Method and apparatus for generating three-dimensional image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016156902-A1
Application number	US-201514813626-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image may detect a current eye position of a user and render a 3D image based on at least one of a previously detected eye position of the user and previously generated stereo images. A cycle at which the current eye position of user is detected and a cycle at which a 3D image is rendered may be asynchronous.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of generating a three-dimensional (3D) image, the method comprising:
detecting a current eye position of a user; and rendering a 3D image based on at least one of a previously detected eye position of the user and previously generated stereo images, the detecting and the rendering being performed in parallel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a cycle of the detecting and a cycle of the rendering are asynchronous.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises:
photographing the user using a camera; and detecting the current eye position of the user using the photographed image of the user.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering comprises:
estimating the current eye position based on the previously detected eye position of the user; and rendering the 3D image based on the estimated current eye position and the previously generated stereo images.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating respective stereo images for both eyes of the user based on the previously detected eye position of the user.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the generating comprises:
estimating the current eye position based on the previously detected eye position of the user; and generating the respective stereo images based on the estimated current eye position.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the estimating comprises:
calculating a speed vector of a plurality of previously detected eye positions; and estimating the current eye position based on the speed vector.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the generating comprises different operation cycles based on types of contents to be displayed.

9 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving an image, wherein the generating comprises generating the stereo images using the image.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the generating comprises:
detecting a foreground of the image; calculating a motion vector of the detected foreground; estimating a current position of the foreground in the image based on the calculated motion vector; and generating the stereo images based on the estimated current position.

11 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the generating respective stereo images comprises receiving the previously generated stereo images.

12 . An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image, the apparatus comprising:
an eye tracker configured to detect a current eye position of a user; and a renderer configured to render a 3D image based on at least one of a previously detected eye position of the user detected and previously generated stereo images, the eye tracker and the renderer being configured to detect and render in parallel.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a cycle at which the eye tracker operates and a cycle at which the renderer operates are asynchronous.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
a stereo image generator configured to generate respective stereo images of both eyes of the user based on the previously detected eye position.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the stereo image generator is configured to estimate the current eye position based on the previously detected eye position of the user, and generate the respective stereo images based on the estimated current eye position.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the stereo image generator is configured to calculate a speed vector of a plurality of previously detected eye positions, and estimate the current eye position based on the speed vector.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the stereo image generator is configured to perform different operation cycles based on types of contents to be displayed.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
an image receiver configured to receive an image, wherein the stereo image generator is configured to generate the stereo images using the image.

19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the stereo image generator is configured to detect a foreground of the image, calculate a motion vector of the detected foreground, estimate a current position of the foreground in the image based on the calculated motion vector, and generate the stereo images based on the estimated current position.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seok
• Kang Dongwoo
• Kang Byong Min
• Nam Dong Kyung
• Park Juyong
• Heo Jingu

Classifications

• H04N13/376

  for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements · CPC title

• H04N13/117 Primary

  the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking · CPC title

• G06T15/00 Primary

  Three-dimensional [3D] image rendering · CPC title

• G06T15/005

  General purpose rendering architectures · CPC title

• H04N13/0484 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic