Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Tomoshi Takikawa

Naosato Taniguchi

Hideki Morishima

Kazutaka Inoguchi

Yoshihiro Saito

Hiroshi Nishihara

Hiroyuki Yamamoto

Masahiro Suzuki

Parallax images corresponding to a plurality of different view points are each divided into predetermined stripe images, a synthetic parallax image is synthesized from the stripe images, and display light, from stripe images corresponding to one view point of the synthetic parallax image on the image display element displaying the synthetic parallax image, is guided to a mask member having a mask pattern with predetermined openings and shields by a second optical system placed in front of the image display element. The display light passing through the openings of the mask member is condensed to a position corresponding to the view point on an observation surface a predetermined distance apart, by a first optical system, whereby an observer is permitted to stereoscopically observe image information displayed on the image display element.

Stereoscopic image display method and stereoscopic image display apparatus using it

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stereoscopic image displaying method and a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus using the same, which are capable of excellently observing a stereoscopic image. In order to achieve the object, a stereoscopic image forming apparatus of the present invention is configured such that display light from an image corresponding to a viewpoint of one parallax image on an image displaying device, on which parallax images corresponding to a plurality of different viewpoints can be displayed, is guided to an optical modulator, on which a light transmitting section and a light shielding section can be formed, by a second optical system disposed in the front of the image displaying device, and that the display light transmitted through the light transmitting section of the optical modulator is collected at a position that is a predetermined distance apart corresponding to the viewpoint on an observation surface by a first optical system, and the entire screen of a parallax image to be displayed on the image displaying device is thereby caused to be incident on each eye by controlling transmitted light from the optical modulator in synchronism with the switching of parallax images to be displayed on the image displaying device when an observer attains stereoscopic viewing of the image information on the image displaying device.

Method and apparatus for stereoscopic image display

This invention has as its object to provide a viewpoint detection apparatus and method, which can assure high-speed processing, high precision, and high tracking performance with a simple arrangement while suppressing adverse influences on the human body, and a stereoscopic image display apparatus using the same. The viewpoint position detection apparatus of this invention has an image sensing unit ( ) and a viewpoint detection unit ( ). The image sensing unit has a visible image sensing section ( ) and infrared image sensing section ( ). A pupil position detection processing section ( ) detects the pupil position from an infrared image, and a template generation section ( ) generates templates for a visible image using the pupil position obtained from the infrared image. A pattern matching discrimination section ( ) executes pattern matching of a visible image. The infrared ray irradiation time upon capturing an infrared image can be minimized, and the load on processes can be reduced since pupil position information detected from the infrared image is used upon generating templates. An image display unit ( ) as a stereoscopic image display apparatus is connected to the viewpoint position detection apparatus, and viewpoint position information is supplied to the image display unit, thus constructing a stereoscopic image display system having a broad stereovision range for the observer.

Viewpoint position detection apparatus and method, and stereoscopic image display system

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Yokohama, Japan

Tomoshi Takikawa