Patent ID: 6011581
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: G02B,G02F,G03B,G06F,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
A system for producing and displaying stereoscopically-multiplexed images of either real or synthetic 3-D objects presented or represented in an object space in a way which permits realistic stereoscopic viewing thereof in a virtual reality (VR) viewing environment, said system comprising:image display means disposed within an image display space, and having a display surface for displaying said stereoscopically-multiplexed images of said real or synthetic 3-D objects;parameter acquisition means for continuously acquiring a complete set of viewing parameters of a viewer disposed relative to said display surface, said complete set of viewing parameters includinginformation regarding the position and orientation of the eyes of the viewer relative to a first coordinate reference frame embedded within the head of said viewer,information regarding the position and orientation of said head relative to a second coordinate reference frame embedded within said display surface, andinformation regarding the position and orientation of said image display means relative to a third coordinate reference frame embedded within said image display space;stereoscopic image pair production means for producing stereoscopic image pairs of said real or synthetic 3-D objects using said complete set of viewing parameters;stereoscopically-multiplexed image production means for producing said stereoscopically-multiplexed images of said real or synthetic 3-D objects using said stereoscopic image pairs;image mapping means for mapping said stereoscopic image pairs onto said display surface for viewing by said viewer; andimage viewing means through which said displayed stereoscopically-multiplexed images can be viewed by the eyes of said viewer so as to permit realistic stereoscopic viewing of said real or synthetic 3-D objects in said VR viewing environment.