JP2005167445A - Multi-viewpoint image display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus capable of expressing a motion parallax with excellent balance independently of an observing position wherein deterioration in the image quality of an observed image hardly takes place even when two observers observe the image. <P>SOLUTION: The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus includes: an image display means for displaying four first multi-viewpoint images or more with parallax in a horizontal direction; a multi-viewpoint image separation means for separating the multi-viewpoint images displayed on the image display means into images of respective viewpoints and forming an observing area for each viewpoint; an observation area revision means for revising positions at which the observation areas of respective viewpoints are distributed; and an observation area setting means for setting the positions at which the observation area of each viewpoint is distributed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus that expresses motion parallax by separating and presenting images continuously photographed from multiple directions into separately observable spatial regions.

  As a conventional multi-viewpoint image display device that expresses motion parallax, there is a parallax / panoramagram method. FIG. 14 shows an example of a parallax / panoramagram multi-viewpoint image display device 1001 that displays eight different images separately from the multi-viewpoint image display device 1001 at an observation position at a distance L in the horizontal direction. Is possible. An example of the parallax / panoramagram multi-viewpoint image display apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3096613.

  A multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 1001 includes a display device 201 and a mask 301. The display device 201 includes a CRT, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, and the like, and displays a composite parallax image created using images taken from eight different positions.

  FIG. 15 illustrates a synthesized parallax image. A subject 401 is photographed using a compound eye camera 501 provided with eight cameras 511 to 518 arranged in the horizontal direction at equal intervals e. Images captured by the cameras 511 to 518 are output as eight images 611 to 618, respectively. Images 611 to 618 taken from eight different positions are divided into vertically long strips, and a composite parallax image 601 is created by repeatedly arranging these images in the horizontal direction.

  On the display surface side of the display device 201, a mask 301 in which a plurality of vertical slit-shaped openings 311 are arranged in the horizontal direction is provided.

  FIG. 16 is a horizontal sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display device 1001. The observer can observe a natural three-dimensional image having continuous motion parallax in accordance with the movement of the horizontal viewpoint (observation position) in an area having a width 8e at a distance L from the multi-viewpoint image display device 1001. .

  In addition, since the parallax / panoramagram multi-viewpoint image display apparatus expresses motion parallax by the horizontal movement of the observer as described above, the horizontal observation area is distributed over a wide range. Yes. Therefore, a plurality of observers can be observed side by side in the horizontal direction. FIG. 17 illustrates this state.

  The observation area provided to the observer includes a main observation area having a width 8e distributed in front of the multi-viewpoint image display device 1001 and sub-observation areas distributed on both sides of the main observation area. In this state, for example, as shown in the figure, three observers can observe using the main observation area and the two sub observation areas, respectively.

  However, there are concerns about the following problems in the conventional multi-viewpoint image display device.

  In FIG. 16, when the observer's main observation position is at the observer's position indicated by a broken line, motion parallax can be expressed when the observation position is moved in the left-right direction by an equal distance of 4e. That is, there are distributed regions in which motion parallax can be expressed in a balanced manner with the main observation position as the center. However, when the observer's main observation position is at the observer position indicated by a solid line, motion parallax can be expressed when the observation position is moved by the distance 2e in the left direction and the distance 6e in the right direction. In this case, a region where motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction with the main observation position as the center is distributed with a bias, and there is a problem that motion parallax with good balance cannot be expressed.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 17, if two observers observe using one of the main observation area and the sub-observation area distributed in front of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 1001, a multi-viewpoint image display is performed. There is a problem in that two observers cannot observe evenly with the center of the apparatus 1001 as a reference. Further, at this time, two observers can observe using two sub-observation areas, so that they can be observed side by side with the center of the multi-viewpoint image display device 1001 as a reference. Has a problem that the viewing angle when observing is large and the image quality of the observed image is deteriorated as compared with the main observation region.

  In order to solve the above problems, a multi-view image display device according to the present invention is a first multi-view image having four or more parallaxes in the horizontal direction or a second multi-view image having two or more parallaxes in the vertical direction. Image display means for displaying at least one of the multi-viewpoint images, and multi-viewpoint image separation that separates the multi-viewpoint images displayed on the image display means into images for each viewpoint and forms an observation area for each viewpoint Means, an observation area changing means for changing the position for distributing the observation area for each viewpoint, and an observation area setting means for setting the position for distributing the observation area for each viewpoint.

  As described above, the multi-viewpoint image display device of the present invention has the following effects.

  Since the region where motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction can be evenly distributed with the observer's main observation position as the center, it is possible to express good motion parallax in the left-right direction.

  In addition, since the region where motion parallax can be expressed can be evenly distributed in the vertical direction, it is possible to express good motion parallax in the vertical direction.

  Furthermore, since the observation area can be optimally distributed according to the number of observers, observation with a plurality of persons can be performed satisfactorily.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 includes a display device 201 (= image display means) and a mask 301 (= multi-viewpoint image separation means) as in the conventional example described with reference to FIG. The image can be displayed separately in the horizontal direction at the observation position at a distance L from the viewpoint image display device 101. The display device 201 displays a composite parallax image created in the same manner as in the conventional example. Members having the same numbers as those in FIG. 14 have the same functions as in the conventional example.

  The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 is provided with an observation position adjustment switch 1 (= observation area setting means) and an image controller 2 (= observation area changing means).

(Description of observation position adjustment switch 1)
The observation position adjustment switch 1 is an input switch used for adjusting so that a region in which motion parallax can be observed in a balanced manner is distributed in the left-right direction at the main observation position.

  The observation position adjustment switch 1 is provided with push button switches 1a and 1b, and the observation area is adjusted to the left when 1a is operated, and is adjusted to the right when 1b is operated. In addition, a wireless switch or a switch connected with a sufficiently long cable is used so that it can be operated from a position separated from the main body of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 by a distance L.

  An input to the observation position adjustment switch 1 is transmitted to the image controller 2 as an input signal.

  The image controller 2 receives an input signal to the observation position adjustment switch 1 and controls an image displayed on the display device 201 in accordance with the input signal.

  In FIG. 16, when the observer's main observation position is at the observer's position indicated by a solid line, the regions where the motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction are distributed with a bias, so that a balanced motion parallax cannot be expressed. A case of solving the problem will be described.

  When the observer operates the observation position adjustment switch 1, an input signal is transmitted to the image controller 2, and the image controller 2 sets the mark index c on the fourth and fifth images in the center to be distributed to the observer's main observation position. To display on the display device 201.

  FIG. 2 explains the mark index c. A mark index c is added to the fourth image 614 and the fifth image 615 that are the basis for creating the composite parallax image 601 described with reference to FIG. 15, thereby creating an image 614 'and an image 615', respectively. When the composite parallax image 602 is created based on the image 614 ′ and the image 615 ′ to which such a mark index c is added, the mark index c is observed when the fourth and fifth images are observed by the observer. .

  Further, from this state, the observer operates the observation position adjustment switch 1 so that the mark index c can be observed at the main observation position. FIG. 3 illustrates a composite parallax image displayed on the display device 201 when the push button switch 1a of the observation position adjustment switch 1 is operated.

  When the push button switch 1 a is operated once, the composite parallax image 602 displayed on the display device 201 by the image controller 2 is switched to the composite parallax image 603. Furthermore, when the operation 1a is performed once more, the synthesized parallax image 603 is switched to the synthesized parallax image 604.

  FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 when the composite parallax image 604 is displayed. At this time, the observer observes the fourth image 614 'and the fifth image 615' at the main observation position, and the mark index c is observed by the observer. That is, since the regions where the motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction are evenly distributed around the main observation position of the observer, the motion parallax with a good balance can be expressed. After the observation position adjustment is completed, if there is no input to the observation position adjustment switch 1 for a certain time t, the mark index c added by the image controller 2 is removed.

  Furthermore, a case where the problem described in FIG. 17 is solved will be described.

  The observer further operates the push button switch 1a of the observation position adjustment switch 1 twice from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 5 illustrates the synthesized parallax image at this time. The synthetic parallax image 604 displayed on the display device 201 by the image controller 2 when the 1a is operated once is switched to the synthetic parallax image 605, and further, the synthetic parallax image 606 is switched when operated once again.

  FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 when the composite parallax image 606 is displayed. At this time, the observation area is distributed with the center front of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 101 as a boundary.

  Two observers can observe the two observers side by side with the center of the multi-viewpoint image display device 101 as a reference. At this time, the observation area observed by the two observers has a smaller viewing angle compared to the case of observing the sub-observation area in FIG. Observe with good image quality.

  After the observation position adjustment is completed, if there is no input to the observation position adjustment switch 1 for a certain time t, the mark index c added by the image controller 2 is removed.

  The case where eight different images are used has been described above. The idea of 8 is equally applicable when using an even number of different images. FIG. 7 illustrates the case of using an even number of images, that is, n = 2m (m is an integer of 2 or more). At this time, adjustment is performed so that the boundary portion of the observation region where the mth and m + 1th images are distributed becomes the main observation position of the observer.

  On the other hand, FIG. 8 illustrates a case where an odd number of images, that is, n = 2m + 1 (m is an integer of 2 or more) different images are used. At this time, the boundary part of the observation area where the m−1 and m + 1 images are distributed or the boundary part of the observation area where the mth and m + 1th images are distributed is the main observation position of the observer. adjust.

  In particular, when the distribution width e in the horizontal direction of the observation region where one image is distributed and the interocular distance E between the left and right eyes of the observer have a relationship of e <E, the mth image is distributed. The observation area to be adjusted may be adjusted to be the main observation position of the observer.

(Modification 1 of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, the observation position is adjusted by switching the synthetic parallax image displayed on the display device 201. However, the synthetic parallax image displayed on the display device 201 and the vertical slit shape provided on the mask 301 are used. The same effect can be obtained by changing the relative position in the horizontal direction with respect to the opening 311.

  Specifically, a drive mechanism (= observation area changing means) for changing the horizontal position of the mask 301 may be provided to change the position of the vertical slit-shaped opening 311. In this case, when the operator's movement is used as the driving force for operating the driving mechanism, the observation position is set by operating the lever, the handle, etc. (= observation area setting means).

  Further, the mask 301 may be configured by a device (= observation region changing means) such as a liquid crystal shutter that can select an opening, and the position where the vertical slit-shaped opening 311 is formed may be changed.

(Modification 2 of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, eight images can be separated and observed using the mask 301. Instead of the mask 301, a plurality of cylindrical lenses having a generatrix direction in the vertical direction are arranged in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, a lenticular lens array (= multi-viewpoint image separation means) may be used. Further, the present invention can be applied to the case where a mask (= multi-viewpoint image separation means) as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3096613 is used.

  Further, the display device 201 includes a display device that switches a plurality of parallax images alternately and displays the mask 301, and a device that can select an opening (such as a liquid crystal shutter) (= multi-viewpoint image separation means). This is also applicable to a case where a stereoscopic image is displayed by switching the position where the vertical slit-shaped opening 311 is formed in synchronization with the above.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 9 shows a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 102 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the case of using images having different parallaxes in the horizontal direction has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to the case of using images having different parallaxes in the vertical direction.

  The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 102 includes a display device 202 (= image display unit) and a mask 302 (= multi-viewpoint image separation unit) having an opening 312, and includes eight horizontal parallax images and six vertical images. The parallax image in the direction can be displayed separately at the observation position at a distance L from the multi-viewpoint image display device 102 in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

  On the display device 202, a composite parallax image created based on 8 images in the horizontal direction 8 × vertical direction 6 = 48 is displayed. The two-digit number written on the display device 202 indicates the number of the image in the horizontal direction, and the number of the first digit indicates the number of the image in the vertical direction. In addition, a two-digit number written at an observation position at a distance L from the multi-viewpoint image display device 102 also has the same meaning. The multi-viewpoint image display device 102 is provided with an observation position adjustment switch 3 (= observation area setting means) and an image controller 4 (= observation area changing means).

  The observation position adjustment switch 3 is an input switch used for adjusting so that a region in which motion parallax can be observed in a balanced manner is distributed in the left-right direction and the vertical direction at the main observation position. The observation position adjustment switch 3 is provided with push button switches 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d. The operation area is moved to the left when 3a is operated, the right when 3b is operated, and the upper 3d when 3c is operated. When operated, it is adjusted downward. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, a wireless switch or a switch connected with a sufficiently long cable is used so that it can be operated from a position separated from the main body of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 102 by a distance L.

  An input to the observation position adjustment switch 3 is transmitted to the image controller 4 as an input signal.

  The image controller 4 receives an input signal to the observation position adjustment switch 3 and controls an image displayed on the display device 202 according to the input signal.

  In this embodiment, the horizontal action is the same as that of the first embodiment, so the vertical action will be described. FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 102.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the observer's main observation position is at the observer's position as shown in the figure, the regions that can express motion parallax are distributed in an up-and-down direction. A case will be described in which the problem of not being able to express good motion parallax is solved.

  When the observer operates the observation position adjustment switch 3, an input signal is transmitted to the image controller 4, and the image controller 4 is the fourth and fifth images centered in the left-right direction to be distributed to the observer's main observation position. In addition, a mark index d (not shown) is added to the third and fourth images (numbered 43, 44, 53, and 54 in FIG. 9 or 11) centered in the vertical direction to the display device 202. indicate. As in the case of adding the mark index c described in the first embodiment, the mark index d is displayed on the display device 202 by displaying a composite parallax image created based on the image to which the mark index d is added. The mark index d is observed when a person observes the fourth and fifth images in the left-right direction and the third and fourth images in the up-down direction.

  Furthermore, from this state, the observer operates the observation position adjustment switch 3 so that the mark index d can be observed at the main observation position. FIG. 11 illustrates a composite parallax image displayed on the display device 202 when the push button switch 3c of the observation position adjustment switch 3 is operated.

  When the push button switch 3 c is operated once, the composite parallax image 701 displayed on the display device 202 by the image controller 4 is switched to the composite parallax image 702. Further, when the user operates 3c once more, the synthesized parallax image 702 is switched to the synthesized parallax image 703.

  FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display device 102 when the composite parallax image 703 is displayed.

  At this time, if the fourth and fifth images are observed in the horizontal direction as in the first embodiment, the observer observes the third and fourth images at the main observation position in the vertical direction. The mark index d is observed by the observer. In other words, since the regions where the motion parallax can be expressed in the vertical direction are evenly distributed around the observer's main observation position, the motion parallax with a good balance can be expressed.

  After completion of the adjustment of the observation position, if there is no input to the observation position adjustment switch 3 for a certain time t, the mark index d added by the image controller 4 is removed.

  The case where six different images are used has been described above. The idea of 6 is equally applicable when using an even number of different images. That is, when an image of p = 2q (q is an integer equal to or greater than 1) is used, adjustment is performed so that the boundary portion of the observation region where the q-th and q + 1-th images are distributed is the main observation position of the observer.

  On the other hand, when using an odd number of images, that is, p = 2q + 1 (q is an integer equal to or greater than 1), the observation region where the q + 1th image is distributed is adjusted to be the main observation position of the observer.

  As described above, the second embodiment of the present invention can be applied even when an image having parallax in the vertical direction is used.

  Similarly to the first embodiment, a means (= observation area changing means) for changing the vertical relative position between the synthesized parallax image displayed on the display device 202 and the opening 312 provided in the mask 302, for example, the mask 302 The same effect can be obtained by configuring the drive mechanism for changing the position in the vertical direction or the mask 302 with a device such as a liquid crystal shutter that can select an opening.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 13 shows a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus 103 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In the first embodiment, the multi-viewpoint image display device 101 is provided with the observation position adjustment switch 1 and the image controller 2. However, in this embodiment, instead of the observation position adjustment switch 1, an observer detection is performed. Means 5 (= observation area setting means) is provided. In addition, the structural member which attached | subjected the same number as 1st Example has a function similar to 1st Example.

  The observer detection means 5 is an observer detection sensor provided to distribute a region in which motion parallax can be observed in a balanced manner in the left-right direction at the observation position where the observer is mainly located.

  The observer detection means 5 detects the position of the observer by performing image processing on the image of the observer photographed by the TV camera by the calculation unit. The position detection of the observer is detected every predetermined time t (for example, 10 minutes), and the signal obtained by the observer detection means 5 is transmitted to the image controller 2.

  In FIG. 16, when the observer's main observation position is at the observer's position indicated by a solid line, the regions where the motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction are distributed with a bias, so that a balanced motion parallax cannot be expressed. A case of solving the problem will be described.

  The signal obtained by the observer detection means 5 switches the composite parallax image displayed on the display device 201 by the image controller 2, and the boundary between the observation areas where the fourth and fifth images are distributed is the center of the observer. Adjust to position.

  That is, since the regions where the motion parallax can be expressed in the left-right direction are evenly distributed around the main observation position of the observer, the motion parallax with a good balance can be expressed.

  Such an operation is repeated every predetermined time t.

  Further, when the number of observers is detected by the observer detection means 5, as shown in FIG. 6, when two observers are detected, the center of the multi-viewpoint image display device 103 is used as a reference. As described above, the images can be adjusted so as to be distributed so that two observers can observe them side by side evenly.

  The method using the observer detection means 5 can also be applied to the case where an image having a parallax in the vertical direction described in the second embodiment of the present invention is used.

1 is a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The mark index c displayed on the multi-viewpoint image display device will be described. The composite parallax image displayed on the display device when the push button switch 1a of the observation position adjustment switch 1 is operated will be described. FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display device when a composite parallax image is displayed in FIG. 3. The composite parallax image displayed on the display device when the push button switch 1a of the observation position adjustment switch 1 is further operated twice from the state of FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display device when a composite parallax image is displayed in FIG. 5. A state in which different images of n = 2m (m is an integer of 2 or more) is used will be described. A state in the case of using different images of n = 2m + 1 (m is an integer of 2 or more) will be described. It is a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus of 2nd Example of this invention. It is a vertical direction sectional view of a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus of a second embodiment of the present invention. The composite parallax image displayed on the display device when the push button switch 3c of the observation position adjustment switch 3 is operated will be described. It is a vertical direction sectional view of a multi-viewpoint image display device when a synthetic parallax image is displayed. It is a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus of 3rd Example of this invention. It is an example of a multi-viewpoint image display apparatus of a parallax panoramagram system. A synthetic parallax image generated from a plurality of parallax images will be described. FIG. 15 is a horizontal sectional view of the multi-viewpoint image display device of FIG. 14. This is a description of how a plurality of observers observe a parallax / panoramagram multi-viewpoint image display apparatus in a horizontal direction.

Explanation of symbols

101, 102, 103 Multi-viewpoint image display device 201, 202, 203 Display device 301, 302, 303 Mask 1001 Example of conventional multi-viewpoint image display device 1, 3 Observation position adjustment switch 2, 4 Image controller 5 Observer detection means

Claims (4)

  Image display means for displaying at least one of a first multi-view image having four or more parallaxes in the horizontal direction or a second multi-view image having two or more parallaxes in the vertical direction; Multi-viewpoint image separation means for separating the multi-viewpoint image displayed on the image display means into images for each viewpoint and forming an observation area for each viewpoint; and observation region change means for changing the position where the observation areas for each viewpoint are distributed And a multi-viewpoint image display device, characterized by further comprising observation region setting means for setting positions for distributing the observation regions of the respective viewpoints.   2. The multi-viewpoint image according to claim 1, wherein the observation region change unit changes a relative positional relationship between the multi-viewpoint image displayed on the image display unit and the multi-viewpoint image separation unit. Display device.   The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the observation region setting unit is at least one of an input switch unit, an observer detection unit, and a driving force transmission unit. The multi-viewpoint image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an index for identifying each of the first and second multi-viewpoint images is provided.

Images