Hardware based interdigitation
View Patent ↗A system and method for interdigitating multiple perspective views in a stereoscopic image viewing system. A lenticular sheet is affixed in intimate juxtaposition with a display area having a defined aspect ratio. The display area includes a plurality of scan lines each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel including subpixels. A map having the same resolution as the display is created to store values corresponding to each subpixel in the display area. Preferably, the map is generated beforehand and stored for later use through a lookup operation. A buffer stores a frame having n views, wherein each of the n views has the same aspect ratio as the display area. A plurality of masks is also created and stored. Each mask corresponds to a unique one of the n views and includes opaque areas and a plurality of transparent windows, each of which corresponds to a selected subpixel location. The n views are then interdigitated while applying the corresponding masks, and a value is assigned to each subpixel using the map.
1. An apparatus configured to interdigitate stereoscopic views, comprising:
an input buffer configured to store pixel data in n views, wherein each of the n views has an aspect ratio substantially similar to a display area;
a plurality of n masks configured to mask pixel data in the n views, each of the plurality of n masks corresponding to each of the n views, each mask having at least one masked area and at least one transparent area, each masked area and each transparent area corresponding to a selected subpixel location; and
a software routine configured to interdigitate the n views by receiving pixel data in n views from the input buffer, masking pixel data using the plurality of n masks to form n masked pixel data frames and combining the n masked pixel data frames into a single combined pixel data frame.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pixel data forms part of a moving stereoscopic image.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein combining the n masked pixel data frames comprises performing an OR operation on the n masked pixel data frames to provide selected pixel data into the single combined pixel data frame.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each mask comprises a plurality of masked areas and a plurality of transparent areas, wherein masked areas and transparent areas are different for each mask.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a post-interdigitation sharpener configured to receive the single combined pixel data frame and sharpen the single combined pixel data frame.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each mask is simulated and each masked area comprises a masked numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, masks the pixel data, and each transparent area comprises a transparent numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, enables passage of all pixel data.
7. A method of interdigitating multiple perspective views in a stereoscopic image viewing system, comprising:
creating and storing, on a storable medium, at least one frame of pixel data configured in n views, wherein each of the n views has an aspect ratio substantially similar to a display area;
creating and storing, on the storable medium, a plurality of n masks, each of the plurality of n masks corresponding to each of the n views, each mask having at least one masked area and at least one transparent area, each masked area and each transparent area corresponding to a selected subpixel location; and
interdigitating the n views by receiving pixel data in n views, masking pixel data using the plurality of n masks to form n masked pixel data frames, and combining the n masked pixel data frames into a single combined pixel data frame.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising creating a map having a resolution substantially identical to the display area, wherein the map stores, on the storable medium, a value corresponding to each subpixel in the display area, wherein the interdigitating employs the map.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pixel data forms part of a moving stereoscopic image.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein combining the n masked pixel data frames comprises performing an OR operation on the n masked pixel data frames to provide selected pixel data into the single combined pixel data frame.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein each mask comprises a plurality of masked areas and a plurality of transparent areas, wherein masked areas and transparent areas are different for each mask.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising performing post-interdigitation sharpening by receiving the single combined pixel data frame and sharpening the single combined pixel data frame.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein each mask is simulated and each masked area comprises a masked numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, masks the pixel data, and each transparent area comprises a transparent numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, enables passage of all pixel data.
14. An interdigitation apparatus, comprising:
an input buffer configured to receive and store pixel data in n views, wherein each of the n views has an aspect ratio substantially similar to a display area;
masking means for providing a plurality of n masks configured to mask pixel data in the n views, each of the plurality of n masks corresponding to each of the n views, each mask having at least one masked area and at least one transparent area, each masked area and each transparent area corresponding to a selected subpixel location; and
computation means for receiving pixel data in n views from the input buffer, masking pixel data using the plurality of n masks to form n masked pixel data frames and combining the n masked pixel data frames into a single combined pixel data frame, thereby interdigitating the pixel data in n views.
15. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the pixel data forms part of a moving stereoscopic image.
16. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , wherein combining the n masked pixel data frames comprises performing an OR operation on the n masked pixel data frames to provide selected pixel data into the single combined pixel data frame.
17. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each mask comprises a plurality of masked areas and a plurality of transparent areas, wherein masked areas and transparent areas are different for each mask.
18. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a post-interdigitation sharpener configured to receive the single combined pixel data frame and sharpen the single combined pixel data frame.
19. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each mask is simulated and each masked area comprises a masked numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, masks the pixel data, and each transparent area comprises a transparent numerical coefficient that, when combined with pixel data, enables passage of all pixel data.
20. The interdigitation apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the computation means employs a map comprising values corresponding to each subpixel in the display area.