JP2000206460A - Stereoscopic video display device without using spectacles - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable each observer to appropriately observe a stereoscopic video, even when many observers observe the stereoscopic video without the need for a means of exchanging right and left videos. SOLUTION: This device is provided with an image forming means 2a forming right and left images projected from a first projector 1L and a second projector 1R on a light diffusing plate 2b, and superposing a left eye pixel image area on a right eye pixel image area so that a picture is formed, a first shutter means 4L and a second shutter means 4R provided with plural shutter areas, capable of switching light transmitting and light shielding in a lateral direction and forming a video light reaching narrow width area on the plate 2b, a light guiding means 2c converging the image light from the video light reaching narrow width area on a position at a specified distance from the plate 2b with a distance between eyes or with a gap having a smaller width than the distance between the eyes, and a shutter control means 5 controlling light transmitting and the light shielding of the shutter areas of the means 4L and 4R, based on the output of a sensor 10 detecting the position of the observer 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image display apparatus without glasses, which can observe a stereoscopic image without using special glasses.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for realizing stereoscopic video display without requiring special glasses, a double lenticular system using two liquid crystal projectors and using a double lenticular screen as a screen has been proposed. In this method, as shown in FIG. 4, one liquid crystal projector 100a displays an image for the left eye, and the other liquid crystal projector 100b displays an image for the right eye,
In this method, the image is projected on a double lenticular screen 200 disposed in front of the image. The double lenticular screen 200 is a diffusion plate 200 for forming an image.
b, the lenticular screens 200a and 200c are arranged on both front and rear sides thereof so that the left and right images are formed by the action of the lenticular screen 200a on the incident side, that is, the liquid crystal projectors 100a and 100b. Is a vertical striped image 20
0bL and 200bR are formed alternately on the diffusion plate 200b. Then, of the vertical stripe-shaped images formed on the diffusion plate 200b by the action of the lenticular screen 200c arranged on the light emission side of the diffusion plate 200b, that is, the observer side, the stripe image for the right eye is the observer. The striped image for the left eye (3R) of the observer 300 is separated and guided to the left eye (3L) of the observer 300. An observer who observes these vertical stripe images for the right and left eyes with the left and right eyes can observe a stereoscopic image without wearing special glasses due to the function of binocular parallax.

In this type of three-dimensional image display apparatus, as shown in FIG. 5, at an optimum observation distance (D in the figure) from the screen 200, regions in which a right-eye image or a left-eye image can be observed alternately. Exists. In FIG. 4, the arrow indicated by R is the right-eye image observation area, and the arrow indicated by L is the left-eye image observation area. Therefore,
When the observer's right eye 3R is in the R region and the left eye 3L is in the L region (position A in the figure), stereoscopic vision is possible, but in the opposite case (B in the figure), , And it becomes impossible to observe a stereoscopic image.

[0006] Conventionally, as a method for preventing a pseudo-viewing state due to a head position shift of an observer, for example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a sensor 1 for detecting the position of the head of the observer 300 is used.
0, the position of the head of the observer 300 is detected.
It is known that the images of 00a and 100b (not shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) are exchanged, and the displayed left and right images are exchanged. With such a structure, when the observer 300 moves from the state where the observer 300 is located at the regular image observation position to the reverse viewing position as shown in FIG. 6, the displayed left and right images are exchanged as shown in FIG. Can be located at the position of the right eye of R, and the image observation region of L shown at the diamond can be located at the position of the observer's left eye.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, when the observer moves to the reverse viewing position, a means for switching the left and right images in accordance with the movement is required. In the case of a large-screen display, observation is often performed by a plurality of persons. In this case, when only one observer moves, if the left and right images are switched by head tracking, the observer moves to a regular image observation position. There is a disadvantage that some other observers cannot observe a proper image.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention does not require a means for exchanging the left and right images, and allows each person to properly observe a stereoscopic image even when observing by a large number of people. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stereoscopic image display device without glasses.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a stereoscopic image display apparatus without glasses according to the present invention has a first projector for projecting a left-eye image and a right projector image. A second projector that performs image formation on left and right images projected from the respective projectors on a diffusion plate to form a left-eye pixel image area and a right-eye pixel image area in an overlapping manner; A first shutter means for providing a plurality of shutter areas in the horizontal direction, the first shutter means forming a narrower image light reaching narrower area in the left eye pixel image area on the diffusion plate; A second shutter means for horizontally providing a plurality of shutter regions capable of switching light shielding, and forming a narrower image light reaching narrower region in the right-eye pixel image region on the diffusion plate; Image light reaching narrow within the pixel image area A light guide means for condensing the image from the region at a predetermined distance from the diffuser with an interocular distance or an interval having a smaller width, and based on an output of a sensor for detecting the position of the observer. Shutter control means for controlling light transmission and light blocking of a shutter area of the first and second shutter means, wherein the shutter control means includes a left-eye video light reaching narrow area in a left-eye pixel image area. The first and second shutter means are controlled so that the right-eye image light reaching narrow area in the right-eye pixel image area does not become the same area on the diffusion plate. .

With the above arrangement, the arrangement of the shutter means makes it possible to subdivide the image in each image light reaching narrow area formed in the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area on the diffusion plate. Is done. That is, a narrow image light area (light emission point) is formed in each image light reaching narrow area. By controlling the light transmission and the light shielding of each shutter region by the shutter control means, the images of the narrowed image light reaching narrow regions that are subdivided corresponding to the observation position are individually moved, Is realized. Further, since the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area are formed on the diffusion plate so as to overlap with each other, the size of one pixel image area can be increased as compared with the case where the pixel images are formed alternately. It becomes easy to form more image light reaching narrower areas inside. In addition, as the number of images in the image light reaching narrow region formed in each image imaging region is increased,
More observations can be accommodated.

The first and second shutter means are disposed in front of the projection lens of the projector, and provide a shutter area capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding in a lateral direction with a width smaller than that of the projection lens. In this case, the first and second shutter means may have the same size for all of the shutter areas, and may be arranged at a distance in the horizontal direction that is an integral multiple of the dimension. It is good. According to this configuration, the range of one pixel image area formed by overlapping the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area formed on the diffusion plate is at the same location, and each image is shifted by an integral multiple of pixels. Becomes For this reason, the desired three-dimensional image can be observed by shifting the left-eye image or the right-eye image formed on the same one-pixel image area on the diffusion plate in the opposite direction by an integral multiple of the pixel in the reverse direction. can do.

Further, the first and second shutter means are disposed at a stop portion of the projection lens of each of the projectors, and provide a shutter area capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding in a horizontal direction with a width smaller than the projection lens. It is good also as composition provided with two or more. With such a configuration, the image light from the projector is uniformly projected from the projection lens regardless of the shutter area of the shutter means, and the image light in each pixel image area on the diffusion plate corresponding to the light-transmitting area of the shutter means. It is possible to reliably form an image on the reaching narrow area.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic video display device without glasses according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 shows that the head of the observer 3B in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a case.

The stereoscopic image display apparatus without glasses according to this embodiment includes a screen 2, a left-eye projector 1L as a first projector, a right-eye projector 1R as a second projector, and each projector 1L, Shutter means 4L (first shutter means) and 4R (second shutter means) disposed in front of the projection lenses 7L and 7R of 1R, a sensor 10 for detecting the head position of the observers 3,. And shutter control means 5 for controlling the shutter means 4L and 4R in accordance with the detected value of the shutter.

The left-eye projector 1L projects a left-eye image, and the right-eye projector 1R projects a right-eye image. As the projectors 1L and 1R, for example, liquid crystal projectors are used.

Each of the shutter means 4L and 4R has eight shutter areas which can be switched between light-transmitting and light-shielding in the horizontal direction with a width narrower than each of the projection lenses 7L and 7R. = A) is the same,
They are arranged laterally at the distance (B = A). The shutter means 4L and 4R are composed of a TN liquid crystal layer, a pair of transparent glass plates provided so as to sandwich the TN liquid crystal layer, an ITO stripe pattern portion forming one electrode, and an ITO solid pattern forming the other transparent electrode. It is provided with a pattern and an exit side / incident side polarizing plate. The ITO stripe pattern portion is composed of eight vertical stripe-shaped ITO films corresponding to the above-described shutter regions. In this embodiment, the shutter means is constituted by a TN type liquid crystal panel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and another type of liquid crystal panel may be used, and further, a dispersion type liquid crystal panel may be used. .

The shutter control means 5 controls light transmission and light shielding in the shutter area according to the position of the observer 3 based on the output of the sensor 10. For example, if two observers (3
1A showing the case A, 3B), the shutter means 4L opens the third and seventh shutter areas from the left in the figure, and the shutter means 4R opens from the left in the figure. The second and sixth shutter areas are open. In FIG. 2 showing a state in which the head of the observer 3B has moved leftward from the state shown in FIG. 1 by the distance between the eyes, the shutter means 4L includes the third and sixth shutters from the left in FIG. The area is open, and the shutter means 4R
The second and fifth shutter areas from the left as viewed in the figure are open.

The screen 2 includes a diffusing plate 2b as an image forming surface, an incident side lenticular lens 2a as an image forming means disposed on an incident side of the diffusing plate 2b, and a diffusing plate 2b.
b, an emission side lenticular lens 2c, which is a light guide means, disposed on the emission side of b. The entrance-side lenticular lens 2a has lens portions 21a... And diffuses the left and right images projected from the projectors 1L and 1R into a diffusion plate 2b.
An image is formed on the upper surface in a vertical stripe shape, and a left-eye pixel image area and a right-eye pixel image area are formed so as to overlap each other. Then, by the action of the shutter means 4L, 4R and the incident side lenticular lens 2a, the left eye image forming area (L image area) of the image forming area (each pixel image area) corresponding to each pixel on the diffusion plate 2b. ) Indicates the number of narrow left-eye images corresponding to the shutter area in the open state, and the right-eye image forming area (R image area) indicates the number of narrow right eyes corresponding to the shutter area in the open state. Eye images are respectively formed. The emission-side lenticular lens 2c is a lens unit 21 arranged at a pitch corresponding to the pitch (pixel pitch) of each image forming area of the diffusion plate 2b.
c ... The lens portions 21c have the same pitch as the lens portion of the exit-side lenticular lens in FIG. Then, the narrow left-eye images formed in the left-eye image forming area on the diffusion plate 2b corresponding to the respective shutter areas in the transmissive state are provided to the left eyes of the observers 3A and 3B, respectively, to the right eyes. The narrow right-eye image formed on the image forming area corresponding to each of the shutter areas in the light-transmitting state is guided to the right eyes of the observers 3A and 3B, respectively.

Here, when all the shutter areas of the shutter means 4L and 4R are in an open state (when the whole becomes transparent).
In, the entire pixel image area on the diffusion plate 2b is a light emitting point, the image at the observation position by each lens unit 21c is in a range much larger than the interocular distance, and the observer can view a stereoscopic image. Diffuse plate 2
The left-eye image and the right-eye image are superimposed and formed on the same portion on b. On the other hand, shutter means 4L,
When the image light passes with a width corresponding to one shutter area of the 4R, a part of each pixel image area on the diffusion plate 2b (narrow area where the image light reaches) becomes a light emitting point, and each lens for this part The image at the observation position by the unit 21c is
The size is equivalent to the interocular distance. If the position of the above-mentioned part (the narrow area where the image light reaches) is shifted by one, the image of this part at the observation position by each lens unit 21c moves by a distance corresponding to the interocular distance.

It is assumed that, as shown in FIG. 2, only the observer 3B has moved leftward from the state shown in FIG. The movement of the observer 3B is detected by the sensor 10, and this detection information is given to the shutter control means 5. The shutter control unit 5 supplies a shutter ON / OFF signal to the shutter units 4L and 4R. The shutter ON / OFF signal in this case is a signal to the shutter means 4L that the seventh shutter area from the left as viewed in the drawing is shielded and the sixth shutter area is opened (transmitted). This is a signal to the shutter means 4R that the sixth shutter area from the left in the drawing is shielded and the fifth shutter area is opened (transmitted).

By moving the aperture shutter region in this way, the position of a part of the left-eye pixel image region (the narrow region for reaching the image light) on the diffuser plate 2b moves one position to the right. The image of the moved part at the observation position by each lens unit 21c is located on the left side by a distance corresponding to the interocular distance, and the observer 3B can appropriately perform stereoscopic vision even at the moved position. Also, the diffusion plate 2
Since the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area are formed so as to overlap with each other on b, the size of one pixel image area can be increased as compared with the case where they are alternately formed. Can be formed.

In the description of the above embodiment, the case where the shutter means 4L and 4R are arranged in the horizontal direction at a distance of all the shutter areas (B = A) has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, they may be arranged at a distance of an integer (= N) times the dimension. According to this configuration, the range of one pixel image area formed by overlapping the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area formed on the diffusion plate 2b is the same, and each image is shifted by N pixels. . For this reason, a desired three-dimensional image can be observed by shifting the left-eye image or the right-eye image formed in the same one-pixel image region on the diffusion plate 2b in the reverse direction by N pixels. Can be.

Further, without arranging the shutter means 4L and 4R in the horizontal direction at a distance of an integral multiple of the size of each of the shutter areas, for example, as shown in FIG. The shutter area may be arranged at a distance of の of the dimension of the shutter area. However, in this case, the range of one pixel image area of the right-eye pixel image area formed on the diffusion plate 2b is shifted by 画素 pixel from the left-eye pixel image area. For this reason, for example, when the first shutter area from the left as viewed in the drawing of the shutter means 4L is opened, a narrow image light reaching area formed on the diffusion plate 2b, and from the left in the drawing of the shutter means 4R. When the fifth shutter region is opened, the narrow region reaching the image light formed on the diffusion plate 2b is the same region. That is, each shutter area of the shutter means 4L corresponds to each shutter area shifted rightward by four areas from the left in the drawing of the shutter means 4R. For this reason, the desired three-dimensional image can be observed by shifting the left-eye image or the right-eye image formed in the same one-pixel image area on the diffusion plate 2b in the reverse direction by 画素 pixel. Will be able to do that.

It should be noted that the description of the above embodiments is for describing the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention described in the claims or reducing the scope thereof. Also, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment,
It goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the lenticular lens is used as the image forming means and the light guiding means. However, the light amount is reduced. However, a parallax barrier may be used instead. It is possible. In addition, a so-called multi-view three-dimensional image display device without glasses can be configured by changing a display image according to the position of the observer (switching and displaying images captured from multiple directions as appropriate).

Further, in the above embodiment, the shutter means 4L, 4R are arranged in front of the projection lenses 7L, 7R of the projectors 1L, 1R, but the invention is not limited to this. You may let it. This is similar to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.
When the shutter means 4L, 4R are arranged in front of the projection lenses 7L, 7R of L, 1R, the projector 1
L, 1R, the shutter means 4 at both ends on the diffusion plate 2b, depending on the positional relationship of the constituent members such as the diffusion plate 2b.
This is effective, for example, when the image light does not reach the narrow area where the image light reaches within each pixel image area, which is to be formed corresponding to the L and 4R light-transmitting areas. That is, by arranging the respective shutter means at the aperture portions of the respective projection lenses 7L and 7R, the image light from the projectors 1L and 1R is uniformly projected from the respective projection lenses 7L and 7R regardless of the shutter area of the respective shutter means. As a result, it is possible to surely form an image in one image light reaching narrow area in each pixel image area on the diffusion plate 2b corresponding to the light transmitting area of each shutter means.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the shutter means 4L and 4R each have eight shutter areas has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of shutters may be further increased to, for example, 16, so that the shutter area of each shutter means 4L and 4R is controlled in accordance with the movement of the head position of each observer. In this case, the number of images in the image light reaching narrow region formed in each pixel image region on the diffusion plate 2b increases, so that more observation can be performed.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is no need for a means for exchanging left and right images, and even when a large number of people are observing, each person can properly observe a stereoscopic image. It has the effect of being able to do so.

Further, the left-eye pixel image area and the right-eye pixel image area are formed on the diffusion plate so as to be overlapped with each other. The overall configuration of the device can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic video display device without glasses according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when one observer has moved between eyes from the state shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a stereoscopic image display device without glasses according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a conventional stereoscopic video display device without glasses.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining that regions in which a right-eye image and a left-eye image can be observed alternately exist in the configuration of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing how the left and right display images are switched in accordance with the position of the observer in the configuration of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which left and right display images are switched according to the position of an observer in the configuration of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

1L Projector for left eye (first projector) 1R Projector for right eye (second projector) 2 Screen 2a Lenticular lens on incident side 2b Diffusing plate 2c Lenticular lens on exit side 4L First shutter means 4R Second shutter means 5 Shutter control Means 7L, 7R Projection lens 10 Sensor

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hideyuki Kanayama 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Goro Hamagi 2-5-2-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka No. Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H059 AB04 AB12 5C061 AA07 AA08 AA23 AB18 AB24 5C080 AA10 BB05 CC04 DD13 DD21 DD22 EE17 FF09 JJ02 JJ06

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first projector that projects a left-eye image, a second projector that projects a right-eye image, and forms left and right images projected from each projector on a diffusion plate. Image forming means for forming a left-eye pixel image area and a right-eye pixel image area in an overlapping manner; and a plurality of shutter areas in a lateral direction capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding, and a left-eye pixel image area on the diffusion plate. A first shutter means for forming a narrower image light reaching narrower area within the narrower area, and a plurality of shutter areas in a lateral direction capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding, wherein a right-eye pixel image on the diffusion plate is provided. A second shutter means for forming a narrower image light reaching narrow area in the area, and an image from the narrow image light reaching narrow area in each of the pixel image areas at a predetermined distance from the diffusion plate; Between the interocular distances or smaller widths Light guiding means for condensing light with a gap,
Shutter control means for controlling light transmission and light blocking of a shutter area of the first and second shutter means based on an output of a sensor for detecting a position of an observer, wherein the shutter control means The first and the second so that the left-eye video light reaching narrow area in the pixel image area and the right-eye video light reaching narrow area in the right-eye pixel image area do not become the same area on the diffusion plate. A stereoscopic image display device without glasses, wherein a shutter means is controlled. 2. The first and the second shutter means,
2. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising two or more shutter regions arranged in front of the projection lens of each of the projectors and capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding and having a width smaller than that of the projection lens in the horizontal direction. 3D image display device without glasses. 3. The first and second shutter means include:
3. The three-dimensional image display device without glasses according to claim 2, wherein all the shutter areas have the same size, and are arranged in the horizontal direction at a distance of an integral multiple of the size. 4. The first and second shutter means include:
2. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising two or more shutter regions arranged in a stop portion of the projection lens of each of the projectors and capable of switching between light transmission and light shielding and having a width smaller than that of the projection lens in a horizontal direction. 3D image display device without glasses.