JPH0980354A - Stereoscopic video device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a stereoscopic video device which enables a stereoscopic image to be viewed stereoscopically from viewpoints in many upper and lower, and right and left directions without requiring a fast display or fast shutter. SOLUTION: A back light 104 projects light in a selected direction. On a transmission type image display device 102, the light from the back light 104 is projected through a lens 103. A head position detecting device 106 detects the position of an observer 107. A display image controller 101 selects an image made to correspond to the position of the observer as an image supplied to the transmission type image display device 102 according to head position detection information and displays the image, and a back light controller 105 controls the light emission direction of the back light according to the head position detection information to project a left image on the left eye of the observer and a right image on the right eye.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image device, and is capable of effectively providing a stereoscopic image even if the observer's viewpoint is moved vertically or horizontally.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A stereoscopic image system using binocular parallax includes a spectacle type and a spectacleless type. Further, the spectacle type and the spectacle-less type are classified into a twin-lens type and a multi-lens type. Two
The eye type is the same stereoscopic image even if the observer's viewpoint is changed,
The multi-view type provides a stereoscopic image from various directions corresponding to the change of the observer's viewpoint. Further, in the glasses-less type, the position of the viewpoint of the observer is detected, and the position where the stereoscopic image is stereoscopically viewed is controlled to match the position of the viewpoint according to the position.

There are a parallax barrier system and a backlight division system as a system for controlling the stereoscopic position of a stereoscopic image to match the viewpoint position. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show the principle of a conventional two-eye type stereoscopic image device without glasses. FIG. 7 shows a parallax barrier system, and FIG. 8 shows a backlight division system.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 11 denotes a head position detecting device, which detects position information of the observer 12. Location information is
It is position information in the left-right direction and position information in the front-back direction with respect to the image display device 13. The position information from the head position detecting device 11 is supplied to the parallax barrier control device 15 which controls the liquid crystal parallax barrier 14 arranged on the front surface of the image display device 13. The parallax barrier control device 15 adjusts the slit position of the liquid crystal parallax barrier 14 to the left and right when the observer's head position shifts to the left and right, so that the stereoscopic position of the stereoscopic image and the observer's viewpoint. It is controlled to match the position. In the image display device 13, the left-eye image (L) and the right-eye image (R) are arranged in a stripe shape in the vertical direction. The slits are also vertical stripes. When the observer 12 moves back and forth, the width of the slit and the widths of the stripes of the left-eye image and the right-eye image are adjusted.

FIG. 8 shows a backlight division method. The left-eye image is captured by the camera 21L and displayed on the color liquid crystal display device 22L, and the right-eye image is captured by the camera 21R and displayed on the color liquid crystal display device 22R. Behind the liquid crystal display devices 22L and 22R, black and white cathode ray tube display devices 23L and 23R are arranged as backlights.
The projection lights from the respective cathode ray tube display devices 23L and 23R are projected onto the corresponding color liquid crystal display devices 22L and 22R via the Fresnel lenses 24L and 24R, respectively. The optical image transmitted through the color liquid crystal display device 22L is reflected by the half mirror 25 toward the observer 26, and the optical image transmitted through the color liquid crystal display device 22R is transmitted through the half mirror 25 toward the observer 26. .
The observer 26 is illuminated by the illuminators 27L and 27R,
Images are taken by the monochrome cameras 28L and 28R. The image pickup signals are respectively sent to the cathode ray tube display devices 23L and 23L.
It is supplied to R and displayed.

This backlight division method is used by the observer 26.
When is moved in the left-right direction, the observer displayed on the cathode ray tube display devices 23L and 23R follows the movement. In other words, the white part will move. This means that the light spot of the backlight is moved according to the movement of the observer, and the stereoscopic position of the stereoscopic image is adjusted to the viewpoint position of the observer.

The stereoscopic image device described above is of a twin-lens type,
No matter which position the observer moves to, only the same stereoscopic image captured by the left and right cameras can be seen. Therefore, a multi-view stereoscopic image device that combines images taken from a number of angles in a stripe shape and displays them on an image display device and provides a binocular image corresponding to the position as the observer moves. Is being considered.

FIG. 9 shows a parallax panoramagram (6 viewpoints) stereoscopic image device. Images from six viewpoints are arranged in stripes on the image display device 41,
It is configured to pass through the slit of the parallax barrier 42. According to this, although the images from the six viewpoints can be stereoscopically viewed as the viewpoints move, there is a problem that the resolution becomes 1/6 and the images of the respective viewpoints appear to be mixed.

FIG. 10 shows a method of operating the color cathode ray tube display device 51 at high speed to switch and display images from various directions. A lens 52 and a high-speed liquid crystal shutter 5 are provided on the front surface of the color cathode ray tube display device 51.
3, the lens 54 is arranged. High-speed liquid crystal shutter 5
The light-transmitting shutter 3 is switched in synchronization with the monocular image from each viewpoint displayed on the color cathode-ray tube display device 51, and stereoscopic images from multiple viewpoints are successively projected. The high speed liquid crystal shutter 53 and the color cathode ray tube display device 51 are synchronized by a synchronizing circuit 55. However, according to this stereoscopic image device, a very high-speed display and a liquid crystal shutter are required, and specifically, the feasibility is poor.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a stereoscopic image device capable of stereoscopically viewing a stereoscopic image from the viewpoints of up, down, left and right, and which does not require a high-speed display or a high-speed shutter. With the goal.

[0011]

The present invention is directed to a backlight for projecting light in a selected direction, a transmissive image display device in which light from the backlight is projected through a lens, and a position of an observer. And a left eye and right eye image corresponding to the position of the observer as a stereoscopic image to be supplied to the transmissive image display device based on the observation position detection means for detecting Based on the observation position information of the display image control means and the observation position detection means to control the light emission direction of the backlight, the left eye image is projected to the left eye of the observer, the observation So that the right eye image is projected on the right eye of the person
Backlight control means for controlling the light emission direction of the backlight.

The present invention also provides an image display device, a light-transmitting shutter means arranged on the front side of the image display device for transmitting light at a plurality of selected positions, and an image displayed on the image display device. A lens system for refracting so that each image becomes visible from a direction corresponding to a position where the light transmitting shutter means transmits light, an observation position detecting means for detecting a position of an observer, and the observation position Based on the observation position information from the detection means, a display image control device that supplies a stereoscopic image according to the position of the observer to the image display device, and based on the observation position information from the observation position detection means, A light transmission shutter control device for controlling the light transmission position of the light transmission shutter means so that the display image of the image display device reaches the left eye and the right eye of the observer.

Furthermore, the present invention provides an image display device for displaying a twin-lens image for stereoscopic viewing, a parallax barrier arranged in front of the image display device, and an observation position for detecting the position of an observer. When supplying the binocular image to the detecting means and the image display device, a display image to select and supply a binocular image corresponding to the position of the observer based on the observation position information from the observation position detecting means. When controlling the control device and the parallax barrier, control based on the observation position information from the observation position detection means,
And a parallax barrier control device that allows images corresponding to the left and right eyes of the observer to arrive. By the above means, a stereoscopic image can be stereoscopically viewed from left and right viewpoints without requiring a high-speed display or a high-speed shutter.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 101 denotes a display image control device, which can selectively supply image signals from various viewpoint positions to a transmission type image display device (liquid crystal display device) 102, and can also provide a left eye image and a right eye image. It can be supplied on a time-sharing basis. A Fresnel lens 103 is arranged on the rear surface of the transmissive image display device 102, and a backlight (for example, a black and white cathode ray tube) 10 is provided at the focal position of the lens behind the Fresnel lens 103.
4 is arranged parallel to the surface of the transmissive image display device 102. The backlight 104 is the backlight control device 1
05, the light spot position is variously controlled in a plane, and the control information is given from the head position detecting device 106. The head position detecting device 106 is used by the observer 107.
Is detected by, for example, an infrared sensor, a video camera, or the like, and the observer's vertical and horizontal viewpoint positions are detected. The head position detection device 106 determines a display image and controls the light spot position of the backlight 104 via the backlight control device 105 so that a stereoscopic image corresponding to the viewpoint position can be obtained. That is, the light is controlled to be projected in the direction of the observer 107.

Furthermore, when the image for the left eye is supplied to the transmissive image display device 102, the backlight 104 is also controlled so that the light spot position thereof is projected toward the left eye, and the image for the right eye is displayed. When supplied to the transmissive image display device 102, the backlight 104 is also controlled so that the light spot position thereof is projected in the direction of the right eye.

According to the above-described embodiment, the stereoscopic position of the stereoscopic image can be controlled according to the position of the observer by preparing the left and right images which are polygonal images corresponding to the respective viewpoint positions. it can. That is, the position detection device 106
The light emission direction of the backlight 104 is controlled based on the detection information of the left eye image so that the left eye image is projected to the left eye of the observer when the left eye image is displayed, and the observer's right eye image is displayed. The right eye image can be controlled to be projected. Thereby, the observer can see the stereoscopic image according to the viewpoint position at any of the vertical and horizontal positions.

In the above example, one transmission type image display device 1 is used.
02, the left and right images are switched in a time division manner, but this switching may be eliminated and two transmissive image display devices may be used to always display the left and right images. In this case, left-eye and right-eye backlights are prepared,
The light emission direction is controlled so that the left eye image is projected to the left eye of the observer for the image display for the left eye, and the right eye image is projected to the right eye of the observer for the image display for the right eye. .

FIG. 2 shows this stereoscopic image device. Left eye transmissive display device 60L, right eye transmissive display device 60
The Rs face each other at a right angle, and a half mirror 63 is placed between them.
Are arranged at an angle of 45 °. Lenses 61L and 61R are provided on the back surfaces of the transmissive display devices 60L and 60R, respectively.
Are arranged at the focal plane positions of the respective lenses 61L and 61R so that the backlights 62L and 62R project light to the corresponding display devices 61L and 61R.
The light from the backlight 62L passes through the lens 61L, the transmissive display device 60L, and the half mirror 63 and is projected onto the left eye of the observer 64. The light from the backlight 62R passes through the lens 61R and the transmissive display device 60R, is reflected by the half mirror 63, and is projected on the right eye of the observer 64.

The transmissive display devices 60L and 60R are supplied from the display image control device 70 as image signals for the left eye and image signals for the right eye, and the head position detecting device 7 is also provided.
Based on the detection information from 1, the image corresponding to the viewpoint position is selected and supplied. The detection information from the head position detecting device 71 is the backlight control device 7
2, the light spots of the backlights 62L and 62R are controlled in position, and light projection is performed at the positions of the eyes of the observer.

A liquid crystal display device is used as the transmissive display device, and a cathode ray tube display device, a rear projection type projector or the like is used as the backlight. FIG.
It is still another embodiment of the present invention.

The image display device 200 is, for example, a color cathode ray tube, and a lens 201, a light transmission shutter 202, and a lens 203 are sequentially arranged in parallel on the front surface thereof.
In this device, the display surface of the image display device 200 is located on one focal plane of the lens 201, and the light transmission shutter (for example, a liquid crystal display device) is provided on the other focal plane of the lens 201.
It is arranged so that 202 is located. Also lens 2
The lens 203 is arranged so that the light transmission shutter 202 is located on one focal plane of 03. The light transmission shutter 202 can transmit light in a spot form in an area designated by the light transmission shutter control device 206 and make other areas opaque.

From the front of the lens 203, the observer 204
You will see the video. That is, the lens system refracts the image displayed on the image display device 200 so that each stereoscopic image selected from the direction corresponding to the position where the light transmitting shutter 202 transmits the light becomes visible. . Here, the head position detecting device 205 is arranged above and below the observer 204,
The left and right positions are detected and the detection information is output. This detection information is supplied to the light transmission shutter control device 206 and the display image control device 207. The display image control device 207 supplies an image signal corresponding to the viewpoint position of the observer 204 to the image display device 200. This image signal is obtained as a polygonal image signal by a camera at many viewpoint positions. The polygonal image signal is alternately supplied as a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal. When the image for the left eye is displayed, the light transmission shutter 2 is projected so as to be projected on the left eye of the observer.
When the light transmission position of 02 is opened and the image for the right eye is displayed, the light transmission position of the light transmission shutter 202 is opened so as to be projected to the right eye of the observer. This control is executed by the light transmission shutter control device 206 that receives the left and right display timing information from the display image control device 207 and the detection information from the head position detection device 205.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The above-described embodiment has one image display device 20.
Although the left and right images are switched in a time-sharing manner by using 0, this switching may be eliminated and two image display devices may be used to always display the left and right images.

In FIG. 4, left and right lenses 81L, 8
1R has a right angle relationship, and a half mirror 85 is arranged at an angle position of 45 ° between them. A display device 84L, a lens 83L, and a light transmission shutter 82L are arranged from the rear on the lens 81L side, and a display device 84R, a lens 83R, and a light transmission shutter 82R are also arranged from the rear on the lens 81R side. . The layout relationship of each group is the same as that of the previous embodiment, and the display image is only dedicated to the left and right images. The image for the left eye is projected through the image display device 84L, the lens 83L, the light transmission shutter 82L, the lens 81L, and the half mirror 85 to the left eye of the observer. The image for the right eye passes through the image display device 84R, the lens 83R, the light transmission shutter 82R, and the lens 81R, is reflected by the half mirror 85, and is projected on the right eye of the observer.

The light-transmissive shutters 82L and 82R are controlled by the light-transmissive shutter control device 86 so that the portions corresponding to the positions of the left eye and the right eye of the observer are opened in spots and other portions are opaque. Part position detection device 87
It is controlled based on the detection information from. Further, with respect to the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal supplied to the image display devices 84L and 84R, the display image control device 88 is controlled based on the head position detection information, and an image corresponding to the viewpoint position of the observer. Is selected and displayed.

The same applies to the previous embodiments, but the timing for selectively switching the image is the vertical blanking period or the horizontal blanking period. Further, the head position detecting device 87 may detect the position of the observer using ultrasonic waves as a medium.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. An image display device 301 for displaying left and right images in a stripe shape, a parallax barrier 302 arranged in front of the image display device 301, and an actuator 303 for driving the parallax barrier 302 back and forth and left and right. , A parallax / barrier control device 304 for giving a control signal to the actuator 303.
Furthermore, it has a display image control device 305 and a head position detection device 306. The head position detecting device 306 detects the front, rear, left and right positions of the observer, and supplies the detection information to the display image control device 305 and the parallax barrier control device 304. The display image control device 305 selects the left and right image signals corresponding to the viewpoint position information of the observer to select the image display device 3.
01. Further, the parallax / barrier control device 304 is arranged so that the image for the left eye is projected on the left eye of the observer at the viewpoint position and the image for the right eye is projected on the right eye.
Based on the position information, the actuator 303 is controlled to move the parallax barrier 302 back and forth and left and right.

When the observer moves left and right, the parallax barrier 302 is controlled to move left and right. When the observer moves up and down, the parallax barrier 30
2 is not moved, and the display image control device 305 handles it by selecting a display image. When the observer moves in the front-back direction, the parallax barrier 302 is controlled to move forward and backward, and the display image control device 305 selects the display image corresponding to the viewpoint position of the observer.

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. This device includes an image display device 401 for displaying left and right images in a stripe shape, a parallax barrier 402 formed by a liquid crystal display device arranged in front of the image display device, and a parallax barrier 402 for controlling a light transmission position of the parallax barrier 402. -Has a barrier control device 404. Furthermore, the display image control device 405 and the head position detection device 406.
Having. The head position detecting device 406 detects the front, rear, left and right positions of the observer, and displays the detection information on the display image control device 405.
And a parallax barrier controller 404.
The display image control device 404 selects the left and right image signals corresponding to the viewpoint position information of the observer and supplies them to the image display device 401. In addition, the parallax barrier control device 404 uses the position information to project the left-eye image on the left eye and the right-eye image on the right eye of the observer at the viewpoint position. To control the slit-shaped light transmission position.

When the observer moves left and right, the slit-shaped light transmitting position of the parallax barrier 402 is controlled to move left and right. The left eye image and the right eye image are controlled to be projected on the left eye and right eye of the observer, respectively. If the observer moves up or down, parallax
The slit-shaped light transmission position of the barrier 402 is not controlled to move to the left or right, and the display image control device 405 selects and displays the display image corresponding to the viewpoint position of the observer. Next, when the observer moves back and forth, the parallax barrier control device 404 changes the number and width of the slits,
The display image control device 405 changes the stripe-shaped division number of the twin-lens image corresponding to the detected viewpoint position, and displays it on the image display device 401.

The change in the number of stripe-shaped divisions in the image display device 401 is changed when an image is formed in the horizontal scanning direction.
It is realized by changing the number of alternating selections of left and right images. Further, since the parallax barrier device 404 is a liquid crystal display device, the number and width of the slits are realized by controlling the electrodes thereof.

[0032]

According to the above-described three-dimensional image device, it is possible to display images from various directions so that they can be seen according to the position of the observer without using a special high-speed display or a light transmission shutter. Moreover, this stereoscopic image is basically a binocular image and has a good resolution. If the observer changes the viewpoint position in the vertical and horizontal directions, a stereoscopic image corresponding to the viewpoint can be seen, a more natural stereoscopic image can be presented to the observer, and realization becomes easy even when the viewpoint is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional parallax barrier type stereoscopic image device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a conventional stereoscopic image device of a backlight division system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conventional parallax panoramagram.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional multi-view stereoscopic image device without glasses.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Display image control device, 102 ... Transmissive image display device, 103 ... Lens, 104 ... Backlight, 105 ...
Backlight control device, 106 ... Head position detection device, 6
0L, 60R ... Transmissive display device, 61L, 61R ... Lens, 62L, 62R ... Backlight, 63 ... Half mirror, 70 ... Display image control device, 71 ... Head position detection device, 72 ... Backlight control device, 200 ... image display device, 201, 203 ... lens, 202 ... light transmission shutter, 205 ... head position detection device, 206 ... light transmission shutter control device, 207 ... display image control device, 81L, 81
R, 83L, 83R ... Lens, 82L, 82R ... Light transmission shutter, 84L, 84R ... Image display device, 85 ... Half mirror, 86 ... Light transmission shutter control device, 87 ... Head position detection device, 88 ... Display image control Device, 301 ... Image display device, 302 ... Parallax barrier, 303 ... Actuator, 304 ... Parallax barrier control device, 305 ... Display image control device, 306 ... Head position detection device, 401 ... Image display device, 402 ... Parallax
Barrier, 404 ... Parallax barrier control device, 40
5 ... Display image control device, 406 ... Head position detecting device.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A backlight for projecting light in a selected direction, a transmissive image display device for projecting light from the backlight through a lens, and an observation position detecting means for detecting the position of an observer. A display for selecting and displaying a left-eye image and a right-eye image corresponding to the position of the observer as a stereoscopic image supplied to the transmissive image position device based on the observation position information of the observation position detection means. An image control unit, which controls the light emitting direction of the backlight based on the observation position information of the observation position detection unit, a left eye image is projected on the left eye of the observer, and a right eye of the observer's right eye. A stereoscopic image device comprising: a backlight control unit that controls a light emitting direction of the backlight so that an image is projected. 2. The number of the transmissive image display device is one, and the display image control means supplies the left-eye image and the right-eye image to the transmissive image display device alternately in a time-sharing manner to display the left-eye image and the right-eye image. The light control device projects the left eye image to the left eye of the observer when the left eye image is displayed, and projects the right eye image to the right eye of the observer when the right eye image is displayed. The light emission direction of the backlight is controlled so that
The stereoscopic image device described. 3. The transmissive image display device and the backlight are a transmissive image display device for the left eye and a backlight for the left eye,
A right-eye transmissive image display device and a right-eye backlight are provided independently, an image from one transmissive image display device is transmitted through a half mirror, and an image from the other transmissive image display device is the half What is reflected by the mirror to reach the viewer side, the display image control device, the image for the left eye and the image for the right eye to be supplied to the transmissive image display device for the left eye and the right eye based on the observation position information. The backlight control device variably controls the light spot positions of the left-eye and right-eye backlights based on the observation position information, and images corresponding to the left and right eyes of the observer are respectively selected and supplied. The stereoscopic imager according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic imager is made to arrive. 4. An image display device, a light-transmitting shutter means arranged on the front side of the image display device, for transmitting light at a plurality of selected positions, and refracting an image displayed on the image display device. The observation position is provided with a lens system for making each image visible from a direction corresponding to the position where the light transmission shutter unit transmits light, and an observation position detection unit for detecting the position of the observer. Based on the observation position information from the detection means,
A display image control device that supplies a stereoscopic image according to the position of the observer to the image display device, and based on the observation position information from the observation position detection means,
A stereoscopic image device comprising: a light transmission shutter control device that controls a light transmission position of the light transmission shutter unit so that a display image of the image display device reaches the left eye and the right eye of the observer. . 5. The number of the image display device is one, and the display image control device causes the image display device to alternately supply and display the left-eye image and the right-eye image in a time division manner, and the light transmission shutter means is provided. As the left eye image is displayed, the left eye image is projected to the left eye of the observer, and when the right eye image is displayed, the right eye image is projected to the right eye of the observer, 5. The stereoscopic image device according to claim 4, wherein a light transmission position of the light transmission shutter unit is controlled. 6. The image display device, the light transmission shutter means and the lens system include a left eye image display device, a left eye light transmission shutter means and a left eye lens system, a right eye image display device and a right eye light transmission shutter. Means and the lens system for the right eye are provided independently, and the image from one image display device passes through the half mirror, and the image from the other image display device is reflected by the half mirror and reaches the viewer side. The display image control device selects and supplies a left-eye image and a right-eye image to be supplied to the left-eye and right-eye image display devices based on the observation position information, and the light transmission shutter control device. Is characterized in that the light transmission positions for the left eye and the right eye are variably controlled based on the observation position information so that images corresponding to the left eye and the right eye of the observer respectively arrive. Motomeko 4 stereoscopic image apparatus according. 7. An image display device for displaying binocular images for stereoscopic viewing, a parallax barrier arranged in front of the image display device, and an observation position detecting means for detecting the position of an observer. When the binocular image is supplied to the image display device, display image control for selecting and supplying a binocular image corresponding to the position of the observer based on the observation position information from the observation position detection means. When controlling the device and the parallax barrier, the parallax barrier is controlled based on the observation position information from the observation position detecting means so that images corresponding to the left eye and the right eye of the observer respectively arrive. A stereoscopic image device comprising a barrier control device. 8. The stereoscopic imager according to claim 7, wherein the parallax barrier control device has means for controlling movement of the parallax barrier back and forth and left and right. 9. The display image control device includes a function of changing the number of divisions of the twin-lens image, and the parallax barrier control device changes the number and width of light transmission slits of the parallax barrier. The three-dimensional image device according to claim 7, further comprising a function of causing the stereoscopic image.