WO2012068704A1

WO2012068704A1 - Mode switchable glasses and method

Info

Publication number: WO2012068704A1
Application number: PCT/CN2010/001888
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yan Xu; Jianping Song; Wenjuan Song
Original assignee: Technicolor (China) Technology Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 2010-11-25
Filing date: 2010-11-25
Publication date: 2012-05-31

Abstract

A method for switching the mode of liquid crystal shutter glasses (103, 104, 105) comprising a left eyeglass and a right eyeglass includes the steps of the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass being respectively synchronized to left perspective images and right perspective images while the left perspective images and right perspective images are alternately displayed; receiving a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 2D mode; and synchronizing both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images or right perspective images.

Description

MODE SWITCHABLE GLASSES AND METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to video technology, and more particularly, relates to mode switchable glasses and method thereof.

BACKGROUND

Our ability to see stereo-vision comes from each of our eyes seeing a slightly different view of a same scene, i.e. left eye sees a left perspective image of the scene while right eye sees a right perspective image of the scene. Our brain integrates the two images into one three-dimensional image. The key element in producing the stereoscopic depth effect is parallax. The parallax is the horizontal distance between corresponding left and right image points. The stereoscopic image is composed of two images generated from two related perspective viewpoints which construct the parallax content of a view. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an illustration of the parallax of an object according to the prior art. The Image A is viewed from the viewpoint A and the Image B is viewed from the viewpoint B. When the viewpoint is changed from A to B, the object appears to have moved from right to left. The parallax is the difference of object position viewed in Image A and Image B.

Electro-stereoscopic display provides parallax information to eyes by using a method related to what is employed in the stereoscope. There are mainly 3 types of 3D glasses:

^• Color filter glasses (also called anaglyph 3D glasses);

· Polarizing glasses;

^• Liquid crystal shutter glasses (also called active shutter glasses).

Among them, liquid crystal shutter glasses (also called LC shutter glasses, or active shutter glasses) are glasses used in conjunction with a display screen to create the illusion of a three dimensional image, an example of stereoscopy. Each eye's glass contains liquid crystal layer which has the property of becoming dark when voltage is applied, being otherwise transparent. The glasses are controlled by an infrared, radio frequency or Bluetooth transmitter that sends a timing signal that allows the glasses to alternately darken over one eye, and then the other, in synchronization with the refresh rate of the screen. Meanwhile, the display alternately displays different perspective images for each eye, using a technique called alternate-frame sequencing, which achieves the desired effect of each eye seeing only the image intended for it.

Some people may feel uncomfortable (such as nausea, dizzy) when they watch a 3D (three dimension) movie for a long time. At this time they may want to watch 2D (two dimension) version for a while. However the 3D movie displayed on the 3D display is unwatchable without 3D glasses.

Therefore, it's desired a new type of shutter glasses to solve above problem. SUMMARY

According to an aspect of present invention, it is provided a method for switching mode of liquid crystal shutter glasses. The glasses comprise a left eyeglass and a right eyeglass, and the method comprises the step of the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass being synchronized to left perspective images and right perspective images while the left perspective images and the right perspective images are alternately displayed; and the method further comprises steps of receiving a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 2D mode; and synchronizing both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images or the right perspective images.

According to another aspect of present invention, it is provided a mode selectable liquid crystal shutter glasses. The glasses comprise a left eyeglass and a right eyeglass; when the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass are synchronized separately to left perspective images and right perspective images while the left perspective images and the right perspective images are alternately displayed, it makes a user wearing the liquid crystal shutter glasses have a stereovision. The glasses further comprise a switch module 502 configured to in response to receipt of a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 2D mode, synchronize both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images or the right perspective images.

According to the aspect of present invention, it provides users with a mode switchable glasses and method allowing users to switch view mode.

It is to be understood that more aspects and advantages of the invention will be found in the following detailed description of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the, illustrate embodiments of the invention together with the description which serves to explain the principle of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the embodiments. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an illustration of the parallax of an object according to the prior art;

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a system for mode-selectable shutter glasses according to an embodiment of present invention;

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a field-sequential stereo display with the shuttering states for a shutter glasses according to the prior art;

Fig. 4 shows the timing chart for the shuttering signals of the shutter glasses according to the prior art;

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a pair of shutter glasses according to the embodiment of present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing a method for mode changing according to the embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail in conjunction with the drawings. In the following description, some detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

This invention proposes a new type of multiple-mode 3D glasses, which enables users to switch between 2D and 3D modes when they watch 3D data, e.g. a 3D movie. The new type of multiple-mode 3D glasses has a switch button for switching between 2D and 3D modes. So when a user feels uncomfortable for watching a 3D movie for a long time, he can switch to the 2D mode without missing the movie content and affecting others' experience of the 3D movie.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a system for mode-selectable shutter glasses according to an embodiment of present invention. The system comprises a display 201 for alternately displaying different perspective images for each eye, a controller 202 for sending controlling signals to shutter glasses 203, 204 and 205, and at least one shutter glasses. In this example, there are three shutter glasses. The shutter glasses 203, 204 and 205 receive signals from the controller 202 via wired connection or wireless connection, e.g. infrared, radio frequency or Bluetooth. The controller 202 sends a timing signal that allows the glasses to alternately darken over one eye, and then the other, in synchronization with the refresh rate of the display 201. As fig. 3 shows a field- sequential stereo display with the shuttering states for a shutter glasses in prior art, the display 300 displays in a way following the sequence as left image, right image, left image meanwhile the right eye and left eye of the shutter glasses 310 are shut alternately and successively by a synchronizing signal. For example, in the first left image, the left eye glass 311 of the shutter glasses 310 is transparent while the right eye glass 312 is opaque. Fig. 4 shows the timing chart for the shuttering signals of the shutter glasses according to the prior art. For image system, it generates a vertical synchronizing signal VSS for each image frame. The VSS is usually sent to the shutter glasses by the controller 202. A traditional shutter glasses generates shuttering signals according to this VSS. As shown in Fig. 4, when a left eye image is displayed, the shuttering signal of the right eye is at high level, and the right eye of the shutter glasses is shuttered and opaque. At the same time, the shuttering signal of left eye is at low level, and the left eye of the shutter glasses is transparent so that viewer can see the left image. And the same happens to the right eye image. Additionally, US 6,687,399B1 discloses a stereo synchronizing signal generator for liquid crystal shutter glasses.

Compared to the traditional 3D system using liquid crystal shutter glasses technique, the display and the controller in present invention are the same as that in the traditional 3D system. In addition, the traditional liquid crystal shutter glasses, which cannot switch between 2D and 3D, are still operable in the system of present invention. This is because the shutter glasses with switch function between 2D and 3D in present invention do not affect the functions of the display, the controller and other traditional shutter glasses, and it's no need to modify functions and working flows of the display and the controller.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a pair of shutter glasses according to the present embodiment. The glasses comprise a signal regeneration module 501 and a switch module 502. The signal regeneration module 501 receives a control signal, e.g. VSS as mentioned above, from the controller 202 and then generates signals, i.e. signal A and signal B, for left eye glass and right eye glass. As an example, the signal regeneration module can work in the same way as how traditional shutter glasses generates control signals for left eye glass and right eye glass. The switch module 502, according to a selected mode, processes the signals from the signal regeneration 501 and output signals to left eye glass and right eye glass respectively. The mode in this example comprises 3D mode, 2D_L mode and 2D_R mode.

In any mode among above 3 modes, the signal regeneration module 501 generates a left signal (or called left eye shuttering signal) for making a shutter glass transparent when a left eye image is displayed and opaque when a right eye image is displayed, and a right signal (or called right eye shuttering signal) for making a shutter glass opaque when a left eye image is displayed and transparent when a right eye image is displayed. In other words, the left signal is at high level for right eye image and low level for left eye image, while the right signal is at high level for left eye image and low level for right eye image as shown in Fig. 4.

In the 3D mode, the switch module 502 does not make any change to the left signal and right signal so that the left signal goes to left eye glass and the right signal goes to the right eye glass.

In 2D_L mode, the switch module 502 transmits the left signal to both left eye glass and right eye glass, so that the viewer can see 2D content.

In 2D_R mode, the switch module 502 transmits the right signal to both left eye glass and right eye glass, so that the viewer can see 2D content

Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing a method for mode changing according to the present embodiment.

In the step 601 , the glasses receive a mode switch instruction containing a selected mode. It can be implemented by adding a mode switch button on the shutter glasses. According to a variant, the mode can be selected by using a remote controller that sends mode switch instruction via a wireless connection, e.g. an infrared connection or Bluetooth connection. And correspondingly, the glasses shall be equipped with a signal receiving module for receiving the mode switch instruction and then sending the received instruction to the switch module 502.

In the step 602, the glasses switch its mode according to the selected mode. For example, when switching from 3D mode to 2D_L mode, the switch module 402 provides both left eye glass and right eye glass with the left signal. So the left eye glass and right eye glass are both transparent when left eye images are displayed and opaque when right eye images are displayed.

According to a variant of present embodiment, the signal regeneration module 501 and the switch module 502 can be integrated into a single module, which generates left eye signal and right eye signal for controlling the shutters of left eye and right eye based on the received control signal and the selected mode.

According to a variant of present embodiment, the mode comprises 2D mode and 3D mode, and the 2D mode is either from the left eye signal or right eye signal.

A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, elements of different implementations may be combined, supplemented, modified, or removed to produce other implementations. Additionally, one of ordinary skill will understand that other structures and processes may be substituted for those disclosed and the resulting implementations will perform at least substantially the same function(s), in at least substantially the same way(s), to achieve at least substantially the same result(s) as the implementations disclosed. Accordingly, these and other implementations shall fall in the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for switching mode of liquid crystal shutter glasses comprising a left eyeglass and a right eyeglass, comprising the step of the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass being synchronized to left perspective images and right perspective images while the left perspective images and the right perspective images are alternately displayed; and characterized by further comprising steps of

receiving a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 2D mode; and synchronizing both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images or the right perspective images.

2. The method of the claim 1 , characterized by further comprising

receiving a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 3D mode; and synchronizing the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images and the right perspective images separately.

3. The method of the claim 1 , characterized in that the 2D mode comprises left 2D mode and right 2D mode, wherein the synchronization step further comprising upon receipt of a left 2D mode switching signal, synchronizing both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images; and

upon receipt of a right 2D mode switching signal, synchronizing both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the right perspective images.

4. The method of the claim 1 , characterized in that synchronizing means a eyeglass that is synchronized to one type of left perspective images and right perspective images becomes transparent when the synchronized type perspective images are displayed, and opaque when the other type perspective images are displayed.

5. A mode selectable liquid crystal shutter glasses comprising a left eyeglass and a right eyeglass, when the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass are synchronized separately to left perspective images and right perspective images while the left perspective images and the right perspective images are alternately displayed, it makes a user wearing the liquid crystal shutter glasses have a stereovision, characterized by further comprising a switch module 502 configured to in response to receipt of a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 2D mode, synchronize both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images or the right perspective images.

6. The liquid crystal shutter glasses of the claim 5, characterized in that the switch module 502 is further configured to in response to receipt of a mode switching signal indicative of switching to 3D mode, synchronize the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass separately to the left perspective images and the right perspective images.

7. The liquid crystal shutter glasses of the claim 5, characterized in that the 2D mode comprises left 2D mode and right 2D mode, wherein,

upon receipt of a left 2D mode switching signal, the switch module 502 is configured to synchronize both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the left perspective images; and

upon receipt of a right 2D mode switching signal, the switch module 502 is configured to synchronize both the left eyeglass and the right eyeglass to the right perspective images.

8. The liquid crystal shutter glasses of the claim 5, characterized by further comprising

a switch button for switching between at least one 2D mode and 3D mode.

9. The liquid crystal shutter glasses of the claim 5, characterized by further comprising

a signal receiving module for receiving the mode switching signal and sending the received mode switching signal to the switch module 502.