JPH09211752A - Stereoscopic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To visually and three-dimensionally recognize images, with a simple constitution by alternately arraying the picture element data of inputted image data for the right and left eyes at fixed intervals. SOLUTION: The images for the right and left eyes obtained by each of image input devices for the right and left eyes 1 and 2 for picking up the image of an object from the directions of the right and left eyes respectively are digitally and alternately fetched every one picture element in a main scanning direction by an image processor 3. The images are synthesized to one image data and the synthetic data is printed on matter to be printed such as a paper surface by a printer 4. When a lens on which projecting and recessing parts are previously formed for each picture element, in the main scanning direction is placed on the image after being printed like this, to see the printed image through the lens, the images for the right and left eyes can be seen by the right and left eyes respectively, in accordance with the visibility of the right and left eyes restricted by the angles of the projecting and recessing parts, to be visually and three-dimensionally recognized in consequence.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a stereoscopic image forming apparatus that forms image data for visual recognition into a three-dimensional image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of conventional three-dimensional image forming apparatuses, there has been proposed a three-dimensional copier technology for raising an image by utilizing a chemical reaction for a transfer material onto which an image is transferred. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-21
0949 gazette). In addition, there is also proposed a technique in which a user wears special glasses to stereoscopically see a two-dimensional image viewed through the glasses.

The above-mentioned method utilizing the chemical reaction physically processes the image three-dimensionally, not visually three-dimensionally. In addition, it is uncomfortable for the user to force the use of special glasses even when visually performing three-dimensional processing.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic image forming apparatus for forming image data for visually recognizing an image into a three-dimensional image with a simple configuration without using special glasses. is there.

[0005]

A stereoscopic image forming apparatus according to claim 1 forms image data for recognizing a captured object image as a stereoscopic image, and the object is composed of a plurality of pixel data. Image input unit for inputting right-eye image data and left-eye image data of an image, and composite image data in which pixel data of the input right-eye image data and pixel data of the left-eye image data are alternately arranged at a predetermined interval. And an image processing unit that generates

The stereoscopic image forming apparatus according to the first aspect is configured in this way, and both pixels of the right eye image data and the left eye image data of the subject image are used as image data for recognizing the subject image as a stereoscopic image. It is possible to obtain composite pixel data in which data are alternately arranged at predetermined intervals.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a stereoscopic image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the apparatus has a CCD color image sensor, receives reflected light from a subject, separates it into R, G, and B components, photoelectrically converts each component, and outputs the image for the right and left eyes. The apparatuses 1 and 2, the image processing apparatus 3, the printing apparatus 4, and the stereoscopic vision processing unit 5 for stereoscopically viewing the image printed by the printing apparatus 4 are included. Generally, it is known that the images of the subject obtained by the right-eye image input device 1 and the left-eye image input device 2 arranged at two places on the left and right are slightly different on the left and right sides, and when reproduced in a predetermined procedure, they appear three-dimensional. There is.

The operation will be briefly described. The right-eye image and the left-eye image obtained by the right-eye image input device 1 and the left-eye image input device 2, respectively, which image a subject from the right-eye direction and the left-eye direction, are images. The processing device 3 digitally takes in each pixel in the main scanning direction alternately and combines them into one image data, and the combined data is printed by the printing device 4 on a printing object such as a paper surface. When a lens in which unevenness is formed in the main scanning direction in advance for each pixel is placed on the image thus printed and the image printed through the lens is viewed, the right eye limited by the angle of unevenness According to the field of view of the left eye, the image for the right eye can be seen by the right eye, and the image for the left eye can be seen by the left eye, and as a result, the image is stereoscopically viewed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image processing apparatus 3 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the image synthesizing procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 3 includes interfaces (I / F) 60 and 61, memories 62 and 6.
3, including a selector 64 and a synthesis memory 65. The right-eye image signal and the left-eye image signal of each of the R, G, and B color components obtained by the image input devices 1 and 2 in operation are digitized by the I / Fs 60 and 61, and stored in the corresponding memories 62 and 63. Stored in each.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the respective image data read out from the memories 62 and 63 in accordance with the main scanning direction of the image are alternately selected by the selector 64 and stored in the synthesis memory 65. Written.
Up to this point, the R, G and B components have been processed in parallel.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the printer 4 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an operation panel provided on the operation surface of the printer 4 of FIG.

In FIG. 4, the printer 4 is usually used as a digital color copying machine. The printing device 4 is an image reader unit 100 for reading a document image when used as a digital color copying machine, and image data read by the image reader unit 100 or the image processing device 3.
And a printing unit 200 for reproducing the image data given from the synthesis memory 65 via the image bus. here,
The details of the image reader unit 100 are omitted and the synthesis memory 6 is omitted.
Only the printing of the image data from 5 will be described.

In operation, when the user presses the 3D image selection key 77 from the operation panel shown in FIG. 5, the image bus is opened so that the combined image data of FIG. To be selected.

Then, when the print key 73 is pressed, image data of three colors of R, G and B are read from the composition memory 65, and Y is read in the read signal processing section 20 of the printing section 4.
(Yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), BK
The data is converted into (black) data and stored in the synchronization buffer memory 30.

Next, in the printing section 200, the printer head section 31 D / A converts the input data to generate a semiconductor laser drive signal, and the semiconductor laser is caused to emit light by this drive signal.

A laser beam generated from the printer head unit 31 corresponding to the data exposes the photosensitive drum 41 which is rotationally driven through the reflecting mirror 37. Photoconductor drum 4
1 is eraser lamp 42 before being exposed for each copy
And is uniformly charged by the charging charger 43. When exposed to light in this state, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 41. Only one of the C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and BK (black) toner developing units 45a to 45d is selected to develop the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 41. To do. The developed toner image is transferred to the transfer drum 5 by the transfer charger 46.
The image is transferred onto the copy paper wrapped around the sheet 1. The fur brush 47 collects the toner transferred to the outside of the paper on the transfer drum.

The above-mentioned printing process is performed in Y (yellow), M
It is repeated for each color of (magenta), C (cyan) and BK (black). At this time, in synchronization with the operations of the photosensitive drum 41 and the transfer drum 51, data is fetched from the synthesis memory 65. After that, the copy paper is separated by the claw 47.
Is operated to separate the toner image from the transfer drum 51, the toner image is fixed through the fixing device 48, and then discharged to the discharge tray 49.

The copy paper is fed by the paper cassette 50, and the tip of the copy paper is chucked by the chucking mechanism 52 on the transfer drum 51 so that the positional deviation does not occur during transfer.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views for explaining the principle of visual recognition of a stereoscopic image according to the embodiment of the present invention.
On the image printed on the printing object (paper) by the printing device 4, as shown in FIG. 6A, a lens having unevenness for each pixel is placed in the main scanning direction. When the image printed through the lens is viewed from the lens upper surface direction, FIG.
Only the image for the right eye (A) can be seen from the middle A direction (right eye),
Only the left-eye image (B) is visible from the B direction (left eye).

That is, when the image is arranged at a position where the light is focused through the lens, the reflected light from the image (B) for the left eye does not enter the right eye through the lens but only the left eye.
Similarly, the reflected light from the image (A) for the right eye does not enter the left eye through the lens but only the right eye. Therefore, the images input by the two image input devices for the left eye and the right eye are simultaneously input to the left eye and the right eye, respectively, and as a result, the images of each eye are fused in the head and stereoscopically observed.
Be recognized.

In the combined image data of FIG. 3, the image data for the left eye and the image data for the right eye are alternately arranged for each pixel, so that the lens of FIG. 6 is also formed with irregularities for each pixel. However, the interval for forming the concavo-convex is not limited to this, and may be determined depending on the array intervals of the pixels for the left eye and the pixels for the right eye for creating the combined image data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a stereoscopic image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image processing device 3 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a procedure of image combination shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram of a printing device 4 in FIG.

5 is a configuration diagram of an operation panel provided on an operation surface of the printing device 4 of FIG.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are views for explaining the principle of stereoscopic image viewing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image input device for right eye 2 Image input device for left eye 3 Image processing device 4 Printing device 5 Stereoscopic vision processing unit In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A stereoscopic image forming apparatus for forming image data for recognizing a captured subject image as a stereoscopic image, wherein right-eye image data and left-eye image data of a subject image composed of a plurality of pixel data are generated. An image processing unit that inputs an image input unit and an image processing unit that generates combined image data in which pixel data of the input right-eye image data and input pixel data of the left-eye image data are alternately arranged at predetermined intervals, Image forming apparatus.