3D Broadcast OSD Depth Control via Disparity Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D broadcasting technologies face challenges in efficiently transmitting and receiving information required for displaying 3D images, leading to conflicts between on-screen displays (OSD) and 3D video content, causing user visual fatigue due to the lack of precise control over OSD positioning and duration during 3D broadcasts.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for processing digital broadcast signals that include encoding video data for 3D services with a video depth range descriptor indicating minimum and maximum disparity, which is transmitted and parsed to control OSD placement and duration, ensuring it does not conflict with 3D video content by integrating this information into virtual and event information tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If OSD is displayed during 3D broadcast to allow user adjustment of settings, then user control capability is improved, but visual conflict between OSD and 3D content occurs causing user visual fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies depth dimension to OSD display by utilizing the disparity information already present in 3D broadcast content. The OSD is rendered at different depth planes (disparity values) matching the surrounding 3D scene, transforming a 2D overlay problem into a 3D integrated display solution. This resolves the visual conflict by making OSD elements appear as part of the 3D scene rather than conflicting 2D overlays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts OSD display parameters (position, depth, timing) based on the disparity range of the current 3D scene. By monitoring minimum and maximum disparity values of the 3D content and adapting OSD parameters accordingly, the system ensures OSD elements are displayed at appropriate depth planes, preventing visual conflict while maintaining user control capability.
2Ease of operation
If OSD is displayed for extended duration to allow complete user input, then ease of operation is improved, but user visual fatigue increases due to prolonged exposure to conflicting displays
Solution Approach 1:
The OSD display duration and timing are made dynamic rather than static. The system monitors the disparity characteristics of the 3D content in real-time and adjusts OSD visibility accordingly. OSD elements appear only when disparity conditions are suitable and disappear when they would cause conflict, allowing sufficient input time while minimizing visual fatigue through adaptive timing.
3Manufacturing precision
If 3D broadcast includes depth information for accurate 3D rendering, then 3D display quality is improved, but data transmission complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disparity information embedded in the 3D broadcast serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables accurate 3D rendering of the main content and provides the depth reference for OSD positioning. This multi-functional use of the same data reduces transmission complexity while maintaining high 3D display quality, as the OSD system reuses the existing disparity metadata rather than requiring separate depth data streams.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed method for processing a digital broadcast signal for a 3-dimensional, 3D, service comprises encoding video data for the 3D service into a video stream, the video data comprising a left picture and a right picture for a 3D image, generating the broadcast signal having the video data and service information for the 3D service, the service information including video depth range descriptor indicating a minimum disparity and a maximum disparity that occur during a given time window of the video stream, wherein the minimum disparity and the maximum disparity are a minimum difference and a maximum difference between horizontal positions of a pixel representing a same point in space in the left and right views of 3-dimensional image, respectively, and transmitting the digital broadcast signal for the 3D service.