JP3469884B2 - 3D image display device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image display device without glasses, which enables stereoscopic images to be recognized by following the head position of an observer without using special glasses, and more particularly to a stereoscopic image display device. In the above, the present invention relates to optical alignment of a sensor for detecting an observer position for expanding a stereoscopic viewable range.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an observation region of a stereoscopic image display device without glasses, which uses a parallax barrier, a lenticular lens, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, a special stereoscopic image display device without glasses uses a left and right image separation means such as a parallax barrier or a lenticular lens to display the right eye image and the left eye image separately. The stereoscopic image display device 1 and the head position detection device 3 for detecting the head position of the observer 2 are provided.

In such a stereoscopic image display device without glasses, as shown by the rhombic region in FIG. 1, the stereoscopic viewable range is very limited. In FIG. 1, the hatched rhombus part of the separated left and right images is the right eye image entering the right eye and the left eye image entering the left eye.
Shows a stereoscopic viewing area where a stereoscopic image can be observed. In addition, the blank rhombus part of the separated left and right images
The right-eye image enters the left eye, and the left-eye image enters the right eye. Stereoscopic vision is possible only when the left and right eyes of the observer are present within the rhombic region indicating the above-described stereoscopic region.

As described above, the range in which stereoscopic vision is possible is very limited. Normally, since the parallax barrier and the lenticular lens are fixed, the stereoscopic viewing area and the pseudoscopic viewing area alternate in the vicinity of the optimum viewing distance. This is because they will appear.

As a method of expanding the stereoscopic viewable range,
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-152668 (IPC: G0
3B 35/00), observer 2
When the observer 2 is located in a so-called myopia region where the left eye image is observed in the observer's right eye and the right eye image is observed in the left eye, the position of the right eye image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 200 There is a method of replacing the left eye image. In addition, JP-A-9-197
In Japanese Patent No. 344 (IPC: G02B 27/22),
A liquid crystal panel or the like is used so that a light shielding barrier or a parallax barrier having a slit-shaped opening disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight can be moved by 1/4 pitch (barrier movement) with respect to the pitch. The disclosed configuration is disclosed.

Therefore, by optimally controlling the movement of the barrier or the light-shielding plate and the switching between the right-eye image and the left-eye image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel, it becomes possible to observe the right-eye image or the left-eye image. The viewing range is expanded.

As described above, in order to widen the stereoscopic viewing range, the conventional stereoscopic image display device is provided with the head position detecting device 3 for detecting the head position of the observer 2 and detecting the position of the observer's head. Depending on the situation, the method of switching the video signal as described above is used.

The detection by the head position detecting device 3 described above
The method will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Figure 1
In the solid-state image sensor of the head position detecting device 3,
The center is the center position of the display 10 of the stereoscopic image display device 1.
11 is aligned and attached. And
For example, in the head position detecting device 3, the stereoscopic image display device is previously set.
Holds information on the emmetropic and stereoscopic regions corresponding to
The position of the observer by performing calculations using that area.
Is estimated. That is, as shown in FIG.
Image the observer with the child. Observer 2 puts marker 21 on the head
Is attached to. Here, a stereoscopic image is displayed in the imaging area 31.
Divide into areas 32 corresponding to the image display device
Calculate the marker area within
It is judged as the area where the observer exists. In this Figure 2
In the example shown, five calculation areas 32 ₁To 32_FiveSplit into
There is. In this example, the area 32₁, 32₃, 32_FiveOn the marker
-21 when there is an emmetropic area, 32₂, 32_FourOn the marker
When there is -21, it is determined that the region is a pseudoscopy.

[0010] Using the result, for example, in the case of a two-eye type stereoscopic image, the right-eye image and the left-eye image are switched to form a normal viewing region only when an observer is present in the reverse viewing region. You can

However, for example, in the case of a stereoscopic image display device using a parallax barrier or a lenticular lens,
Depending on the alignment accuracy of the image display device consisting of a direct-view type liquid crystal panel or liquid crystal projector and the left and right image separation members such as parallax barrier and lenticular lens,
The positions of the emmetropic / optoscopic regions are greatly different. Therefore, it is necessary to perform optical adjustment of the head position detection device for detecting the position of the observer provided in the stereoscopic image display device and the stereoscopic vision area of the stereoscopic image display device for each stereoscopic image display device.

As an optical alignment method, the head is moved to the left and right from the state of being located at the optimum observation distance of the stereoscopic image display device, and the moire and the images of the right eye and the left eye of the stereoscopic image display device are switched. To check. This is because the moiré can be observed at the boundary between the stereoscopic and pseudosighted regions, and by matching the moiré occurrence position and the image switching timing, the head position detection device and the stereoscopic image display device can be displayed. Optical alignment becomes possible. actually,
The area where the moire is observed is crossed from the left and right, and the images are switched at even positions.

Further, if the head position detecting device seems to move easily even after the optical adjustment, the optical adjustment must be carried out each time, which is very troublesome.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a stereoscopic image display device capable of relatively easily performing optical adjustment between the head position detecting device and the stereoscopic image display device. The task is to do.

[0015]

According to the present invention, there is provided video display means for alternately displaying a left-eye video image and a right-eye video image in a striped pattern, and a video separation device for separating a right-eye video image and a left-eye video image. In a stereoscopic image display device comprising: means, a head position detecting means for detecting a position of an observer, and a control means for changing a stereoscopic viewable range according to a signal from the head position detecting means. The head position detecting means has an image pickup means for picking up an image of the observer, and displays a marker on the image display means for specifying the observation position of the observer picked up by the image pickup means and the stereoscopic image display device. Characterize.

As described above, the optical alignment between the head position detecting means and the image display means can be performed by utilizing the interactivity with the displayed image.

Further, according to the present invention, it is preferable to superimpose an image for recognizing the center in the horizontal and vertical directions within the image pickup area of the image pickup means.

Further, in the image pickup area of the image pickup means, it is preferable to superimpose an image which matches the eye-to-eye distance of the observer according to the observation distance of the observer and which shows the eye-to-eye position. .

Further, it is preferable that an image showing a region corresponding to the stereoscopic image separating unit such as a stereoscopic / stereoscopic region of the stereoscopic image display device is superimposed in the image pickup area of the image pickup unit.

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

The optical position adjustment can be completed by adjusting the area setting portion set in the head position detecting means.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an observation region of a stereoscopic image display device to which the present invention is applied, and FIG.
It is a figure which performs a head position detection device and a stereoscopic image display device optical position alignment. The schematic structure of the stereoscopic image display device is the same as that of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the center 11 and the stereoscopic center 12 of the entire display including the exterior of the stereoscopic image display device. Generally, in a stereoscopic image display device using a parallax barrier or a lenticular lens, depending on the alignment between the parallax barrier or the lenticular lens and the image display panel, the display center 1 as shown in FIG.
1 and the stereocenter 12 are different.

In general, the head detecting device 3 is attached so that the photographing center of the solid-state image pickup device 30 serving as the image pickup means thereof is aligned with the center 11 of the stereoscopic image display device 1. However, the difficulty of positioning the head detecting device 3 is that the center 11 and the stereoscopic center 12 of the display 10 are different as described above. This depends on the alignment accuracy of the parallax barrier or the lenticular lens and the image display panel, and may shift up to several tens of mm at the optimum viewing distance. As shown in FIG. 3, the display center 11 and the stereoscopic center 12 are usually different.

Therefore, in the present invention, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the observer 2 is caused to move to the center of the stereoscopic viewing region existing near the front of the display 10. This state is imaged by the solid-state imaging device 30 of the head detecting device 3 attached to the upper part of the stereoscopic image display device 1, and the image is displayed on the display 10 of the stereoscopic image display device 1.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the display 10 superimposes and displays a line that divides the image of the observer 2 evenly in the vertical and horizontal directions. The superimposed lines are the horizontal uniform line 41 and the vertical uniform line 42 of the solid-state imaging device 30. The intersection of the horizontal and vertical uniform lines represents the center of the solid-state image sensor 30 of the head detecting device 3.

As a result, when the position of the observer 2 is not at the center of the horizontal and vertical uniform lines, in the example shown in FIG. By the adjustment, the head position detecting device 3 is adjusted so that the face of the observer 2 is located at the center of the face (the center of the eye is located at the intersection). In this way, the optical alignment of the position detection system of the head position detection device 3 and the stereoscopic image display device 1 is completed.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
Whereas in the first embodiment described above, the horizontal uniform line 41 and the vertical uniform line 42 of the solid-state image sensor 30 are superimposed, in the second embodiment, at the optimum observation distance of the stereoscopic image display device, The image marker 43 in the shape of an eye is superimposed so that it is located exactly at the average interocular distance of a human. In FIG. 4, 33 indicates the center of the solid-state image sensor.

As in the first embodiment, the observer 2 is asked to move to the center of the emmetropic region existing near the front of the display 10. This state is imaged by the solid-state image sensor of the head detecting device 3 attached to the upper part of the stereoscopic image display device 1, and the image is displayed on the display 10 of the stereoscopic image display device 1.
To display.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the imaged observer 2 and the image marker 43 in the shape of the eyes are displayed on the display 10.

The head position detecting device 3 is adjusted so that the eyes of the observer 2 are aligned with the image markers 43. In this way, the optical alignment of the position detection system of the head position detection device 3 and the stereoscopic image display device 1 is completed.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the first and second embodiments described above, in the central portion of the solid-state image sensor, information about the stereoscopic vision and the pseudoscopic vision areas corresponding to the stereoscopic image display device is held in advance as shown in FIG. The calculation used is performed. Therefore, the position of the observer is estimated by aligning the optical position of the position detection system of the head position detection device 3 and the optical position of the stereoscopic image display device 1 so that their center positions coincide with each other. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the area region used for the calculation is changed according to the position of the observer 2.

As shown in FIG. 6, when aligning the image after superimposing, the setting portion of the calculation area 32 of the head position detecting system as shown in FIG. 2 should be shifted in circuit. Any setting may be used. Further, at that time, the horizontal / vertical dividing line to be superimposed may be moved in conjunction with the position of the area setting shifted in a circuit manner.

Although not shown, the stereoscopic area is shifted by moving only the optical components such as the parallax barrier and the lenticular lens, and the observer himself moves to the front emmetropic position each time, and the head position detecting system is obtained. It is also possible to complete the optical alignment of the stereoscopic image display device.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the head position detection system and the stereoscopic image display device are optically aligned using the front emmetropic position, but the invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. The position may be aligned by using the pseudoscopic region and the lateral emmetropic region. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, it is necessary to shift the position of the horizontal dividing line 41 so as to match it, and to display it. In the figure, a case is shown in which optical alignment is performed in the emmetropic region on the left side of the front emmetropic region.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a marker is displayed on the stereoscopic image display device for specifying the observation position in the stereoscopic image display device and the observer imaged by the solid-state image sensor of the head position detecting device. The optical adjustment between the head position detecting device and the stereoscopic image display device can be performed relatively easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an observation region of a stereoscopic image display device without glasses using a parallax barrier, a lenticular lens, or the like.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an imaging area and a calculation area of a solid-state image sensor in the head position detecting device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an observation region of a stereoscopic image display device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the head position detection device and the stereoscopic image display device optical alignment according to the first embodiment of the present invention are performed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a head position detecting device and a stereoscopic image display device are optically aligned according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a head position detecting device and a stereoscopic image display device are optically aligned according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a head position detecting device and a stereoscopic image display device are optically aligned according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 3D image display device 2 observer 3 Head position detector 10 display

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A video display unit for alternately displaying a striped left-eye image and a right-eye image, a left-right image separating unit for separating a right-eye image and a left-eye image, and a position of an observer. In the stereoscopic image display device, the head position detecting means for detecting the head position detecting means and the control means for changing the stereoscopic viewable range according to the signal from the head position detecting means. Is a stereoscopic image display device having image pickup means for picking up an image of an observer, and displaying a marker on the image display means for specifying an observation position in the stereoscopic image display device with the observer imaged by the image pickup means. . 2. The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image for recognizing the center in the horizontal and vertical directions is superimposed in the image pickup area of the image pickup means. 3. An image superimposing an image within the image pickup area of the image pickup means, which corresponds to the eye-to-eye distance of the observer according to the observation distance of the observer and which shows the eye-to-eye position. The stereoscopic image display device according to claim 1. 4. An image showing a region corresponding to the stereoscopic image separation unit, such as a stereoscopic / stereoscopic region of a stereoscopic image display device, is superimposed in the image pickup area of the image pickup unit. The stereoscopic image display device described in. 5. An area setting set in the head position detecting means.
This optical alignment is completed by adjusting the fixed part.
Stereoscopic image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that that.