JP2004264762A - Stereoscopic image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the occurrence of an interference fringe in a stereoscopic image display device which separates image light for left eye and image light for right eye by regulating a passage of the image light from a display element or illumination light illuminating the display element by means of a barrier having openings. <P>SOLUTION: The openings 12c of the barrier 12 are shifted from a constant pitch both in the left and right direction and in the up and down direction and are arranged stepwise. The light rays passing through the different openings 12c hardly interfere with each other and the occurrence of the interference fringe is suppressed. A configuration permitting the shapes of the openings to be irregular can be effectively used too. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image display device that provides a three-dimensional image, and more particularly to a three-dimensional image display device that obtains a three-dimensional image by parallax of both eyes and does not use special glasses.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There has been proposed a stereoscopic video display device that displays two videos having parallax, and guides one video light to the left eye and guides the other video light to the right eye, thereby providing a stereoscopic video. In order to provide a stereoscopic image, it is necessary to make the image light for the left eye enter only the left eye and the image light for the right eye to enter only the right eye. It has been practiced to use barriers that regulate the course. The left-eye image and right-eye image can be displayed side by side, and the path of the image light can be regulated by a large barrier. However, in this case, the left-eye image light and the right-eye image light can be controlled. It is difficult to provide a natural stereoscopic image because an excessive angle difference occurs in the traveling direction of the camera.
[0003]
Therefore, a parallax barrier-type stereoscopic image display device that displays a left-eye image and a right-eye image alternately and partly and displays the images, and uses a barrier having a plurality of openings corresponding to respective portions of both images is known. Have been. The configuration of such a stereoscopic video display device is schematically shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG.
[0004]
The stereoscopic image display device of FIG. 1A includes a display 11, a barrier 12, and an illuminator 13. The display 11 is a transmissive liquid crystal display, has a large number of pixels 11p, and alternately displays a left-eye image L and a right-eye image R for each pixel arranged in the left-right direction. . The barrier 12 has an opening 12a of the same width as the pixel 11p of the display 11 for each of the two pixels 11p, and blocks image light from the display 11 other than those incident on the opening 12a. The illuminator 13 is disposed on the back of the display 11 and emits a backlight for illuminating the display 11 from the back. The display 11 modulates the light from the backlight into image light representing an image.
[0005]
There is a difference between the position of the left-eye image L and the position of the right-eye image R with respect to the opening 12a of the barrier 12, whereby the traveling direction of the image light of the left-eye image L after passing through the opening 12a and the right eye There is a difference in the traveling direction of the image light of the image R for use, and only the image light of the image L for the left eye is incident on the left eye of the observer, and the image light of the image R for the right eye is applied to the right eye. Only incident.
[0006]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1B, the barrier 12 can be disposed between the display 11 and the illuminator 13. The path of the light from the illuminator 13 is regulated by the barrier 12, and an angle difference is generated between the illuminating light incident on the left-eye image L and the illuminating light incident on the right-eye image R. This angle difference is maintained even after the image light is formed, and only the image light of the image L for the left eye is incident on the left eye of the observer, and only the image light of the image R for the right eye is incident on the right eye. Incident.
[0007]
A front view of the barrier 12 is schematically shown in FIG. In general, the opening 12a is formed in a long stripe shape extending from the upper end to the lower end of the barrier 12 (for example, JP-A-2000-78617). The width of the openings 12a is constant, and the arrangement pitch of the openings 12a is also constant.
[0008]
There is also known a so-called oblique barrier method for suppressing a decrease in resolution in the horizontal direction and enabling higher-quality display. As shown in FIG. 2B, the openings 12b are arranged in a stepwise manner as short stripe-shaped (rectangular) openings 12b. In this case, the opening 12b has a constant length as well as a width, and the arrangement pitch at which the pair of openings and the light-shielding portion exist is always constant in the left-right direction and the vertical direction. In this example, the length (vertical size) of the pixel 11p of the display 11 is about three times the width, and the size of the opening 12b is equivalent to the size of one pixel of the display 11. . In the left-right direction, an opening 12b is provided at a rate of one for every four pixels, and a so-called multi-view type in which four different images are alternately displayed on the display 11 is shown.
[0009]
As the barrier 12, a metal plate can be used, or a liquid crystal panel can be used, and a part of the barrier 12 can be the openings 12 a and 12 b so that light is transmitted. When a liquid crystal panel is used, it is possible to set the entire body so that it does not function as a barrier with an orientation that allows light to pass through, and to provide a stereoscopic image and to provide a non-stereoscopic normal image, You can switch.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-78617 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In a stereoscopic image display device including a barrier having an opening, the quality of a stereoscopic image to be provided may be reduced. After investigating the cause, the light after passing through the aperture interferes with the conventional barrier, where the apertures are arranged too regularly and the aperture shape is only a simple shape such as a rectangular shape. It has been found that interference fringes occur.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and has as its object to provide a three-dimensional image display device in which the occurrence of interference fringes is suppressed.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a display for displaying images having parallax alternately and alternately, a plurality of openings, and a barrier that blocks light at a portion other than the openings is provided. In a stereoscopic image display device that regulates the path of image light from the container and guides different image light to the left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic image, the openings of the barrier are arranged at a certain pitch. A configuration in which irregularities are provided at the edge of the opening of the barrier, a configuration in which the shape of the opening of the barrier is irregular, or a configuration in which the shape of the opening of the barrier is a refraction shape. With such a configuration, it becomes difficult for the image light after passing through the aperture to interfere, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of interference fringes.
[0014]
According to the present invention, further, a liquid crystal display for alternately displaying images having parallax, an illuminator for providing illumination light to the liquid crystal display, and a barrier having a plurality of openings and blocking light at portions other than the openings A stereoscopic image display device that regulates the course of illumination light from the illuminator by the barrier and guides different image light from the liquid crystal display to left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic image, A configuration in which the openings of the barrier are displaced from a fixed pitch, or a configuration in which irregularities are provided at the edges of the openings of the barrier, or a configuration in which the shapes of the openings of the barrier are irregular, or The opening has a refraction shape. With such a configuration, it becomes difficult for the image light after passing through the aperture to interfere, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of interference fringes.
[0015]
Further, in the present invention, the barrier is a barrier capable of switching and displaying a display image of the stereoscopic image display device between a stereoscopic image and a non-stereoscopic image.
[0016]
In the present invention, the barrier is formed by sandwiching a liquid crystal between a pair of transparent substrates.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the entire stereoscopic video display device of each embodiment is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 1, and thus different points will be described.
[0018]
FIG. 3A schematically illustrates the barrier 12 used in the stereoscopic image display device according to the first embodiment.
[0019]
In the present embodiment, a liquid crystal panel for a switch is used as the barrier 12 in order to be able to switch between providing a stereoscopic image and providing a non-stereoscopic normal image. .
[0020]
As the barrier 12 using the switch liquid crystal panel, a simple matrix driving type or an active matrix driving type liquid crystal panel used in a normal liquid crystal display device may be used, but complicated wirings and the like are formed on the substrate. Since it is necessary, there is a high possibility that the yield will be reduced accordingly.
[0021]
Therefore, the barrier 12 has a transparent electrode made of ITO or the like formed entirely on one of the pair of transparent substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal, and a transparent electrode formed on the other substrate except for the opening. When no drive voltage is applied to the electrodes, the liquid crystal is set in an orientation that allows all light to pass through. In this way, when a driving voltage is applied, the position where the transparent electrodes are formed on both substrates becomes a light shielding portion, and the portion where the transparent electrodes are formed only on one substrate is an opening through which light is transmitted. It becomes.
[0022]
Such a barrier 12 can be manufactured by a relatively simple process as compared with a barrier using a liquid crystal panel of an active matrix drive type or the like, since a transparent electrode need not be formed only at a position where an opening is to be formed. Further, the shape and position of the opening can be relatively freely changed by changing the shape and the like of the unformed portion of the transparent electrode.
[0023]
The barrier 12 of the present embodiment has a plurality of short striped (rectangular) openings 12c arranged in a stepwise manner, similarly to the barrier 12 shown in FIG. 2B. The opening 12c has a length corresponding to one pixel 11p that is long in the vertical direction of the display 11 (FIG. 1), and is provided at a ratio of one in four pixels in the horizontal direction. The length and the width of the opening 12c are constant, but the arrangement pitch of the pair of the opening and the light shielding portion is not constant in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.
[0024]
FIG. 3B shows the opening 12c of the present embodiment and the opening 12b of the conventional barrier shown in FIG. 2B in an overlapping manner. The solid line is the opening 12c of the present embodiment, and the dotted line is the conventional opening 12b. The conventional openings 12b are arranged at a constant pitch in the left-right direction and the vertical direction. However, in the present embodiment, the openings 12c are slightly smaller than the openings 12b, and the corners of the openings 12c match the corners of the conventional opening 12b. Position. There are four relative positions of the opening 12c with respect to the opening 12b (indicated by A to D), whereby the arrangement pitch is not constant both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. Since the arrangement pitch of the openings 12c is not constant, even if the shape of the openings 12c is rectangular, light passing through different openings 12c is less likely to interfere, and the occurrence of interference fringes is suppressed.
[0025]
FIG. 4A schematically illustrates the barrier 12 of the stereoscopic image display device according to the second embodiment. The barrier 12 of the present embodiment is macroscopically rectangular, and has an opening 12d with irregularities at the edges. The size of the opening 12d is constant and substantially equal to the size of the opening 12c of the first embodiment.
[0026]
FIG. 4B shows the opening 12d of the present embodiment and the opening 12b of the conventional barrier shown in FIG. 2B in an overlapping manner. Similarly to the opening 21c of the first embodiment, the opening 12d is provided at a position where the corner coincides with the corner of the conventional opening 12b, and there are four relative positions to the opening 12b (indicated by A to D). . In the barrier 12 of the present embodiment, the arrangement pitch of the openings 12d is not constant, and the edges of the different openings 12d have few parallel portions. Therefore, the occurrence of interference fringes can be suppressed more than in the first embodiment.
[0027]
FIG. 5A schematically illustrates the barrier 12 of the stereoscopic image display device according to the third embodiment. The barrier 12 of the present embodiment has three types of openings 12e of a circle, a triangle, a square, and a trapezoid, and the shapes of the openings 12e are not uniform. Each of these three openings 12e corresponds to a conventional barrier opening 12b.
[0028]
FIG. 5B shows the opening 12e of the present embodiment and the opening 12b of the conventional barrier shown in FIG. 2B in an overlapping manner. Each set of three openings 12e is set so as to substantially inscribe the edge of the conventional opening 12b, and the directions of the trapezoidal three openings 12e (D) are different. The set of three openings 12e is arranged at a constant pitch in the left-right direction and the up-down direction similarly to the conventional opening 12b. The generation of stripes can be suppressed.
[0029]
The shape of the opening 12e may be arbitrarily set, and is not limited to the one shown here. For example, a rectangular shape as a whole as in the first embodiment, a macroscopically rectangular shape having irregularities on the edges as in the second embodiment, and a set of circular or polygonal shapes as in this embodiment , Can also be combined.
[0030]
Further, when the shape of the opening is macroscopically viewed, for example, even if the opening has a refraction shape such as a dogleg shape, the occurrence of interference fringes can be suppressed.
[0031]
When the path of the image light from the display 11 is regulated by the barriers 12c, 12d, and 12e as shown in FIG. 1A, the display 11 is not limited to a transmissive liquid crystal display, but may be a PDP or an organic EL. An element that emits image light by itself, such as the display used, can be employed.
[0032]
In addition, the barrier 12 in each of the above-described embodiments uses a liquid crystal panel for a switch so as to be able to switch between providing a stereoscopic image and providing a non-stereoscopic normal image. Although shown, a fixed-type barrier formed of a metal plate or the like and always keeping the opening and other portions can be used.
[0033]
When the arrangement pitch of the openings 12c and 12d is not constant as in the first and second embodiments, the degree of shifting the openings 12c and 12d from the constant pitch depends on the wavelength of light passing through the openings 12c and 12d. It is preferable to determine. For example, it is preferable to set the arrangement pitch of the openings 12c and 12d according to whether the light to be transmitted is red light, green light, or blue light.
[0034]
The fact that the arrangement pitch of the openings is not constant and that the shapes of the openings are irregular are also applicable to a barrier in which long striped openings are arranged in one direction as shown in FIG. This is effective for suppressing interference fringes.
[0035]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to a so-called binocular stereoscopic image display device that alternately displays a left-eye image L and a right-eye image R for each pixel arranged in the left-right direction. The present invention can also be used in a so-called multi-view stereoscopic image display device capable of obtaining information. In this case, a plurality of images having parallax are alternately displayed on the display. For example, in the case of the four-lens system, four images are alternately displayed for each pixel.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the stereoscopic video display apparatus of this invention, the light after passing through the different openings of a barrier does not interfere easily with each other, and generation | occurrence | production of an interference fringe is suppressed. Therefore, a high-quality stereoscopic image can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a general configuration of a three-dimensional image display device that regulates a light path by a barrier.
FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing a barrier of a conventional stereoscopic video display device.
FIG. 3 is a front view schematically illustrating a barrier and an opening of the barrier of the stereoscopic image display device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary front view schematically showing a barrier and an opening of the barrier of the stereoscopic image display device according to the second embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a front view schematically showing a barrier and an opening of the three-dimensional image display device according to the third embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 11 Display 11p Pixel 12 Barriers 12a to 12e Opening 13 Illuminator

Claims (10)

A display for displaying images with parallax alternately and alternately, a barrier having a plurality of openings, and a barrier for blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic image display device that guides different image light to the eyes of the eye to provide a stereoscopic image,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the openings of the barrier are arranged so as to be shifted from a fixed pitch. A display for displaying images with parallax alternately and alternately, a barrier having a plurality of openings, and a barrier for blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic image display device that guides different image light to the eyes of the eye to provide a stereoscopic image,
A three-dimensional image display device, wherein unevenness is provided at an edge of an opening of the barrier. A display for displaying images with parallax alternately and alternately, a barrier having a plurality of openings, and a barrier for blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic image display device that guides different image light to the eyes of the eye to provide a stereoscopic image,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the shapes of the openings of the barrier are irregular. A display for displaying images with parallax alternately and alternately, a barrier having a plurality of openings, and a barrier for blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic image display device that guides different image light to the eyes of the eye to provide a stereoscopic image,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the shape of the opening of the barrier is a refraction shape. A liquid crystal display for alternately displaying images having parallax, an illuminator for providing illumination light to the liquid crystal display, and a barrier having a plurality of openings and blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic video display device that regulates the course of illumination light from the illuminator and guides different video light from the liquid crystal display to left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic video,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the openings of the barrier are arranged so as to be shifted from a fixed pitch. A liquid crystal display for alternately displaying images having parallax, an illuminator for providing illumination light to the liquid crystal display, and a barrier having a plurality of openings and blocking light at portions other than the openings; In a stereoscopic video display device that regulates the course of illumination light from the illuminator and guides different video light from the liquid crystal display to left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic video,
A three-dimensional image display device, wherein unevenness is provided at an edge of an opening of the barrier. A liquid crystal display that displays images with parallax alternately and alternately, an illuminator that provides illumination light to the display, and a plurality of openings, including a barrier that blocks light at a portion other than the openings, and the barrier In a stereoscopic video display device that regulates the course of illumination light from the illuminator and guides different video light from the liquid crystal display to left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic video,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the shapes of the openings of the barrier are irregular. A liquid crystal display that displays images with parallax alternately and alternately, an illuminator that provides illumination light to the display, and a plurality of openings, including a barrier that blocks light at a portion other than the openings, and the barrier In a stereoscopic video display device that regulates the course of illumination light from the illuminator and guides different video light from the liquid crystal display to left and right eyes to provide a stereoscopic video,
The three-dimensional image display device, wherein the shape of the opening of the barrier is a refraction shape. The stereoscopic image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the barrier is a barrier capable of switching and displaying a display image of the stereoscopic image display device between a stereoscopic image and a non-stereoscopic image. Video display device. 10. The three-dimensional image display device according to claim 9, wherein the barrier is formed by sandwiching a liquid crystal between a pair of transparent substrates.

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