Patent ID: 7734085

Claim:
An image data distribution system, comprising: an image data transmitting apparatus that includes, a request information receiving unit that receives client's request information transmitted by way of a network, a request information analyzing unit that analyzes the request information received by the request information receiving unit, a multiple viewpoint image supply unit which selects necessary image data from coded and stored multiple viewpoint image data of images taken by a plurality of cameras, based on viewpoint information from the request information analyzed by the request information analyzing unit and decodes and supplies selected data, an image generating unit which, based on image data supplied from the multiple viewpoint image supplying unit, generates left eye viewpoint image data and right eye viewpoint image data of an image viewed from a viewpoint in conformity with the request information, an image synthesizing unit that synthesizes the left eye viewpoint image data and the right eye viewpoint image data generated by the image generating unit, based on display unit information from the request information, by joining the left eye viewpoint image data and the right eye viewpoint image data side-by-side, a coding unit that encodes image data synthesized by the image synthesizing unit, a transmitting unit that transmits the encoded image data to the network; and an image data receiving apparatus that includes, a receiving unit that receives the encoded image data via the network, a decoding unit that decodes the encoded image data received by the receiving unit, an image processing unit that processes the decoded image data into a stereoscopic display format so as to be displayable on a display unit, the display unit displaying image data processed by the image processing unit, a request information input unit that allows input of the client's request information, and a request information transmitting unit that transmits the request information to the network.