JP2000308091A - Stereoscopic image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively obtain a picture which can directly be inputted to an IP display with simple constitution by providing a concave lens array where plural concave lenses are arranged in an array form and a camera having a lens focused to the concave lens array. SOLUTION: This stereoscopic image pickup device is composed of a concave lens array 12 where plural concave lenses 11b-11d are arranged in an array form and a television camera 13, which is provided with an image forming lens 14 and the photoelectric conversion element of a CCD or the like. The lens 14 of the television camera 13 can be focused to the concave lens array 12. Light beams are radiated in various directions from a point light source A15 and a point light source B16. The directions of the light beams passing through the concave lens array 12 change since the light beams refract in the concave lens array 12. They can directly be inputted to an IP display. Consequently, the light beams similar to an original object can be reproduced and a stereoscopic picture can be viewed without special glasses.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an IP (Integral Photograph).
phy) An apparatus for capturing an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art IP (I) is one of three-dimensional television systems that allow a user to freely view a three-dimensional image from any viewpoint.
The present inventors have disclosed an imaging device and a stereoscopic display device for IP images in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 8-289329 and 10-1998.
No. 150675. The following is a description of JP-A-8-
A description will be given of a state of capturing an IP image using the IP image capturing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 289329, and a state of reproducing a light beam of a captured object by displaying the captured image on an IP display.

First, with reference to FIG.
No. 89329 describes the principle of the IP image pickup device. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing an outline of the image pickup apparatus. For easy understanding, two point light sources (a point light source A65 indicated by a square black point and a point light source B66 indicated by a round black point) are shown.
Of the convex lens array 62 in which a large number of convex lenses are arrayed in a plane for photographing the subject.
Only three convex lenses 61b, 61c, 61d are shown. Light rays are emitted from the point light sources A65 and B66 in various directions. The light rays that enter the lens 64 of the television camera 63 through the respective convex lenses (... 61b, 61c, 61d,.
Limited to 7. As a result, an image captured by the television camera 63 through the convex lens array 62 is as shown in FIG. The positions of the point light source A65 and the point light source B66 photographed in each of the convex lenses 61b, 61c, and 61d correspond to the angles of light rays incident on the respective convex lenses, and the positional relationship is the position of the two point light sources seen from each of the convex lenses. The relationship has been reversed. An image captured by such a conventional IP image capturing apparatus needs to be subjected to an electrical calculation process shown in FIG. First, the captured image 71
(... 61b, 61c, 61d, ...)
Are decomposed into small images (... 72b, 72c, 72d,...). Next, these are rotated 180 degrees, and small images after rotation (... 73b, 73c, 73d,...) Are arranged side by side in the reverse order of the decomposition and synthesized. As a result, an image 74 is obtained in which the inside of each lens is rotated by 180 degrees. This image is referred to herein as an “IP image”.

When an IP image 74 is input to an IP display, a stereoscopic image is displayed. The manner in which a stereoscopic image is displayed will be described with reference to FIG. IP display 8
0 denotes a convex lens on the front surface of a flat display 83 such as a transmission type photographic film or a liquid crystal display.
.. Are provided with a convex lens array 82 in which 81b, 81c, 81d,... When the IP image 74 is displayed on the photographic film or the flat display 83, a light ray 86 as shown is emitted from each convex lens (... 81b, 81c, 81d ...). As a result, when the photographic film or flat display 83 is viewed through the convex lens array 82, the point light sources 84 and 85 are reproduced.
These are equal to the photographed point light source A65 and point light source B66. Thus, a stereoscopic image of a subject can be viewed without using special glasses.

Incidentally, a method using an orthoscopic conversion optical system introduced on page 79 of "Three-dimensional image engineering" by Ohkoshi (Asakura Shoten, 1991, first edition), a convex lens (... 61b) in the IP image pickup apparatus shown in FIG. , 61c, 61d,...) Using a gradient index lens (JP-A-10-15)
No. 0675) has been proposed. According to these,
The IP image 74 can be obtained directly without performing the above-described electrical calculation processing.

[0006]

The above-described method of performing the electric calculation process requires a high-speed computer or a large-scale electronic circuit for the calculation. In addition, the orthoscopic conversion optical system,
Many optical components such as prisms are required. Further, the gradient index lens is more expensive than a general convex or concave lens.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image which can be directly input to an IP display at a low cost with a simple configuration.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a three-dimensional image pickup apparatus according to the present invention has a concave lens array in which a plurality of concave lenses are arranged in an array, and a lens which focuses on the concave lens array. It is characterized by having two cameras.

Further, in the stereoscopic image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, a concave lens array in which a plurality of concave lenses are arranged in an array, a convex lens arranged close to the concave lens array, and focusing on the concave lens array through the convex lens. It is characterized by comprising one camera having a lens.

Here, the convex lens may be a convex lens whose focal length can be adjusted, and further may include a means for moving the position of the camera with respect to the concave lens array.

Furthermore, a plurality of the above-mentioned three-dimensional image pickup devices can be arranged side by side.

The camera may be an optical camera having an imaging lens for forming an image of a subject on a photographic film, and the camera may be an imaging lens for forming an image of the subject on a photoelectric conversion element. A television camera equipped with

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A stereoscopic image photographing apparatus according to the present invention replaces a conventional convex lens array comprising a plurality of convex lenses.
A concave lens array in which a plurality of concave lenses are arranged in an array is used, and the lens of the television camera is focused on the concave lens array to shoot. Therefore, the captured image can be directly input to the IP display. Also, there is no need for special and expensive optical components such as an orthoscopic conversion optical system and a gradient index lens.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1A, the apparatus of the present embodiment includes a concave lens array 12 in which a plurality of concave lenses 11b, 11c, 11d,... Are arranged in an array, and a television camera 13. An imaging lens 14 and a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD are provided. The lens 14 of the television camera 13 can focus on the concave lens array 12. Practically, thousands to millions of concave lenses are arranged vertically and horizontally to form the concave lens array 12, but in order to facilitate understanding,
Also, in order to simplify the drawing, three concave lenses 11b, 1
Only 1c and 11d are shown. In addition, although the present apparatus normally shoots a general subject, a case where the subject is two point light sources A15 and B16 will be described for easy understanding.

From the point light sources A15 and B16,
Light rays are emitted in all directions. Since those rays are refracted by the concave lens array 12, the concave lens array 12
Light rays passing through change direction. As a result, the light beam 17 emitted from each point light source and incident on the lens 14 of the television camera 13 follows a path as shown. At this time, lens 1
An image 18 photographed by the television camera 13 in which the focus of No. 4 is adjusted to the concave lens array 12 is as shown in FIG. Point light source A15 and point light source B in this image 18
The positional relationship 16 is equal to the positional relationship between the point light source A15 and the point light source B16 viewed from each concave lens. That is, this image 18 is an image after the electrical calculation processing which is indispensable in the conventional three-dimensional image photographing apparatus, specifically, the image 18 shown in FIG.
Equivalent to the P image 74 and can be input directly to the IP display 80 (FIG. 8). As a result, as described with reference to FIG. 8, on the IP display, the same light rays as the original subject are reproduced, and a stereoscopic image can be viewed without special glasses.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The apparatus according to the present embodiment is different from the apparatus according to the first embodiment in that a convex lens is arranged close to the concave lens array. The other configuration is the same as that of the apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2A, a convex lens 29 is arranged near the concave lens array 22. The distance between the concave lens array 22 and the convex lens 29 can be appropriately determined for convenience of the device configuration. Although the focal length of the convex lens 29 can be changed, FIG. 2A illustrates a case where the focal length is equal to the distance between the convex lens 29 and the television camera 23. The diameter of the convex lens 29 is the same as the size of the concave lens array 22, and is sufficiently larger than the diameter of one concave lens. Therefore, the surface of the convex lens 29 can be regarded as a flat surface within the range of the diameter of one concave lens. The convex lens 29 does not participate in focusing, but merely changes the direction in which light travels. Therefore, the convex lens 29
Does not need to be equal to the distance to the photoelectric conversion element. Here, as in FIG. 1, only three concave lenses 21b, 21c, and 21d are shown among a large number of concave lenses constituting the concave lens array 22. Further, a case where the objects are two point light sources A25 and B26 will be described.

Light rays 27 emitted from the point light sources A25 and B26, refracted by the concave lens array 22 and the convex lens 29, and incident on the lens 24 of the television camera 23 pass through the illustrated path. At this time, the image 28 captured by the television camera 23 in which the focus of the lens 24 is adjusted to the concave lens array 22 is as shown in FIG. 2B, and the IP image 74 (FIG. 7) equal to IP
It can be input directly to the display 80 (FIG. 8).

Next, the point that the apparatus of the second embodiment is superior to the apparatus of the first embodiment will be described. In each of FIG. 1 (a) showing the device of the first embodiment and FIG. 2 (a) showing the device of the second embodiment, focusing on the angle of the light beam when exiting the concave lens arrays 12 and 22, In the apparatus of the first embodiment, the angle of the light beam emitted from each of the concave lenses 11b, 11c, and 11d is different, but in the apparatus of the second embodiment, the light beam is transmitted to the concave lens array 22 in all of the concave lenses 21b, 21c, and 21d. The light is emitted perpendicularly.
This is because the convex lens 29 whose focal length is equal to the distance between the convex lens 29 and the television camera is arranged close to the concave lens array 22. Based on this fact, the directions of the light rays captured by each concave lens in the devices of the first and second embodiments will be considered. FIG. 3 shows the concave lens array 12 and the concave lens array 22 as five concave lenses 11a to 11e and concave lenses 21a to 21e, respectively, for the sake of simplicity. It shows the range of the light beam. The configuration of FIG. 3A is equal to FIG. 1A, and the configuration of FIG. 3B is equal to FIG. In the apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the range photographed by the concave lens 11a on the left end and the range photographed by the concave lens 11e on the right face outward. On the other hand, in the apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, the concave lenses 21a and 21a at the left end and the right end are used.
The ranges where e captures images are parallel. Further, in the apparatus of FIG. 3C provided with a convex lens 29 'in which the focal length of the convex lens 29 is shorter than that of FIG. 3B, the photographing ranges of the concave lenses 21a and 21e at the left end and the right end respectively face inward. ing. As described above, in the apparatus of the second embodiment, by changing the focal length of the convex lens 29, the left and right concave lenses 21a and 21e respectively direct the photographing ranges outward, inward, and parallel. Or you can. Thereby, the depth of the subject to be photographed can be adjusted.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The device of the present embodiment differs from the device of the second embodiment in that the position of the television camera 23 is moved closer to or away from the concave lens array so that the angle of the light beam captured through each concave lens can be adjusted. It was done. FIG. 4B is the same as the device in FIG. 2, and as described above, an image captured by this device can be directly input to the IP display 80 (FIG. 8). 4A shows a case where the position of the television camera 23 is farther from the concave lens array 22 than in FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C shows a case where the position of the television camera 23 is concave compared to FIG. A case close to the array 22 is shown. Also in these cases, the image of the subject captured by each concave lens is the same as that shown in FIG. 2B, and can be directly input to the IP display. In these three cases where the position of the television camera 23 is different, the ranges of the light rays captured by the concave lens 21a at the left end and the concave lens 21e at the right end of the concave lens array 22 are respectively illustrated. As is clear from FIG.
a and the light beam photographed by the concave lens 21 e
3 faces inward as it is farther from the concave lens array 22, and faces outward as it is closer. Thus, by providing a mechanism for moving the television camera and moving the position of the television camera 23 closer to or away from the concave lens array 22, the angle of a light beam captured through each concave lens can be adjusted. FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the movement of the television camera is applied to the second embodiment in which the convex lens is arranged close to the concave lens array. However, moving the television camera corresponds to the first embodiment in which the convex lens is not arranged. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the embodiment. In either configuration,
As a result, the depth of the subject to be photographed can be adjusted in the same manner as in the apparatus of the second embodiment.

In the above description of the second and third embodiments, only the concave lenses at the left end and the right end of the concave lens array have been described, but the variable range of the angle of the light beam photographed by each concave lens is as follows. It goes without saying that the concave lens array gradually increases from the center to the periphery.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The device according to the fourth embodiment is such that any one of the devices according to the above-described three embodiments is used as one unit and arranged in an array. FIG. 5 shows, as an example, two sets of the apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 arranged vertically and horizontally. For example, the portion including the concave lens array 51a, the convex lens 52a, and the television camera 53a is the same as the device of the second embodiment. This part captures an IP image that can be directly input to the IP display, as described in the second embodiment. A part composed of a concave lens array 51b, a convex lens 52b and a television camera 53b, a part composed of a concave lens array 51c, a convex lens 52c and a television camera 53c, a concave lens array 51d
The same applies to the part consisting of the lens and the convex lens 52d and the television camera 53d. If the images taken by these television cameras 53a to 53d are synthesized in the same procedure as that for generating the images 73 to 74 in FIG. Many IP images can be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, the imaging lens and the CCD
Although an example using a television camera equipped with a photoelectric conversion element such as described above has been described, it is needless to say that an optical camera capable of forming an image on a photographic film by an imaging lens can be used.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
No electrical calculation for rotating the image by 180 degrees is required, and the image is directly input to the IP display using an inexpensive concave lens without using a complicated orthoscopic conversion optical system or an expensive refractive index distribution lens. Capable of capturing images.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a comparison of the range of angles of light rays captured by each concave lens in the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a conventional stereoscopic image photographing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of an electrical calculation process in the related art.

FIG. 8 shows an image captured by the stereoscopic image capturing apparatus as I
It is a figure which shows the reproduction of a light ray when it displays on P display.

[Explanation of symbols]

11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e Concave lens constituting concave lens array 12 Concave lens array 13 Television camera 14 Lens of television camera 13 Subject A 16 Subject B 17 Light incident on television camera 13 Image captured by television camera 13 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, 21e Concave lens 22 constituting concave lens array 22 Concave lens array 23 Television camera 24 Lens of television camera 23 Subject A 26 Subject B 27 Rays incident on television camera 23 Image captured by television camera 23 29, 29 'convex lens 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d concave lens array 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d convex lens 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d television camera 61b, 61c, 61d convex lens array 62 Constituting convex lens 62 Convex lens array 63 Television camera 64 Lens of television camera 63 65 Point light source A 66 Point light source B 67 Light ray incident on television camera 63 68 Image photographed by television camera 63 71 Photographed by conventional IP image photographing apparatus Images 72b, 72c, 72d Images 73b, 73c, 73d obtained by decomposing the image 71 Images 72b, 72c, 72d
Image 180b rotated image by 74 degrees 74 image 73b, 73c, 73d rearranged image 80 IP display 81b, 81c, 81d convex lens constituting convex lens array 82 convex lens array 83 flat display 84 reproduced point light source A 85 reproduced Point light source B 86 Reproduced light ray of subject

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Fumio Okano 1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Japan Broadcasting Corporation Broadcasting Research Institute F-term (reference) 5C061 AA06 AB02 AB06

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A three-dimensional image pickup apparatus comprising: a concave lens array in which a plurality of concave lenses are arranged in an array; and one camera having a lens that focuses on the concave lens array. 2. A camera comprising: a concave lens array in which a plurality of concave lenses are arranged in an array; a convex lens disposed close to the concave lens array; and a lens that focuses on the concave lens array through the convex lens. A three-dimensional image pickup device. 3. A three-dimensional image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said convex lens is a convex lens whose focal length is adjustable. 4. The three-dimensional image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit for moving a position of the camera with respect to the concave lens array. 5. A three-dimensional image pickup device comprising a plurality of the three-dimensional image pickup devices according to claim 1 arranged side by side. 6. A three-dimensional image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera is an optical camera having an imaging lens for forming an image of a subject on a photographic film. apparatus. 7. The stereoscopic image pickup according to claim 1, wherein the camera is a television camera provided with an imaging lens that forms an image of a subject on a photoelectric conversion element. apparatus.