Electronically interpolated integral photography system

A method for generating an integral three-dimensional image suitable for display through a lenticular faceplate, having a predetermined lenticular pitch, from a plurality of image perspectives, said method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a plurality of actual images from a plurality of actual image perspectives at substantially the same point in time, said actual image perspectives being separated in distance as a function of the lenticular pitch;
• converting the plurality of actual images into actual digital image signals;
• interpolating digital image signals by operating upon actual digital image signals to form interpolated digital image signals representing interpolated images taken from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between the actual image perspectives by detecting image features and utilizing the detected feature locations to interpolate between the actual images to obtain additional images from hypothetical image perspectives;
• generating a composite print file from the combination of actual and interpolated digital image signals taken from the actual and hypothetical image perspectives;
• and
• printing an integral image suitable for lenticular viewing upon photosensitive material in response to the digital signals stored in the composite print file.

Apparatus for generating an integral three-dimensional image of an object viewed from a plurality of image perspectives, said integral image suitable for lenticular display through a lenticular faceplate, said apparatus comprising:

• means for generating actual image signals from a plurality of actual images obtained from a plurality of actual image perspectives;
• means for interpolating additional images by operating upon actual image signals from spatially separated actual images to form interpolated image signals obtained from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between the spatially separated, actual image perspectives comprising means responsive to the actual image signals for recognizing image features and deriving therefrom the interpolated image signals;
• and
• means for generating an integral three-dimensional image from the combination of actual image signals and interpolated image signals obtained from the actual image perspectives and the hypothetical image perspectives.

A method for generating an integral three-dimensional image from a plurality of image perspectives, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of image signals of images of a three-dimensional image from a corresponding plurality of actual image perspectives along a plurality of viewing axes with the images being arrayed in a direction normal to a principle viewing axis of image view;
• forming additional image signals by operating upon said generated plurality of image signals to form interpolated image signals taken from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between selected ones of the plurality of image perspectives;
• and
• generating an integral three-dimensional image from the combination of the generated and formed images obtained from the actual image perspectives and the hypothetical image perspectives.

A method for generating an integral three-dimensional image from a plurality of image perspectives, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of image signals of a three-dimensional image from a corresponding plurality of real image perspectives along a plurality of viewing axes;
• forming additional image signals by operating upon said generated plurality of image signals to form interpolated image signals taken from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between selected ones of the plurality of image perspectives;
• and
• generating an integral three-dimensional image from the combination of the generated and formed images obtained from the real image perspectives and the hypothetical image perspectives, wherein said plurality of image signals are digital representations of data from computer files, said digital representations corresponding to measures of hue and saturation at locations in a computer-generated image as viewed from a plurality of designated actual image perspectives.

Apparatus for generating an integral three-dimensional image of an object viewed from a plurality of image perspectives, said integral three-dimensional image suitable for lenticular display through a lenticular faceplate, said apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a plurality of image signals of images of a three-dimensional image obtained from a plurality of actual image perspectives along a plurality of viewing axes with the images being arrayed in a direction normal to a principle axis of image view;
• means for forming additional images by operating upon the generated plurality of image signals from spatially separated actual images to form interpolated image signals obtained from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between selected ones of the spatially separated, actual image perspectives;
• and
• means for generating an integral three-dimensional image from the combination of the plurality of image signals and interpolated image signals obtained from the actual image perspectives and the hypothetical image perspectives.

A method for generating an integral three-dimensional image suitable for display through a lenticular faceplate, having a predetermined lenticular pitch, from a plurality of image perspectives, said method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a plurality of actual images from a plurality of actual image perspectives along a plurality of viewing axes at substantially the same point in time the images being arrayed in a direction normal to a principle axis of image view, said actual image perspectives being separated in distance as a function of the lenticular pitch;
• converting the plurality of actual images into actual digital image signals;
• forming interpolated digital image signals by operating upon said actual digital image signals so as to represent interpolated images taken from hypothetical image perspectives that are spatially interposed between the actual image perspectives;
• generating a composite print file from the combination of actual and interpolated digital image signals taken from the actual and hypothetical image perspectives;
• and
• printing an integral three-dimensional image suitable for lenticular viewing, upon photosensitive material in response to the digital image signals stored in the composite print file.