JPH10170866A - Stereoscopic video display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stereoscopic video display device that can secure horizontal resolution nearly as high as that of a twin-lens type even when video is displayed on a multiple-lens basis and is able to smoothly vary a stereoscopic image according to the movement of an observer. SOLUTION: This device has longitudinal striped video display arrays formed alternately on a liquid crystal panel 1b and separates video lights from the respective video display arrays by a parallax barrier 1c to form convergence points of the respective video lights at a specific distance from a display screen. In this case, a pair of convergence points are formed corresponding to the distance between the eyes and other two convergence points are formed shifting from the two convergence points by 1/3 as long as the distance between the eyes; when the observer is at the position corresponding to image pickup cameras 5c and 5d among eight image pickup cameras 5a to 5h which are arranged at intervals 1/3 as long as the distance between the eyes, images (c) and (f) of the image pickup cameras 5a to 5h are displayed alternately on the video display arrays to evade a decrease in the horizontal resolution when all images of the image pickup cameras 5a to 5h are displayed sequentially in the video display arrays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called multi-view type stereoscopic image display device in which, when an observer moves, an image recognized changes according to the movement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a three-dimensional image display device without special glasses, for example, as shown in FIG.
And a liquid crystal panel 12 and a parallax barrier 13. The stereoscopic image display device of FIG. 7 is an eight-eye type (eight viewpoints), and has eight images (a ′) (b ′) (c ′) (d ′) (e ′).
(F ′) (g ′) (h ′) as shown in FIG.
The display device has a configuration in which the image is sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal panel 12.
An image different from that before the movement enters the eyes of the user, so that the user can feel as if they are wrapping around the displayed subject. In the stereoscopic image display device having such a configuration, the interval between the converging points of light emitted from the display screen of the liquid crystal panel 12 is substantially equal to the interocular distance E,
Each time the observer moves the same distance as the interocular distance E, the observed image changes. Note that the images (a ′) to (h ′) displayed on the screen (on the liquid crystal panel 12) of the stereoscopic image display device have an interval corresponding to the interocular distance E as shown in FIG. Are photographed by the eight cameras 15a to 15h arranged in the same manner.

As another multi-view stereoscopic image display device using no special glasses, as shown in FIG. 10, a parallax barrier system comprising a backlight 11, a liquid crystal panel 12, and a lenticular lens 14 is used. There is something.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display device, as the number of viewpoints increases, the pixel pitch of the image to be observed increases in the horizontal direction, and the horizontal resolution decreases. For example, the liquid crystal panel 11
When a pixel pitch of 0.08 mm is used, the pixel pitch of an image observed by one eye is 0.08 mm
0.64 mm, which is eight times as large as In addition, the interval between the condensing points of the light emitted from the display screen of the liquid crystal panel 12 is almost equal to the interocular distance E, and in the image for each interocular distance E, the change in the image is awkward, and the Occurs.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can secure the same horizontal resolution as that of the twin-lens system even in the case of multi-view image display, and can smoothly display a stereoscopic image according to the movement of the observer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional image display device that can be changed to a three-dimensional image.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a three-dimensional image display device according to the present invention has a structure in which vertical stripe-shaped image display columns are alternately formed on a display screen, and each of the video display columns is formed. In a stereoscopic video display device in which video light from the camera is separated to form a focal point for each video light at a position at a predetermined distance from the display screen, the two focal points forming a pair correspond to the interocular distance. The two light-collecting points forming another pair are formed with a distance less than the interocular distance from the two light-collecting points, and the observer is detected based on the detection result of the observer's head position. The present invention is characterized in that it is configured to determine which focus point pair the eye is located at, and to switch the display image of each image display column based on this determination.

With the above arrangement, when the position of the observer's head is shifted from the position corresponding to the two light converging points to the position corresponding to the other two light converging points, each of the images is correspondingly changed. Since the display image in the display column is switched, it is possible to always maintain a state in which the left eye of the observer guides the left-eye image and the right eye guides the right-eye image. A good stereoscopic image can always be recognized even if it is moved.

[0008] N may be an odd number of 3 or more, and the interval between adjacent light-collecting points may be set to 1 / N of the interocular distance. Then, an image (camera image or computer-generated image) corresponding to the interval between the adjacent focal points is supplied, and as the observer moves and the position of the eye moves from the focal point, Thus, an image corresponding to the condensing point may be displayed in each of the image display columns.

According to this, when the position of the observer's head is shifted from the position corresponding to the two light condensing points to the position corresponding to the other two light condensing points, the position of the camera corresponding to the difference is changed. Is displayed while being switched from the previous image, and the observer can get the feeling of seeing the subject displayed on the screen by moving around. In such a configuration, only the image corresponding to the observation position is displayed on the display screen, and the resolution of each image is reduced when all the images from the plurality of cameras are displayed in association with the image display column. Can be avoided, and the stereoscopic video corresponding to the position is recognized by the movement of the observer by a distance less than the interocular distance, so that the change of the stereoscopic video recognized by the observer becomes smooth.

[0010]

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

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing imaging cameras 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, and 5h for capturing moving image images to be given to a stereoscopic image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. is there. The inter-eye distance E is equal between the imaging cameras 5a and 5d, between the imaging cameras 5b and 5e, between the imaging cameras 5c and 5f, between the imaging cameras 5d and 5g, and between the imaging cameras 5e and 5h.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the stereoscopic image display device 10 and the observer 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The stereoscopic video display device 10 includes a video display unit 1, a detection unit 3 including, for example, a CCD camera for detecting the position of the head of the observer 2, and the video display unit 1 based on a detection result of the detection unit 3. And a control unit 4 for switching and controlling the applied video signal.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the image display unit 1, the optical path (focus point) of image light from the image display unit 1 to the observer 2,
The positional correspondence between the binocular position of the observer 2 and the imaging cameras 5a to 5h, and which imaging camera is the image displayed in the vertical stripe image display column of the image display unit 1 (in FIG. Camera images are indicated by lowercase letters in the reference numerals assigned to the respective imaging cameras).

The image display section 1 includes a backlight 1a, a liquid crystal panel 1b for displaying an image, and a parallax barrier 1c.
Consisting of In the liquid crystal panel 1b, video display columns in the form of vertical stripes are alternately formed. In FIG. 3, the video (c) captured by the imaging camera 5c is selected as the right-eye video, and the video (f) captured by the imaging camera 5f is selected as the left-eye video. That is, the images (c) and (f) are alternately formed on the screen of the liquid crystal panel 1b, and the other imaging cameras 5a, 5b,
Images of 5d, 5e, 5g, and 5h are not displayed.

The parallax barrier 1c has a large number of slit-shaped openings 6a extending in the vertical direction, and a light-shielding portion 6b extending in the vertical direction is provided between the openings 6a.
Are formed. The parallax barrier 1c separates the image light from each of the image display columns and forms a focal point of each image light at a position at a predetermined distance from the display screen. The distance between the two converging points to be set corresponds to the interocular distance E, and the other pair of two condensing points is less than the interocular distance E with respect to the two condensing points (E / 3 in the figure). (A distance).

In each image display row of the liquid crystal panel 1b, as described above, the image (c) is used as the image for the right eye.
The image (f) is selected as the image for the left eye, and the right and left eyes of the observer 2 are picked up by the imaging cameras 5c and 5c.
When the observer moves in the direction I or II in the figure and the amount of movement is detected by the detection means 3, the control unit 4 The video to be displayed in the display column is switched based on the detection value of the detection means 3.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the control unit 4. As shown in FIG. The switch unit 4b is configured to select a pair of images corresponding to the distance between eyes from among the eight images (a) to (h) and output the pair of images to a liquid crystal driving unit (not shown). The operation unit 4a operates the switch 4b based on a signal from the detection means 3 so that an image corresponding to the position of the observer's head is selected.

FIGS. 5A to 5E are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between the position of the observer 2 and the image displayed in each image display column. If the right eye of the observer is at a position corresponding to the imaging camera 5a as shown in FIG.
The images (a) and (d) are selected from the two images, and the images (a) and (d) are guided so that the image (a) is guided to the observer's right eye and the image (d) is guided to the observer's left eye. ) And the image (d) are alternately formed on the liquid crystal panel 1b. Then, when the observer moves and the right eye of the observer is located at a position corresponding to the imaging camera 5b, as shown in FIG.
An image (b) and an image (e) are selected from the eight images, and the images (b) and (e) are guided to the observer's right eye and the observer's left eye, respectively. (B) and the image (e) are alternately formed on the liquid crystal panel 1b. When the observer moves further, the displayed video is switched as shown in FIGS.

As described above, when the position of the head of the observer 2 is shifted from the position corresponding to the initial two light converging points to the position corresponding to the other two light converging points, the imaging camera arranged in accordance with the shift. The images from 5a to 5h are appropriately selected and displayed, and the observer can get a feeling of seeing around the subject displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal panel 1b by the movement. In such a configuration, since only two images corresponding to both eyes of the observer are displayed on the display screen, all of the images from the plurality of imaging cameras correspond to the image display columns. In this case, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the horizontal resolution of each image when the image is displayed by being displayed, and to recognize a stereoscopic image corresponding to the position by moving the observer 2 a distance less than the interocular distance E. The change of the stereoscopic image perceived by the user becomes smooth. Further, the suitable viewing distance is also reduced.

The distance between adjacent light-collecting points is defined as the distance between eyes E
(N is an odd number of 3 or more), and may be set as E / 5 or E / 7 in addition to E / 3 in this embodiment. When the N is increased, the interval at which the images are switched becomes shorter, and the transition of the recognized three-dimensional images becomes smoother. Further, in this embodiment, the number of viewpoints (the number of imaging cameras) is eight, but
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the greater the number of viewpoints, the more it is possible to obtain an image from a wider angle and obtain a greater sense of wraparound.

The manner in which the left and right eye images are separated in the image display section 1 does not matter. In addition to the parallax barrier method shown in FIG. 3, a lenticular lens using a lenticular lens 1d as shown in FIG. A lens-type image display unit 1 'may be employed. In addition to the direct-view type shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a projection-type device may be used.

By the way, in the above example, 8 shown in FIG.
A multi-view stereoscopic image display device is configured using the two imaging cameras 5a to 5h. For example, only two images obtained from the two imaging cameras 5c and 5f are used, and the image is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal panel 1b. The control unit 4 controls the image (c) by the control unit 4 every time the observer 2 shifts rightward or leftward by a distance of E / 3, while the image (c) and the image (f) are alternately formed. It is also conceivable to perform a control for exchanging the image and the image (f). With such a configuration, there is an advantage that a good stereoscopic image can always be recognized by the observer even when the head of the observer 2 moves.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the same horizontal resolution as that of the twin-lens system can be ensured even in the case of multi-view image display, and it is possible to respond to the movement of the observer. A stereoscopic image can be smoothly changed. Also,
In the case of the two-lens system, there is an effect that a stereoscopic image can always be satisfactorily recognized even when the observer moves his / her head.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a group of imaging cameras that capture an image to be provided to a stereoscopic image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a stereoscopic image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram of a structure employing a parallax barrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a control unit of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of switching of a display image according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a principle diagram of a structure employing a lenticular lens according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a group of imaging cameras that capture images to be provided to a conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of a conventional multi-view stereoscopic video display device.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing another conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image display part 2 Observer 3 Detecting means 4 Control part 5a-5h Imaging camera 10 Stereoscopic image display apparatus

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] February 28, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a three-dimensional image display device without special glasses, for example, as shown in FIG.
And a liquid crystal panel 12 and a parallax barrier 13. The stereoscopic image display device of FIG. 7 is an eight-eye type (eight viewpoints), and has eight images (a ′) (b ′) (c ′) (d ′) (e ′).
(F ′) (g ′) (h ′) as shown in FIG.
The display device has a configuration in which the image is sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal panel 12.
An image different from that before the movement enters into the 0th eye, so that a feeling that the displayed subject goes around and is seen can be obtained. In the stereoscopic image display device having such a configuration, the interval between the converging points of light emitted from the display screen of the liquid crystal panel 12 is substantially equal to the interocular distance E,
Each time the observer moves the same distance as the interocular distance E, the observed image changes. The images (a ′) to (h ′) displayed on the screen (on the liquid crystal panel 12) of the stereoscopic image display device have an interval corresponding to the interocular distance E as shown in FIG. Are photographed by the eight cameras 15a to 15h arranged in the same manner.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0003

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

As another multi-view stereoscopic image display device using no special glasses, as shown in FIG. 10, a lenticular lens system comprising a backlight 11, a liquid crystal panel 12, and a lenticular lens 14 is used. There is.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vertical stripe-shaped image display column is alternately formed on a display screen, and image light from each image display column is separated and collected at a predetermined distance from the display screen. In a stereoscopic image display device that forms a light spot, two converging points forming a pair are formed corresponding to the interocular distance, and two converging points forming another pair are formed with respect to the two converging points. It is formed with a distance shift smaller than the interocular distance, and based on the detection result of the observer's head position, it is determined which of the converging point pairs the observer's eyes are located at. A stereoscopic video display device configured to switch the display video of each of the video display columns based on the following. 2. The three-dimensional image display device according to claim 1, wherein N is an odd number of 3 or more, and an interval between adjacent light condensing points is 1 / N of an interocular distance. 3. An image corresponding to the distance between the adjacent light-collecting points is supplied, and as the observer moves, the position of the eye moves from the light-collecting point to the light-condensing point. The three-dimensional image display device according to claim 2, wherein an image corresponding to (i) is displayed in each of the image display columns.