Stereoscopic Display Parallax Control for Natural Depth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stereoscopic display technologies struggle to provide a natural and smooth stereoscopic effect, particularly in managing parallax and object movement within the effective display range, leading to awkward user experiences and inefficient processing.

Innovation Solution

A display control program and system that calculates parallax for objects and adjusts their display state by moving them in and out of the effective display range based on calculated parallax values, using a pair of virtual cameras to maintain stereoscopic effect and simplify processing, while ensuring natural object movement and reduced user discomfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If parallax of an object is increased to enhance stereoscopic effect, then visual recognition of the object is improved, but the object pops up excessively from the display surface causing unnatural appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestereoscopic effectVSAvoidnatural appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the display state of objects adaptive rather than static. Objects automatically transition between displayed and non-displayed states based on real-time parallax calculations, creating a dynamic system that responds to viewing conditions. This resolves the contradiction by allowing high parallax objects to be hidden when they would pop up excessively, while still maintaining stereoscopic effect for objects with appropriate parallax values.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of object display state based on parallax values. By calculating parallax for each object and comparing it against threshold values, the system dynamically adjusts which objects are displayed and which are hidden. This parameter-based control allows the system to maintain natural appearance by suppressing objects with excessive pop-up effects while preserving stereoscopic display for objects within the optimal parallax range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If multiple objects are displayed with different parallax values, then stereoscopic depth is improved, but processing complexity increases due to managing display states of multiple objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestereoscopic depthVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling objects to automatically determine their own display state based on their calculated parallax values. Each object is evaluated independently against the same threshold criteria, eliminating the need for complex centralized management of multiple objects. This self-service mechanism reduces processing complexity while maintaining accurate stereoscopic depth representation for all objects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter-based decision making where each object's display state is determined by comparing its parallax parameter against predefined thresholds. This standardized parameter evaluation approach simplifies the processing of multiple objects with different parallax values, as the same computational logic applies uniformly to all objects regardless of their individual characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If objects are frequently moved in and out of display range to maintain natural stereoscopic effect, then user comfort is improved, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser comfortVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating parallax values for all objects before determining their display states. This advance calculation allows the system to efficiently decide which objects should be displayed or hidden without requiring repeated computations during rendering. The preliminary parallax assessment reduces processing overhead while maintaining user comfort through consistent and natural stereoscopic effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2530648B1Display control program for controlling display capable of providing stereoscopic display, display system and display control method
Publication Date: 2019.04.10 NINTENDO CO LTD
  • EP2530648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2530648B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP2530648B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A display control program for controlling a display capable of providing stereoscopic display is provided. The display control program causes a computer of the display to function as image output means (1016) for outputting an image for left eye and an image for right eye to the display, parallax calculation means (1004) for calculating parallax produced when an object is displayed on the display, and movement-and-display means (1010) for carrying out at least one of movement of a displayed object out of an effective display range and movement of a not-displayed object into the effective display range in accordance with the calculated parallax.