JP2002300599A - Stereoscopic imaging device, stereoscopic image display device, and stereoscopic image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stereoscopically pick up a subject by using a plurality of lenses or obtain a high quality of stereoscopic image for display. SOLUTION: A stereoscopic image processing system 1 includes a plurality of lenses 12 and an imaging means 6 for picking up a subject SP, a display means 8 and a plurality of element lenses 13 for displaying an element imaged by the imaging means 6. The system also includes a first shielding means 10 for shielding the light which has not passed through the respective lenses 12 and arrived at the imaging means 6 and a second shielding means 11 for shielding the light which has not passed through the element lenses 13 and arrived at the subject VP from the display means 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image photographing apparatus for photographing a subject in three dimensions, a three-dimensional image display device for displaying a three-dimensional image of the subject, and a photographing and three-dimensional display of the subject. To a three-dimensional image processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of stereoscopic television systems which can be freely viewed from an arbitrary viewpoint, a so-called IP (In) system using a large number of convex lenses or pinholes arranged on a plane.
tegralPhotography) is known. FIG. 8 shows the stereoscopic television system realized by using a plurality of convex lenses. That is, the element lenses 31a, 31b, which are a plurality of convex lenses arranged on the same plane.
A photographic film 33 is placed on the rear side (lower side in FIG. 8) of the lens group 32 composed of 31n, and the subject PA placed on the front side (upper side in FIG. 8) of the lens group 32 is photographed. At this time, images 34a, 34b,... Formed on the photographic film 3 by the element lenses 31a, 31b,.
.., 34n are recorded on the photographic film 33. When this photographic film 33 is developed, images 34a, 34b,.
, 34n are element images 36a, 36b,..., 36n developed into the photograph 35 shown in FIG. Therefore, when the observer VA observes the photograph 35 through the lens group 32, the stereoscopic image IA of the subject PA is reproduced. Instead of this photographic film 33, a CCD (Ch
An image sensor such as an Arge Coupled Device (LCD) is placed and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Device) is used instead of the developed photo 35
Also, by using an electric or electronic display means such as an EL (Electro Luminescence) element, not only a still image but also a moving image can be three-dimensionally photographed and displayed.

[0003]

However, a photograph 35 photographed using such a lens group 32 has a three-dimensional image I.
If A is to be displayed, the element images 36a, 36b,.
.. from 36n to respective element lenses 31a, 31
Light entering the eyes of the observer VA through a,..., 31n correctly contributes to the formation of the stereoscopic image IA, but passes through the gap 37 between the element lenses 31a, 31b,. The light that reaches the eyes does not form the correct image.
Such light obstructs the observer VA from observing the stereoscopic image IA, such as blurring the stereoscopic image IA or displaying a virtual image. Further, as shown in FIG.
, 34n, the element lens 31
Light entering the photographic film 33 or the imaging device from the gap 37 between the a, 31b,
31n, which degrades the quality of the elemental images 36a, 36b,..., 36n, such as blurring the images 34a, 34b,. . Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to remove light that interferes with shooting and display when a subject is stereoscopically photographed or displayed using a plurality of element lenses.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lens group including a plurality of lenses, and an image sensor for capturing an element image formed by the lenses. And a shielding device for shielding light reaching the image sensor through between adjacent lenses. Such a three-dimensional image photographing device blocks light that passes between a plurality of lenses constituting a lens group and reaches an image pickup device from a subject side with a shielding unit, and shoots a subject using only light passing through the lenses. By doing so, a high-quality stereoscopic image is obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lens group including a plurality of lenses, and display means for displaying an element image corresponding to the lens, and a distance between adjacent lenses from the display unit. A three-dimensional image display device having shielding means for shielding passing light was used. Such a stereoscopic image display device displays an element image for reproducing a stereoscopic image on a display unit, and allows an observer to observe the stereoscopic image through a plurality of lenses. By preventing the light emitted from the means from reaching the observer through the space between the lenses, the observer can observe a high-quality stereoscopic image.

[0006] Further, the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention provides:
In a stereoscopic image processing system including a photographing unit for obtaining a stereoscopic image and a display unit, the photographing unit is configured to capture a first lens group including a plurality of lenses and an element image formed by the lenses. Comprising an element, having a first shielding means for shielding light reaching the image sensor through between adjacent lenses,
The display unit includes a second lens group including a plurality of lenses, and display means for displaying an element image corresponding to the lens, and blocks light reaching the observer through the space between the adjacent lenses from the display unit. 3D image processing system having a second shielding means. In such a stereoscopic image processing system, an image of a subject is photographed by an image sensor through an element lens, and the photographed element image is used by a display unit and a lens to allow an observer to observe a stereoscopic image of the subject. By blocking light that does not pass through the lens by the first and second shielding units, an image of the subject is correctly acquired, and a high-quality stereoscopic image is displayed.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stereoscopic image processing system according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a photographing unit of the stereoscopic image processing system, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a display unit. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the stereoscopic image processing system 1 includes a photographing unit 2 that photographs the subject SP, a display unit 3 that stereoscopically displays an image of the subject SP, and a control unit that controls these components. 4 is included. Further, the photographing unit 2 includes a first lens group 5 arranged toward the subject SP and photographing means 6 for photographing an element image EP which is an image of the subject SP, and the display unit 3 displays the element image EP. Display means 8 and a second lens group 9. Then, between the first lens group 5 and the photographing unit 6 and between the display unit 8 and the second lens unit 9, there is provided a first shielding unit 1 described in detail later.
0 and second shielding means 11 are provided, respectively. Note that such a stereoscopic image processing system 1 can be used for a broadcast television camera, a video camera, and a digital camera used by general users.

Here, each component of the stereoscopic image processing system 1 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first lens group 5 used for photographing includes a plurality of element lenses 1.
.., And when viewed from the subject SP, they are arranged in a square lattice pattern having a gap 20 as shown in FIG. Each element lens 12 is held by a known holding means. For example, each element lens 12 is stored in a holder (not shown),
It is also possible to integrally form 2, 12,... With the same member. In the present embodiment, the element lens 12,
12 use a biconvex lens, but a uniconvex lens, a concave lens, an aspheric lens, or the like can also be used. The number and shape of the element lenses 12, 12,... Constituting the first lens group 5 can be arbitrarily selected.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the second lens group 9 used for display has the same structure, but the size of the photographing means 6 and the display means If the sizes of the element lenses 8 are different, the size and arrangement of the element lenses 13 are changed according to the size of the display means 8.
Further, it is also possible to form an optical system by combining the second lens group 9 with a lens group having a different configuration. For example,
When the observer VP observes the element image EP displayed on the display means 8 and becomes a pseudo three-dimensional image in which the depth of the three-dimensional image IP is inverted, the stereoscopic image having the correct depth is formed by forming a predetermined optical system. IP can be obtained. Further, instead of using the first lens group 5 composed of a plurality of element lenses 12 and the second lens group 9 composed of the element lenses 13, a pinhole group composed of a plurality of pinholes may be used. it can.

The first shielding means 10 is composed of a member having a plurality of circular openings 14, 14,... As shown in FIG. The openings 14, 14,...
The element lenses 12, 12,... Constituting the first lens group 5
And the center of each opening 14 is formed at a position coinciding with the center of each corresponding element lens 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4B, the diameter of each opening 14 is smaller than the outer diameter of each corresponding element lens 12 by a predetermined amount. This is an adjacent element lens 1
This is for removing the light obliquely entering the photographing means 6 from the gap 20 between 2, 12,. Opening 1 in this case
The diameter of 4, 14,... Is the object SP, the element lenses 12, 1,
It is desirable to determine according to the positional relationship between 2 and the photographing means 6. In addition, as shown in FIG.
In the case of the first lens group 5a having a line-offset arrangement such as 2a, 12a,..., The openings 14, 14,.

The first shielding means 10 is made of a material which is opaque to light used for photography, for example, visible light, that is, does not transmit light used for photography. In the present embodiment, the first shielding means 10 uses a nickel alloy in order to prevent the temperature from rising due to light absorption, deformation, and deterioration.

Further, the second shielding means 11 in the display unit 3 is made of a material which is opaque to light emitted from the display means 8, that is, is made of a material which does not transmit such light, and has a plurality of openings. 15. Each opening 1
The center of the opening 5 is located at a position coinciding with the center position of each element lens 13, and the diameter of each opening 15 depends on the configuration of the display means 8, the second lens group 9, and the positional relationship of the observer VP. I have decided.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is to record an image of the subject SP formed on the surface portion thereof through each of the element lenses 12 as an element image EP. An optical imaging element such as a CCD or a photosensitive material such as a photographic film can be used. The photographing of the subject SP using the optical imaging device means that an electric signal converted from the received light is stored in a storage unit (not shown) or the like. In addition, photographing using a photosensitive material means that the photosensitive material is exposed based on the wavelength and the amount of light to be irradiated. FIG. 2 shows an example in which seven image sensors 23 in the vertical direction correspond to one element image EP. Further, the actual element image EP is a combined image having different sizes and different contents for each location, but detailed distinction is omitted in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, display means 8
As the device, a device having a light emitting device such as an LCD, an EL device, a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), a paper medium such as a developed photograph, or the like can be used. When a light-emitting element is used as the display means 8, a set of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) dots forms one pixel 24 as shown in FIG. An element image EP is formed with an aggregate of the plurality of pixels 24 that are described above. When the display unit 8 is a paper medium, the pixels 24 are a combination of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black, and the like as appropriate. Forms an element image EP. In FIG. 3, a light emitting element is used for the display means 8 and seven pixels 2 are arranged in the vertical direction.
4 schematically shows an example in which one element image EP is formed. The observer VP converts the plurality of element images EP displayed in this manner into a plurality of element lenses 13, 13,.
Of the predetermined subject SP through the stereoscopic image I
It can be regarded as P.

The control unit 4 shown in FIG. 1 controls the photographing unit 2 and the display unit 3, processes an electric signal based on the element image EP photographed by the photographing unit 6 as predetermined data, and sends it to the display unit 8. It is displayed or recorded in storage means (not shown). As the storage means, any storage means such as a hard disk fixed to the three-dimensional image processing system 1, a video tape, or a detachable memory for electrically and magnetically storing data can be adopted. . Further, it is also possible to provide an input terminal, an output terminal, and a communication means in the three-dimensional image processing system 1 to exchange data with a processing device or a storage device which is remotely arranged.

Next, a process for photographing the subject SP using such a stereoscopic image processing system 1 and displaying a stereoscopic image IP of the subject SP will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, lights DL1 to DL4 (dashed lines shown in FIG. 2) that reach the photographing means 6 through the gaps 20 between the element lenses 12 are cut off by the first shielding means 10. The photographing means 6 photographs the image of the subject SP as the element image EP using only the lights CL1 to CL3 transmitted through the element lenses 12, 12,. Then, after performing a predetermined process in the control unit 4, the captured element image EP is displayed on the display unit 8. Here, the element image EP displayed on the display means 8 is
When the observer VP observes from a distant position as shown in FIG. 1, the element lenses 13, 13,.
Light CL4 to CL6 reaching the eyes of the observer VP through the
) Contributes to the observation of the stereoscopic image IP. On the other hand, the light DL emitted at an angle that does not pass through the element lenses 13, 13,.
5, DL6 (broken line shown in FIG. 3) is the second shielding means 11
, It does not reach the eyes of the observer VP.
Therefore, the observer VP is caused by such lights DL5 and DL6.
Does not cause such a problem that the three-dimensional image IP observed by the user becomes unclear. It should be noted that among the light emitted from the element pixels EP, the element lenses 13, 1
The light (not shown) transmitted through 3...
The angle of inclination of the light after passing through 3 is large and the observer VP
Does not reach the eyes of the observer, and does not adversely affect the observation of the observer VP.

Here, when the display area of the display means 8 is larger than the light receiving area of the photographing means 6, each of the element pixels EP photographed by the photographing means 6 is enlarged by the control unit 4 and then transmitted to the display means 8. indicate. At this time, the size of the element lenses 13, 13,... Of the second lens group 9 of the display unit 3,
As the arrangement interval, a value corresponding to the size and the arrangement interval of the element pixels EP displayed on the display unit 8 is used. That is,
The second lens group 9 of the display unit 3 has a configuration in which element lenses 13, 13,... Which are larger than the first lens group 5 of the imaging unit 2 are arranged at wide intervals. Further, as the second shielding means 11 of the display unit 3, one in which openings 15 which are larger than the openings 14 of the first shielding means 10 of the imaging unit 2 are formed at wide intervals is used.

On the other hand, the display area of the display means 8 is
Is smaller than the light receiving area of the element image EP
The control unit 4 performs a process of reducing the display on the display unit 8. In this case, the second lens group 9 of the display unit 3
Has a configuration in which element lenses 13, 13,... Smaller than the first lens group 5 of the photographing unit 2 are arranged at wide intervals.
The second shielding means 11 of the display unit 3 is formed by forming openings 15 which are smaller than the openings 14 of the first shielding means 10 of the photographing unit 2 at narrow intervals.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted.
The present embodiment relates to a three-dimensional image photographing apparatus for photographing a subject in order to display it three-dimensionally, and a three-dimensional image display apparatus for displaying a three-dimensional image. The stereoscopic image photographing apparatus includes a first lens group 5, a photographing unit 6, a first shielding unit 10, and a control unit (not shown) as shown in FIG. In addition, the stereoscopic image display apparatus includes a second lens group 9, a display unit 8, a second shielding unit 11,
In addition, a control unit (not shown) is provided.

The three-dimensional image photographing apparatus only performs photographing of a subject alone, and the photographed image of the subject is sent to a three-dimensional image display device via a predetermined recording medium or communication means. On the other hand, the three-dimensional image display device independently displays the acquired image as a three-dimensional image. By doing so, a three-dimensional image of a subject photographed by the three-dimensional image photographing device is displayed on a three-dimensional image display device at a remote place, or for one three-dimensional image photographing device,
It becomes possible to connect a plurality of stereoscopic image display devices. Further, the stereoscopic image processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 can be appropriately combined with the stereoscopic image photographing device and / or the stereoscopic image display device.

The present invention can be widely applied without being limited to the above embodiments. For example, FIG.
As shown in (a), the gap 20 formed by the element lenses 12, 12,... May be formed of a member 21 that is opaque to light used, and this member 21 can be used as a shielding unit.
The same effect can be obtained even if only one end surface 21a or the other end surface 21b of the member 21 is formed of a member that is opaque to the light used. In this case, the means for holding the shielding means and the means for holding the element lenses 12, 12,... Can be the same means, so that the configuration of the stereoscopic image processing system 1 can be simplified and the gap 20 It is possible to reliably cut off light incident on the. Further, there is an effect that positioning of the shielding means is easy. FIG.
As shown in (b), the shielding means 22 can be arranged closer to the subject SP (not shown) than the element lenses 12, 12,.... Even with such a shielding means 22, it is possible to cut light passing through the optical path to the photographing means 6 through the gap 20 formed by the element lenses 12, 12,. Note that these members 21, 21a and 21b and the shielding means 2
2 can be applied to the display unit 3 as a matter of course. In this manner, the position of the first shielding unit 10 is set on the optical path to the photographing unit 6 through the gap 20 between the element lenses 12 constituting the first lens group 5. The position of the second shielding means 11 may be determined by adjusting the position of the element lens 1 constituting the second lens group 9 from the display means 8.
It suffices if it is arranged on the optical path reaching the observer VP through the gap 20 between 3, 13,. In each case,
Each opening 1 of the first shielding means 10 and the second shielding means 11
The size and arrangement interval of 4 and 15 are determined by the light reaching the photographing means 6 from the subject SP through the element lenses 12, 12,... And the observer VP from the display means 8 through the element lenses 13, 13,. It is necessary to form it so as not to disturb the light that reaches it.

In FIG. 4B, the openings 14 of the first shielding means 10 have the same size and the same arrangement interval, but the openings 14 on the peripheral side as compared with the opening 14 at the center.
It is also possible to reduce the diameter of 14... Or increase the arrangement interval. Especially from the subject SP to the photographing means 6
Since the light incident on the peripheral side has a large inclination angle, if the arrangement interval of the peripheral side openings 14 is increased,
Interference light that interferes with capturing of the element image EP can be reliably cut. Similarly, if the diameter of the openings 14, 14,... On the peripheral edge side is smaller than that of the center opening 14 of the second shielding means 11, or if the arrangement interval is increased, the stereoscopic image IP
It is also possible to surely cut off light that becomes obstructive light that obstructs observation of the subject. The target of shooting and display may be a still image or a moving image. Furthermore, if an element having high sensitivity in the infrared region is used as the photographing means 6, a three-dimensional thermograph can be displayed. It is possible to get a photo.

[0023]

According to the present invention, there is provided a stereoscopic image photographing apparatus for photographing a subject using a plurality of lenses, wherein a light reaching a photographing means through a plurality of lenses is shielded by using a shielding means. did. Therefore, the subject can be photographed only by the light passing through the lens, and a high-quality stereoscopic image can be obtained. In a three-dimensional image display device that displays a three-dimensional image, a configuration is adopted in which light that reaches a viewer through a space between the plurality of lenses from the display unit is shielded by using a shielding unit. Therefore, since a three-dimensional image can be displayed only by light passing through the lens, it is possible to observe a high-quality three-dimensional image. Then, a stereoscopic image processing system for displaying an image photographed by the photographing unit having the first lens group and the first shielding unit as a stereoscopic image on the display unit having the first lens group and the second shielding unit is provided. Therefore, a high-quality subject image taken only with light passing through the first lens group can be displayed using only light passing through the second lens group, enabling observation of high-quality stereoscopic images. become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stereoscopic image processing system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating a configuration of a photographing unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of a display unit in the present embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating (a) a lens group viewed from a subject side and (b) a shielding unit viewed from a subject side in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another arrangement of the element lenses constituting the lens group.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating an arrangement of one element lens and pixels of a display unit.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing an embodiment of a first shielding means.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a method of photographing a subject in the related art.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method of observing a stereoscopic image according to the related art.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 stereoscopic image processing system 2 photographing unit 3 display unit 4 control unit 5, 5a, first lens group (lens group) 9 second lens group (lens group) 6 photographing means 8 display means 10, 21, 21a, 21b First shielding means (shielding means) 11 Second shielding means (shielding means) 12, 12a, 13 Element lens 14, 15 Opening 20 Gap SP Subject EP Element image IP Stereoscopic image VP Viewer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G03B 15/00 G03B 15/00 U H 35/08 35/08 35/18 35/18 H04N 13/02 H04N 13/02 13/04 13/04 (72) Inventor Jun Atsushi 1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Japan Broadcasting Corporation Japan Broadcasting Research Institute F-term (reference) 2H042 AA15 AA26 AA29 2H044 AD01 2H059 AA07 AA24 AA35 5C061 AA06 AB02 AB04 AB06 AB14 AB16

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A lens group comprising a plurality of lenses, and an image pickup device for photographing an element image formed by the lenses, wherein light reaching the image pickup device passing between adjacent lenses is shielded. A three-dimensional image photographing apparatus comprising a shielding means. 2. A lens group comprising a plurality of lenses, and display means for displaying an element image corresponding to the lens, wherein light reaching the observer from the display unit through the space between the adjacent lenses is shielded. A three-dimensional image display device, comprising a shielding means for shielding. 3. A stereoscopic image processing system comprising a photographing unit for obtaining a stereoscopic image and a display unit, wherein the photographing unit forms an image with a first lens group including a plurality of lenses and the lens. An image sensor for capturing an element image is provided, and a first shielding unit for shielding light reaching the image sensor through a space between the adjacent lenses is provided. A lens group, and display means for displaying an element image corresponding to the lens, and second shielding means for shielding light reaching the observer from between the display part and the adjacent lens. 3D image processing system.