Transmitting apparatus, stereoscopic image data transmitting method, receiving apparatus, and stereoscopic image data receiving method

1. A transmitting apparatus comprising:

an image data output unit that outputs stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data for displaying a stereoscopic image;

a data transmitting unit that transmits the stereoscopic image data output from the image data output unit to an external device through a transmission path; and

an information acquisition unit that acquires information related to a screen size from the external device through the transmission path,

wherein

a visual distance is determined according to one of (i) a user setting the visual distance and (ii) automatically setting the visual distance based on the screen size,

an angle of view is computed based on the visual distance and an interpupillary distance,

wherein the angle of view is computed for one pupil by calculating a first partial angle of view corresponding to a first portion of the screen based in part by subtracting the interpupillary distance from the screen size, calculating a second partial angle of view corresponding to an adjacent second portion of the screen based in part by adding the interpupillary distance to the screen size, and adding the first partial angle of view to the second partial angle of view, and

the image data output unit outputs the stereoscopic image data suited for the screen size, the visual distance, and the angle of view.

2. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the image data output unit uses recommended visual distance information obtained based on the screen size as the visual distance information.

3. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an adjustment unit for a user to adjust the screen size and the visual distance by using the screen size and the recommended visual distance as default values.

4. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when the information acquired by the information acquisition unit indicates that the screen size is sufficiently large, the image data output unit outputs the stereoscopic image data suited for a case where the screen size is sufficiently large.

5. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the image data output unit dynamically generates the stereoscopic image data based on the screen size information and outputs the stereoscopic image data.

6. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the image data output unit estimates depth information based on existing stereoscopic image data, corrects the existing stereoscopic image data based on the estimated depth information and the screen size information and outputs the stereoscopic image data.

7. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the information acquisition unit acquires information related to the screen size by reading the information from a storage unit included in the external device.

8. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the data transmitting unit transmits the stereoscopic image data to the external device through the transmission path by differential signals over a plurality of channels.

9. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the information acquisition unit acquires information related to the screen size from the external device through a control data line making up the transmission path.

10. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the information acquisition unit acquires information related to the screen size through a two-way communication path made up of a predetermined line of the transmission path.

11. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the two-way communication path is a pair of differential transmission paths, and at least one of the pair of differential transmission paths has a function of notifying a connection state of the external device with a direct-current bias potential.

12. A stereoscopic image data transmitting method comprising the steps of:

outputting stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data for displaying a stereoscopic image;

transmitting the stereoscopic image data output in the step of outputting stereoscopic image data to an external device through a transmission path; and

acquiring information related to a screen size from the external device through the transmission path,

wherein

a visual distance is determined according to one of (i) a user setting the visual distance and (ii) automatically setting the visual distance based on the screen size,

an angle of view is computed based on the visual distance and an interpupillary distance,

wherein the angle of view is computed for one pupil by calculating a first partial angle of view corresponding to a first portion of the screen based in part by subtracting the interpupillary distance from the screen size, calculating a second partial angle of view corresponding to an adjacent second portion of the screen based in part by adding the interpupillary distance to the screen size, and adding the first partial angle of view to the second partial angle of view, and

the step of outputting stereoscopic image data outputs the stereoscopic image data suited for the screen size, the visual distance, and the angle of view.

13. A receiving apparatus comprising:

a data receiving unit that receives stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data for displaying a stereoscopic image from an external device through a transmission path;

a data processing unit that processes the stereoscopic image data received by the data receiving unit and obtains the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data; and

an information supply unit that supplies information related to a screen size to the external device through the transmission path,

wherein

a visual distance is determined according to one of (i) a user setting the visual distance and (ii) automatically setting the visual distance based on the screen size,

an angle of view is computed based on the visual distance and an interpupillary distance,

wherein the angle of view is computed for one pupil by calculating a first partial angle of view corresponding to a first portion of the screen based in part by subtracting the interpupillary distance from the screen size, calculating a second partial angle of view corresponding to an adjacent second portion of the screen based in part by adding the interpupillary distance to the screen size, and adding the first partial angle of view to the second partial angle of view, and

the data receiving unit receives stereoscopic image data suited for the screen size, the visual distance, and the angle of view.

14. The receiving apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

when the screen size is sufficiently large, the information supply unit supplies information indicating that the screen size is sufficiently large as the information related to the screen size.

15. The receiving apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

the data receiving unit receives the stereoscopic image data from the external device through the transmission path by differential signals over a plurality of channels.

16. A stereoscopic image data receiving method comprising the steps of:

receiving stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data for displaying a stereoscopic image from an external device through a transmission path;

processing the stereoscopic image data received in the step of receiving stereoscopic image data and obtaining the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data; and

supplying information related to a screen size to the external device through the transmission path,

wherein

a visual distance is determined according to one of (i) a user setting the visual distance and (ii) automatically setting the visual distance based on the screen size,

an angle of view is computed based on the visual distance and an interpupillary distance,

wherein the angle of view is computed for one pupil by calculating a first partial angle of view corresponding to a first portion of the screen based in part by subtracting the interpupillary distance from the screen size, calculating a second partial angle of view corresponding to an adjacent second portion of the screen based in part by adding the interpupillary distance to the screen size, and adding the first partial angle of view to the second partial angle of view, and

the step of receiving stereoscopic image data receives stereoscopic image data suited for the screen size, the visual distance, and the angle view.