Three-dimensional display methods and apparatus

Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional illusion of a subject comprising, in combination:

• electronic imaging means mounted on a vehicle for generating a sequence of electric signals representing a sequence of images of said subject as viewed by said imaging means from a location spaced from said subject as said vehicle is moved at constant velocity and constant spacing with respect to said subject,
• means for digitizing said electric signals,
• means for storing said digitized electric signals,
• means for selecting for readout from said storing means selected successive sets of spaced apart images in said stored sequence that differ in parallax in the direction of movement of said vehicle by an amount sufficient that when presented for viewing alternately at a rate of about ten per second they create a resultant image which as viewed by an observer is perceived as having depth, and
• means for displaying said selected sets of images alternately at a rate of about ten per second, whereby the resulting image displayed as viewed by an observer is perceived as having depth.

Apparatus for producing in near real-time a three-dimensional illusion of a subject comprising, in combination:

• electronic imaging means supported on a platform carried by an airborne vehicle for generating at a predetermined frame rate a sequence of electric signals representing a sequence of images of said subject as viewed by said imaging means from a location spaced above said subject as said vehicle is moved at constant velocity and constant spacing with respect to said subject;
• means for digitizing said electric image-representing signals;
• means for storing said digitized image-representing means for selecting for readout from said storing means electric signals representing sets of images having a frame separation so as to differ in parallax in the direction of movement of said vehicle by an angle in the range from 1.9 degrees to 3.4 degrees such that when images represented by said selected sets of electric signals are presented on a viewing surface alternately at a rate of about ten per second a resultant image is created which as viewed by an observer is perceived as having depth;
• means for presenting for viewing on a viewing surface alternatively at a rate of about ten per second images represented by said selected sets of electric signals, and
• means for controlling the frame separation of images for readout from said storing means for optimizing the perception of depth in the displayed image.