Stereoscopic Viewpoint Pair Selection for Display Disparity Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current stereoscopic systems are limited in their ability to adapt to different displays, leading to compatibility issues and potential eye strain due to mismatched disparity ranges between the captured stereoscopic content and the display's capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A method that selects a stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pair with the largest disparity range that satisfies the disparity constraint of the stereoscopic display, optimizing the disparity range for the object scene while avoiding computational intensive image processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a fixed separation distance between cameras is used, then the stereoscopic system is simple to operate, but the system lacks adaptability to different displays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability to different displays
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects from multiple pre-configured stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pairs with different separation distances based on the specific display being used. This allows the system to adapt its baseline to match different display characteristics while maintaining simple operation through automated selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of camera separation distance by providing multiple preset viewpoint pairs with different inter-camera distances. The system selects the appropriate separation distance parameter based on the target display's capabilities, resolving the contradiction between fixed simplicity and adaptive versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the disparity range is increased to enhance the 3D effect, then the stereoscopic effect is improved, but eye strain and viewing artifacts increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestereoscopic effect qualityVSAvoideye strain and viewing artifacts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from display capability information to determine the appropriate disparity range. By receiving information about the display's maximum supported disparity, the system automatically selects a viewpoint pair that optimizes the 3D effect while staying within safe viewing limits, thus preventing eye strain and artifacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pairs are pre-configured with different separation distances and disparity ranges. The system performs preliminary selection based on display capabilities before actual imaging, ensuring the optimal configuration is chosen in advance to avoid both insufficient 3D effect and excessive eye strain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If computational intensive image processing is used to optimize disparity, then the disparity optimization is improved, but the processing time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisparity optimization precisionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pairs are pre-calculated and stored with their respective disparity characteristics. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for real-time computational optimization during actual operation, achieving both high precision disparity matching and fast processing by selecting from pre-computed options.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The solution segments the complex optimization problem into multiple pre-configured viewpoint pairs, each representing a specific separation distance and disparity characteristic. Instead of performing continuous optimization calculations, the system discretizes the solution space into manageable segments that can be quickly selected based on display capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2532166B1Method, apparatus and computer program for selecting a stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pair
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP2532166B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2532166B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2532166B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~5C

AI summary

A method (100), apparatus (200) and computer program (204) for receiving an indication of a disparity range (SIVP1 D, SIVP2D) of an object scene from each of two or more stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pairs (SIVPi, SIVP2); receiving an indication of a disparity constraint (SDD) of a stereoscopic display (903); and selecting a stereoscopic imaging viewpoint pair whose disparity range is the largest and whose disparity range satisfies the disparity constraint of the stereoscopic display