EP2659453A1

EP2659453A1 - A stereoscopic display device comprising a control

Info

Publication number: EP2659453A1
Application number: EP11805531.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Osman SOLAKOGLU; Sercan GUNGOR; Cihan Torun; Ertugrul DOGAN; Munire Hatice ATICI; Sedat MARANGOZ
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-31
Filing date: 2011-12-26
Publication date: 2013-11-06
Also published as: WO2012089714A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device (1) comprising a screen (2) and a control unit (3) that processes the image received from the image source (S) and transmits it to the screen (2), and that provides the format of the image received to be determined.

Description

[Title established by the ISA under Rule 37.2] A STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING A CONTROL

The present invention relates to a display device comprising a control unit.
In display devices, especially in commercial televisions, 3d image sources are becoming widespread along with the development in technologies enabling 3d image displaying. These sources produce 3d image by using imaging methods such as side-by-side image, one-over-the-other image, multiple images. In some of these methods, since the image signal contains the information of being 3d, the control unit of the display device process the image directly according to the proper format and transmits it to the screen. However, in some methods, the format information of the image cannot be sent together with the image signal due to low bandwidth problem and the selection of the image format is left to the user. In cases that the user does not have sufficient knowledge on the image formats, the image is wrongly transmitted to the screen. The state of the art embodiments to solve this problem require high processing power and since they do not give precise results, they do not meet the needs of the user completely.
In the state of the art United States Patent Application US2007222855, a display device is described comprising a control unit that divides the image into a number of pieces, computes the correlation between the data on these pieces and determines the image format according to the correlation rate.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a display device that determines the image format in a fast and proper way.
In the display device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, a control unit is disposed, that performs row-scanning and column-scanning processes.
After determining the resolution of the image, the control unit determines the horizontal and vertical central points of the image and decides if there is an edge in the vicinity of these points in order to determine the one-over-the-other or side-by-side 3d image.
In row-scanning process, for rows in a predetermined number and position, color values of a pixel group containing the central point of the row are alternately scanned and when the ratio of the rows, wherein there is a difference higher than a threshold value predetermined by the producer between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof, to all the scanned rows exceeds a ratio predetermined by the producer, the control unit decides that there is an edge dividing the image into two in the vertical direction and that the image is a side-by-side 3d image. If the ratio of the rows, wherein there is a difference higher than a threshold value predetermined by the producer between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof, to all the scanned rows is below a ratio predetermined by the producer, the control unit decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image.
In column-scanning process, for columns of the image in a predetermined number and position, color values of a pixel group containing the central point of the column are alternately scanned and when the ratio of the columns, wherein there is a difference higher than a threshold value predetermined by the producer between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof, to all the scanned columns exceeds a ratio predetermined by the producer, the control unit decides that there is an edge dividing the image into two in the horizontal direction and that the image is a one-over-the-other 3d image. If the ratio of the columns, wherein there is a difference higher than a threshold value predetermined by the producer between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof, to all the scanned columns is below a ratio predetermined by the producer, the control unit decides that the image is not a one-over-the-other 3d image.
In an embodiment of the present invention, information on which one of the row- and column-scanning processes should be performed before the other according to the resolution of the image is saved in the memory of the control unit. In this embodiment, if the resolution of the image is 1920x1080, the row-scanning process is performed, if it is 1280x720, the column-scanning process is performed.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit scans the consecutive rows during the row-scanning process and the consecutive columns during the column-scaning process. Thus, the process speed is increased.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit decides that the image is 2d, upon detecting that no edge passes through the central points of the image in the horizontal and vertical directions at the end of the row-scanning and the column-scanning processes. Since, especially in case that the image received from image sources having low bandwidth is 3d, the image is expected to have one of the side-by-side or one-over-the-other 3d image formats, a high-precision format detection is realized by deciding that the image is 2d in case that it does not have any of these formats.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit leaves the selection of image format to the user, upon detecting that no edge passes through the central points of the image in the horizontal and vertical directions at the end of the row-scanning and the column-scanning processes. Since, in images having high bandwidth, received from devices such as blue laser player, 3d imagining methods such as multiple image that cannot be fitted into low bandwidth can be used, in such cases, that the image does not have any one of the side-by-side or one-over-the-other 3d image formats does not mean that the image is 2d and thus the selection of the format is left to the user. Thus, the image is prevented from being transmitted to the screen in a wrong format.
By means of the present invention, the format of the image received from the image source can be determined.
The display device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figure, where:
Figure 1- is the perspective view of a display device.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:
1. Display device
2. Screen
3. Control unit
The abbreviations related to the supplementary elements used in explicating the present invention are given below:
S. Image source
R. Row number
C. Column number
d. Difference between the color values of two consecutive pixels
D. A threshold value predetermined by the producer
n. Ratio of the rows/columns, whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher that a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, among the rows/columns whereof the color values are being controlled
N. A ratio predetermined by the producer
b. The ratio of the number of pixel pairs in the most-encountered position to the total number of pixel pairs
B. An encounter-ratio predetermined by the producer
The display device (1) comprises a screen (2) and a control unit (3) that processes the image received from the image source (S) and transmits it to the screen (2) (Figure 1).
In the display device (1) of the present invention, the control unit (3) determines the row number (R) and the column number (C) in the image signal, and performs
a row-scanning process

wherein it controls the color values of at least one row (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) from at least one pixel before the pixel in the almost central point to at least one pixel after it at one-pixel intervals,
wherein it decides that the image is a side-by-side 3d image if, from the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the rows (RM₁, RM₂, RM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer
wherein it decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image if, from the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the rows (RM₁, RM₂, RM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls is lower than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer

and/or
performs a column-scanning process

wherein it determines the color values of at least one column (C₁, C₂, C₃,…) from at least one pixel before the pixel in the almost central point to at least one pixel after it at one-pixel intervals,
wherein it decides that the image is a one-over-the-other 3d image if, from the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer
wherein it decides that the image is not a one-over-the-other 3d image if, from the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls is lower than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer.

The control unit (3), first, calculates the resolution (CxR) and the central points in the horizontal and the vertical directions of the image by determining the number of rows (R) and the number of columns (C) in the image received. For example, the resolution of an image containing 1920 columns and 1080 rows is 1920x1080 and the horizontal central point thereof is between the 960th and 961st columns and the vertical central point between the 540th and 541st rows. Afterwards, the control unit (3) determines a pixel group containing the central points of the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) and/or the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…) predetermined by the producer in order to perform the row-scanning process and/or the column-scanning process. While choosing the pixel group, a group is selected, starting from a position, a number of pixels predetermined by the producer before the central point and ending at a position, a number of pixels predetermined by the producer after the central point. For example, the pixels between the 956th and the 965th pixels from left to right of the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) predetermined by the producer and the pixels between the 536th and the 545th pixels from top to bottom of the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…) predetermined by the producer are selected. Finally, the control unit (3) can decide if there is an edge intersecting the image received from the image source (S) horizontally or vertically by performing the row-scanning process and/or the column-scanning process to the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) and/or the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…) it determines. Thus, the format of the image received can be properly detected and transmitted to the screen (2).
In a derivative of this embodiment, during the row-scanning process, the control unit (3)

if, from the rows (R1, R2, R3,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the rows (RM1, RM2, RM3,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer, evaluates the positions of the pixel pairs whereof the difference between the color values thereof is the highest in the rows (RM1, RM2, RM3,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer,
decides that the image is a side-by-side 3d image, if the ratio (b) of the number of pixel pairs in the most-encountered position to the total number of pixel pairs is higher than an encounter-ratio (B) predetermined by the producer and
starts the row-scanning process from the beginning by selecting new rows (R_a, R_b, R_c,…), if the ratio (b) of the number of pixel pairs in the most-encountered position to the total number of pixel pairs is lower than an encounter-ratio (B) predetermined by the producer/

In another derivative of this embodiment, during the column-scanning process, the control unit (3)

if, from the columns (C1, C2, C3,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer, evaluates the positions of the pixel pairs whereof the difference between the color values thereof is the highest in the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer,
decides that the image is a one-over-the-other 3d image, if the ratio (b) of the number of pixel pairs in the most-encountered position to the total number of pixel pairs is higher than an encounter-ratio (B) predetermined by the producer and
starts the column-scanning process from the beginning by selecting new columns (C_a, C_b, C_c,…), if the ratio (b) of the number of pixel pairs in the most-encountered position to the total number of pixel pairs is lower than an encounter-ratio (B) predetermined by the producer.

In an embodiment of the present invention, for each resolution value, information on which one of the row- and column-scanning processes should be performed before the other is saved in the memory of the control unit (3). If the resolution of the image received is 1920x1080, the control unit (3) first performs the row-scanning process since the possibility of the image being a side-by-side 3d image is higher than the possibility of the image being a one-over-the-other 3d image and if it decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image at the end of the row-scanning process, it performs the column-scanning process. If the resolution of the image received is 1280x720, the control unit (3) first performs the column-scanning process since the possibility of the image being a side-by-side 3d image is lower than the possibility of the image being a one-over-the-other 3d image and if it decides that the image is not a one-over-the-other 3d image at the end of the column-scanning process, it performs the row-scanning process. Thus, the control unit (3) is provided to determine more quickly the image format.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (3) controls the color values of consecutive rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) during the row-scanning process. Thus, the row-scanning process is realized more quickly.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (3) controls the color values of consecutive columns (C1, C2, C3,…) during the column-scanning process. Thus, the column-scanning process is realized more quickly.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (3) decides that the image is a 2d image if it decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image and/or a one-over-the-other 3d image. Upon deciding that there is no edge at the central points of the image received from the image source (S) during the row-scanning and/or the column-scanning processes, the control unit (3) decides that only a single image is received from the image (S), in other words that the image is 2d and transmits the image received to the screen (2). In this embodiment, the image source (S) is preferably the digital terrestrial broadcast.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (3) enables the user to select the image format if it decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image and/or a one-over-the-other 3d image. In this embodiment, the image source (S) is preferably a media player. Since it is not sufficient to know if the image received is not a one-over-the-other 3d image and/or a side-by-side 3d image for deciding that the image is 3d, the selection of the format is left to the user in order to prevent the image from being wrongly transmitted to the screen (2). Thus, the image received from the image source (S) is prevented from being wrongly transmitted to the screen (2).
By means of the present invention, the format of the images, in the image signal of which there is no format information, are transmitted to the screen (2) in a proper and quick way. Moreover, the necessity for the user to manually select the undetermined formats is substantially eliminated and user satisfaction is provided.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A display device (1) comprising a screen (2) and a control unit (3) that processes the image received from the image source (S) and transmits it to the screen (2),

characterized by the control unit (3) that performs determines the row number (R) and the column number (C) in the image signal,

a row-scanning process

- wherein it controls the color values of at least one row (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) from at least one pixel before the pixel in the almost central point to at least one pixel after it at one-pixel intervals,

- wherein it decides that the image is a side-by-side 3d image if, from the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the rows (RM₁, RM₂, RM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer

- wherein it decides that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image if, from the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the rows (RM₁, RM₂, RM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) the color values of which it controls is lower than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer

and/or

performs a column-scanning process

- wherein it determines the color values of at least one column (C₁, C₂, C₃,…) from at least one pixel before the pixel in the almost central point to at least one pixel after it at one-pixel intervals,

- wherein it decides that the image is a one-over-the-other 3d image if, from the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls is higher than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer

- wherein it decides that the image is not a one-over-the-other 3d image if, from the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls, the ratio (n) of the columns (CM₁, CM₂, CM₃,…), whereof the difference (d) between the color values of two consecutive pixels thereof is higher than a threshold value (D) predetermined by the producer, to the columns (C₁, C₂, C₃,…), the color values of which it controls is lower than a ratio (N) predetermined by the producer.
A display device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the control unit (3), in the memory of which the information on which one of the row-scanning and the column-scanning processes should be performed before the other is saved for each resolution value.
A display device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the control unit (3) that controls the color values of the consecutive rows (R₁, R₂, R₃,…) during the row-scanning process.
A display device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the control unit (3) that controls the color values of the consecutive columns (C1, C2, C3,…) during the column-scanning process.
A display device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the control unit (3) that decides that the image is 2d, upon deciding that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image and/or a one-over-the-other 3d image.
A display device (1) as in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by the control unit (3) that enables the user to select the image format, upon deciding that the image is not a side-by-side 3d image and/or a one-over-the-other 3d image.