3D Control Menu Depth Positioning for Stereoscopic Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
In three-dimensional television systems, the visibility of control menus is compromised when they are not positioned relative to the stereoscopic images in three-dimensional space, causing user strain and discomfort due to the need to adjust focus.
Innovation Solution
The control menu is displayed by overwriting the image of other objects in the three-dimensional space, moving it away from the viewpoint in the depth direction, and adjusting luminance values to enhance visibility, allowing the menu to be viewed clearly without requiring adjustments in eye focus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the control menu is displayed superimposed on stereoscopic images in three-dimensional space, then the menu can be presented to the user, but the visibility of the control menu becomes poor when disregarding the relative positions of stereoscopic images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by moving the control menu from the two-dimensional display plane into the three-dimensional virtual space. The menu is positioned at a specific depth coordinate (e.g., z = -10 meters) in the three-dimensional space, allowing it to be displayed at a different depth plane than the stereoscopic images. This spatial separation in the depth dimension enables the menu to be visible without requiring users to adjust their focus, as the menu and images occupy different depth planes.
2Loss of information
If the control menu is positioned at various depths in three-dimensional space, then the menu can be displayed, but the menu may be obscured by other objects when not positioned relative to stereoscopic images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating the depth coordinate of the control menu based on the depth information of objects in the stereoscopic images. Before displaying the menu, the system determines the appropriate depth position (e.g., behind or in front of the farthest/nearthest object) to ensure the menu will not be obscured. This advance positioning ensures the menu remains visible regardless of the spatial distribution of objects in the three-dimensional scene.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-dimensional content playback unit (10) outputs to two or more image buffers a plurality of stereoscopic images of three-dimensional content, including a first parallax image and a second parallax image, resulting from viewing an object in a virtual three-dimensional space from different viewpoints. An interrupt request receiving unit (12) receives an interrupt request requesting that a control menu be displayed. A control menu output unit (16) overwrites, responsive to the acquisition of an interrupt request by the interrupt request receiving unit (12), a drawn image of an object in a three-dimensional space with an image of an object of the control menu drawn with parallax while moving the object of the control menu in the depth direction of the virtual three-dimensional space away from the viewpoint, regardless of the relative positions of the object of the control menu and the object in the three-dimensional space.