Patent ID: 6188518
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
A method of producing three dimensional imagery comprising the steps of:a) displaying on a screen two sets of image segments, each set of said image segments being acquired from one of two spaced apart angles of view about a common centre of a subject of said imagery, one set acquired from an angle of view left of said common centre (""left acquired image segment set"") and one set acquired from an angle of view right of said common centre (""right acquired image segment set""), said image segments being displayed in an alternating pattern across the screen without any dark bands interposed between the image segments such that only half of the image segments from the left acquired image segment set and half of the image segments from the right acquired image segment set are displayed in any one of two screen display positions;b) placing a segmented grid formed by a series of alternate spaced apart slats and openings in front of the screen between an observer and the screen such that the observer initially observes the image on the screen as separated and segmented, wherein the grid is of a size and shape which corresponds to the size of the image segments seen by the observer and wherein the grid is movable between a first and a second grid position in which the slats and openings exchange positions;c) setting the grid at a pre-determined distance from the screen such that;(i) when the grid is in a first position and the image segments are displayed on the screen in a first screen display position, a first half of the image segments from the left acquired image segment set are displayed on the screen and are seen through openings of said grid by the left eve of the observer and a first half of the image segments from the right acquired image segment set are displayed on the screen and are seen by the right eye of the observer; and(ii) when the grid is in a second position and the image segments are displayed on the screen in a second screen display position, a second half of the segments from the left acquired image segment set are displayed on the screen and are seen through openings of said grid by the left eye of the observer and a second half of the segments from the right acquired image segment set are displayed on the screen and are seen by the right eye of the observer;d) synchronously oscillating the grid at a predetermined frequency between its first and second positions as the image segments are sequentially displayed on the screen in their first and second screen display positions at that same predetermined frequency such that during said oscillation, the grid is rendered invisible and the observer sees a whole coherent three dimensional image by the observer's left eye sequentially observing first and second halves of the left acquired image segment set and the observer's right eve sequentially observing first and second halves of the right acquired image segment set and wherein the whole coherent three dimensional image can be seen by the observer from any position within a wide arc in front of the screen and grid arrangement.