Method and apparatus for producing and displaying spectrally-multiplexed images of three-dimensional imagery for use in stereoscopic viewing thereof

A system for producing a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images of an object for use in 3-D stereoscopic viewing thereof, comprising:

• first perspective image producing means for producing a first perspective image of said object, consisting of first and second groups of spectral components;
• second perspective image producing means for producing a second perspective image of said object, consisting of first and second groups of spectral components;
• spectral component separation means for separating said first perspective image into the first and second groups of spectral components, and for separating said second perspective image into the first and second groups of spectral components;
• and
• spectral component recombining means for recombining the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image with the second group of spectral components of said second perspective image so as to produce a first spectrally-multiplexed image of said object, and for recombining the group of spectral components of said first perspective image with the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image so as to produce a second spectrally-multiplexed image of said object, whereby said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images provide a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images that can be cyclically displayed for stereoscopic viewing of said object.

A method of producing a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images of a three-dimensional scene, for use in stereoscopic viewing thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) producing first and second perspective images of said three-dimensional scene, each said perspective image having at least first and second groups of spectral components;
• (b) separating the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image from the second group of spectral components of said first perspective image;
• (c) separating the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image from the second group of spectral components of said second perspective image;
• (d) recombining the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image with the second set of spectral components of said second perspective image so as to produce a first spectrally-multiplexed image of said three-dimensional scene;
• and
• (e) recombining the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image with the second set of spectral components of said first perspective. image so as to produce a second spectrally-multiplexed image of said three-dimensional scene,
• whereby said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images provide a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images that can be cyclically displayed for stereoscopic viewing of said three-dimensional scene.

A method of producing a pair of pixel data sets representative of a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images of a three-dimensional scene and being useful in stereoscopic viewing thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) producing first and second pixel data sets representative of first and second perspective images of said three-dimensional scene, respectively, each said perspective image having at least first and second groups of spectral components and each said pixel data set containing data representative of the first and second groups of spectral components;
• (b) processing said first data set so as to produce third and fourth pixel data sets, said third pixel data set containing pixel data representative of the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image and being substantially free of pixel data representative of the second group of spectral components of said first perspective image, and said fourth pixel data set containing pixel data representative of the second group of spectral components of said first perspective image and being substantially free of pixel data representative of the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image;
• (c) processing said second data set so as to produce fifth and sixth pixel data sets, said fifth pixel data set containing pixel data representative of the second group of spectral components of said second perspective image and being substantially free of pixel data representative of the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image, and said sixth pixel data set containing pixel data representative of the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image and, being substantially free of pixel data representative of the second group of spectral components of said second perspective image;
• (d) processing said third and fourth pixel data sets so as to produce a seventh pixel data set representative of a first spectrally-multiplexed image of said three-dimensional scene and containing pixel data representative of the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image and the second set of spectral components of said second perspective image;
• and
• (e) processing said fourth and sixth pixel data sets so as to produce an eighth pixel data set representative of a second spectrally-multiplexed image of said three-dimensional scene and containing pixel data representative of the second group of spectral components of said first perspective image and the first set of spectral components of said second perspective image,
• whereby said seventh and eighth pixel data sets provide a pair of pixel data sets representative of a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images that can be cyclically displayed for stereoscopic viewing of said three-dimensional scene.

A system for visually presenting a pair of spectrally-multiplexed images of a three-dimensional scene for use in stereoscopic viewing thereof by a viewer having left and right eyes, said system comprising:

• image display means for sequentially displaying a first spectrally-multiplexed image during a first display period and a second spectrally-multiplexed image during a second display period, said first spectrally-multiplexed image having a first group of spectral components obtained from a first perspective image of said three-dimensional scene and a second group of spectral components obtained from a second perspective image of said three-dimensional scene, and said second spectrally-multiplexed image having a second group of spectral components obtained from said first perspective image of said three-dimensional scene and a first group of spectral components obtained from said second perspective image;
• and
• electro-optical image processing apparatus, disposed between said image display means and the left and right eyes of the viewer, for alternatively processing said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images as said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images are visually presented to the left and right eyes of the viewer by said image presentation means, said electro-optical image processing means being operable during said first display period for processing said first spectrally-multiplexed image so as to selectively transmit only the first group of spectral components of said first perspective image to the left eye of the viewer and only the second group of spectral components of said second perspective image to the right eye of the viewer during said first display period, and said electro-optical image processing apparatus being operable during said second display period for optically processing said second spectrally-multiplexed image so as to selectively transmit only the second group of spectral components of said first perspective image to the left eye of the viewer and only the first group of spectral components of said second perspective image to the right eye of the viewer during said second display period,
• whereby the first and second groups of spectral components of said first perspective image are transmitted from said image display means to the left eye of the viewer over said first and second display periods, and the first and second groups of spectral components of said second perspective image are transmitted from said image display means to the right eye of the viewer over said first and second display periods so that said three-dimensional scene can be stereoscopically viewed by the left and right eyes of the viewer.

A system for transmission and delivery of a television signal including a video carrier signal modulated by a modulation signal representative of pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images of 3-D imagery, said system comprising:

• a channel over which said television signal can be transmitted;
• a television signal transmitting subsystem including means for generating said television signal and transmitting said television signal over said channel;
• one or more television signal receiving devices, each said television signal receiving device including means for receiving said transmitted television signal from said channel, and means for demodulating said modulated video carrier signal and recovering said modulation signal therefrom;
• and
• one or more image display systems, each said image display system being operably associated with one said television signal receiving device and further a first electro-optical. including-means for receiving said recovered modulation signal from said television signal receiving device and a second electro-optical means for displaying pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images of 3-D imagery using said recovered modulation signal, whereby said displayed pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images can be used to stereoscopically view said 3-D imagery.

A system for receiving a transmitted television signal including a video carrier signal modulated by a modulation signal representative of pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images of 3-D imagery, said system comprising:

• a television signal receiving device including means for receiving said transmitted television signal, demodulating said modulated video carrier signal, and recovering said modulation signal therefrom;
• and
• an image display system operably associated with said television signal receiving device and further including a first electro-optical means for receiving said recovered modulation signal from said television signal receiving device and a second electro-optical means for displaying, pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images of 3-D imagery using said recovered modulation signal,
• whereby said displayed pairs of spectrally-multiplexed images can be used to stereoscopically view said 3-D imagery.

A system for producing pairs of first and second spectrally-multiplexed images of an object for use in 3-D stereoscopic viewing thereof, comprising:

• first perspective image producing means for producing a first set of pixel data elements representative of a first perspective image of said object and each said pixel data element thereof including color codes representing first and second groups of spectral components contained in said first perspective image;
• second perspective image producing means for producing a second set of pixel data elements representative of a second perspective image of said object and each said pixel data element thereof including color codes having representing first and second groups of spectral components contained in said second perspective image;
• pixel data element processing means for processing the pixel data elements in said first and second pixel data sets so as to analyze color codes of spatially corresponding pixel data elements in said first and second perspective images;
• and
• pixel data element multiplexing means for multiplexing the color codes of spatially corresponding pixel data elements in the first and second perspective images so as to produce-third and fourth sets of pixel data elements representative of said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images which, when sequentially displayed, said 3-D object can be stereoscopically viewed.

A system for producing pairs of first and second spectrally-multiplexed images of an object for use in 3-D stereoscopic viewing thereof without the perception of image flicker, comprising:

• first perspective image producing means for producing a first set of pixel data elements representative of a first perspective image of said object and each said pixel data element thereof including color codes representing first and second groups of spectral components contained in said first perspective image;
• second perspective image producing means for producing a second set of pixel data elements representative of a second perspective image of said object and each said pixel data element thereof including color codes having representing first and second groups of spectral components contained in said second perspective image;
• pixel data element processing means for processing the pixel data elements in said first and second pixel data sets so as to determine whether spatially corresponding pixel data elements in said first and second perspective images have color code values of a predetermined magnitude for only one of said first and second spectral component groups;
• and
• pixel data element multiplexing means for multiplexing the color codes of spatially corresponding pixel data elements in the first and second perspective images so as to produce third and fourth sets of pixel data elements representative of said first and second spectrally-multiplexed images which, when sequentially displayed, said 3-D object can be stereoscopically viewed without perception of image flicker.