JP2001133729A - Spatial video display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To create a presence as if a real object exists there by giving a depth to a video in a device for spatially displaying a two-dimensional video by using a half mirror. SOLUTION: In this spatial video display device, a virtual image 4 is formed by reflecting a main video 2 by a half mirror 3, and the video 6 of the shadow of a subject is displayed behind the image 4 by leaving a specified space in between, then the depth and reality are given to the video by the contrast of the main video and the shadow video. Besides, an image processor generating the shadow video from the main video is added to the device at request.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanism and a technique for making an image appear as if there is a real thing in an image space in an apparatus for displaying an image in a space.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus using an image forming optical system or a half mirror for displaying an electronic image such as a video in a space and making it look like a real thing. With the one used, the image is distorted when observed slightly off the optical axis, and even with a half mirror, only a single plane image can be seen as an aerial image. It didn't seem to be there, so it was interesting.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a device for spatially displaying a two-dimensional image, an image is not simply viewed as a plane image, but creates a sense of reality as if the depth is felt and the real thing exists there.

[0004]

A main image 2 displayed on a main image display screen 1 using a CRT monitor or other image display device is reflected by a half mirror 3 to obtain a virtual image 4. (B) The main image 2 is effective when the subject is photographed without a background, or the background is blackened after photographing, and only the subject is shown. (C) A background image display screen 5 is provided at a desired interval behind the virtual image 4 to display a shadow image 6 of the subject. (D) The subject shadow video 6 is an image obtained by actually photographing the shadow of the subject or an image created by image processing or computer graphics using the main video. (E) By displaying an image in the above configuration and positioning the shadow image 6 of the subject behind the spatially displayed main image 2, a spatial contrast equivalent to the relationship between the real thing and its shadow is obtained.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A method of implementing the present invention will be described with reference to an example. A main image 2 displayed on a main image display screen 1 is reflected by a half mirror 3 to obtain a virtual image 4. The main video display screen 1 can use various video display devices such as a CRT or liquid crystal monitor, or a video projected on a screen projected from the rear or front by a projector.
The main video 2 is effective if the main subject 2 is photographed without the background, the background is blacked out by image processing, or a computer graphics video is created without the background. A background display screen 5 is provided behind the virtual image 4 at a desired interval. This interval is generally about half to twice the depth of the real thing as a distance at which a clear shadow appears. The background display screen 5 is the main video display screen 1
Similarly, various display devices capable of displaying images can be used. On the background display screen 5, a shadow image 6 of the subject is displayed.
The subject shadow image 6 captures the subject shadow actually projected on the screen, or displays the subject shadow created from the main image 2 by image processing or computer graphics. As an example of the image processing, an image processing apparatus is used to divide a main image into a subject and a background by element extraction, and then perform enlargement and color setting. For example, the subject part is enlarged, blurred, blackened, etc. to change to a shadow, and the background part sets the color of the wall and maps the wallpaper as needed. The image created in this way is used as the subject shadow image 6. According to this method, there is no need to separately photograph and record the subject's shadow image, and it is possible to display only the main image, and it is also possible to arbitrarily set the background color and pattern. With the above configuration, the shadow of the subject is positioned behind the image of the subject, which is a spatial image, and it is as if the real thing is there and it is illuminated and the shadow is reflected later. In particular, when the present apparatus is used for a set such as a television shooting, a video taken by a camera cannot be distinguished from an actual place where a flower is placed. Because it is a video, it is easier to maintain and manage than the real thing, and the running cost is lower. In addition, it is possible to instantaneously select from a large number of video files shot in advance, which is convenient.

[0006]

According to the present invention, even for a two-dimensional image,
By comparing the main image with the shadow image behind the main image, the space can be given a depth, and it can be produced as if the real thing is actually displayed in the space. Furthermore, if this is used for a set such as television shooting, the image taken by the television camera cannot be distinguished from the real thing, so there is no need to actually prepare flower arrangements and crafts, and the cost is greatly reduced, This is very convenient because it is possible to instantaneously select and display from a large number of video files prepared in advance.

[0007]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sketch showing the configuration of a spatial image display device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an additional device that generates a shadow image from a main image by image processing in the spatial image display device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main image display screen 2 Main image 3 Half mirror 4 Virtual image 5 Background image display screen 6 Theme shadow image 7 Main image transmission device 8 Theme shadow image transmission device 9 Controller

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A main image 2 displayed on a main image display screen 1 is reflected by a half mirror 3 to obtain a virtual image 4, and a background display screen 5 is provided behind the virtual image 4 at a desired interval. 5 is a spatial image display device that displays a shadow image of a subject and gives depth and reality to the image by comparing the main image and the shadow image in space. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shadow image of the subject is
A spatial image display device configured to display a generated image by adding a device that generates image processing or computer graphics based on a main image.