KR100658718B1 - Autostereoscopy device with image acquisition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image device having a simple configuration, advantageous in miniaturization, and having an image capturing unit capable of simultaneously photographing a left eye image and a right eye image of a subject.

The stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to the present invention simultaneously captures a left eye image and a right eye image of a target to obtain image information, and a video signal of a left eye image and a video signal of a right eye image. It includes an image capture unit for providing a three-dimensional image display unit. In this case, the image capturing unit includes a first camera fixed to the main body, and a second camera installed in the main body so as to be movable in position and having a variable distance from the first camera.

Stereoscopic Image, Camera, Mobile, Image Capture, Zoom Motor, Parallax Barrier, Lenticular Lens

Description

Stereoscopic Equipment with Image Capture {AUTOSTEREOSCOPY DEVICE WITH IMAGE ACQUISITION APPARATUS}

1 is a front view of a stereoscopic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a stereoscopic image display unit using a parallax barrier type among stereoscopic apparatuses according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a stereoscopic image display unit of a lenticular lens type among stereoscopic apparatuses according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic diagram of an image capture unit of a stereoscopic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a schematic diagram of a moving unit of a stereoscopic imaging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a stereoscopic imaging apparatus having an image capturing unit, and more particularly, to a stereoscopic imaging apparatus having an image capturing unit for capturing a left eye image and a right eye image of a target to obtain image information.

In general, a stereoscopic image display device is a device that provides a different image to the user's left and right eyes to feel the sense of distance and three-dimensional to the user's image, the user can watch the stereoscopic image without wearing equipment such as polarized glasses Autostereoscopy devices are known.

A typical autostereoscopy device adopts a method of spatially dividing a left eye image and a right eye image implemented in an image display unit using an optical separation device such as a lenticular lens or a parallax barrier in a left eye direction and a right eye direction, respectively. have. Conventional techniques related to autostereoscopic devices include a stereoscopic image display device disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,465,175 and 6,046,849.

In order to implement a stereoscopic image in the autostereoscopic device, an image signal obtained through a stereoscopic camera must be used. This is a method of obtaining a plurality of video signals by placing a plurality of cameras around an object to obtain an image signal and simultaneously photographing the objects at different positions.

Recently, efforts have been made to apply an apparatus for displaying and photographing stereoscopic images to mobile devices such as cellular phones and digital cameras. However, when a 3D image display device is applied to a mobile device, the size and resolution of the display device are limited due to the characteristics of the mobile device. Therefore, a 2-view display device displaying a 3D image using only a left eye image and a right eye image is used. May be considered first.

In addition, when a device for shooting stereoscopic images is applied to a mobile device equipped with a binocular stereoscopic image display device, at least two cameras for capturing at least the left eye image and the right eye image, respectively, are required. There is a problem in that it is difficult to be applied to a mobile device or a small stereoscopic image device because of the disadvantage of large and high unit price.

Therefore, the present invention is to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is simple in configuration, advantageous in miniaturization and the image capture unit that can simultaneously shoot the left eye image and the right eye image of the target to obtain image information It is to provide a stereoscopic imaging device provided.

In order to achieve the above object, the stereoscopic imaging device according to the present invention simultaneously captures a main body, a stereoscopic image display unit provided on the main body, and a left eye image and a right eye image of a target to obtain image information, and thus a video signal of a left eye image. And an image capture unit for providing a video signal of a right eye image to the stereoscopic image display unit. In this case, the image capturing unit includes a first camera fixed to the main body, and a second camera installed in the main body so as to be movable in position and having a variable distance from the first camera.

The image capturing unit further includes a position controller for controlling the position of the second camera to satisfy the following modification condition.

Here, P _max is the maximum parallax value of the stereoscopic image display unit, ρ is the vertical distance from the first and second cameras to the subject, and f is the focal length of the first and second cameras.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a front view of a stereoscopic apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which illustrates a case where a stereoscopic apparatus is applied to a cellular phone.

Referring to the drawings, the stereoscopic imaging apparatus includes a main body 2, a stereoscopic image display unit 4 provided on the main body 2 to display a stereoscopic image, and a left eye image and a right eye image of an object to obtain image information. And an image capturing unit 6 for generating a left eye image signal and a right eye image signal at the same time and providing the same to the stereoscopic image display unit 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stereoscopic image display unit 4 may use a method of using a parallax barrier as an image separator and a method of using a lenticular lens sheet as an image separator as illustrated in FIG. 3.

First, referring to FIG. 2, the stereoscopic image display unit 4 includes an image display unit 8 in which a plurality of subpixels 8R and 8L respectively corresponding to the right eye image and the left eye image are formed in an arbitrary pattern. And a parallax barrier 14 arranged on the front surface of the image display unit 8 and the slit-shaped light blocking unit 10 and the light transmitting unit 12 are repeatedly arranged at regular intervals.

Each of the sub-pixels 8R and 8L of the image display unit 8 receives an image signal of any one of the right eye image signal R and the left eye image signal L, so that the image display unit 8 corresponds to the right eye image. A right eye image is displayed at the pixels 8R, and a left eye image is displayed at the subpixels 8L corresponding to the left eye image.

By the above configuration, the right eye image implemented in the right eye subpixels 8R of the image display unit 8 is separated in the right eye direction of the user via the light transmitting unit 12 of the parallax barrier 14, and the image display unit ( The left eye image implemented in the left eye sub-pixels 8L of 8) is classified in the left eye direction of the user through the light transmitting part 12 of the parallax barrier 14 so that the user can stereoscopically view the image of the image display part 8. Will be recognized.

In the above, the case where the parallax barrier 14 is disposed on the front surface of the image display unit 8 has been described. However, when the image display unit 8 is a transmissive display device that receives light from a light source (not shown) and displays an image. The parallax barrier 14 may be disposed between the light source and the display of the image 8.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, the stereoscopic image display unit 4 ′ includes an image display unit 8 in which a plurality of sub-pixels 8R and 8L respectively corresponding to the left eye image and the right eye image are formed in an arbitrary pattern. And a lenticular lens sheet 16 disposed on the front surface of the image display unit 8 and composed of a plurality of lenticular lenses 16a. Each lenticular lens 16a is disposed corresponding to two or more sub pixels 8R and 8L.

By the above configuration, the right eye image implemented in the right eye subpixels 8R of the image display unit 8 is refracted by the lenticular lens 16a and separated in the right eye direction of the user, and the left eye of the image display unit 8 is used. The left eye image implemented in the subpixels 8L is refracted by the lenticular lens 16a and separated in the left eye direction of the user, thereby allowing the user to recognize the image of the image display unit 8 as a stereoscopic image.                     

The stereoscopic image display unit 4, 4 ′ receives and displays an image signal of a left eye image captured by the image capturing unit 6 and an image signal of a right eye image. In this embodiment, the image capturing unit 6 is parallel. As an axial stereoscopic camera, two cameras are used to simultaneously capture a left eye image and a right eye image of a subject.

4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation principle of the image capturing unit.

Referring to the drawings, the image capturing unit is a first camera 18 having a fixed position, and a second camera 20 having a variable distance from the first camera 18 while being positioned on a parallel axis with the first camera 18. And a position controller 24 for controlling the position of the second camera 20 by calculating a distance between the first and second cameras 18 and 20 and the subject 22, and a position controller 24 according to a user input. ) And a user input device 30 for controlling the zoom motors 26 and 28 of the first and second cameras 18 and 20.

The first camera 18 is a camera fixed to the main body 2, and the user can confirm the position and the focus of the subject 22 by displaying the subject on the stereoscopic image display unit 2 through the first camera 18. have. The second camera 20 is mounted on a moving unit (not shown) so that a user can take a stereoscopic image having a desired degree of parallax.

The user input device 30 allows the user to adjust the distance to the subject and the zoom of the camera lens. The user input device 30 determines the distance to the subject, the focal length, and the like through the device. By calculating the distance between the two cameras to adjust the position of the second camera (20).                     

Here, P _max is the maximum parallax value of the stereoscopic image display unit 4, ρ is the repair distance from the first and second cameras 18 and 20 to the subject 22, and f is the first and second cameras ( 18, 20).

P _max and f are values determined as characteristic values of the stereoscopic image display unit 4 and the first and second cameras 18 and 20, respectively. The distance ρ between the first and second cameras 18 and 20 and the subject 22 may be directly input by the user through the user input device 30 or calculated according to the zooming degree of the camera lens. If the first and second cameras 18 and 20 have an autofocusing function, the distance to the subject 22 may be calculated without a user's input.

The above equation refers to a distance between two cameras 18 and 20 that can comfortably view the subject 22 at a predetermined distance ρ from the image capturing unit 6 through the stereoscopic image display unit 4.

Thus, the image capturing unit 6 having the above-described configuration optimizes the distance between the first camera 18 and the second camera 20 according to the distance between the first and second cameras 18 and 20 and the subject 22. And simultaneously operating the first camera 18 and the second camera 20 to shoot the left eye image and the right eye image of the subject 22 at the same time, and the video signal of the left eye image and the video signal of the right eye image obtained here are stereoscopic images. By providing the display unit 4, the image taken by the user is provided in three dimensions.                     

5 is a schematic view showing an example of a moving unit provided between the main body and the second camera to move the second camera.

Referring to the drawings, the moving part 32 supports the second camera 20 while the horizontal moving shaft 34 whose exposure length is varied from the main body 2, and the rack fixed to the end of the horizontal moving shaft 34 ( 36, a pinion 38 that rotates in engagement with the rack 36, and a motor 40 and a speed reducer 42 installed in the pinion 38 to drive the same.

Thus, when the position controller 24 calculates the distance between the first camera 18 and the second camera 20 suitable for photographing the subject, the operation signal is transmitted to the motor 40 so that the motor 40 and the reducer 42 Is operated, and the position of the second camera 20 is changed to be fixed to the set position.

Meanwhile, although FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the stereoscopic image device of the present embodiment is applied to a cellular phone, the stereoscopic image device of the present embodiment may be applied to various types of mobile devices such as note PCs, digital cameras and camcorders as well as cellular phones. The present invention can be easily applied to conventional display devices such as televisions and computer monitors.

In addition, all the known display devices such as a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode, and a plasma display panel may be applied to the image display unit described above.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims and the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. Of course it belongs to the range of.

As described above, the stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a second camera capable of adjusting a position with respect to the first camera, and can simultaneously photograph a left eye image and a right eye image of a subject by optimizing a distance between the two cameras. Therefore, the stereoscopic image device according to the present invention has a simple configuration, has an image capturing unit which is advantageous for miniaturization, can be easily applied to a mobile device, and can realize a stereoscopic image with excellent stereoscopic effect.

Claims (7)

A main body; A stereoscopic image display unit provided on the main body; And An image capturing unit configured to simultaneously capture a left eye image and a right eye image of an object to obtain image information, and provide an image signal of a left eye image and an image signal of a right eye image to the stereoscopic image display unit; The image capture unit, A first camera fixed to the main body; And The second camera is installed in the main body to move the position so that the distance to the first camera is variable Stereoscopic imaging device comprising a. The method of claim 1, And a position controller for controlling the position of the second camera so that the image capturing unit satisfies the following modification condition.

Here, P _max is the maximum parallax value of the stereoscopic image display unit, ρ is the vertical distance from the first and second cameras to the subject, and f is the focal length of the first and second cameras. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And a moving unit installed between the main body and the second camera to move the second camera. The method of claim 3, The moving unit supports the second camera while the horizontal moving shaft of which the exposure length is variable from the main body, the rack fixed to the horizontal moving shaft end, the pinion to rotate in engagement with the rack, and the motor installed in the pinion to drive it Stereoscopic imaging device comprising a. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The stereoscopic image display unit may include an image display unit in which a plurality of sub-pixels corresponding to the left eye image and the right eye image are formed in an arbitrary pattern, and a slit-shaped light blocking unit and a light transmitting unit disposed on any one surface of the image display unit. A stereoscopic imaging device including a parallax barrier repeatedly arranged at regular intervals. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The stereoscopic image display unit may include an image display unit in which a plurality of subpixels corresponding to a left eye image and a right eye image are formed in an arbitrary pattern, and a plurality of subpixels disposed on a front surface of the image display unit and corresponding to at least two subpixels. Stereoscopic imaging device comprising a lenticular lens sheet made of a lenticular lens. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the stereoscopic imaging device is a mobile device.

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