JPH05333455A - Image data generation system for stereoscopy - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the system which generates image data for stereoscopy for easily obtaining an image sheet for stereoscopy without requiring a troublesome optical composing process which performs composition on a different film over fine-pitch movement through a lenticular lens. CONSTITUTION:This image data generation system consists of a parallax image storage means (a) stored with plural image data having mutual parallax, a mask means (b) which is in a comb shape and constant in the pitch of its comb part, a mask assigning means (c) which reads the image data out of the parallax image storage means (a) in order and assigns the mask means (b) to a specific position on the image data, an image cutting means (d) which cuts image data at the part surrounded with the mask means (b) assigned by the mask assigning means (c), an image storage means (e) which temporarily stores the image data cut by the cutting means. and an image composing means (f) which reads image data out of the cut image storage means (e) and performs composition at a specific position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image data creating system for creating a stereoscopic image sheet that can be viewed as a stereoscopic image by looking through a lenticular lens or a slit in a line. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a stereoscopic photograph has been widely known as a stereoscopic image which gives a stereoscopic effect through a lenticular lens. This three-dimensional photograph is a multi-lens camera system or a system using a special camera and turntable. An image sheet for stereoscopic vision is created by an optical synthesizing process of synthesizing on another film while moving a predetermined distance at various pitches. And
On this stereoscopic image sheet, a stereoscopic photograph having a stereoscopic effect such as depth is obtained by looking through a lenticular lens having a pitch corresponding to the above-mentioned moving distance or a slit in a line shape.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned optical composition processing method, in order to prepare a stereoscopic image sheet, it is composed on another film while being moved at a slight pitch through a lenticular lens. However, there is a problem in that this work requires time-consuming work and that this work requires skill. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention does not require an optical synthesis process, that is, a laborious work such as synthesizing on another film while moving at a slight pitch through a lenticular lens, and synthesizing these on a computer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that can easily create a stereoscopic image sheet.

[0004]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a parallax image storage means a for storing a plurality of image data having parallax with each other, and a mask means b having a comb shape and a constant pitch of comb portions. Surrounded by mask allocating means c for sequentially reading the image data stored in the parallax image storage means and allocating the mask means to a predetermined position on the image data, and mask means allocated by the mask allocating means. The image cut-out means d for cutting out the image data of the cut portion, the cut-out image storage means d for temporarily storing the image data cut out by the cut-out means, and the image data stored in the cut-out image storage means e are read and predetermined. It is characterized in that it comprises an image synthesizing means f for synthesizing at a position.

Further, the present invention is characterized by comprising pitch setting means g for setting the pitch of the comb portion of the mask means b.

Further, desired image data is selected from a plurality of image data stored in the parallax image storage means a,
It is characterized by comprising an image selecting means h for outputting the selected image data.

[0007]

A plurality of image data having parallax stored in the parallax image storage means a is sequentially read, and the mask allocating means c is used to cause the masking means c to use the read-out image data and the masking means b. The mask means b is assigned to a predetermined position on the image data, and the image cutting means d is used to mask
The image data of the portion surrounded by is cut out, and the cut out image data is temporarily stored in the cut out image storage means e.
After performing such a clipping operation for the number of parallax images,
By combining a plurality of cut-out image data at a predetermined position by the image combining means f, stereoscopic image data can be created.

Further, the pitch setting means g can set the pitch of the comb portion of the mask means to a desired pitch.

Furthermore, the image selecting means h can select and combine desired image data from the plurality of image data stored in the parallax image storing means.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, 1 is an image input means, 2 is an instruction means, 3 is a storage means, 4 is a display means, 5 is a calculation means, and 6 is an output means.

The image input means 1 is connected to the arithmetic means 5 and takes in a plane image such as a printed matter, a photograph or the like, an actual three-dimensional object, or an electronic image stored in an optical disc or the like as digital image data, and calculates the arithmetic means 5. Is a means for outputting to. Here, the printed matter, a plane image such as a photograph,
It goes without saying that if the electronic image is a plurality of images having parallax, the image data fetched from the image input means 1 will be a plurality of image data having parallax with each other. Examples of the image input unit 1 include a flat bed scanner for a planar image, a video camera for an actual three-dimensional object, and a disk drive for an electronic image such as an optical disk. Here, if the calculation means 5 has a function of drawing an image, the image directly drawn by the calculation means 5 can be used as a plurality of image data having parallax, and the image input means 1 is not necessary.

The instruction means 2 is connected to the arithmetic means 5, inputs instruction information to each means connected to the arithmetic means 5, selects and starts each process executed in the arithmetic means 5, etc. Is a means for giving instructions. For example, an interactive input device such as a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse can be used.

The storage means 3 is connected to the arithmetic means 5 and stores the image data (a plurality of image data having parallax with each other) captured by the image input means 1 and
It is a unit for storing a comb-shaped mask shown in FIG. 4 described later, image data cut out by this mask, and stereoscopic image data combined from the cut out image data. For example, RAM, a hard disk, a floppy disk, etc. are mentioned.

Further, the mask will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the comb portion 4 has a closed shape whose outline can be drawn with a single stroke.
1 is the width P, P, ... of the mountain portion 411, ... And the valley portion 412 ,.
Of constant pitches Pt, Pt, ...
Is set to. Moreover, this pitch Pt is set so as to match the lens pitch of the lenticular lens sheet to be superimposed on the stereoscopic image sheet printed out on the sheet by the output means 6 described later.

Here, the shape of the mask is preferably defined as a function: M (P, q) having at least the width P of the peak portion 411 and the width q of the valley portion 412 as parameters. By defining in this way, the shape can be freely set by changing the parameter value, and it is possible to arbitrarily correspond to the lens pitch of the lenticular lens sheets to be overlapped and the number of image data to be combined. Becomes Furthermore, the width M of the entire mask
You may add W, height MH, etc. as a parameter. By doing so, the degree of freedom of the mask shape is further increased.

The display means 4 is connected to the computing means 5, displays the image data taken in by the image input means 1, and displays and combs for selecting the image data executed by the computing means 5 which will be described later. It is a means for displaying a mask of a shape, displaying for cutting out image data, displaying cut out image data, and displaying for image composition.
For example, a CRT display device and the like can be mentioned.

The calculation means 5 is connected to the image input means 1, the instruction means 2, the storage means 3, the display means 4, and the output means 6 which will be described later, and controls the operation of each of these means and the storage means 3 as well. Desired image data is selected from a plurality of image data stored in, if necessary, the mask stored in the storage means 3 is assigned to a predetermined position on the selected image data, and the mask is surrounded by this mask. The image data of the part is cut out, and the cut out image data is temporarily stored in the storage means 3. After the necessary number of image data pieces have been cut out, the cutout image data stored in the storage means 3 is combined at a predetermined position to create stereoscopic image data. For example, a CPU or the like can be given.

The output means 6 is means for producing a stereoscopic image sheet by printing out the stereoscopic image data synthesized and created by the arithmetic means 5 on paper or the like. For example,
Printers.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, prepare a plurality of image forms with parallax, that is, a plane image such as a photograph, an actual three-dimensional object, an electronic image stored in an optical disc, etc. in advance,
The image is input as digital image data by using the image input unit 1 suitable for each image (SP1), and stored in the storage unit 3 via the calculation unit 5 (SP2). Here, if the calculation means 5 has a function of drawing an image, it is also possible to use an image drawn directly by using the instruction means 2 such as a keyboard or a mouse. At this time, the image input means 1 may be omitted.

Next, a plurality of image data having parallax stored in the storage means 3 are sequentially displayed on the display means 4 for allocating a mask (SP3). Here, when the combined image data cannot be output from the stored number of image data and the resolution of the output unit, or when the combination is not required as much as the stored number of image data, the plurality of image data The necessary data is selected (SP4) and displayed. For example, 10 images of parallax image data are stored, and stereoscopic image data created by combining these 10 images (10 images will be combined within one pitch of the lenticular lens) can be output. When there is no resolution, by selecting the number of image data corresponding to the resolution of the output means from the 10 stored images, it is possible to output the image with a slightly reduced stereoscopic effect. This selection is performed by inputting a specific key on the keyboard from the instruction means 2 or by using a mouse or the like. For the sake of convenience of description, a case where there are three pieces of image data having parallax A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 5 will be described below with reference to FIG. The display positions of the image data A, B, and C for allocation are the same, and the illustration of each image data is omitted.

First, after displaying the image data stored in the storage means 3, for example, A, the comb-shaped mask is read and displayed on the display means 4, and the image data A previously displayed is displayed. Allocate to any position (SP5). here,
The pitch Pt ₁ of the mask is 3P ₁ when the width of the mountain portion 61 is P ₁ . That is, since the number of pieces of image data to be combined is 3, the mask pitch is set to 3 times the peak portion 611. Then, the image data A ₁ surrounded by the mask is cut out (SP6), and the cut out image data A 1
₁ is temporarily stored in the storage means 3.

Here, it is preferable that the pitch of the mask is set in advance so as to be equal to the pitch of the lenticular lens when a stereoscopic image is formed. Further, it is preferable to set the width of the mountain portion 611 of the comb portion 61 of the mask to a value obtained by dividing one pitch in advance by the number of image data to be combined, depending on the number of image data to be combined. Both of them relate to the quality of the product as a three-dimensional image, and the quality can be remarkably improved by setting in this way.

Similarly, the image data B and C are sequentially displayed on the display means 4, a mask is allocated, and the image data B ₁ and C ₁ surrounded by the mask are cut out. At this time, the position where the mask is allocated to the image data B is a position moved by P ₁ from the position where the image data A is allocated, as shown in FIG. Further, the position where the mask is assigned to the image data C is a position further moved by P ₁ than the position where the image data B is assigned, that is, a position which is moved by 2P ₁ than the position where the image data A is assigned. Become.

After the cutout of the image data A ', B', C'is completed, these three image data stored in the storage means 3 are read into the arithmetic means 5 and combined into one image (S).
P7). The position to be allocated for composition is a position in the reverse order of the positional relationship allocated for cutting out the image data shown in FIG. 7. The image data combined in this way becomes the desired stereoscopic image data.

When outputting the obtained stereoscopic image data, only the portion D is cut out as shown in FIG. 7, and the cut out image data is printed out by the output means 6 (SP8). A stereoscopic image is obtained by superimposing a lenticular lens having a lens pitch of Pt ₁ on the printed stereoscopic image sheet.

Although a stereoscopic image has been described in the present embodiment, a variable image (changing picture) can be obtained by making the image data cut out by the mask not the plural image data having parallax but completely different image data. Needless to say. It is also possible to use line-shaped slits having the same pitch instead of the lenticular lens. Further, in the present embodiment, all the image data A, B and C are cut out with a mask, and the cut out image data A ₁ , B ₁ and C ₁ are created and combined, but only the image data A and B are image data. disconnect off the a _1, B _1, the image data a ₁ such that the positional relationship shown in FIG 7 on the image data C, B ₁ may be synthesized assign the.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, an optical composition process, that is, a laborious operation such as composition on another film while moving at a slight pitch through a lenticular lens is required. Instead, it is possible to easily create the stereoscopic image data for the stereoscopic image sheet.

Further, since the pitch of the mask comb portion for cutting out the image data for composition can be freely set,
The quality of the stereoscopic image can be improved by matching the pitch of the lenticular lens when creating the stereoscopic image.

Furthermore, since desired image data can be selected from a plurality of image data stored in the parallax image storage means, a stereoscopic image sheet can be created without being influenced by the resolution of the output means. Image data for stereoscopic viewing can be created.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a mask of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing image data having parallax according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing positions to which the masks of the same embodiment are allocated.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a position where the cut-out image data of the embodiment is combined.

[Explanation of symbols]

 a: parallax image storage means b: mask means c: mask allocation means d: image cutout means e: cutout image storage means f: image synthesis means g: pitch setting means h: image selection means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hirotake Tanabe 1-5-1, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A parallax image storage means for storing a plurality of image data having parallax with each other, a mask means having a comb shape and a constant pitch of a comb portion, and sequentially reading image data stored in the parallax image storage means. Mask allocating means for allocating the mask means to a predetermined position on the image data, image cutting means for cutting out the image data of the portion surrounded by the mask means allocated by the mask allocating means, and cut by the cutting means. A stereoscopic image comprising a cut-out image storage means for temporarily storing the cut-out image data and an image synthesizing means for reading the image data stored in the cut-out image storage means and synthesizing the image data at a predetermined position. Data creation system. 2. The stereoscopic image data creating system according to claim 1, further comprising pitch setting means for setting the pitch of the comb portion of the mask means. 3. An image selection means for selecting desired image data from a plurality of image data stored in the parallax image storage means and outputting the selected image data. The stereoscopic image data creation system described in 2.