Patent Application
20120223938
The present disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic video systems, and in particular, to such methods and systems providing user control of image projection depth.
Even as 3D video gains in popularity and becomes increasingly available, significant amounts of two-dimensional (2D) video will continue to exist and be produced. As a result, both 3D and 2D video content will be produced, broadcast, stored and distributed for viewing for some time to come. For example, even during an exclusively 3D video broadcast of a television program, one or more commercial breaks may be broadcast in 2D, or the viewer may switch to a 2D channel while “channel surfing” during a commercial. Similarly, chapters of a 3D recorded video, e.g., Blu-Ray, such as the credits or copyright information may only be in 2D. Hence, an exclusively 3D viewing experience cannot be guaranteed.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to allow for control by the viewer to enjoy a consistent 3D viewing experience notwithstanding inclusion of 2D content coming from the video source.
Briefly in one embodiment system and method provides user control of the projection of 2D image information within the 3D display space of a 3D-capable display device. Advantageously, the system and method disclosed herein allow a user to view 3D video even when the source video includes 2D content, by allowing the user to adjust the z-axis position of the 2D content, thereby causing the 2D content to be projected at a user-specified image depth within 3D space. The user can adjust the z-axis position of the 2D content in real time while contemporaneously viewing the imagery, e.g., via a remote control, and such adjustment can be stored for later use when similar or other 2D content is being viewed.
In accordance with one embodiment, a method includes accessing depth control data related to a projection depth of two-dimensional (2D) imagery within a three-dimensional (3D) space, and processing 2D video representing a 2D image in accordance with the depth control data to provide 3D video including the 2D image projected into the 3D space.
In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus including circuitry includes control circuitry and video processing circuitry. The control circuitry is for accessing depth control data related to a projection depth of two-dimensional (2D) imagery within a three-dimensional (3D) space. The video processing circuitry is for processing 2D video representing a 2D image in accordance with the depth control data to provide 3D video including the 2D image projected into the 3D space.
In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus includes memory capable of storing executable instructions, and one or more processors operably coupled to the memory. The one or more processors are responsive to the executable instructions by accessing depth control data related to a projection depth of two-dimensional (2D) imagery within a three-dimensional (3D) space, and processing 2D video representing a 2D image in accordance with the depth control data to provide 3D video including the 2D image projected into the 3D space.
The following detailed description is of example embodiments of the presently claimed invention with references to the accompanying drawings. Such description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the scope of the present invention. Such embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the subject invention, and it will be understood that other embodiments may be practiced with some variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject invention.
Throughout the present disclosure, absent a clear indication to the contrary from the context, it will be understood that individual circuit elements as described may be singular or plural in number. For example, the terms “circuit” and “circuitry” may include either a single component or a plurality of components, which are either active and/or passive and are connected or otherwise coupled together (e.g., as one or more integrated circuit chips) to provide the described function. Additionally, the term “signal” may refer to one or more currents, one or more voltages, or a data signal. Within the drawings, like or related elements will have like or related alpha, numeric or alphanumeric designators. Further, while the present invention has been discussed in the context of implementations using discrete electronic circuitry (preferably in the form of one or more integrated circuit chips), the functions of any part of such circuitry may alternatively be implemented using one or more appropriately programmed processors, depending upon the signal frequencies or data rates to be processed. Moreover, to the extent that the figures illustrate diagrams of the functional blocks of various embodiments, the functional blocks are not necessarily indicative of the division between hardware circuitry. Thus, for example, one or more of the functional blocks (e.g., processors, memories, etc.) may be implemented in a single piece of hardware (e.g., a general purpose signal processor, random access memory, hard disk drive, etc.). Similarly, any programs described may be standalone programs, may be incorporated as subroutines in an operating system, may be functions in an installed software package, etc.
Referring to
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In accordance with the depth control data 23 provided by user-controlled device 22, the processor within the content source and processor 20a processes 2D video content to provide corresponding 3D video 21a for display by a display device 10a. It would be readily appreciated that the display device 10a can include such typical display devices as a flat panel display or a video projector.
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The memory circuitry 32 can be programmed in accordance with the depth control data 23 provided by the user-controlled device 22, and provide executable instructions 33 for the one or more video processors 30, which then provide 3D video 21a/31 corresponding to the original 2D video.
Such user control of the projection depth of the 2D imagery within the 3D display space 12 can be done in real time by the user, or can be stored within the system, such as in the memory 32, for later use whenever such 2D imagery is received for processing and display within a 3D space 12.
Referring to
The decoded video is processed by a video processor 42. Additional instructions and control data 49b provided by the software and/or firmware 48, using control data 23 (e.g., Z-position data) received from a user-controlled device 22 (
The resulting processed video 43 is further processed by a video rendering engine 44 in accordance with well known principles and techniques to produce the final 3D video data 21a to be displayed by the display device 10a (e.g., autosteroscopic, anaglyph, polarization or frame sequential with active shutter glasses, among others known in the art).
Alternatively, the final 3D video data 21a can be made available for distribution to one or more other display devices (not shown). For example, the data 21a can be encoded with a conventional video encoder 50. The encoded video data 51 can then be processed by a conventional transmitter 52, e.g., converted to a radio frequency signal 53 for transmission via an antenna 54 as a wireless signal 55.
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Various other modifications and alternations in the structure and method of operation of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the present invention and that structures and methods within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
