Autostereoscopic imaging apparatus and method using a parallax scanning lens aperture

A method of computer generating autostereoscopic images comprising:

• defining an object in a virtual three-dimensional space;
• defining a virtual imaging device;
• generating images by simulating a parallax scanning motion of a point of view of the virtual image device;
• storing the generated images;
• displaying the generated images on a display device.

A method of generating virtual autostereoscopic images using a computer, the method comprising:

• a) defining a three-dimensional virtual scene;
• b) selecting a point of view for creating a virtual image of the scene;
• c) generating a virtual image of the scene from the point of view;
• d) selecting a new point of view;
• e) generating a new virtual image of the scene from the new point of view;
• f) repeating steps d) and e), wherein a pattern of said points of view define a parallax scanning pattern.

A method of producing autostereoscopic images using a computer, the method comprising:

• defining a three-dimensional virtual scene;
• selecting a point of view withing the three-dimensional virtual scene;
• defining a cyclical parallax scanning pattern about the point of view;
• selecting imaging points along the cyclical parallax scanning pattern;
• generating images of the three-dimensional scene using the imaging points as points of view.

A computer readable medium storing machine readable code, the machine readable code containing instruction for a computer to perform a method comprising:

• defining a three-dimensional virtual scene;
• selecting a point of view within the three-dimensional virtual scene;
• defining a cyclical parallax scanning pattern about the point of view;
• selecting imaging points along the cyclical parallax scanning pattern;
• generating images of the three-dimensional scene using the imaging points as points of view.