JPH11308642A - Stereoscopic video image display device without eyeglasses - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stereoscopic device image display device having no eyeglasses that displays a stereoscopic video image of a multiple eye type, without deteriorating the horizontal resolution. SOLUTION: This stereoscopic video image display device without eyeglasses is provided with a light source 1 having plural light emission areas 1a-1h where a light emission state or a turn-off state is selected respectively, an image display means (a liquid crystal display panel 11 and a video signal supply section 12), each of pixels of which displays alternately 8 video images having a parallax in terms of time, an incident side lenticular lens 21 that leads the light from the light source 1 to the pixel and forms a narrow area receiving a light of the light source, corresponding to each light emission area in each pixel and narrower than it, an emission side lenticular lens 22 that collects light from the narrow area receiving the light of the light source at a position by a prescribed distance from a display image of the image display means at an inter-eye distance or a width smaller, and a light emission control section 9 that lights up sequentially the light emission areas 1a-1h, in response to a display timing of the video image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image display apparatus without glasses, which can observe a stereoscopic image without using special glasses.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the principle of a conventional multi-view stereoscopic video display. The image display surface 50 has eight pixels a to h corresponding to one vertical stripe-shaped kamaboko lens portion 51 a in the lenticular lens 51.
Is formed. The picture taken by the camera 15a in FIG. 5 is displayed on the pixel a, the picture taken by the camera 15b is displayed on the pixel b, and so on, and the picture taken from multiple directions is displayed on each pixel. Thus, it is possible to obtain a feeling of moving around and seeing the imaged object by moving the viewpoint left and right. The cameras 15a to 15h are arranged at intervals corresponding to the interocular distance E.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display technology, each of the eight pixels is responsible for displaying an image in only one direction. Only two of the eight pixels a to h contribute to observation (video recognition). In other words, 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.

[0004] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can display a multi-view stereoscopic image without lowering the horizontal resolution, and has a binocular structure that can be individually provided to a large number of observers. An object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic image display device without glasses that can perform head tracking.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a stereoscopic image display device without glasses according to the present invention has a plurality of light-emitting regions and can switch between light-emitting and light-off in each light-emitting region. And, image display means for alternately displaying two or more images having parallax in each pixel temporally alternately,
First optical means for guiding the light of the light source to the pixel and forming light source light reaching narrow areas corresponding to the respective light emitting areas having a narrower width in the pixel, and a display screen of the image display means A second optical means for condensing light from each light source light reaching narrow area at a position at a predetermined distance from the eye with an interocular distance or an interval of a width smaller than this, and according to the display timing of the image Light emission control means for causing the light emission region to emit light.

With the above configuration, a narrower light source light reaching area (light emitting point) corresponding to each light emitting area having a narrower width in each pixel is formed. The light emission control means emits light in each light emission area, for example, sequentially, so that the light source light reaching narrow area (light emission point) moves within each pixel, and a position at a predetermined distance from the display screen of the image display means. In, the observation area corresponding to each light source light reaching narrow area is sequentially formed at the interocular distance or at an interval smaller than this. If the image displayed on the screen of the image display means is an image captured from multiple directions, or a computer image corresponding to an image captured from multiple directions, a multi-view stereoscopic image display is performed. Here, since each pixel is responsible for displaying an image from each direction in a time-division manner, a multi-view stereoscopic image display is possible without lowering the horizontal resolution. It should be noted that as the number of light source light reaching narrow regions formed in each pixel is increased, images from more directions can be handled.

In addition, a stereoscopic image display apparatus without glasses according to the present invention includes a light source having a plurality of light-emitting regions, which can switch between light-emitting and light-off in each light-emitting region, and a two-pixel image having parallax between pixels. Image display means for alternately displaying light, and a light source light reaching narrow area corresponding to each light emitting area having a narrower width within the pixel while guiding light from the light source to the pixel. Optical means, and second optical means for condensing light from each light source light reaching narrow area at a position at a predetermined distance from the display screen of the image display means with an interval corresponding to the interocular distance, A light emission control unit that emits light in the light emitting region according to a display timing of an image, and a display control unit that switches display of the two images based on an output of a sensor that detects a position of an observer.
It is characterized by having.

With the above arrangement, two video areas are alternately formed at a predetermined distance from the display screen with an interval corresponding to the interocular distance. Assuming that the left eye of the observer is located in the image area for the right eye and the right eye of the observer is located in the image area for the left eye, the sensor detects the position of the observer's head at this time, and the observer When the light source light reaching narrow area (light emission point) corresponding to the position is formed, by switching between the left and right eye images, the observer can appropriately perform stereoscopic vision. On the other hand, since the switching image at this time is not guided to another observer, there is no problem with the stereoscopic vision of the other observer. That is, individual head tracking becomes possible. In addition, as the number of light source light reaching narrow areas formed in each pixel is increased, more observers can be handled.

[0009] A diffusion plate may be provided between the second optical means and the pixel forming surface of the image display means, and the diffusion plate may have a narrow light source light reaching area. With such a configuration, the light source light reaching narrow area can be brought close to the second optical means, so that the suitable viewing distance can be shortened.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic image display device without glasses according to this embodiment.

The three-dimensional image display apparatus without glasses according to this embodiment includes a light source 1, an image display means (a liquid crystal display panel 11 and an image signal supply unit 12), and an entrance-side lenticular lens 21 as first optical means. An emission-side lenticular lens 22 serving as a second optical unit, an emission control unit 9,
It comprises.

The light source 1 has eight light emitting areas 1a to 1h, and can switch between light emission and light extinguishing in each light emitting area. Such a light source 1 may be configured by, for example, arranging eight fluorescent tubes vertically, or by arranging a plurality of LEDs or EL elements in a vertical direction to form one light emitting region. , May be provided by providing eight of them. Of course, the number is not limited to eight.

The liquid crystal display panel 11 includes a liquid crystal layer, a pair of transparent glass plates provided so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer, an ITO pixel electrode portion forming one transparent electrode, and an ITO solid electrode forming the other transparent electrode. It is provided with a pattern and an exit side / incident side polarizing plate. The video signal supply unit 12 processes each video signal from eight cameras (see FIG. 5 of the related art) and supplies the processed video signals to the liquid crystal panel 11. Specifically, the camera 15
a video → camera 15b video → camera 15c video →
Image of camera 15d → image of camera 15e → camera 15
The image of f is displayed sequentially in the order of the image of camera 15g and the image of camera 15h.

The light emission control section 9 includes light emission areas 1a to 1e of the light source 1.
Control is performed so that 1h is sequentially emitted one by one. In this example, the moving direction of the light emitting position is the right direction in the figure. The light emission / extinguishing cycle depends on the liquid crystal display panel 11.
Corresponds to the display cycle of the video. That is, when the image of the camera 15a is displayed, the leftmost light emitting region 1a in the figure emits light, and when the image of the camera 15b is displayed, the second light emitting region 1b from the left emits light. I have.

The incident-side lenticular lens 21 has lens portions 21a.
Are condensed on the respective pixel portions to form narrower light source light reaching regions (light emitting points) corresponding to the respective light emitting regions 1a to 1h having a width smaller than the pixel width in each pixel column. In the drawing, it is drawn on the light incident surface side of the liquid crystal display panel 11.
And □ are not present as objects, but indicate light-converging points (light-emitting points) on the liquid crystal pixels corresponding to the light-emitting areas of the light source 1 that emit light, and the light-emitting elements 1 do not emit light. The portions where light does not reach corresponding to the light emitting region are only indicated by triangles.

The emission side lenticular lens 22 has lens portions 22a arranged at a pitch corresponding to the pixel pitch of the liquid crystal display panel 11. Here, when the entire light-emitting area of the light source 1 emits light, the light from the light source reaches all the pixels, and the image at the observation position of each pixel is much longer than the interocular distance. Since the image becomes very large and the same image is observed with both eyes, the observer cannot recognize the stereoscopic image. On the other hand, when one light emitting area of the light source 1 emits light, a part of each pixel (a narrow light source light reaching area) becomes a light emitting point, and an image of this part at an observation position is an eye in this embodiment. The size is equivalent to the inter-distance. If the position of the part (the light source light reaching narrow area) is shifted by one, the image of the part at the observation position moves by a distance corresponding to the interocular distance.

In the state shown in FIG. 1, the second light emitting region 1b from the left in the light source 1 emits light, and each pixel in the liquid crystal display panel 11 formed corresponding to this one light emitting region 1b. The light from one light source light reaching narrow area (light emission point) is guided to the right eye of the observer 3 (area b in FIG. 1). At this time, the image of the camera 15b is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 11. Then, when the light emitting region 1c emits light next, the image of the camera 15c is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 11, and this image is guided to the left eye of the observer 3 (region c in FIG. 1). Further, after that, the image of the camera 15d is displayed in the d area,
Are sequentially guided to the area e, and so on. The observer 3 can see an image corresponding to the position according to the movement in the left-right direction. Of course, observation by multiple persons is also possible.

In such a configuration, instead of assigning each pixel to display an image from one direction,
Since each pixel is responsible for displaying each image in a time-division manner, multi-view stereoscopic image display is possible without lowering the horizontal resolution. The larger the number of light source light reaching narrow regions formed in each pixel, the more images can be handled. Furthermore, the width of the image at the observation position of each of the lens portions 22a at the narrow light-emitting point may be smaller than the distance between the eyes, and the narrower the width, the more smoothly the image changes as the observer moves.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a stereoscopic video display apparatus without glasses according to this embodiment. In order to avoid redundancy, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on differences.

The video signal supply unit 12 'includes two cameras,
For example, using only two images obtained from the cameras 15b and 15c (see FIG. 5), the image (b) and the image (c) are alternately temporally formed on the screen of the liquid crystal display panel 11, and the display control is performed. When a switching instruction is received from the means 14, the two images (b) and (c) are switched. The display control means 14 gives the switching instruction to the video signal supply unit 12 'based on the output of the sensor 10 for detecting the position of the head of the observer 3.

With the above arrangement, two image areas (right-eye image area and left-eye image area) are alternately formed at a predetermined distance from the display screen with an interval corresponding to the interocular distance, for example. You. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the left eye of the observer 3B is placed in the right-eye image area, and the observer 3 is placed in the left-eye image area.
Assuming that the right eye of B is located, the sensor 10 detects this, and when a light source light reaching narrow area (light emitting point) corresponding to the position of the observer 3B is formed (light emitting area 1e,
When 1f emits light), the left and right eye images are switched, and the observer 3B can appropriately perform stereoscopic vision. On the other hand, at this time, that is, when the light-emitting regions 1e and 1f emit light, no image is guided to the observer 3A, so that there is no problem in observing the observer 3A. That is, individual head tracking becomes possible. In addition, based on the output of the sensor 10, control may be performed such as to stop the light emission of the light emitting area for the image area where the observer is not located. The width of each image area need not be equal to the interocular distance.

(Embodiment 3) Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a three-dimensional image display device without glasses according to the third embodiment. For convenience of description, members having the same functions as those in the configuration of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The difference from the first embodiment is that the liquid crystal display panel 11
The diffusing plate 1 is located between the
3 and the arrangement of the incident-side lenticular lens 21 and the light source 1 are set so as to form an image on the diffusion plate 13. A part of each pixel of the liquid crystal display panel 11 (the light source light reaching narrow area) in which the diffusion plate 13 is disposed.
When the light passing through is formed on the diffusion plate 11, an image (light emission point) is formed at a position closer to the emission-side lenticular lens 22 than in the first embodiment.

That is, when the diffusion plate 13 is not provided, the light is focused on the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel, and this portion becomes a light emitting point, and the thickness of the emission side glass plate (not shown) in the liquid crystal display panel. The light-emitting point is farther from the emission-side lenticular lens 22 by the amount of light. However, the light-emitting point is provided (condensed) on the diffusion plate 13 so that the light-emitting point can be set to the emission-side lenticular lens 22.
Distance (the distance between the exit-side lenticular lens and the observer who can properly view stereoscopically)
Can be shortened.

It is needless to say that the structure including the diffusion plate 13 can be applied to the second embodiment. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the number of observable areas is not one but a plurality of observable areas (the same applies to the first and second embodiments). In the above embodiment, a lenticular lens is used as the first optical unit and the second optical unit, but a parallax barrier may be used instead.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a multi-view stereoscopic image can be displayed without lowering the horizontal resolution. In addition, a two-lens structure is adopted, and individual head tracking can be performed even when there are a plurality of observers. In addition, the configuration including the diffusion plate has an effect that the suitable viewing distance can be shortened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic video display device without glasses according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic image display device without glasses according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic video display device without glasses according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the principle of a conventional multi-view stereoscopic image display device without glasses.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a plurality of cameras for obtaining a multi-view video.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 light source 3 observer 9 light emission control unit 10 sensor 11 liquid crystal display panel 12 video signal supply unit 13 diffusion plate 14 display control means 21 incident side lenticular lens 22 emission side lenticular lens

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G09G 3/36 H04N 5/66 102Z H04N 5/66 102 5/72 C 5/72 G06F 15/62 350V

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light source having a plurality of light-emitting areas and capable of switching between light emission and light-off in each light-emitting area, and an image display means for temporally and alternately displaying two or more images having parallax in each pixel. And a first optical unit that guides light from the light source to the pixel and forms a light source light reaching narrow region corresponding to each of the light emitting regions having a smaller width within the pixel, and the image display unit. A second optical means for condensing light from each light source light reaching narrow area at a position at a predetermined distance from the display screen with an interocular distance or an interval having a width smaller than this, and a display timing of the image. A three-dimensional image display device without glasses, comprising: a light-emission control unit that causes the light-emitting area to emit light in response to the light. 2. A light source having a plurality of light-emitting regions and capable of switching between light emission and light-off in each light-emitting region, and an image display means for displaying two images having parallax in each pixel alternately with time. A first optical unit that guides light from the light source to the pixel and forms a light source light reaching narrow region corresponding to each of the light emitting regions having a smaller width in the pixel, and a display of the image display unit. Second optical means for condensing light from each light source light reaching narrow area at a predetermined distance from the screen with an interval corresponding to the interocular distance, and the light emitting area according to the display timing of the image A three-dimensional image display device without glasses, comprising: a light-emission control unit that emits light; and a display control unit that switches the display of the two images based on an output of a sensor that detects a position of an observer. . 3. A diffusion plate is provided between the second optical means and a pixel forming surface of the image display means, and a narrow light source light reaching area is formed on the diffusion plate. The stereoscopic image display device without glasses according to claim 1 or 2.