EP1964413A1

EP1964413A1 - Method and arrangement for monoscopically representing at least one area of an image on an autostereoscopic display apparatus and information reproduction unit having such an arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP1964413A1
Application number: EP06818073A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Timo Ropinski; Frank Steinicke; Klaus Hinrichs
Original assignee: Westfaelische Wilhelms Universitaet Muenster
Current assignee: Westfaelische Wilhelms Universitaet Muenster
Priority date: 2005-11-14
Filing date: 2006-11-14
Publication date: 2008-09-03
Also published as: JP2009516205A; DE102006030990A1; US20080278573A1; WO2007056986A1; DE112006003696A5

Abstract

In order to solve the problem of monoscopically representing at least one area of an image on an autostereoscopic display apparatus (14) having a resolution of M x N monitor pixels (M, N ? N<SUB>+</SUB>), which are arranged in the form of a matrix in M columns and N rows, and a multiplicity of active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers which separate the monitor pixels into P (P ? N<SUB>+</SUB>, P = 2) fields, the invention proposes an arrangement which comprises: a data processing unit (10) which is coupled to the display apparatus, wherein the data processing unit generates control signals for controlling the monitor pixels, means for selecting the image area that is intended to be monoscopically displayed, means for creating a representation of the selected area with a resolution of M/S x N/K image pixels, wherein (S, K ? R) and 1 < S = P and 1 = K = P and wherein each image pixel is assigned a pixel value which can be represented on the display apparatus in colour or in black and white, and means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display apparatus and for reading the transformed representation on the display apparatus.

Description

METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR MONOSCOPIC PRESENTATION

AT LEAST ONE FIELD OF AN IMAGE ON AN AUTOSTEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY DEVICE AND INFORMATION PLAYER WITH SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for monoscopic display of at least a portion of an image on an autostereoscopic

Display device with a resolution of M x N matrix-like in M columns and N

Lines arranged monitor pixels (M, N e N ₊ , N + = amount of natural numbers greater than zero) and a plurality of the monitor pixels in fields separating active or passive beam splitter or parallax barriers. The invention also relates to an information reproducing apparatus having such an arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term "display device" is here understood in general to be any type of display which is designed to display digital images and consists of a plurality of pixels commonly referred to as "monitor pixels". These may be TV sets, computer screens for one or more users, but also displays of portable devices, e.g. portable DVD devices, mobile phones or portable computer games. The term

"Monitor pixel" serves to distinguish the physically actually existing elements of the display from the virtual image pixels of a digital image.

The term "image" is generally understood here to represent information that can be displayed on the display device in the data processing sense, that is, for example, a scene of a movie, an icon, a graphic, a text, and the like. In particular, the images to be displayed here are overlapping or juxtaposed so-called windows with different contents, which are displayed in front of a common background, generally the so-called desktop. In a window, for example, the window associated with a running word processor, may be referred to as

"two-dimensional information" or "2D information" for short, information such as Texts, in another window hereinafter referred to as "three-dimensional information" or "3D information" for short, three-dimensional images, e.g. generated by a program for the visualization of medical sectional image series.

The term "information reproducing apparatus" here means devices for the visual reproduction of all types of information in which an arrangement according to the invention can be advantageously integrated, such as navigation systems for vehicles, game consoles or mobile phones, PDAs and the like.

Autostereoscopic display devices of the type in question have a plurality of active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers separating the monitor pixels such that at least two

Fields are generated, one of which is intended for the left and one for the right eye of a viewer of the display device.

It should be emphasized at this point that the term "field" is not necessarily a "half", that is, e.g. only half of the columns available on the display device used is to be understood, but that is generally understood by this term one of two images, which is intended for either the left or right eye of a viewer and together with to supplement a field intended for the other eye to a stereoscopic image.

The mentioned active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers can be designed differently and, for example in the form of lenses, separate groups of adjacent monitor pixels (lens scanning technique as in so-called lenticular displays) or in Form of vertically adjacent barriers Monitor pixels of adjacent columns in P (P e N ₊₁ P> 2) Separate fields (so-called vertical interlacing).

There has long been a desire to use two-dimensional

Display devices, such as e.g. Computer screens or cinema screens to represent images in such a way that offers the viewer a three-dimensional, spatial impression. Since spatial, stereoscopic vision results from the fact that the left eye of a viewer supplies an image to the brain of the observer, which surrounds the image supplied to the brain by the right eye

Eye distance is offset, the two images are then assembled by the brain into a spatial image, all stereoscopic display methods based on the generation of at least two related fields of the same scene, where one field for the right eye, the other field for the left eye intended by the viewer.

In order to ensure that the respective fields arrive at the viewer's left or right eye, a wide variety of methods are known, which can be broadly classified according to whether the fields are displayed simultaneously or at different times on the respective display device.

From the early seventies, a method is known in which the fields were color-coded simultaneously projected onto a television screen or a movie screen and the viewer had to wear glasses for separation of the fields with usually a red and a green color filter. Due to various

Disadvantages and not least of the funny appearance of the glasses with red and green glasses, this method has never prevailed.

In particular, for professional applications, for example in the field of Computer Aided Design (CAD), time-shifted images have prevailed, in which the separation of the fields takes place in that the user must wear a so-called "shutter glasses", which synchronously the illustrated fields the view through the left and right lens releases. - A -

Since the change occurs very quickly (e.g., 50 times per second), the continuous change is not perceived by the user, so that instead of the user's brain, the two images time-shifted by the left and right lenses, respectively, are assembled into a stereoscopic image.

However, since the wearing of such a shutter glasses is uncomfortable and especially for people who already wear a corrective glasses, only with increased effort is possible in the last few years increasingly sought opportunities, fields in a different way to the eyes of one or more observers conduct.

The great advances in the field of so-called flat displays, in particular the liquid crystal, plasma and electroluminescent displays, have made it possible to simultaneously generate two or more fields by adding active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers, so that in one or more viewers actually a spatial impression results.

It can e.g. be provided that between two adjacent pixel columns, a fixed or switchable parallax barrier is arranged such that the light from a monitor pixel only to the left, the light of a horizontally adjacent

Monitor pixels can only reach the right eye of the viewer. However, the so-called "3D points" or "sweet spots", in which the eyes of the beholder must be relative to the display, in order to actually obtain the full three-dimensional impression, in their spatial extent very limited, so that already small deviations, as they always occur when using such a display (the head of the observer is usually never fixed relative to the display), lead to a blurring of the three-dimensional impression.

Displays with beam splitters have proved to be particularly advantageous, in which, for example, the fields which are simultaneously displayed in the display are guided to the right or left eye of one or more observers by means of lenses. These displays not only allow, depending on the design of the beam splitters used to generate four or more fields such that the eyes of two or more observers two fields at a time can be assigned in such a way that two or more viewers can each see a spatial image, they also allow the area within which the eyes of a viewer must be located to give the desired three-dimensional impression of that displayed on the display To obtain a picture, to make relatively large, so that the

Viewers in moderation can freely move to the monitor. In particular, such displays also make it possible to realize a tracking of these sweet spots in such a way that a recognition device continuously evaluates where the eyes of a viewer are relative to the monitor and then tracks the 3D points as a function of the recognized eye position become.

The problem with the autostereoscopic display devices in which due to the physically existing beam splitter automatically at least two fields are generated, that there are many applications in which a spatial representation is not desired or intended. Thus, the control bars and certain text fields of computer programs are usually provided only for two-dimensional representation, even in those computer programs that serve to generate three-dimensional images. If, however, a two-dimensional image is reproduced in the usual way on an autostereoscopic display device, then a fuzzy image is created for the viewer.

In stereoscopic displays with controllable parallax barriers, this problem can be solved by switching off the corresponding parallax barriers in the areas in which an image is to be displayed only two-dimensionally.

As a solution to the problem in autostereoscopic displays with beam parts, DE 103 39 076 A1 proposes a focusing element in the form of a so-called

Sweet spot unit, wherein the display comprises lighting elements and an information-bearing image matrix and the sweet-spot unit is synchronized with the image matrix. However, this solution is extremely expensive, both optomechanical and electronic. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention has for its object to provide a method and an arrangement for monoscopic display of at least a portion of an image on an autostereoscopic display device that can be applied or retrofitted even in simple autostereoscopic display devices with a number of parallax barriers or beam splitters in a simple and cost-effective manner so that areas of images can also be displayed two-dimensionally with the corresponding autostereoscopic display device.

In particular, it should allow the device to simultaneously represent certain image areas two-dimensional, other image areas three-dimensional.

The invention is procedurally achieved by a method for monoscopic display of at least one image area of an image on an autostereoscopic display device with a resolution of M x N matrix-like arranged in M columns and N lines monitor pixels (M, N e N ₊ ) and a

Makes the monitor pixels in P (P e N ₊ , P> 2) fields separating active or passive beam splitter or parallax barriers, in which first at least one image area to be displayed monoscopically, is selected, in which then a representation of the selected area with a Resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels (S ₁ K e R ₁ R = set of real numbers) is created where 1 <S <P and 1 <K <P and where each image pixel is colored on the display device black-and-white representable pixel value is assigned, and in which finally the representation is transformed to the resolution M x N of the display device and read on the display device.

The invention is thus based on the idea of rendering the areas to be monoscopically displayed on a virtual screen with a lower resolution than the actual resolution of the autostereoscopic display device and then transforming the information for this virtual screen to the full resolution, so that a viewer with the left and the right eye Seeing pictures that are very similar or even identical to each other, so that gives the viewer a two-dimensional impression.

In an advantageous embodiment, the representation of the selected region is produced with a resolution of M / P × N / P, that is to say a resolution which is exactly reduced by the number of fields to be generated in terms of the column and line. In that case, the representation produced can then be transformed particularly easily to the resolution of the display device and read out onto the display device in such a way that the same pixel values are represented in in each case two monitor pixels which are involved in the representation of the selected region and correspond to one another spatially in two associated fields , Matching locally means that for a viewer of the fields, the pixels appear to come from the same location, or in other words: a pixel that appears to have the coordinates x, y in the right field also appears to have these coordinates in the left field.

This embodiment of the method advantageously has the effect that exactly the same "scene" is displayed in two associated fields in selected areas, which produces a two-dimensional impression on the viewer.

It should be noted at this point that an image pixel is usually associated with an m-dimensional vector, the so-called pixel value (m e N +) whose individual components correspond to intensity levels of mostly three or four monitor subpixels, these subpixels forming a monitor pixel. In a color display with a resolution of e.g. Depending on the type of display, 800 x 600 pixels are actually 3 (or 4) x 800 x 600 individually controllable pixels that allow the color representation of an image.

The "pixel value" can thus, in black and white representation, actually a single scalar value from a predefined range of values (then usually called grayscale) and assume, for example integer values between 0 and 256, the pixel value can also be a three or three be four-dimensional vector. For the However, this advantageous embodiment does not play a role, because in the case of a four-dimensional vector, for example, all four components of a pixel of the created representation are represented in two mutually correspondingly corresponding monitor pixels of associated fields.

If the selected image area is e.g. a text, this text ultimately presents itself to the viewer as if it were printed on a paper in the usual way or as if it were displayed on a standard, non-autostereoscopic screen.

Although P = 2 will be set for most applications, that is, the beam splitters or parallax barriers produce only two fields, the invention is not limited to P = 2. If e.g. If a display device is used with a beam splitter that generates four fields, it may be that, depending on the configuration of the corresponding display device, the pixels of two associated fields which are spatially corresponding to one another are not physically adjacent to one another directly on the display device but through one column in the pixel of another Field are shown, are separated.

If the autostereoscopic display device used for carrying out the method is a display with vertical beam splitters for generating two fields, the respectively two locally corresponding pixels in the fields can actually be generated by two vertically horizontally adjacent vertically adjacent monitor pixels.

In the above application where exactly two fields are generated, the resolution in the image area to be displayed two-dimensionally may be reduced to one quarter of the resolution actually possible from the purely physical number of monitor pixels and then to prevent accordingly also the length and width of the selected area of a

Presentation is only half of the actual size, again transformed up to the actual resolution of the display device. It should be emphasized at this point that it does not have to be necessary according to the environment of use of the method to reduce the line resolution of the image areas to be displayed two-dimensionally. Thus, for example, it may be provided to produce a representation with a resolution of 800 × 1200 pixels from an image to be displayed two-dimensionally on an autostereoscopic display device having a resolution of 1600 × 1200 pixels (arranged in 1600 columns and 1200 lines). The person skilled in the art can thus advantageously select a resolution for the representation which is optimally adapted to the respective environment of use. Since many programs and operating systems are already designed for screens with resolutions of 1600 x 1200 and 800 x 600, it is particularly easy to implement methods that also reduce the line resolution, in particular by the same factor as the column size.

Although it may be advantageous for many applications that the scaling factors S and K, in order to reduce the resolution when creating the representation of the image area to be displayed two-dimensionally, should be chosen to be at least S = P (number of fields to be generated) Surprisingly, it has been shown that good, ie for the viewer, acceptable results can also be obtained if 1 <S <P is chosen, in particular if: (0.75 x P) <S <P. In that case, the transformation of the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation onto the display device using interpolation, in particular bilinear or bicubic interpolation.

In this advantageous embodiment, the observer then sees two slightly different images in the "two-dimensional area", while the two fields for the left and the right eye at S = P can correspond to one another identically. The viewer then does not see the corresponding picture quite as sharply, but advantageously more information can be on the same real one

If the autostereoscopic display device has, for example, a resolution of 1600 × 1200 pixels and S = K = P = 2, two-dimensional text information, for example, is rendered on a virtual screen with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels can cause that, since usually each letter or icon is associated with a certain minimum size, the information exceeds the window size and automatically so-called run or scroll bars (usually referred to as scroll bars) are generated on the window pages, with which the user then the window almost to the left / right or up / down to move to get the rest of the information displayed (which usually does not move the window, but the information displayed in the window to the left / right or up / down wander). Such additional operations naturally slow down, for example, the reading of a text. If, on the other hand, S and K are chosen to be equal to 1, 56, for example, the representation can be given in the example given

Resolution of 1024 X 768 can be generated, which may be sufficient to display the information without scroll bars. If the representation is then transformed to the actual resolution of 1600 × 1200, in particular using a bilinear or bicubic interpolation, two slightly different fields with information that in itself should be displayed two-dimensionally arise in the example case mentioned (with P = 2), which is considered by most observers good compromise between readability and clarity on the one hand and simple and fast operation (namely without scroll bar operation) on the other hand felt.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that at least one image area which is to be displayed monoscopically is automatically selected. This makes it possible, for example, to automatically move certain parts of e.g. computer generated screen display, such as the usual so-called "control bar", two-dimensional display on the autostereoscopic display device.

Alternatively or additionally, it may also be provided that the user manually, e.g. by means of a corresponding pointing device such as a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad and / or a touch screen, which can define

Image areas monoscopically and which image areas should be displayed stereoscopically. This makes the use very comfortable, because since the so-called window technique has generally prevailed, each user has certain habits, the individual program window on its so-called "Desktop", so the surface visible on the display device to arrange. While some users prefer running a program when the program fills the entire displayable area, other users prefer to keep certain parts of the desktop, such as certain programs, always visible.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, wherein the image displayed on the display device is continuously redrawn by a data processing unit, such as a computer. A computer that is generated provides for certain generatable elements of the image

Priority features are assigned such that when such an element is to be generated, the image area in which the element is to be displayed is displayed monoscopically independent of a manual and / or automatic selection. This allows, for example, certain alarm, error or notification messages, e.g. "low battery status" or "you have received new e-mail" that are typically generated by a program or directly from the high priority operating system over other programs, but are not usually intended for three-dimensional display, two-dimensionally on the autostereoscopic display device play without the user before for a certain area of the

Must define image. The same applies to so-called pull-down and context menus.

In this case, the selected image area (s) need not be rectangular, but may rather have any shape. The fact that something has a resolution of M x N pixels should not mean that exactly M x N pixels have to be used for the respective representation. So it is e.g. it is possible that a selected area to be two-dimensionally displayed on the autostereoscopic display device has an L-shape, a circumferential frame shape, or any other shapes.

Depending on the type of information in the image area, which is to be displayed monoscopically, in the creation of the representation with the resolution compared to the physically possible resolution of the display device and / or in the transformation of this representation the resolution of M x N image pixels can be provided that certain image enhancement operations, in particular so-called "opening and closing operations" are performed.

On an orderly basis, the stated task is solved by a

Arrangement for the monoscopic display of at least one image area of an image, the arrangement comprising an autostereoscopic display device having M x N matrix-like M-lines and N-column arranged monitor pixels, a plurality of active pixels separating the monitor pixels into P (P e N _{+ 1} P ≥ 2) fields or passive beam splitter or parallax barriers and a data processing unit coupled to the display device, wherein the data processing generates control signals for controlling the monitor pixels, and wherein the arrangement further comprises means for selecting the image area to be displayed monoscopically, wherein means for producing a representation of the selected Range with a resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels, (S, K e R) are provided, where 1 <S <P and 1 ≤ K <P and wherein each image pixel on the display device in color or black and white representable (usually m-dimensional as described above) pixel value zugeor dnet, are provided, and further comprising means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation onto the display

Display device are provided.

The arrangement can also be easily realized with existing display devices. In this case, it is particularly advantageous to dispense with the replacement of existing hardware, because the means described can also be implemented in software using the usually available hardware.

If S = P and possibly also K = P, the means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation onto the display device can be designed such that in each case two monitor pixels which are connected to the representation of the display selected area are involved and correspond to each other spatially in two related fields, the same pixel values are displayed.

In a preferred embodiment, in which the active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers are arranged vertically next to each other and the monitor pixels of adjacent columns in P (P e N ₊₁ P> 2) separate fields, it is provided that in each case two adjacent monitor pixels, the involved in the representation of the selected area, the same pixel values are displayed.

As described above, 1 <S <P and possibly also S = K may apply. It is then advantageous if the means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation onto the display device also comprise means for Execution of an interpolation, in particular a bilinear or bicubic interpolation include.

The means for selecting the image area (s) to be monoscopically displayed may include user-operable pointing devices, such as, in particular, a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad and / or a mouse

Touchscreen, include.

The arrangement may comprise a first frame buffer with a resolution of M x N picture pixels and a second frame buffer with a resolution of M / S x N / K picture pixels. In this case, then means for reading the second

Framebuffers be provided in the first frame buffer.

In certain applications, it may be advantageous to provide that the means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and read the transformed representation on the

Display Apparatus Means for performing image enhancement operations, such as in particular opening / closing operations, comprise such operations, depending on the type of information in the image area, monoscopic is to be displayed, when creating the representation with the resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels and / or to perform image transformation in the transformation of this representation to the resolution of M x N.

The invention also relates to an information reproducing apparatus, such as a particular

Navigation system, a game console, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone or the like., With an inventive arrangement. In such an information reproducing apparatus, in particular a navigation system, it can be provided that P is an odd number, in particular 3, and that the display device for simultaneously displaying stereoscopic images, in particular navigation information, for a first viewer and monoscopic images, in particular a film or a TV show, designed for a second viewer.

Finally, the invention also relates to a computer program product, in particular a driver or an operating system, for implementing a method according to the invention.

Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following purely exemplary and non-limiting description of two

Embodiments in conjunction with the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic of a possible arrangement for monoscopic display of at least one image area of an image on an autostereoscopic display device.

2 shows a diagram of a first possible sequence of the method according to the invention.

3 shows a diagram of a second possible sequence of the method according to the invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and not limitation with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a designated in its entirety by 10

Data processing unit, e.g. in the form of a commercially available computer coupled via data conduit means 12 to an autostereoscopic display device, indicated generally at 14.

The data processing unit 10 in this embodiment comprises a central processor unit 16 and a separate image generation unit 18, e.g. in the form of a graphic card.

The data processing unit also has a pointing device 20, e.g. in the form of a mouse, with which a user can mark areas on the display device in which 2D information and areas in which 3D information is to be displayed.

The graphics card controls the display device 14 via the data line means 12 in such a way that images are stereoscopically reproduced in a specific area 22 of the display device images monoscopically, in another area, in this case the hatched area 24. This can be realized in different ways, as described below with reference to FIGS

Figures 2 and 3 will be explained in more detail.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a possible sequence of the method according to the invention for producing monoscopic images or image regions on a stereoscopic display device. In this case, it is possible, for example, to specify automatically or manually, for example by means of the mentioned mouse or another suitable pointing device, an image-forming unit 40 to be considered here as "black box" for the purpose of this application, in such a way that the image-generating unit can store , in which area or areas (here the non-hatched area) of the screen two-dimensional and which area or areas (here the hatched area) three-dimensional images are to be displayed.

Corresponding three-dimensional images may be generated by a 3D application 44 running on a computer, e.g. a CAD program, a game, a program for displaying and evaluating medical image data and the like, and the image generating unit 40 are fed.

Two-dimensional images may e.g. from a 2D application 46, e.g. one

Word processing program, or originate from the operating system of a computer and can e.g. the so-called task bar or even parts of the 3D application 44 itself, e.g. a corresponding control bar with various menus for operating the 3D application, which is to be displayed in two dimensions.

The image generation unit 40 discriminates whether incoming image information is to be displayed in the 3D area or the 2D area of the screen. The information falling in the three-dimensional area is written in a frame buffer 48 having a resolution of

M x N has pixels corresponding to the resolution of M x N monitor pixels of the display device 14.

It should be mentioned at this point that not all 3D applications already provide image information that is suitable for display on an autostereoscopic

Display device are suitable. It can then be provided that the image information is subjected to a corresponding processing method for generating autostereoscopic image data, e.g. on the way from the 3D application 44 to the image generation unit 40 a Function CaII tracing, or on the way from the image generation unit 40 to

Framebuffer 48 an image warping.

The information falling in the 2D area is written in a frame buffer 50, which in this embodiment, in which the display device has simple beam splitters for generating two fields, has a resolution of M / 2 x N / 2 pixels. As described above, the frame buffer could also have a higher resolution, eg, a resolution of M / 1, 5625 x N / 1, 5625 pixels.

In the next step, the information stored in the framebuffer 50 in this embodiment is quasi "quadrupled" and read out into a framebuffer 52 having a resolution of M x N pixels, whereby the pixel values in the pixel can simply be traced the coordinates m, n (m, ne N ₊ ) of the frame buffer 50 in the pixels with the coordinates (2m-1, 2n-1) (2m, 2n-1), (2m-1, 2n) and (2m, 2n ) of the frame buffer 52 are written. Pixel values in the pixel with the coordinates (m + 1, n + 1) of the frame buffer 50 would then be converted into the pixels with the coordinates (2m + 1, 2n + 1) (2m + 2, 2n + 1), (2m + 1 , 2n + 2) and (2m + 2, 2n + 2) of the frame buffer 52, etc.

It should be emphasized at this point that instead of simply quadrupling the corresponding pixel values, it may also be provided that certain image enhancement operations are performed in the step of transforming from the resolution M / 2 x N / 2 to the resolution M x N, e.g. cause certain sharp edges (hard black and white contrast) to be smoothed by interpolating gray values. Here, the expert can advantageously choose the optimal design in each application. If the frame buffer 50 has a resolution of e.g. M / 1, 5625 x N / 1, 5625 pixels, can advantageously be an interpolation, in particular a bilinear or bicubic one

Interpolation can be performed to display the image of the M / 1.5625 x N / 1, 5625 resolution on the screen with the M x N resolution. In any case, in its simplest embodiment, the pixel values from framebuffer 50 are written into four pixels of framebuffer 52.

The frame buffers 48 and 52 are then read out into a common frame buffer 54 with the resolution M x N such that the previously defined image areas with 2D information and 3D information. The frame buffer 54 is then finally read out and displayed on the display device 14.

In another embodiment variant, the flow chart of which is shown in FIG. 3, a third frame buffer is dispensed with in that the frame buffer 52 is read directly into the frame buffer 48 in such a way that the 3D information contained in the frame buffer 48 is not overwritten. The frame buffer 48 can then be read directly onto the display device 14. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other configurations are possible, e.g. the frame buffer 48 can be read out into the frame buffer 52, which is then read out to the display device 14. It is also conceivable with appropriate computer power to use only two or even only one framebuffer.

Within the scope of the inventive concept, numerous modifications and

Developments possible, e.g. refer to the selection of image areas to be displayed two-dimensionally. In particular, an automatic adjustment of these areas can be provided such that when clicking a menu icon or opening a context menu in a 2D area, the menu pops up and overwrites information in the 3D area with 2D information, so that usually reproduced with two-dimensional font Menu items are displayed clearly legible. The invention can also be used in so-called multi-user displays, where e.g. six fields are generated for three users.

Claims

claims

A method for monoscopically displaying at least one image area of an image on an autostereoscopic display device having a resolution of M x N arranged in M columns and N rows in a matrix

Monitor pixels (M, N e N ₊ ) and a plurality of active or passive beam splitter or parallax barriers separating the monitor pixels into P (P e N _{+ 1} P> 2) fields comprising the steps

Select the image area to be displayed monoscopically, - Create a representation of the selected area with a

Resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels (S, K e R), where 1 <S <P and 1 <K <P and where each pixel is assigned a pixel value that can be displayed in color or black and white on the display device,

Transform the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and read the transformed representation onto the display

Display device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that S = P and preferably K = P are selected and that the transformation of the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation on the display device takes place in such a way that in each case two Monitor pixels, which are involved in the representation of the selected area and correspond to each other spatially in two related fields, the same pixel values are displayed.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the autostereoscopic display device comprises a plurality of vertically juxtaposed, the monitor pixels of adjacent columns in two fields separating active or passive beam splitter or parallax barriers, characterized in that the representation of the selected area in each two columns adjacent monitor pixels the same pixel value is displayed.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that S = K = P is selected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 1 <S <P and possibly also S = K, characterized in that transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation on the display device using an interpolation , in particular a bilinear or bicubic interpolation.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that 1 <S <P and preferably K = S is selected, in particular (0.75 x P) <S <P.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one image area to be displayed monoscopically, is automatically selected and in particular comprises a control bar of a computer program.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one image area to be displayed monoscopically, is selected manually by a user.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the image displayed on the display device is continuously regenerated by a data processing unit, characterized in that certain generable elements of the image priority features are assigned such that when such an element is to be generated , the image area in which the element is to be displayed is displayed monoscopically independent of a manual and / or automatic selection.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that depending on the type of information in the image area to be displayed monoscopically, in the preparation of the representation with the resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels and / or transforming this representation to the resolution of M x N image pixels Image enhancement operations, such as opening / closing operations in particular.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one image area of an image generated by a data processing unit is to be displayed stereoscopically and an image area of the image to be monoscopically displayed on the autostereoscopic display, characterized in that a representation of the image area is to be displayed stereoscopically is written in a first frame buffer with a resolution of M x N picture pixels, that a representation of the picture area to be monoscopically displayed into a second frame buffer with a resolution of M / S x N / K

Image pixels is written, - that the representation written in the second framebuffer to a

Resolution of M x N is transformed and together with in the first

Framebuffer written representation if necessary, with the interposition of another framebuffer or more framebuffer on the

Display device can be read.

12. An arrangement for monoscopically displaying at least one image area of an image, comprising an autostereoscopic display device with M x N matrix pixels arranged in M columns and N rows (M, N e N ₊ ) and a multiplicity of monitor pixels in P (P e N ₊₁ P> 2) fields separating active or passive

Beam splitters or parallax barriers and a data processing unit coupled to the display device, the data processing unit generating control signals for controlling the monitor pixels, characterized in that means for selecting the image area to be displayed monoscopically are provided, in that means for producing a representation of the selected area with a resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels, (S, K e R), where 1 <S <P and 1 <K <P and where each image pixel is one on the Display device is color or black and white displayable pixel value is assigned, are provided, and - that means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and read the transformed representation are provided on the display device.

13. Arrangement according to claim 12, wherein S = P and preferably K = P applies, characterized in that the means for transforming the

Representation on the resolution M x N of the display device and read the transformed representation are formed on the display device so that in each case two monitor pixels, which are involved in the representation of the selected area and correspond to each other spatially in two associated fields, the same pixel values are displayed.

14. Arrangement according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the active or passive beam splitters or parallax barriers are arranged vertically next to each other and the monitor pixels of adjacent columns in P (P e N ₊₁ P> 2) separate fields, characterized in that in each case two columns adjacent

Monitor pixels that are involved in the representation of the selected area, the same pixel values are displayed.

15. Arrangement according to claim 12, wherein at least 1 <S <P and possibly also S = K, characterized in that the means for transforming the

Representation on the resolution M x N of the display device and read the transformed representation on the display device comprising means for performing an interpolation, in particular a bilinear or bicubic interpolation.

16. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the means for selecting the image area (s), the / the monoscopic be presented, user-friendly pointing devices, such as in particular a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad and / or a touch screen, include.

17. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that a first frame buffer with a resolution of M x N image pixels and a second

Framebuffer with a resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels are provided.

18. Arrangement according to claim 17, characterized in that means for reading the second frame buffer are provided in the first frame buffer.

19. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that the means for transforming the representation to the resolution M x N of the display device and reading the transformed representation on the display device means for carrying out image enhancement operations, in particular opening / closing operations , to include such operations in

Dependence on the type of information in the image area to be displayed monoscopically when making the representation with the resolution of M / S x N / K image pixels and / or transforming that representation to the resolution of M x N image pixels ,

20. An information reproducing apparatus, such as a navigation system, PDA, mobile phone, game console or the like, comprising an arrangement according to any one of claims 12 to 19.

21. Information reproducing apparatus, in particular navigation system, after

Claim 21, characterized in that P is an odd number, in particular 3, and that the display device for simultaneously displaying stereoscopic images, in particular navigation information, for a first viewer and monoskppischer images, in particular a film or a TV program, for a second Viewer is trained.

22. Computer program product, in particular driver or operating system, for implementing a method according to one of claims 1 to 11.