JP3728013B2 - Stereoscopic image display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present inventionStereoscopic image display deviceIn particular, it is suitable for stereoscopic display on televisions, videos, computer monitors, game machines, and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a method of a stereoscopic image display device, there is one that separates right and left parallax images using polarized glasses by changing the polarization state of parallax images for right eye and left eye. In order to change the polarization state, a liquid crystal shutter is provided on the display side, and the polarization state is switched in synchronization with the field signal of the display image on the display. A method that enables stereoscopic viewing by separating the left and right images has been put into practical use. However, this method has the disadvantage that the observer must always wear polarized glasses and is troublesome.
[0003]
On the other hand, as a stereoscopic image display method that does not use polarized glasses, there is a lenticular lens method in which a lenticular lens is provided in front of the display to spatially separate images that enter the left and right eyes of the observer.
[0004]
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example of the lenticular lens system. The figure represents a cross-sectional view in the horizontal direction. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a display pixel portion of a liquid crystal display, and a glass substrate, a color filter, an electrode, a polarizing plate, a backlight, and the like are omitted. The display pixel unit 1 includes an opening 2K in which color filters that form pixels are arranged and a black matrix 3B that separates the pixels. On the viewer side of the liquid crystal display, a lenticular lens (cylindrical lens array) 4L consisting of a large number of cylindrical lenses each having a semicircular cross section as shown in the figure and extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface is arranged on the focal plane. The display pixel unit 1 is located.
[0005]
The display pixel unit 1 has a right-eye stripe pixel (R) corresponding to one pitch of the lenticular lens as shown in the figure._i), Left eye stripe pixel (L_i) Are alternately arranged in pairs, and these pixels are placed in the right eye E of the observer by the lenticular lens 4L._R, Left eye E_LIn this area, the images are optically separated to realize stereoscopic viewing.
[0006]
The figure shows a cylindrical lens 4 in the center of the display₀Shows the spatial area where each of the right-eye and left-eye stripe pixels can be observed, and for each of the other cylindrical lenses, the spatial areas separated in the left and right are overlapped at the positions of the left and right eyes of the observer, The left and right stripe pixels are observed separately and uniformly over the entire screen.
[0007]
In this method, the left and right parallax images are each divided into vertical stripe pixels, and these are alternately converted into, for example, L₁R₂L_ThreeR_FourL_FiveR₆················· Since one stripe image (vertical stripe image) must be synthesized and displayed, the resolution of the parallax image to be imaged is halved.
[0008]
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-107663 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-234459 disclose a stereoscopic image display device that does not cause a decrease in resolution.
FIG. 12 is a basic configuration diagram of a stereoscopic image display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-107663. As shown in FIG. 12 (A), this stereoscopic image display device includes a light directivity switching device 101 including a matrix type surface light source 102 and a lenticular sheet 103, and a transmission type display device 104. When the striped light source (102R in Fig. 12 (B)) is lit, the parallax image for the right eye (104R in Fig. 12 (C)) is displayed in odd frames in synchronization with this, and for the left eye When the striped light source (102L in FIG. 12 (B)) is lit, the left-eye parallax image (104L in FIG. 12 (C)) is displayed in an even frame in synchronization with this. As a result, all the pixels constituting the left and right parallax images are used according to the even frame and the odd frame, so that it is not necessary to divide the parallax image and a stereoscopic image display device without a reduction in resolution can be realized.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the method using the lenticular lens of FIG. 11, the image quality is impaired due to surface reflection from the lens surface or the like, or the black matrix 3 of the liquid crystal display appears to be moire fringes, which is annoying.
[0010]
Further, the conventional method of displaying the right-eye parallax image and the left-eye parallax image in FIG. 12 in a time-division manner has a problem that the image must be switched at a high speed in order to solve the occurrence of flicker. Sugano et al. Reported in the Journal of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan, Vol.41, No.6 (1987), pp549-555 about "Establishment conditions for time-division stereoscopic vision". According to it, the field (frame) frequency is 30Hz. It has been reported that stereoscopic vision cannot be obtained with the division method. Furthermore, the limit frequency at which flicker is not perceived when the eyes are opened and closed alternately (referred to as critical fusion frequency CFF) is about 55 Hz, and in terms of flicker, the field (frame) frequency must be at least 110 Hz or more. Has been reported.
[0011]
Therefore, the conventional example of FIG. 12 has a problem that a display device capable of high-speed display is required as the transmissive display device 104.
[0012]
  The object of the present invention is to prevent flicker even when a display device with a low display speed (frame rate) is used, and to separate the left and right stripe pixels uniformly over the entire screen in a wide observation area in the vertical direction. It can be observed as a good stereoscopic imageStereoscopic image display deviceIs an offer.
[0013]
  Further objectives are
(1-1) The first composite stripe image and the second composite stripe image are alternately displayed on the display device, and in synchronization with this, a mask pattern corresponding to a transmissive spatial modulation element or a self-luminous display element or By displaying the light emission pattern, the display resolution of the stereoscopic image can be increased.
(1-2) A 3D image may be displayed only in a predetermined area on the image display surface of the display device, and a normal 2D image may be displayed in the other part to display a 3D image and a 2D image together. it can.
Have at least one effect such asStereoscopic image display deviceIs an offer.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a light source unit that emits a light beam having a predetermined shape by a mask pattern including a plurality of openings arranged in a checkered pattern,
horizontal directionWhenAn optical system having a plurality of lenses having different optical actions in the vertical direction;
To display parallax images for the right eyeA plurality of horizontal stripe pixels for the right eye arranged in a horizontal stripe,To display parallax images for the left eyeA plurality of horizontal stripe pixels for the left eye arranged in a horizontal stripeFor the right eyeHorizontal stripePixel and for the left eyeHorizontal stripePixel andFrom top to bottomAlternately arrangedsideA transmissive display device for displaying a stripe image,
A directivity is given to the light beam emitted from the light source means by the optical system.sideIrradiate a stripe image and separate the luminous flux into at least two regions.sideA stereoscopic image display device that allows a viewer to visually recognize a stripe image as a stereoscopic image,
The light beam emitted from one point on the opening of the light source means is converted into a substantially parallel light beam in the horizontal section by the micro optical element, and is converted into a condensed light beam that is substantially condensed on the display device in the vertical section,
In the cross section including the vertical direction, the centers of the plurality of lenses and the centers of the plurality of openings are arranged on a straight line connecting the eyes of the observer and the centers of the plurality of pixels. It is said.
[0015]
  According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the optical system includes a horizontal cylindrical lens array in which a plurality of horizontal cylindrical lenses having a refractive power in the vertical direction and long in the horizontal direction are arranged in the vertical direction, and refracting in the horizontal direction. It is characterized by having a vertical cylindrical lens array in which a plurality of vertical cylindrical lenses that have force and are long in the vertical direction are arranged in the horizontal direction.
  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the vertical pitch of the horizontal cylindrical lens array is displayed on the display device as VL.SidestripeIn the imageThe vertical pitch of pixels is Vd, the vertical pitch of the checkered openings of the mask pattern is Vm, the distance between the display device and the horizontal cylindrical lens array is L1, and the horizontal cylindrical lens array and the mask pattern And L2 and the focal length in the vertical cross section of the horizontal cylindrical lens constituting the horizontal cylindrical lens array is fv.
Vd: Vm = L1: L2
Vd: VL = (L1 + L2) / 2: L2
1 / fv = 1 / L1 + 1 / L2
It is characterized by satisfying the relationship.
  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, when the preset distance from the display device to the observer is L, the specifications Vd, Vm, L1, L2 and the L
Vd: Vm = L: (L + L1 + L2)
It is characterized by satisfying the relationship.
  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the optical system includes a toric lens array in which toric lenses having different focal lengths in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are arranged two-dimensionally in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is characterized by having.
  In a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the vertical pitch of the toric lens array is displayed on the display device as VL.SidestripeIn the imageThe vertical pitch of the pixels is Vd, the vertical pitch of the checkered openings of the mask pattern is Vm, the distance between the display device and the toric lens array is L1, and the toric lens array and the mask pattern When the distance is L2 and the focal length in the vertical section of the toric lens constituting the toric lens array is fv, these specifications are
Vd: Vm = L1: L2
Vd: VL = (L1 + L2) / 2: L2
1 / fv = 1 / L1 + 1 / L2
It is characterized by satisfying the relationship.
  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 6, wherein the above-mentioned specifications Vd, Vm, L1, L2 and L 2 are set as follows, where L is a preset distance from the display device to the observer.
Vd: Vm = L: (L + L1 + L2)
It is characterized by satisfying the relationship.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part of Embodiment 1 of the stereoscopic image display apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a display device for image display, which is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal element (LCD). Reference numeral 1 denotes a display pixel portion formed of a liquid crystal layer or the like formed between two glass substrates 5, and displays a three-dimensional image described later. In the figure, a polarizing plate, a color filter, an electrode, a black matrix, an antireflection film, and the like are omitted.
[0018]
  Reference numeral 10 denotes a backlight (surface light source) as an illumination light source. A mask substrate (mask) 7 on which a mask pattern 9 having checkered openings 8 is formed is disposed between the display device 6 and the backlight 10. The mask pattern 9 is manufactured by patterning a metal deposition film such as chromium or a light absorbing material on a mask substrate 7 made of glass or resin. The backlight 10, the mask substrate 7 and the like constitute one element of the light source means.
[0019]
Between the mask substrate 7 and the display device 6, a first lenticular lens 3 and a second lenticular lens 4 made of transparent resin or glass are arranged. The first lenticular lens 3 is a vertical cylindrical lens array in which vertical cylindrical lenses that are long in the vertical direction are arranged in the horizontal direction, and the second lenticular lens 4 is a horizontal lens in which horizontal cylindrical lenses that are long in the horizontal direction are arranged in the vertical direction. It is a cylindrical lens array. Note that the first lenticular lens 3 and the second lenticular lens 4 each form one element of the micro optical element 3H.
[0020]
As shown in the figure, the image displayed on the display device 6 includes left and right parallax images R and L, each of which has a number of horizontal stripe pixels R in the vertical direction._i, L_i Divide them into₁R₂L_ThreeR_FourL_FiveR₆··································································································.
[0021]
The light from the backlight 10 passes through each opening 8 of the mask substrate 7, illuminates the display device 6 through the micro optical element 3H, and the left and right stripe pixels R are observed on both eyes of the observer._i, L_i Are observed separately.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the first embodiment, and is an explanatory view of the principle that the left and right stripe pixels are visually separated separately in the viewer's eyes in the first embodiment. The mask substrate 7 is illuminated by the backlight 10, and light is emitted from the opening 8. The first lenticular lens 3 is arranged on the observer side of the mask substrate 7, and the lens curvature is designed so that the mask pattern 9 is almost at the focal position of each cylindrical lens. In this cross section, the second lenticular lens 4 has no optical effect, so that the light beam emitted from one point on the aperture 8 is transmitted through the micro optical element 3H and converted into a substantially parallel light beam in this cross section. The Note that the parallel light flux in this cross section does not have to be strictly parallel, and the object of the present invention is achieved as long as the left and right image areas are mixed at the position of the observer and crosstalk occurs and the stereoscopic view is not hindered. To do.
[0023]
The pair of openings and the light shielding portion of the mask pattern 9 are set so as to correspond to one pitch of the first lenticular lens 3. In the pattern of the opening and the light shielding portion shown in the figure, the left stripe pixel L of the left and right stripe pixels in the horizontal stripe shape displayed on the display device 6 is displayed._iThe light emitted from the opening 8 passes through the first lenticular lens 3 and the left stripe pixel L on the display device 6_iIs illuminated with directivity in the range indicated by the solid line in the figure.
[0024]
E in the figure_LIndicates the left eye of the observer, and the light from the opening 8 is uniformly distributed over the entire width of the screen._LPitch P of the first lenticular lens 3 to gather at_3X Is the pitch P between the pair of openings of the mask pattern 9 and the light shielding portion._9X It is slightly smaller than. Specifically, the pitch P_3XWhen the optical distance from the predetermined position of the predetermined observer to the first lenticular lens 3 is L0, and the optical distance from the first lenticular lens 3 to the mask pattern 9 is d1,
L0: (L0 + d1) = P_3X : P_9X·····(Five)
It is determined to satisfy. As a result, the left stripe pixel L displayed on the display device 6 is displayed._iIs the left eye E_LObserved only in the vicinity.
[0025]
Also, right stripe pixel R_iThe pattern of the opening and the light shielding part of the mask pattern 9 is opposite to that shown in the figure, and the right stripe pixel R of the horizontal stripe pixels displayed on the display device 6 is the right stripe pixel R._iThe right stripe pixel R through the first lenticular lens 3_iIs right eye E_RIlluminated with directivity in the vicinity. As a result, the right stripe pixel R in a horizontal stripe shape displayed on the display device 6 is displayed._iIs right eye E_RObserved only in the vicinity. In this embodiment, the left and right stripe pixels on the display device 6 are observed separately in the horizontal direction in the left eye region and the right eye region in this way.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of a cross section in the vertical direction of the first embodiment. The observation area in the vertical direction will be described using this. In FIG. 3, the first lenticular lens 3 having no optical action and the glass substrate not directly related to the optical action are omitted for this cross section, and the second lenticular lens 4 is also conceptually expressed. The openings 8 of the mask pattern 9 have a checkered pattern as shown in FIG. 1, and correspond to the horizontal stripe pixels on the display device 6 arranged in the vertical direction in the vertical direction.
[0027]
In FIG. 3, the opening pattern of the checkered aperture 8 is for illuminating the left or right stripe pixel. Here, for example, the left stripe pixel L_iThe mask pattern 9 is a light-shielding portion that does not transmit light. Left stripe pixel L corresponding to the left eye on display device 6_iWhite, right stripe pixel R corresponding to right eye_iIs shown in black.
[0028]
Here, the width (pitch) of the opening in a certain vertical cross section of the mask pattern 9 is Vm, the pitch of the second lenticular lens 4 is VL, and the vertical pixel pitch of the display device 6 (this is the display device 6 Is equal to the vertical pitch of the stripe pixels to be displayed in Fig. 3), Vd, and the focal length of the individual cylindrical lenses constituting the second lenticular lens 4 in FIG. When the distance from the main plane on the observer side of the lenticular lens 4 of L2 is L1, and the distance from the main plane of the mask side of the second lenticular lens 4 to the mask pattern 9 is L2, these specifications are
Vd: Vm = L1: L2 (1)
Vd: VL = (L1 + L2) / 2: L2 (2)
  1 / fv = 1 / L1 + 1 / L2 (3)
It is set to satisfy the relationship.
[0029]
At this time, the openings 8 of the mask pattern 9 are condensed on the corresponding stripe pixels in a line perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. When attention is paid to one aperture of the checkered aperture, in FIG. 3, the luminous flux that is emitted from the center point A of the central aperture 8-1 and incident on the corresponding cylindrical lens 4-1 of the second lenticular lens 4 is that of the display device 6. The light is condensed linearly on a central point A ′ of the corresponding pixel column 6-1. The luminous flux originating from the center point A of the central aperture 8-1 and incident on the cylindrical lens constituting the second lenticular lens 4 other than the cylindrical lens 4-1 is another stripe pixel L for the left eye of the display device 6, respectively._iConcentrate linearly at the center of the.
[0030]
Further, the light beams emitted from the end points B and C of the aperture 8-1 and incident on the cylindrical lens 4-1 are condensed in a linear manner on the end points B ′ and C ′ of the stripe pixel 6-1, respectively. Similarly, a light beam emitted from another point of the aperture 8-1 and incident on the cylindrical lens 4-1 is condensed linearly on the stripe pixel 6-1 of the display device 6. Further, all the light beams emitted from the aperture 8-1 and incident on the cylindrical lenses other than the cylindrical lens 4-1 are condensed on another left-eye stripe pixel of the display device 6.
[0031]
In FIG. 3, the luminous flux emitted from each store on the openings other than the opening 8-1 is also condensed on the left eye stripe pixel of the display device 6 in a similar manner, and is illuminated and transmitted to collect only in the vertical direction. It diverges according to the NA at the time of light, and gives an observation region where the left and right stripe pixels are uniformly separated from the predetermined eye height of the observer over the entire vertical width of the screen.
[0032]
As described above, the light beam emitted from one point on the opening of the mask pattern 9 is converted into a condensed light beam that is substantially condensed on the display device 6 by the micro optical element 3H in the vertical section.
[0033]
Note that this condensed light beam is intended to be collected in a range where the light emitted from the aperture 8-1 and transmitted through the cylindrical lens 4-1 in the vertical cross section does not protrude from the stripe pixel 6-1 on the display device 6. Can be reached.
[0034]
Here, the observer's left eye stripe pixel L_iExplained about the right-eye stripe pixel R_iThe same applies to.
[0035]
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of Embodiment 1, and members omitted in FIG. 3 are also shown.
[0036]
Here, Vm, VL, Vd, fv, L1, and L2 are the same as those described in FIG. In the present embodiment, conditional expressions (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied by setting Vd = Vm = VL, L1 = L2, and fv = L1 / 2, which is described in FIG. In this way, an observation region is obtained in which the left and right images appear to be uniformly separated from the observer's predetermined eye height over the entire vertical width of the screen.
[0037]
In the present invention, if the difference between the left side and the right side of the conditional expressions (1) and (2) is relatively 5% or less, and the difference between the left side and the right side of the expression (3) is relatively 15% or less, The object of the present invention can be achieved.
[0038]
In the present embodiment, the stereoscopic image display device is configured by arranging the display device 6, the second lenticular lens 4, the first lenticular lens 3, and the mask pattern 9 as viewed from the viewer side. However, the first lenticular lens is configured. Even if the order of the lens 3 and the second lenticular lens 4 is changed, the pitch and focal length of the first lenticular lens 3 and the second lenticular lens 4 and the vertical and horizontal pitches of the checkered aperture of the mask pattern 9 are all the above conditions. If it is set again so as to satisfy the requirements, a stereoscopic image display device that provides the same effect as in the first embodiment can be configured.
[0039]
In this embodiment, when displaying a color stereoscopic image, an LCD in which R, G, B color filters are arranged in one pixel in a horizontal direction in the same manner as in a normal liquid crystal display for two-dimensional image display. Can be used.
[0040]
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of Embodiment 2 of the stereoscopic image display apparatus of the present invention. The figure is an explanatory schematic diagram of a cross section in the vertical direction of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, more illumination light flux is collected on the eye E of the observer located near the center of the display screen than in the first embodiment, and FIG. The configuration of the present embodiment is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, but the setting conditions for the second lenticular lens 4, the mask pattern 9, etc. are different. Here, parts different from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In FIG. 5, the first lenticular lens 3 having no optical action and the glass substrate not directly related to the optical action are omitted in this section, and the second lenticular lens 4 is also conceptually expressed. .
[0041]
In the vertical cross section of the first embodiment, Vd = Vm = VL is set, and the main light beam among the light beams that illuminate the pixel columns of the display device 6 is set so as to enter the display device 6 substantially perpendicularly. However, the second embodiment is different in that the second lenticular lens 4 and the mask pattern 9 are set so as to improve the illumination efficiency by collecting more illumination light fluxes in the eyes of the observer located near the center of the display screen. Yes.
[0042]
The observation area in the vertical direction will be described with reference to FIG. E is the point where the observer's eyes are located, and is set at a point away from the display device 6 by L. Each cylindrical lens constituting the second lenticular lens 4 and the opening 8 of the mask pattern 9 are centered on a two-dot chain line connecting the position E of the observer's eye and the center of the stripe pixel on the display device 6. It is set to do. By setting in this way, the light beam emitted from the center of the aperture 8 passes through the center of the second lenticular lens 4 to illuminate the center of each stripe pixel of the display device 6 and gathers at the position E of the observer's eye. A stereoscopic image display device can be configured.
[0043]
At this time, the pitch of the openings 8 in a certain vertical cross section of the mask pattern 9 is Vm, the pitch of the second lenticular lens 4 is VL, and the vertical pixel pitch (horizontal stripe pixel pitch) of the display device 6 is Vd is the focal length of the individual cylindrical lenses that make up the second lenticular lens 4 in FIG. 3, and the distance from the display surface of the display device 6 to the main plane on the observer side of the second lenticular lens 4. If L1, the distance from the mask side principal plane of the second lenticular lens 4 to the mask pattern 9 is L2, and the distance from the observer's eye position E to the display device 6 is L,
In addition to the relationship of (1), (2) and (3) above
Vd: Vm = L: (L + L1 + L2) (4)
Meet the relationship.
[0044]
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the present embodiment, and members omitted in FIG. 5 are also shown. Here, Vm, VL, Vd, L1, L2, fv, L, etc. are the same as those described in FIG. In the present embodiment, these specifications are set so as to satisfy the above-described equations (1), (2), (3), and (4). The configuration in the horizontal section is set in the same manner as in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2).
[0045]
As described above, an observation region is obtained in which the left and right stripe pixels appear to be uniformly separated from the observer's predetermined eye position E to the entire vertical width of the screen.
[0046]
In the present invention, the object of the present invention can be achieved if the difference between the left side and the right side of conditional expression (4) is relatively 10% or less.
[0047]
Also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, it is possible to configure a stereoscopic image display device that provides the same effect as the present embodiment by switching the order of the first lenticular lens 3 and the second lenticular lens 4.
[0048]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an essential part of Embodiment 3 of the stereoscopic image display apparatus of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the micro optical element 3H is configured by using two lenticular lenses 3 and 4 that are orthogonal to each other. However, in this embodiment, the micro optical element 3H is moved up and down with a toric lens having different curvatures in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The difference is that it consists of a single toric lens array arranged side by side on the left and right. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.
[0049]
In the figure, 84 is a toric lens array (micro optical element 3H). The focal length of the toric lens 85 constituting the toric lens 85 is fv, the vertical pitch is Vd, and the toric from the display device 6 in the vertical section. The distance from the main plane on the observer side of the lens array 84 to L1 and the distance from the main plane on the mask side of the toric lens array 84 to the mask pattern 9 are set to L2, and these specifications are expressed by the above formulas (1) and (2 ) And (3) are set to hold. Further, the curvature in the horizontal direction of the toric lens 85 is set so that the focal position in the horizontal section substantially coincides with the mask pattern 9.
[0050]
As a result, in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, an observation region is obtained in which the left and right stripe pixels appear to be uniformly separated from the predetermined eye height of the observer over the entire vertical width of the screen. Yes.
[0051]
Further, in the present embodiment, if the toric lens array 84 and the checkered aperture 8 are set so that the conditional expression (4) is satisfied, the observation located near the center of the display screen as in the second embodiment. It is possible to improve the illumination efficiency by collecting most of the illumination luminous flux in the eye E of the person.
[0052]
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of the essential parts of Embodiment 4 of the stereoscopic image display apparatus of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the mask pattern 9 having a checkered opening on the mask substrate 7 is a fixed opening. However, in this embodiment, a transmissive spatial light modulation such as a transmissive liquid crystal element is used instead of the mask substrate 7. Element 71 is used. Other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. Note that the backlight 10, the spatial light modulator 71 and the like constitute one element of the light source means.
[0053]
In the figure, reference numeral 74 denotes image processing means, which takes out stripe pixels from left and right parallax images R, L (not shown) to generate one stripe image data, and displays the display pixel unit 1 of the display device 6 through the display drive circuit 73. At the same time, the mask pattern 9 corresponding to the stripe image data is displayed on the spatial light modulator 71 via the drive circuit 72.
[0054]
The action of giving directivity to the light flux from the light source means and irradiating the stripe pixels to form the stereoscopic observation region is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0055]
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a stereoscopic image display method of the present embodiment. FIG. 9 (A) shows an opening on the spatial light modulator 71 (accurately, it should be referred to as a translucent part, but is referred to as an opening in this specification for the sake of simplicity). 9 (B) and (C) show the display pixel portion 1 of the display device 6, and the display pixel portion 1 is a stripe image formed by alternately arranging left and right horizontal stripe pixels. .
[0056]
As shown in FIG. 9A, when the opening of the spatial light modulator 71 is a portion 86 indicated by a solid line and the light shielding portion is a portion 87, the first scanning line is formed as shown in FIG. 9B. Right stripe pixel R₁, Left stripe pixel L on the second scan line₂, Right stripe pixel R on the third scan line_Three,... Are displayed as a first horizontal stripe image. At this time, the left or right stripe pixels are separately observed for the left eye or right eye of the observer.
[0057]
Next, when the opening of the spatial light modulator 71 is a portion 87 shown by a dotted line in FIG. 9A and the light shielding portion is a portion 86, a left stripe is formed on the first scanning line as shown in FIG. 9C. Pixel L₁, Right stripe pixel R in the second scan line₂, Left stripe pixel L on the third scan line_ThreeDisplay the second horizontal stripe image synthesized so that. At this time, the left or right stripe pixels are observed separately on the left and right eyes of the observer.
[0058]
By alternately displaying this state in a time-sharing manner, it is possible to observe all the left and right parallax images R and L. In the conventional stereoscopic image display, the resolution has dropped to half due to the stripe image composition. It is possible to display with high resolution without dropping.
[0059]
Also, if there is a difference in the rewriting speed between the display pixel portion 1 of the display device 6 and the spatial light modulator 71, the timing of rewriting the image and the rewriting of the mask pattern 9 should be matched so that the viewer cannot see the boundary. Therefore, it is also possible to rewrite the display driving circuit 73 and the driving circuit 72 in synchronization as shown in FIG. At that time, the display pixel unit 1 of the display device 6 and the spatial light modulation element 71 may be rewritten in synchronization with each other on the corresponding scanning line, or may be rewritten in synchronization with each corresponding scanning line. Good.
[0060]
In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the pitch of the openings in the vertical cross section of the mask pattern 9 is Vm, the pitch of the second lenticular lens 4 is VL, and the vertical pixel pitch of the display device 6 (the stripe pixel (Pitch) is Vd, the focal length of the individual cylindrical lenses constituting the second lenticular lens 4 is fv in FIG. 3, and the main plane on the observer side of the second lenticular lens 4 from the display surface of the display device 6 The distance from the main plane on the mask pattern side of the second lenticular lens 4 to the mask pattern 9 is L2, and these specifications are Vd = Vm = VL, L1 = L2, fv = L1 / 2 It is set to satisfy the relationship.
[0061]
Since Vd = Vm, a liquid crystal element having the same pixel pitch as the display device 6 for image display can be used as the spatial light modulator 71. Although the present embodiment has been described as a modification of the first embodiment, the resolution can be similarly increased by applying the configuration of the present embodiment to the configurations of the second and third embodiments.
[0062]
Although the stereoscopic image is displayed on the entire surface of the display pixel unit 1 in the fourth embodiment, it is also possible to display the stereoscopic image only in a predetermined area of the display pixel unit 1 and to display a normal two-dimensional image in the other part. .
[0063]
The fifth embodiment uses the configuration of the fourth embodiment and changes the mask pattern 9 to display a three-dimensional image in a predetermined area of the display pixel unit 1 and a two-dimensional image in other areas. The three-dimensional image can be mixedly displayed.
[0064]
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of image display in the stereoscopic image display apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment is the same as the fourth embodiment except for the mask pattern configuration and the image display configuration on the display device 6. FIG. 10 (A) shows the pattern of the opening and light shielding portion of the spatial light modulator 71 in the fifth embodiment, and FIG. 10 (B) shows the image pattern of the display pixel portion 1 of the display device 6. In the area 88 for displaying a stereoscopic image in the display pixel unit 1, the left and right parallax images are respectively displayed as horizontal stripe pixels L._i, Ri and split these into R₁L₂R_ThreeThe horizontal stripe images synthesized by alternately arranging are displayed, and the normal two-dimensional image S is displayed in the other areas. The mask pattern 9 of the spatial light modulator 71 corresponding thereto is a checkered mask pattern in the area 89 corresponding to the area 88 for displaying the stereoscopic image, and transmits the transmitted light through the left and right stripe pixels with directivity. The luminous flux is made to reach the left or right eye separately, and all other areas are opened (translucent state) so that the luminous flux that has passed through the two-dimensional image S reaches the left and right eyes. To.
[0065]
As a result, a stereoscopic image can be displayed only in the area 88. Further, if the first horizontal stripe image and the second horizontal stripe image are alternately displayed and the mask pattern is changed in synchronization with the first horizontal stripe image and the second horizontal stripe image as in the above-described embodiment, the resolution of the stereoscopic image can be increased.
[0066]
In the first to third embodiments, if a checkered mask pattern is formed in the area 89 corresponding to the stereoscopic image display area 88, a stereoscopic image can be displayed only on a part of the screen as in the present embodiment. it can.
[0067]
In addition, when displaying a 3D image and a 2D image at the same time, approximately half of the illumination light in the 3D image is cut at the checkered aperture of the mask pattern 9, which may cause a difference in brightness between the 3D image and the 2D image. There is sex. In order to prevent this, the amount of light may be adjusted by displaying an intermediate between white and black without making the area corresponding to the display of the two-dimensional image on the mask pattern 9 100% transparent.
[0068]
In each of the embodiments described above, the observer can observe a predetermined height by making the vertical width Vm of the opening of the mask pattern slightly larger than the vertical pitch Vd of the horizontal stripe pixels displayed on the display device. The left and right stripe pixels can be separated and visually recognized uniformly over the entire screen at the position, and can be observed as a stereoscopic image.
[0069]
Further, the stereoscopic observation region in the vertical direction is widened by appropriately setting the position of the horizontal cylindrical lens array or toric lens array constituting the micro optical element and the refractive power of the vertical section. ,
In addition, since the micro optical element 3H is arranged behind the display device 6 when viewed from the observer, the surface reflection from the lens surface of the lenticular lens or the black matrix of the display device 6 may appear as moire fringes. The high-quality stereoscopic image can be observed.
[0070]
In addition, in a conventional stereoscopic display system that displays a parallax image for the right eye and a parallax image for the left eye in a time-sharing manner for each screen, it is necessary to increase the frame frequency to 120 Hz in order to prevent flicker. In the method of the present invention, an image obtained by combining left and right parallax images with a horizontal stripe image is used, so that even with a frame frequency of 60 Hz, observation can be performed with high resolution without feeling flicker.
[0071]
In the above embodiments, when a horizontal stripe image is displayed on the display device 6, the width of the horizontal stripe pixel constituting the stripe image is the same as the width of one scanning line. The width of a plurality of scanning lines can also be used.
[0072]
In addition, when displaying right or left stripe pixels for each scanning line, the conventional stripe jumping (2: 1 interlaced scanning) of the TV is used, and the right stripe pixels forming one stripe image for each field. R_iAll or left stripe pixel L_iIt is also possible to display all of. This is particularly suitable for stereoscopic display of natural images using a TV camera or the like.
[0073]
Further, in Embodiments 1 to 3, instead of the backlight 10 and the mask substrate 7, and in Embodiments 4 and 5, instead of the backlight 10 and the spatial light modulator 71, a self-luminous type such as a CRT or a fluorescent display tube is used. Using the display element as a light source means, a light emitting pattern in which a light emitting part and a non-light emitting part are formed in a checkered pattern is formed on the light emitting surface as in the mask pattern 9, and the micro optical element is applied to the light beam emitted from the light emitting part. Directivity can also be given by 3H.
[0074]
【The invention's effect】
  With the above configuration, the present invention does not generate flicker even when a display device with a low display speed (frame rate) is used. In particular, the left and right stripe pixels are separated uniformly over the entire screen in a wide observation area in the vertical direction. It can be observed as a stereoscopic image with good visibilityStereoscopic image display deviceTo achieve.
[0075]
  Other,
DeThe first composite stripe image and the second composite stripe image are alternately displayed on the display device, and a mask pattern or light emission pattern corresponding to the transmission type spatial modulation element or self-luminous display element is displayed in synchronization therewith. As a result, the display resolution of the stereoscopic image can be increased.
[0076]
  At this time, in the method of displaying the parallax image by the normal time division, it is necessary to increase the frame frequency of the display device in order to fuse the left and right parallax images by the afterimage effect of the eyes, whereas the stereoscopic image of the present invention Although the display device is striped, right and left stripe pixels are always incident on each eye, so that a stereoscopic image can be observed without increasing the display speed (frame frequency) required for the display device..
DeA stereoscopic image can be displayed only in a predetermined area on the image display surface of the display device, and a normal two-dimensional image can be displayed in the other part, so that a three-dimensional image and a two-dimensional image can be displayed together.
Have at least one effect such asStereoscopic image display deviceTo achieve.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a stereoscopic image display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory schematic view in the vertical cross section of the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a vertical cross section of a stereoscopic image display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of main parts of a stereoscopic image display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a stereoscopic image display device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a stereoscopic image display method according to the fourth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of image display in a fifth embodiment of the stereoscopic image display device of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional lenticular lens type stereoscopic image display device.
FIG. 12 is a basic configuration diagram of a conventional stereoscopic image display device.
[Explanation of symbols]
 1 Display pixel section
 3H micro optical element
 3 First lenticular lens (vertical cylindrical lens array)
4 Second lenticular lens (horizontal cylindrical lens array)
6 Display device
 7 Mask substrate
 8 opening
 9 Mask pattern
10 Backlight
71 Spatial light modulator
72 Drive circuit
73 Display drive circuit
74 Image processing means
84 Toric lens array
85 toric lens
86 opening (shading part)
87 Shading part (opening)
88 Stereoscopic image display area on display device
89 Area corresponding to stereoscopic image display area on spatial light modulator

Claims (7)

Light source means for emitting a light beam having a predetermined shape by a mask pattern including a plurality of openings arranged in a checkered pattern;
An optical system having a plurality of lenses having different optical actions in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction;
In order to display a parallax image for the right eye, a plurality of horizontal stripe pixels for a right eye arranged in a horizontal stripe shape and a plurality of pixels arranged in a horizontal stripe shape to display a parallax image for the left eye includes a horizontal stripe pixels for the left eye, and a transmissive display device for displaying the horizontal stripe image obtained by arranging alternately from the top and the right-eye horizontal stripe pixels and the left-eye horizontal stripe pixels,
Irradiating the horizontal stripe image by giving directivity in the optical system to the light beam emerging from the light source means, steric which the light beam is separated into at least two regions allowed to visually recognize the observer the horizontal stripe image as a stereoscopic image An image display device,
The light beam emitted from one point on the opening of the light source means is converted into a substantially parallel light beam in the horizontal section by the micro optical element, and is converted into a condensed light beam that is substantially condensed on the display device in the vertical section,
In the cross section including the vertical direction, the centers of the plurality of lenses and the centers of the plurality of openings are arranged on a straight line connecting the eyes of the observer and the centers of the plurality of pixels. A stereoscopic image display device. The optical system includes a horizontal cylindrical lens array in which a plurality of horizontal cylindrical lenses having a refractive power in the vertical direction and long in the horizontal direction are arranged in the vertical direction, and a vertical cylindrical lens having a refractive power in the horizontal direction and a long length in the vertical direction. The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a vertical cylindrical lens array arranged in a plurality of directions. The vertical pitch of the horizontal cylindrical lens array is VL, the vertical pitch of the pixels in the horizontal stripe image displayed on the display device is Vd, and the vertical pitch of the checkered openings of the mask pattern is Vm. L1 is the distance between the display device and the horizontal cylindrical lens array, L2 is the distance between the horizontal cylindrical lens array and the mask pattern, and the focal length within the vertical cross section of the horizontal cylindrical lens constituting the horizontal cylindrical lens array is When fv, these specifications are
Vd: Vm = L1: L2
Vd: VL = (L1 + L2) / 2: L2
1 / fv = 1 / L1 + 1 / L2
The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the following relationship is satisfied. When the preset distance from the display device to the observer is L, the specifications Vd, Vm, L1, L2 and L are
Vd: Vm = L: (L + L1 + L2)
The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the following relationship is satisfied. 2. The stereoscopic image according to claim 1, wherein the optical system has a toric lens array in which toric lenses having different focal lengths in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are two-dimensionally arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. Display device. The vertical pitch of the toric lens array is VL, the vertical pitch of the pixels in the horizontal stripe image displayed on the display device is Vd, the vertical pitch of the checkered openings of the mask pattern is Vm, When the distance between the display device and the toric lens array is L1, the distance between the toric lens array and the mask pattern is L2, and the focal length in the vertical section of the toric lens constituting the toric lens array is fv, These specifications are
Vd: Vm = L1: L2
Vd: VL = (L1 + L2) / 2: L2
1 / fv = 1 / L1 + 1 / L2
The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the following relationship is satisfied. When the preset distance from the display device to the observer is L, the specifications Vd, Vm, L1, L2 and L are
Vd: Vm = L: (L + L1 + L2)
The stereoscopic image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the following relationship is satisfied.

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