Method and apparatus of light field rendering for plurality of users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017041596-A1
Application number	US-201615041584-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 11, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A rendering method for a plurality of users includes mapping positions of both eyes of a first user and positions of both eyes of a second user to a view area, the view area corresponding to a pixel. The method includes determining a value of the pixel based on the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user and the mapped positions of both eyes of the second user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A rendering method for a plurality of users, the method comprising:
mapping positions of both eyes of a first user and positions of both eyes of a second user to a viewing area, the viewing area corresponding to a pixel; and determining a value of the pixel based on the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user and the mapped positions of both eyes of the second user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewing area comprises a viewing cone, the viewing cone corresponding to a pair including the pixel and an optical element included in an optical layer.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping comprises mapping the positions of both eyes of the first user and the positions of both eyes of the second user to the viewing area based on relative positions between the pixel and optical elements included in an optical layer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel to display a stereo image at the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to the first user; and determining the value of the pixel to display a left image or a right image of the stereo image at a mapped position of at least one of both eyes of the second user if the ray direction corresponds to the second user.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the ray direction comprises a ray direction that is propagated through the pixel and an optical element included in an optical layer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel based on a left image of a stereo image if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the first user; and determining the value of the pixel based on a right image of the stereo image if the ray direction corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the first user.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel based on a left image of a stereo image for the first user if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the second user and the mapped position of the left eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the first user; and determining the value of the pixel based on a right image of the stereo image if the ray direction corresponds to the mapped position of the left eye of the second user and the mapped position of the left eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the first user.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel based on a left image of a stereo image for the first user or an image of a further left view than the left image if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the second user and a mapped position of a right eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the first user; and determining the value of the pixel based on the left image or a right image of the stereo image if the ray direction corresponds to the mapped position of the left eye of the second user and the mapped position of the right eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the first user.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel based on a left image of a stereo image for the first user if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the second user and the mapped position of the right eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the first user; and determining the value of the pixel based on a right image of the stereo image if the ray direction corresponds to the mapped position of the right eye of the second user and the mapped position of the right eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the first user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining the value of the pixel based on a left image of a stereo image for the first user or a right image of the stereo image if a ray direction of the pixel corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the second user and a mapped position of a left eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a left eye of the first user; and determining the value of the pixel based on the right image or an image of a further right view than the right image if the ray direction corresponds to the mapped position of the right eye of the second user and a mapped position of a left eye of the second user corresponds to a mapped position of a right eye of the first user.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises determining the value of the pixel based on at least one of an order in which the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user and the mapped positions of both eyes of the second user are arranged within the viewing area and distances between the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user and the mapped positions of both eyes of the second user.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
dividing the viewing area into a plurality of sub-viewing areas based on the mapped positions of both eyes of the first user and the mapped positions of both eyes of the second user; and determining the value of the pixel based on contents of a sub-viewing area corresponding to a ray direction of the pixel.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the determining comprises:
determining contents of a first sub-viewing area for the first user from among the plurality of sub-viewing areas; and determining contents of a second sub-viewing area for the second user from among the plurality of sub-viewing areas based on the contents of the first sub-viewing area.

14 . A rendering method for a plurality of users, the method comprising:
determining values of first pixels to display a stereo image at positions of both eyes of a first user; and determining values of second pixels to display an image associated with the stereo image at positions of both eyes of a second user based on a correlation between the positions of both eyes of the first user and the positions of both eyes of the second user, the second pixels excluding the first pixels.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the image associated with the stereo image comprises at least one of the stereo image, a left image of the stereo image, a right image of the stereo image, a stereo image of a further left view than the stereo image, and a stereo image of a further right view than the stereo image.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining the values of second pixels comprises determining the values of second pixels to display a left image or a right image of the stereo image at one or more positions of both eyes of the second user.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, if the positions of both eyes of the first user and the positions of both eyes of the second user are mapped to a viewing area, the correlation comprises at least one of an order in which the mapped positions are arranged and distances between the mapped positions.

18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer readable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the method of claim 1 in combination with hardware.

19 . A rendering apparatus fo

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Juyong
• Nam Dong Kyung
• Lee Seok

Classifications

• G02B27/0093

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · CPC title

• G02B30/27

  involving lenticular arrays · CPC title

• H04N13/144 Primary

  for flicker reduction · CPC title

• H04N13/305

  using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses · CPC title

• H04N13/31

  using parallax barriers · CPC title