it is already practically used as a tool to observe and enjoy the produced 3D image software Has been

The basic principle of the “glasses” method is that images taken from two directions of the right eye and the left eye in the same manner as observing an object with both eyes (these are right-eye images and left-eye images, respectively).
Is displayed on a display device such as a cathode ray tube or the like simultaneously with the display position shifted from each other (space-division type) or alternately displayed with a time shift (time-division type), and the observer's eyes When viewed through “glasses” having a light modulation function provided in the vicinity, only the image for the right eye comes to the right eye, and only the image for the left eye comes to the left eye.

Here, in the red-blue filter type, the right eye image is red,
By displaying the left eye image in blue and viewing it through a color filter near the right eye and having a light modulation function that transmits only red and near the left eye through a color filter that has a light modulation function and transmitting only blue. A dimensional image can be observed.

In the above-mentioned polarization type, the right-eye image is represented by linearly polarized light in a certain direction, and the left-eye image is represented by linearly-polarized light orthogonal to the linearly-polarized light of the right-eye image. Through a polarizer and a polarizer having a light modulation function that matches the linear polarization of the left-eye image, a three-dimensional image can be observed by seeing with the right and left eyes, respectively.

In the time-division method, the right-eye image and the left-eye image are alternately displayed, and the right-eye image and the left-eye image are alternately displayed using an optical switch having an optical modulation function for changing the amount of transmitted light. Maximize the amount of transmitted light of the optical switch and minimize the amount of transmitted light of the left-eye optical switch, and maximize the amount of transmitted light of the left-eye optical switch and minimize the amount of transmitted light of the right-eye optical switch during the display time of the left-eye image. By doing so, a three-dimensional image can be observed.

In the polarization / time-division method, the right-eye image is displayed with linear polarization in a certain direction, the left-eye image is displayed alternately with linear polarization orthogonal to the linear polarization of the right-eye image, and it is expressed as linear polarization of the right-eye image. A three-dimensional image can be observed by passing through a polarizer having a matching light modulation function and a polarizer having a matching light modulation function with the linearly polarized light of the left-eye image, and viewing them with the right and left eyes, respectively.

The “glasses” method is such that a three-dimensional image can be displayed and observed relatively easily, but if it is applied to image communication as it is, a communication partner wearing glasses is displayed and the glasses are necessary. Due to the light modulating function, it is colored or dark and is unnatural, so that there is a disadvantage that the presence is remarkably impaired.

(Object of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to solve the drawbacks of the three-dimensional display by the "glasses" method and to obtain a three-dimensional image communication device having a natural sense of realism.

(Structure of the Invention) (Difference between Features of the Invention and Conventional Technology) The most important feature of claim (1) of the present invention is an image communication apparatus based on a "glasses" type three-dimensional display, Using the image data of the sender / receiver without glasses, create an image of the sender / receiver with the glasses removed from the image of the sender / receiver wearing glasses during image communication, and use it for image communication. It can be used.

A feature of claim (2) of the present invention resides in that a contact-type light modulation film that directly contacts an eyeball of an observer who observes a three-dimensional image is used.

Claim 1 is characterized in that the conventional image communication apparatus does not have the above-mentioned image conversion function. Therefore, when performing image communication based on the “glasses” type three-dimensional display, Used the images of the sender and receiver wearing glasses as they were.

Further, in claim (2), in the conventional "glasses" type three-dimensional display, glasses of a normal size or larger are used for the light modulator. As a result of diligent studies of those having the above-mentioned light modulation function, they have found that even a small lens such as a contact lens which directly contacts the eyeball of the observer can function satisfactorily.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment when the three-dimensional image communication apparatus described in claim (1) of the present invention is used.
Since the device configuration on the receiver side and the device configuration on the receiver 1B side are the same, the configuration on the sender side will be described. The device configuration of the sender 1A (the symbol of A is assigned to the sender and the symbol of B is assigned to the recipient) is a display device 2A, two imaging devices 3A arranged substantially at an interval between both eyes, 4A, light modulation glasses 5A, and an image conversion device 11A. 6A is a changeover switch.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image conversion device 11A of FIG. 1. The image conversion device 11A is composed of the same parts as those for the right eye and those for the left eye. It comprises a right-eye image signal control unit 7A- (1), an image synthesizing unit 8A- (1), an image memory 9A- (1), and an image mixing unit 10A. In addition, each for left eye 7A-
(2), 8A- (2), 9A- (2) and 10A.

Next, the operation of the image conversion device 11A will be described. First, the sender 1A captures an image by pressing the changeover switch 6A without wearing the light modulation glasses 5A. Then, the image captured by the imaging device 3A for the right eye by pressing the changeover switch 6A (this is referred to as the image 1 without glasses) is passed through the image signal control unit 7A- (1) to the image memory 9A (1). ) Is stored.

Next, the sender 1A wears the light modulation glasses 5A at the same position as the place where the image was captured without wearing the glasses 5A, and switches the switch 6A to capture an image. Then, when the changeover switch 6A is switched, the image captured by the right-eye imaging device 3A (this is image 1 with glasses) is passed through the image signal control unit 7A- (1) to the image memory.
9A- Stored in another location of (1). The above operation is performed simultaneously for the left-eye image.

The sender 1A performs the above-described imaging operation while changing the direction of the face in some directions, and creates several sets of images without glasses and with glasses. Image synthesis unit 8A- (1) based on the obtained image set
Extracts the face image of the part hidden by the glasses of the sender 1A from a set of images without glasses and with glasses (this is called a hidden image), and uses the right-eye image and left-eye image of the hidden image. And in the same way, using another set of hidden images,
Generate a three-dimensional image of the hidden image. Then, the image synthesis unit
8A- (1) stores a three-dimensional image of a hidden image in an image memory 9A-
Store in (1). The above operation is performed simultaneously for the left-eye image.

When the image communication is started, the image synthesizing unit 8A- (1) determines the image memory 9A- based on the direction of the glasses of the sender 1A.
Generate an appropriate hidden image for the right eye from the three-dimensional image of the hidden image stored in (1), remove the glasses part from the image of the sender 1A wearing glasses, fit the hidden image there, Finally, an image without the glasses 5A is combined. Information on the orientation of the glasses can be obtained by various methods such as attaching a position sensor to the glasses.

The above operation is performed simultaneously for the left-eye image. The finally obtained right-eye and left-eye composite images are arranged in chronological order by the image mixing unit 10A and are displayed on the receiver side display device 2B.
Sent to

(Specific Example) Two sets of two commercially available television cameras and CRT displays were prepared. The observer was seated at a position where the CRT display could be seen, and the two television cameras were installed at approximately the distance between both eyes so that the observer of the CRT display could be photographed. The image signals from the two television cameras were processed by a personal computer and then converted into one time-series signal by a circuit using an IC. The input side of the CRT display was provided with an IC circuit for alternately displaying the above time-series signals on the CRT display as an interface, and an observer watched the CRT display with liquid crystal shutter glasses.
Next, shooting was performed while changing the direction of the face with and without glasses, and a three-dimensional image of a hidden image was generated by image processing, and then an image communication experiment was performed. As a result, when an image in a state where the observer is not wearing glasses is synthesized by image processing using a personal computer and sent and received by each other, the opponent's face has a natural feeling because there is no glasses, and it is very natural. Excellent realism was obtained.

Next, a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

(Example 1) A plastic film colored red and a plastic film colored blue were cut out in a disk shape of 4 to 5 mm.
These were press-molded in a mold having the same curvature as that of the eyeball, to produce a light modulation film 10 having a red and blue color filter function as shown in FIG. FIG. 1A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a side sectional view thereof.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, two sets of two commercially available television cameras 11 and a CRT display 12 were prepared, and two observers M were each seated at a position where the CRT display 12 was viewed. . The two television cameras 11 were installed at almost the distance between both eyes so that an observer of the CRT display 12 could be photographed. Image signals from the two television cameras 11 were converted into one time-series signal by a time-series signal conversion circuit 13 (IC circuit). On the input side of the CRT display 12, the above time-series signal is displayed on the CRT display, an image captured from the left camera as viewed from the observer M is red, and an image captured from the right camera as viewed from the observer is blue. And a demodulation circuit 14 (IC circuit) for alternately displaying is provided.

The two observers put the red light modulation film 10 made on the right eye and the blue light modulation film 10 on the left eye, respectively.
The CRT display 12 was observed. As a result, the face and background of the opponent were three-dimensionally represented on the CRT display 12, and the opponent's face did not have glasses, resulting in a very natural presence.

(Example 2) Using a commercially available plastic film that converts natural light into linearly polarized light, in the same manner as in Example 1, a disc-shaped light modulation film 10 of about 4 to 5 mm having the same curvature as the curvature of the eyeball.
Was prepared.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, two commercially available television cameras 11, two video projectors 15, and a screen 16 are provided.
Are prepared, and two observers M are each seated at positions where the video projector 15 is viewed. The two television cameras 11 are installed at almost the distance between both eyes so that an observer on the screen 16 can be photographed.
Can also be projected on the screen 16 at the distance between both eyes.

In addition, polarizing plates 17 whose polarization directions are orthogonal to each other were attached in front of the projection lenses of the two video projectors 15 (these are named polarization direction 1 and polarization direction 2, respectively). The image signals from the two television cameras 11 are input to a video projector that projects the image signal of the left television camera viewed from the observer side from the right side with the polarizing plate of the polarization direction 1 on the other side. The image signal of the television camera on the right side as viewed from the side was input to a video projector for projection with a polarizing plate with the polarization direction 2 on the other side.

Two observers attached the produced light modulating film 10 to the right eye so as to have the polarization direction 1 and attached the light modulator 1 so that the left eye had the polarization direction 2 and observed the screen. As a result, the face and the background of the opponent were three-dimensionally expressed on the screen 16, and the opponent's face did not have glasses.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, since the image communication apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention has an image conversion function, the face of the opponent faces each other while wearing glasses for three-dimensional image observation. There is an advantage that the glasses near the camera can be removed in an image processing manner, and a very excellent realism can be obtained.

The light modulating film for three-dimensional image observation according to claim (2) of the present invention is as small as a contact lens and can be used by directly attaching it to the eyeball. There is an advantage that a very excellent realism can be obtained without an object to be hidden.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment when the three-dimensional image communication device according to claim 1 of the present invention is used, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image conversion device shown in FIG. The drawings are a front view (1) and a sectional side view (2) of the light modulation film described in claim (2) of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining each embodiment of FIG. It is. 1A …… Sender, 1B… Recipient, 2A, 2B …… Display device, 3A,
4A, 3B, 4B …… Imaging device, 5A, 5B …… Light modulation glasses, 6A,
6B: Changeover switch, 7A- (1), 7A- (2) ... Image signal control section, 8A- (1), 8A- (2) ... Image synthesis section, 9
A- (1), 9A- (2) ... image memory, 10A ... image mixing unit, 11A, 11B ... image conversion device. 10: Light modulation film, 11: TV camera, 12: CR
T display, 13 time-series code conversion circuit, 14 demodulation circuit, 15 video projector, 16 screen, 17 polarizing plate.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tomoaki Tanaka 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Satoru Fujiya 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A means for displaying two kinds of images for the right eye and the left eye of an image observer in a time-division manner or simultaneously, and a device provided near the eyes of the observer for observing the image displayed by the display means. What is claimed is: 1. A three-dimensional image communication apparatus comprising: a light modulating unit; and a unit configured to capture an image of an observer from a plurality of directions. A three-dimensional image communication apparatus, wherein an image of the same observer when no modulating means is mounted is converted into an image without light modulating means. 2. The light modulating means mounted on an observer for observing an image displayed by the display means is a contact type light modulating film which directly contacts an eyeball of the observer. The three-dimensional image communication device according to (1).