| Method and device for generating 3d images -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Method and device for generating 3d imagesUSPTO Application #: 20080106546Title: Method and device for generating 3d images Abstract: A method for generating three-dimensional images based on a sequence of two-dimensional images is characterized by the steps of: analyzing a two-dimensional image with respect to its scene type, selecting a deformation assigned to the defined scene type with which the two-dimensional image is deformed, deforming the two-dimensional image and transmitting the deformed two-dimensional image to at least one viewing channel. The method also contemplates applying various transition functions to the two-dimensional image to provide a continuous and smooth transition from one scene type to another. The method can be carried out by an apparatus for performing these functions. (end of abstract) Agent: Renner Otto Boisselle & Sklar, LLP - Cleveland, OH, US Inventor: Rolf-Dieter Naske USPTO Applicaton #: 20080106546 - Class: 345419000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080106546. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/447,463, filed May 29, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP01/13674, filed Nov. 14, 2001, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The International Patent Application has not been published in the English language. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a method and a device for generating three-dimensional (3-D) images based on a sequence of two-dimensional (2-D) images. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Scientists and medical professionals, for example, have analyzed objects using 3-D imaging for some time. But now various methods have been developed to produce 3-D images, such as television images, for example, for general consumer applications. Among these methods, there is a basic distinction between sequential image transmission, in which the images for the right eye and the left eye are saved to a storage medium, or transmitted alternately, one after the other, and parallel transmission, in which the images are transmitted on two separate channels. [0004] One disadvantage of transmitting sequential images for displaying 3-D images in conventional television systems is that this reduces the refresh rate for each eye to 25 images per second, which creates an unpleasant flickering for the viewer. When transmitting the sequential images in parallel, on separate channels for the left and right eyes, the refresh rate is not reduced and thus flickering does not occur. Problems may still arise with synchronizing both channels, however. Problems also may arise due to the requirements of the receiver, which must be able to receive and process two separate channels simultaneously. This is not possible for most television systems that are now generally available to consumers. [0005] In future television systems, signal transmission and processing will likely be entirely digital. In a digital system, every image is broken down into individual pixels which are transmitted in digitized format. In order to reduce the bandwidth required for this process, the appropriate compression methods are used; however, these create problems for stereo transmission. For example, using block coding methods with a reasonable rate of compression, it is impossible to precisely reconstruct every individual line of an image. In addition, using interframe coding techniques, such as MPEG-2, it is impossible to transmit or save stereo images in a sequential image format because image information from one image is contained in another image. This creates what is called the "crosstalk effect," which makes it impossible to clearly separate the right image from the left image. [0006] Other methods with which a three-dimensional image sequence is generated based on a two-dimensional image sequence have been published in DE 35 30 610 and EP 0 665 697. An autostereoscopic system with interpolation of images is described in EP 0 520 179, and problems with detecting areas of motion in image sequences are discussed in "Huang: Image Sequence Analysis" (Springer Publishing House). [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,005 describes a method for generating synthetic stereo images in which at least two images are generated based on a loaded image. At least one of the generated images is adjusted (enlarged, reduced, rotated, displaced, or changed) relative to the loaded image in such a way that at least parts of the image are displaced relative to other parts of the image in comparison to corresponding parts in another image. This method has the disadvantage that it is largely dependent on the skill of the operator to select the proper adjustments to generate a correct or natural stereoscopic appearance for the viewer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention provides a method and an apparatus with which it is possible to generate 3-D images based on 2-D images, substantially without intervention by an operator or viewer; moreover, the automatically generated 3-D images have a particularly natural three-dimensional appearance. [0009] The present invention provides an method and apparatus that enables on-the-fly or real time conversion of 2D images to 3D images without requiring operator or viewer interventions, such as: selecting areas of the images, identifying objects in an image, selecting objects, outlining objects, displacing objects or segmenting images. By avoiding such image processing requirements, the method and apparatus provided by the present invention eliminate the need for operator/viewer interventions and yet also achieves real time performance. [0010] More specifically, the present invention provides a method for generating three-dimensional (3-D) images based on a sequence of two-dimensional (2-D) images that includes the following steps: [0011] analyzing a two-dimensional image with respect to its scene type; [0012] assigning a deformation to the defined scene type; [0013] deforming the two-dimensional image; and [0014] transmitting the deformed two-dimensional image to at least one viewing channel. [0015] The method may further include the step of defining a scene type as one of a close-up shot, a normal shot (medium shot), and a wide angle shot. [0016] The step of assigning may include assigning a spherical deformation to the close-up-shot scene type, in which case deforming includes distorting the pixels of the two-dimensional image concentrically from the midpoint of the image outward. [0017] Alternatively, the step of assigning may include assigning a sphere-tilt deformation to the normal-shot scene type, in which case deforming includes simultaneously distorting and expanding the pixels of the two-dimensional image from top to bottom and concentrically from the midpoint of the image. [0018] As a further alternative, assigning may include assigning a tilt deformation to the wide-angle-shot scene type, in which case deforming includes incrementally, continuously, and horizontally expanding the pixels of the two-dimensional image. [0019] The method also may include the step of producing first and second viewing channels using different angles of observation of the deformed image. [0020] Further, the method may include the step of interpolating a predetermined number of sequential images from at least one two-dimensional image to produce at least a portion of the sequence of two-dimensional images. [0021] When the scene type of an image is different than that of a previous image, the method may include applying a transition function to the image to continuously adjust the assigned deformation from the deformation type assigned to the previous scene type to the deformation type assigned to the new scene type to prevent an unnatural appearance of the image. The step of applying the transition function may include applying a predetermined number of transition deformations and the new image deformation, whereby the transition deformations are calculated by interpolation of the previous deformation and of the new deformation for every pixel. Continue reading... Full patent description for Method and device for generating 3d images Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and device for generating 3d images patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method and device for generating 3d images or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Simulating cultural communications Next Patent Application: Method of generating mesh for analysis Industry Class: Computer graphics processing, operator interface processing, and selective visual display systems ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method and device for generating 3d images patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.90999 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , |
||
