Viewpoint detecting apparatus, viewpoint detecting method, and three-dimensional image display system

A viewpoint position detecting method for detecting and outputting a viewpoint position of a subject,

• said viewpoint position being represented by a combination of first position information representing a position with respect to a first direction and second position information representing a position with respect to a second direction different from said first direction, said method comprising:
• a first position detecting step of detecting said first position information by using a first method;
• a second position detecting step of detecting said second position information by using a method different from said first method;
• and
• an output step of outputting said first and second position information as said viewpoint position,
• wherein the precision of said second position information is lower than that of said first position information or the detection frequency of said second position information is lower than that of said first position information.

A image display apparatus comprising:

• display means for displaying first and second images enabling stereovision;
• viewpoint position detecting means capable of detecting a viewpoint position in the horizontal direction or vertical direction with respect to an observer and a viewpoint position in the depth direction with respect to the observer;
• and
• control means for controlling the display status of said first and second images displayed by the display means based on the viewpoint position of the observer detected by said viewpoint position detecting means;
• wherein the period of detecting the viewpoint position in depth direction with respect to the observer is set so as to be longer than the period of detecting the viewpoint position in the horizontal or vertical direction in said viewpoint position detecting means.

A method for controlling an image display apparatus having display means for displaying first and second images enabling stereovision, comprising:

• a viewpoint position detecting step capable of detecting a viewpoint position in a horizontal direction or vertical direction with respect to an observer and a viewpoint position in a depth direction with respect to the observer;
• and
• a control step of controlling a display status of said first and second images displayed by said display means based on the viewpoint position of the observer detected by said viewpoint position detecting step;
• wherein the period of detecting the viewpoint position in the depth direction with respect to said observer is set so as to be longer than the period of detecting said viewpoint position in the horizontal or vertical direction in the viewpoint position detecting step.