Reald Inc.

Yahoo! Inc.

Stereographics Corporation

Robert Akka

Lenny G Lipton

Matt Cowan

Josh Greer

Mark H Feldman

Michael Geraint Robinson

Bruce Dorworth

Jerilynn Schisser

A method for demultiplexing frames of compressed image data is provided. The image data includes a series of left compressed images and a series of right compressed images, the right compressed images and left compressed images compressed using a compression function. The method includes receiving the frames of compressed image data via a medium configured to transmit images in single frame format, and performing an expansion function on frames of compressed image data, the expansion function configured to select pixels from the series of left compressed images and series of right compressed images to produce replacement pixels to form a substantially decompressed set of stereo image pairs. Additionally, a system for receiving stereo pairs, multiplexing the stereo pairs for transmission across a medium including single frame formatting, and demultiplexing received data into altered stereo pairs is provided.

Demultiplexing for stereoplexed film and video applications

A method for multiplexing a stream of stereoscopic image source data into a series of left images and a series of right images combinable to form a series of stereoscopic images, both the stereoscopic image source data and series of left images and series of right images conceptually defined to be within frames. The method includes compressing stereoscopic image source data at varying levels across the frame, thereby forming left images and right images, and providing a series of single frames divided into portions, each single frame containing one right image in a first portion and one left image in a second portion. Alternately, single frames may contain two right images in a first two portions of each single frame and two left images in a second two portions of each single frame, wherein each set of right and left images may be processed differently. Multiplexing processes such as staggering, alternating, filtering, variable scaling, and sharpening from original, uncompressed right and left images may be employed.

Stereoplexing for film and video applications

A method includes displaying a CAPTCHA test comprising an image with distorted alphanumeric characters. The method also includes associating a mask with the image that maps the alphanumeric characters to coordinates. Further, the method includes, enhancing a portion of the image corresponding to one of the alphanumeric characters responsive to a user positioning an assistance tool proximate to one alphanumeric character to reduce distortion.

Isolation tool for user assistance in solving a captcha test

A multi-view distribution format is described for stereoscopic and autostereoscopic 3D displays. In general, it comprises multi-tile image compression with the inclusion of one or more depth maps. More specifically, it provides embodiments that utilize stereoscopic images with one or more depth maps typically in the form of a compressed grey scale image and, in some instances, incorporates depth information from a second view encoded differentially.

Stereoscopic image format with depth information

A system and method for determining an intermediate stereoscopic representation, thus offering adjustable interaxial separation values, is presented. The design comprises obtaining a first image using a first image collecting device and substantially simultaneously obtaining a second image using a second image collecting device. The two recoding devices are physically separated by a distance, and the second image may be combined with the first image to form a stereoscopic image. The design further determines the intermediate stereoscopic representation based on aspects of the first image combined, typically algorithmically, with aspects of the second image.

Algorithmic interaxial reduction

A method for multiplexing a stream of stereoscopic image source data including a series of left images and a series of right images combinable to form a series of stereoscopic images is provided. The primary application is for video applications, but film applications are also addressed. The method includes removing pixels from the stereoscopic image source data to form left images and right images and providing a series of single frames divided into portions, each single frame containing one right image in a first portion and one left image in a second portion. Multiplexing processes such as staggering, alternating, filtering, variable scaling, and sharpening from original, uncompressed right and left images may be employed alone or in combination, and selected or predetermined regions or segments from uncompressed images may have more pixels removed or combined than other regions.

Stereoplexing for video and film applications

A method and system for presenting both autostereoscopic images and planar images in a single display is disclosed. The design comprises processing the planar images received in the form of planar image data. The processing comprises at least one from a group comprising selectively employing bleed-through processing to enhance the planar image data when viewed through a lens sheet comprising slanted lenticules, selectively introducing blurring into the planar image data, and selectively employing anti-alias processing to the planar image data. Certain super pixels may be computed that differ from standard pixels, and lenticules in the data sheet may be slanted at desired angles. The physical lenticules may cause bleed-through that may be processed. Resolution may be computed after processing, and the resolution implemented for display. Mode switching between planar and autostereoscopic imaging may be provided in the form of Metadata or visible flags.

Autostereoscopic display with planar pass-through

A method and system for displaying autostereoscopic images is presented. The design comprises a display device, a lenticular array and a computational engine associated with the lenticular array. The computational engine is configured to assess temperature expansion effects for the lenticular array and perform an interdigitation function based on the temperature expansion effects for the lenticular array. Alternately, the design comprises computing a temperature adjustment factor, the temperature adjustment factor relating an amount of expected lenticular array dimensional change to an expected temperature encountered by the lenticular array. Images are interdigitated based on the temperature adjustment factor.

Temperature compensation for the differential expansion of an autostereoscopic lenticular array and display screen

An autostereoscopic display system wherein an interdigitated stereogram is generated and displayed on an electronic display. The display includes a lenticular screen over the surface of the display which allows the user to observe the stereogram on the display and obtain a true stereoscopic effect. In accord with the invention, the resolution of master images is minimized and then the pixels from the master images are mapped to form the interdigitated stereogram. The optimum minimization of the resolution is obtained when the ratio of horizontal resolution to vertical resolution for the master images approximates the screen aspect ratio of the display. In this way, less computation is involved in remapping the pixels to form an interdigitated stereogram.

Autostereoscopic pixel arrangement techniques

A system and method for interdigitating multiple perspective views in a stereoscopic image viewing system. A lenticular sheet is affixed in intimate juxtaposition with a display area having a defined aspect ratio. The display area includes a plurality of scan lines each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including subpixels. A map having the same resolution as the display is created to store values corresponding to each subpixel in the display area. Preferably, the map is generated beforehand and stored for later use through a lookup operation. A buffer stores a frame having n views, wherein each of the n views has the same aspect ratio as the display area. A plurality of masks is also created and stored. Each mask corresponds to a unique one of the n views and includes opaque areas and a plurality of transparent windows, each of which corresponds to a selected subpixel location. The n views are then interdigitated while applying the corresponding masks, and a value is assigned to each subpixel using the map.

Hardware based interdigitation

A method for creating a reduced sized view-map of an autostereoscopic source image is disclosed. The method comprises creating a mathematical model for mapping the autostereoscopic source image into a first view-map, mapping the autostereoscopic source image into the first view-map, wherein the first view-map comprises a source-view image value and a plurality of pixel locations comprising an origin pixel, scanning the first view-map for at least one pixel location whose source-view image value closely matches that of the origin pixel, and generating the reduced sized view-map by replicating matched pixel locations within the first view-map.

Growing community of inventors

Sausalito, CA, United States of America

Robert Akka