Three-dimensional video viewing system, display system, optical shutter, and three-dimensional video viewing method

A three-dimensional video viewing system comprising:

• a display system that multiplexes and displays, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a first three-dimensional video using first polarized light, that multiplexes, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a second three-dimensional video having content that is partially different from the first three-dimensional video to display the videos using second polarized light having a polarization component from that of the first polarized light, and that outputs a control signal that indicates switching timings of the videos displayed by the first polarized light and the second polarized light, wherein the three or more videos of each of the first and second three-dimensional videos include at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality;
• an input unit that designates, for the first and second three-dimensional videos, an arbitrary display mode among a plurality of display modes in which a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are defined by a combination of two of the three or more videos including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality;
• two shutters that can select a polarization component of light to be transmitted, and switch a state in which light is transmitted and a state in which light is blocked;
• and
• a shutter driving circuit that specifies switching timings of the two videos corresponding to the display mode designated by the input unit based on the control signal, independently controls opening/closing of the two shutters based on the specified switching timings of the videos, and selects the polarization components of the polarized light used for displaying the two videos corresponding to the designated display mode by the two shutters,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the display system includes:
• a control unit that outputs a first three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos that constitute the first three-dimensional video in a time-division manner and a second three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos that constitute the second three-dimensional video;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the first three-dimensional video signal using the first polarized light, and that displays a video based on the second three-dimensional video signal using the second polarized light,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates the first three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute the first three-dimensional video, and that generates the second three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute the second three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more first video playback devices and three or more second video playback devices, and generates the first three-dimensional video signal by controlling the three or more first video playback devices in synchronization, and generates the second three-dimensional video signal by controlling the three or more second video playback devices in synchronization.

A display system comprising:

• a control unit that outputs a three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video in a time-division manner, and that outputs a control signal that indicates frame switching of the three-dimensional video signal, wherein the three or more videos include at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the three-dimensional video signal from the control unit,
• wherein, based on the control signal, a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are supplied to an external device by a combination of two of the three or more videos including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates the three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing in a time-division manner, the three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute the three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more first video playback devices, and generates the three-dimensional video signal by controlling the video playback device in synchronization.

A display system comprising:

• a control unit that outputs a first three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a first three-dimensional video and a second three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a second three-dimensional video having content that is partially different from the first three-dimensional video, and that outputs a control signal that indicates frame switching timings of the three-dimensional video signals, wherein the three or more videos of each of the first and second three-dimensional video signals include at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the first three-dimensional video signal using first polarized light, and that displays a video based on the second three-dimensional video signal using second polarized light having a polarization component from that of the first polarized light,
• wherein, based on the control signal, for each of the first and second three-dimensional videos, a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are supplied to an external device by a combination of two of the three or more videos that constitute the three-dimensional video, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates the first three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, the three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute the first three-dimensional video, and that generates the second three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, the three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute the second three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more first video playback devices and three or more second video playback devices, generates the first three-dimensional video signal by controlling the three or more first video playback devices in synchronization, and generates the second three-dimensional video signal by controlling the three or more second video playback devices in synchronization.

A display system comprising:

• a control unit that outputs three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a first three-dimensional video and three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a second three-dimensional video partially different in content from the first three-dimensional video, and that outputs a control signal that indicates frame switching timings of the video signals;
• three or more first display devices that display videos based on the three or more three-dimensional video signals that constitute the first three-dimensional video from the control unit using first polarized light;
• three or more second display devices that display videos based on the three or more three-dimensional video signals that constitute the second three-dimensional video from the control unit using second polarized light different in polarization component from the first polarized light;
• and
• a plurality of shutters which are installed in the three or more first display devices and the three or more second display devices, and which are configured to switch, according to the control signal from the control unit, a state in which a displayed video is transmitted and a state in which the displayed video is blocked,
• wherein the plurality of shutters displays the video based on the three or more video signals that constitute the first three-dimensional video by multiplexing the video in a time-division manner, and displays the video based on the three or more video signals that constitute the second three-dimensional video by multiplexing the video in a time-division manner,
• wherein the video that is displayed is a combination of two of the three or more video signals, including a video signal having a reduced three-dimensionality,
• wherein the two of the three or more video signals, including the video signal having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the control unit includes three or more first video playback devices and three or more second video playback devices, outputs the three or more video signals that constitute the first three-dimensional video by controlling the three or more first video playback devices in synchronization, and outputs the three or more video signals that constitute the second three-dimensional video by controlling the three or more second video playback devices in synchronization.

An optical shutter communicable with a display system that multiplexes and displays, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video, and outputs a control signal that indicates a switching timing of each video, comprising;

• an input unit that designates an arbitrary display mode among a plurality of display modes in which a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are defined by a combination of two of the three or more videos including at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality;
• two shutters that switch a state in which light is transmitted and a state in which light is blocked;
• and
• a shutter driving circuit that specifies switching timings of the two videos corresponding to the display mode designated by the input unit based on the control signal, and that independently controls opening/closing of the two shutters based on the specified switching timings of the videos,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the display system includes:
• a control unit that outputs a three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos in a time-division manner;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the three-dimensional video signal,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates a three-dimensional video signal b multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more video playback devices, and generates the three-dimensional video signal by controlling the video playback devices in synchronization.

An optical shutter communicable with a display system that multiplexes and displays, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a first three-dimensional video using first polarized light, that multiplexes, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a second three-dimensional video partially different in content from the first three-dimensional video to display the videos using second polarized light different in polarization component from the first polarized light, and that outputs a control signal indicating switching timings of the videos displayed by the first polarized light and the second polarized light, comprising;

• an input unit that designates, for the first and second three-dimensional videos, an arbitrary display mode among a plurality of display modes in which a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are defined by a combination of two of the three or more videos including at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality;
• two shutters that can select a polarization component of light to be transmitted, and switch a state in which light is transmitted and a state in which light is blocked;
• and
• a shutter driving circuit that specifies switching timings of the two videos corresponding to the display mode designated by the input unit based on the control signal, that independently controls opening/closing of the two shutters based on the specified switching timings of the videos, and that selects the polarization components of the polarized light used for displaying the two videos corresponding to the designated display mode by the two shutters,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the display system includes:
• a control unit that outputs a three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos in a time-division manner;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the three-dimensional video signal,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates a three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more video playback devices, and generates the three-dimensional video signal by controlling the video playback devices in synchronization.

A three-dimensional video viewing method of multiplexing and displaying, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video in a display system, and of observing the displayed videos via two shutters that switch a state in which light is transmitted and a state in which light is blocked, comprising:

• receiving a control signal that indicates switching timings of the three or more videos from the display system;
• and
• specifying, when a display mode is designated among a plurality of display modes in which a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are defined by a combination of two of the three or more videos, switching timings of the two videos corresponding to the designated display mode based on the control signal, and independently controlling opening/closing of the two shutters based on the specified switching timings of the videos,
• wherein a video that is displayed is a combination of two of the three or more videos, including a video having a reduced three-dimensionality,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the display system includes:
• a control unit that outputs a three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos in a time-division manner;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the three-dimensional video signal,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates a three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more video playback devices, and generates the three-dimensional video signal by controlling the video playback devices in synchronization.

A three-dimensional video viewing method of multiplexing and displaying, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a first three-dimensional video by first polarized light in a display system, of multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more videos that are different in parallax and that constitute a second three-dimensional video having a content that is partially different from the first three-dimensional video to display the videos by second polarized light having a polarization component that is different from that of the first polarized light, and of observing the displayed videos via two shutters that switch a state in which light is transmitted and a state in which light is blocked, comprising:

• receiving a control signal that indicates switching timings of the videos displayed by the first polarized light and the second polarized light;
• and
• specifying, for the first and second three-dimensional videos, when a display mode is designated among a plurality of display modes in which a plurality of three-dimensional videos different in three-dimensionality are defined by a combination of two of the three or more videos including at least a video having a reduced three-dimensionality, switching timings of the two videos corresponding to the designated display mode based on the control signal, independently controlling opening/closing of the two shutters based on the specified switching timings of the videos, and selecting the polarization components of the polarized light used for displaying the two videos corresponding to the designated display mode by the two shutters,
• wherein the two of the three or more videos, including at least the video having the reduced three-dimensionality, are combined to reduce viewing fatigue of a plurality of different users located at different positions relative to a display of the combination, while displaying a same combination to all the different users,
• wherein the display system permits a viewer to select from a first three-dimensional video adapted for viewing by multiple viewers, a second three-dimensional video with the reduced three-dimensionality adapted to a particular viewer and not for viewing by the multiple viewers to reduce viewing fatigue by the particular viewer, and a two-dimensional video,
• wherein a parallax amount of the second three-dimensional video is smaller than a parallax amount of the first three-dimensional video,
• wherein the display system includes:
• a control unit that outputs a three-dimensional video signal generated by multiplexing the three or more videos in a time-division manner;
• and
• a display unit that displays a video based on the three-dimensional video signal,
• wherein the control unit includes a three-dimensional video generation unit that generates a three-dimensional video signal by multiplexing, in a time-division manner, three or more video signals that are different in parallax and that constitute a three-dimensional video,
• and wherein the three-dimensional video generation unit includes three or more video playback devices, and generates the three-dimensional video signal by controlling the video plalback devices in synchronization.