System and method for generating stereoscopic image data

A system for generating stereoscopic image data from animation data comprising modelling data and 2D camera animation curve data created for a 2D comprising:

• A. database means for storing the modelling data and the 2D camera animation curve data;
• (b) stereoscopic camera animation curve data generation means responsive to the animation curve data, for generating stereoscopic camera animation curve data for at least one stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the 2D camera;
• and
• (c) rendering means responsive to the stereoscopic camera animation curve data and responsive to modelling data for rendering stereoscopic image data.

A method for generating stereoscopic camera animation curve data from 2D camera animation curve data, comprising the following steps:

• (a) generating a dummy node;
• (b) generating a first stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the dummy node;
• (c) generating a second stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the dummy node and separated from the first stereoscopic camera;
• (d) applying the 2D animation curve data to the dummy node;
• (e) generating first stereoscopic camera animation curve data correlated to the 2D animation curve data;
• and
• (f) generating second stereoscopic camera animation curve data correlated to the 2D animation curve data.

A method for generating stereoscopic camera animation curve data from 2D camera animation curve data created for a 2D camera, comprising the following steps:

• (a) generating a second stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the 2D camera and separated from the 2D camera;
• (b) applying the 2D animation curve data to the 2D camera;
• and
• (c) generating second stereoscopic camera animation curve data correlated to the 2D animation curve data.

A method for generating stereoscopic image data from animation data comprising modelling data and 2D camera animation curve data, comprising the following steps:

• (a) generating a dummy node;
• (b) generating a first stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the dummy node;
• (c) generating a second stereoscopic camera fixed in position and alignment relative to the dummy node and separated from the first stereoscopic camera;
• (d) applying the 2D animation curve data to the dummy node;
• (e) generating first stereoscopic camera animation curve data correlated to the 2D animation curve data;
• (f) generating second stereoscopic camera animation curve data correlated to the 2D animation curve data;
• (g) rendering first stereoscopic image data correlated to the first stereoscopic camera animation curve data and to the modelling data;
• and
• (h) rendering second stereoscopic image data correlated to the second stereoscopic camera animation curve data and to the modelling data.

A system for determining attributes of a stereoscopic image to be generated using modelling data and a first stereoscopic camera and a second stereoscopic camera, comprising:

• (a) an input device;
• (b) processing means capable of receiving measured data from the input device correlated to measurements in arbitrary but internally consistent modelling units taken from the modelling data and the position of the first and second stereoscopic cameras, for calculating attribute data correlated to attributes of the stereoscopic image in real world units;
• and
• (c) an output device operationally coupled to the processing means for displaying the attribute data.