KR20030074028A - Device for interfacing three-dimensional display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:A stereoscopic display interface apparatus is provided to watch a stereoscopic image in real time without a limitation on frequency or resolution of various video cards and monitors. CONSTITUTION:An image receiving unit(2) receives a video image. A frame dividing unit divides the received video image into two frames. A one-frame fetch unit(4) fetches one frame. A horizontal scan line moving unit(5) makes vertical synchronous pulse be out of line. The vertical synchronous pulse prescribes a beginning and an end of one scan line of the fetched frame. An image composing unit(6) composes the fetched frame with the other frame for making a composite image signal. An LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) shutter signal transmitting unit(7) transmits an LCD shutter signal synchronized with the composite image signal to an LCD glass. A composite image signal transmitting unit(8) transmits the composite image signal to a monitor.

Description

Stereoscopic Display Interface Device {DEVICE FOR INTERFACING THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for adopting an interface between a stereoscopic viewing device such as electronic shutter glasses and a video and computer system, and a stereoscopic display system and a method of operating the same.

By presenting different images to the eyes of each observer, stereoscopic image formation of television screens and video monitors is performed. When an image intended for the left eye (left image) is presented, the view of the right eye is blocked. Removing the horizontal parallax alternately presents images of the left and right sides which are equally likely, so that the eyes are blocked accordingly. When the presentation of the image is performed at a sufficiently high frequency, the observer sees a stereoscopic image without flicker.

Many 3D products rely on electrical shutter devices to produce the visual obstruction required to see in three dimensions. These devices are usually mounted on the head of the viewer, such as a pair of glasses or goggles. As in the liquid crystal display, the shutter device is usually provided with a lens in which a liquid crystal fluid is sandwiched between flat glass electrodes, and a linear polarizer is attached to the outside of the liquid crystal (LCD). When a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the liquid crystal molecules rotate the polarization plane, and as a result, the LCD can act as an optical shutter.

The shutter device needs an interface that allows the shutter device to operate a particular combination of software and hardware. Prior art LCD interfaces have limited compatibility with current computer hardware and software, and are bulky, increasing manufacturing costs. They also function only on certain types of computers, video cards, or monitors, and only on limited frequencies and resolutions. They also typically do not function well with any of the high resolution images, games, video streams, and the Internet. In addition, they deteriorate the image to limit the resolution and frequency, and use a method called interlacing, horizontal imaging, or frame sequential coding, which is incompatible with many types of hardware and software. Finally, they usually only work well for certain types of LCDs. Typical examples of such devices are US Pat. No. 4286286 by Jurissson and US Pat. No. 4,790,333 by Stephens.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a general purpose stereoscopic display interface and software for computer systems that handle the above problems and function at a wide variety of frequencies and resolutions across a wide variety of video cards and monitors. .

A first object of the present invention is to provide an interface that is compact and easy to install and access.

It is yet another object of the present invention to enable the use of an interface for a wide variety of LCDs at various frequencies without compromising image quality.

Another object is to provide a reliable means of adopting the synchronization of the LCD glasses and the displayed image.

1 is a block diagram of the apparatus for forming a 3D stereoscopic image.

2 is a diagram illustrating a pulse of a video signal.

3 is a schematic diagram of a system for viewing 3D using the apparatus.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: stereoscopic display interface device, 2: video signal receiver, 3: frame resolution unit, 4: 1 frame extractor, 5: horizontal scanning line shifter, 6: video composite unit, 7: LCD shutter signal transmitter, 8: video signal Transmitting section, 11: Trigger (vertical sync pulse), 12: Video signal, 21: Video playback device, 22: Stereoscopic display interface device, 23: Monitor, 24: LCD glasses.

The present invention relates to a stereoscopic display interface device, and an object of the present invention is a device for forming a 3D image from a 2D image, the apparatus comprising: an image receiving unit for receiving a video image and two frames of the sent video image; A frame separating section for separating the frame, a frame drawing section for drawing one frame therefrom, a horizontal scanning line moving section for shifting a vertical synchronization pulse that defines the start and end of one scan line of the first frame drawn out; And an image compounding unit configured to combine the horizontally shifted first frame and the second frame not drawn to create a composite image signal, and to transmit LCD shutter signals to the LCD glasses in synchronization with the composite image mandrel. Shutter signal transmitter and a composite video signal transmitter for transmitting the composite video signal to a monitor which is a display unit. Is achieved.

The present invention is not limited to a wide variety of frequencies and resolutions for a wide variety of video cards and monitors in a standard computer and video system, and allows stereoscopic images to be viewed in real time. It includes hardware and software for connecting a computer and a video system to enable stereoscopic display.

In the present invention, in accordance with the above object, an interface is provided which adopts synchronization of LCD glasses by using a transmission signal from a computer port related to firmware of an interface. If no 3D image is displayed, a means for automatically making the LCD glasses transparent are also provided.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiment of this invention is described in detail according to drawing.

1 is a block diagram of the apparatus for forming a 3D stereoscopic image.

The stereoscopic display interface device 1, which is the present apparatus, comprises a video signal receiver 2 for receiving a video image, a frame separator 3 for separating the sent video image every two frames, and one for drawing one frame therefrom. The frame drawing part 4, the horizontal scanning line moving part 5 which shifts the vertical synchronizing pulse which prescribes the start end of one scanning line of each frame, and the horizontally moved frame and the frame which is not drawn out are combined A video composite unit 6 for creating a composite signal, an LCD shutter signal transmitter 7 for transmitting LCD shutter signals synchronized with the created composite video signal to the LCD glasses, and a composite signal for transmitting the composite signal to a monitor serving as a display unit. It consists of the signal transmission part 8.

The 2D image is received by the video signal receiving section 2 of the stereoscopic display interface device 1 which is the present device as a video image. The received video image is configured in units of frames, and the frame separator 3 sequentially extracts every two frames of the frame information. One frame (in this case, one frame to be drawn out) may be taken out by the one frame drawing section 4. As shown in Fig. 2, one frame includes a vertical sync pulse which is a trigger indicating the start of each scan line, and a plurality of frames in which video information is input thereafter are composed. In the horizontal scanning line moving unit 5, the input of the vertical synchronizing pulse which is this trigger is delayed for a predetermined time. Accordingly, the screen is horizontally moved a predetermined distance to the right of the monitor which is the display unit.

In the image compounding section 6, a combination of one frame in which the horizontal movement is made and one frame which is not drawn out is performed. The compound is compounded in such a manner that one frame is used for the odd-numbered scan line and another frame is used for the even-numbered scan line on the basis of the scan line of the display unit, and two frames are displayed on one screen in the actual display unit. In addition, since horizontal movement of one frame is made, parallax is created by using one frame that is not shifted for the left eye and one frame that is shifted for the right eye.

Normally, one frame is displayed every 1/60 second. In the present embodiment, two frames are displayed as one frame, and one screen displayed on the display unit is

2 (frames) one × 1/60 _{(S) (the} display time of one frame) = 1/30 _(S)

Marking is done.

The combined one frame is transmitted from the video signal transmitter 6 to the monitor serving as the display, whereby display is performed.

In addition, the LCD shutter signal sent to the LCD glasses is transmitted from the LCD shutter signal transmission unit 7 with the display time of one screen calculated by the image composite unit 6 as one cycle.

The LCD shutter is opened and closed in this one cycle. That is, the operation of closing the left eye when the right eye is opened and closing the right eye when the left eye is opened is repeated with one cycle.

The viewer watching this video sees one frame that is not shifted by the left eye, and one frame that is shifted by the right eye. As a result, parallax occurs and the image can be viewed in 3D.

In this embodiment, the display time of one frame of the video signal is calculated to be 1/60 _(S) , but the display time is not limited to this. The display time is calculated in the image compounding section and can be changed by creating an LCD shutter signal. However, if the display time is longer than a certain time, flicker occurs, and the eyes will heal.

Accordingly, the video image is not limited to analog video, and can correspond to various video reproducing apparatuses such as television broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and video games.

3 is a schematic diagram of a system for viewing 3D using the apparatus.

The system includes an image reproducing apparatus 21 for reproducing a video image, a stereoscopic display interface device 32 for converting 2D / 3D images, a monitor 23 for displaying a 3D image, and a 3D image. It consists of LCD glasses 24 which adopt the motive.

The video signal reproduced by the video reproducing apparatus 21 is input to the stereoscopic display interface device 22. As described above, the input video signal is 3D converted, and the converted 3D image is transmitted to the monitor 23 which is a display unit, and the LCD shutter signal that adopts image synchronization is transmitted to the LCD glasses 24, thereby generating 3D stereoscopic images. It becomes possible to watch the video.

The LCD eyeglasses 24 are driven in synchronization with the monitor so as to be dark for one eye and to be transparent for one eye. In order to see the image seen by the eye of a transparent side, parallax arises by driving alternately, and it becomes possible to see an image three-dimensionally.

In the drawing, although the LCD glasses 24 are wired to the stereoscopic display interface device 22, when the LCD shutter signal is wirelessly transmitted, such as radio waves, a plurality of people simultaneously view 3D images of the same image. It is possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to view stereoscopic images in real time without being limited to the frequencies and resolutions of various kinds of video cards and monitors in standard computers and video systems. Moreover, it succeeds in generating these effects with a compact and inexpensive apparatus, and it is easy to install and use.

It is also possible to drive a wired or wireless device by inserting a sync signal to a video signal and / or detecting a sync signal in the video signal. It is also possible to run with a wide variety of computer and video systems.

In addition, by transmitting the LCD shutter signal to the LCD glasses with a wireless device such as radio waves, it is possible for a plurality of people to watch the same 3D image.

In addition, since it is not complicated and no special apparatus is used, it is possible to manufacture it at low cost and small size.

Claims (1)

An apparatus for forming a 3D image from a 2D image, The apparatus includes an image receiving unit for receiving a video image, a frame separating unit for separating the sent video image into two frames, a frame extracting unit for extracting one frame therefrom, and one scanning line of the extracted first frame. A horizontal scanning line shifting unit for shifting a vertical sync pulse defining a start time of an image; a video compounding unit for composing a composite video signal by combining the horizontally shifted first frame and a second frame not drawn; And a LCD shutter signal transmitter for transmitting the LCD shutter signal synchronized with the composite video signal to the LCD glasses, and a composite video signal transmitter for transmitting the composite video signal to a monitor which is a display unit.