IP Library Granted Patent US 9,094,657
Granted Patent B2
US 9,094,657 · App. 13/556,661 · Granted Jul 28, 2015

Electronic apparatus and method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,094,657
App. No.
13/556,661
Granted
Jul 28, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a stereoscopic image converting method includes: generating a first depth map comprising depth values of pixels of an input video, wherein the depth values are estimated based on an amount of a characteristic of the input video, and wherein the depth values are represented by pixel shading; generating a second depth map by correcting the depth values of pixels within a distance from each of right and left ends of the depth map to become closer to a depth value corresponding to a screen of a display not protruding forward or recede rearward in stereoscopic viewing as the pixels within the first distance are positioned closer to the each of the right and left ends of the depth map; and generating a multi-parallax image by shifting pixels of the input video by an amount horizontally based on the depth values of the second depth map.

Claims (42)

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

generate a first depth map comprising depth values of pixels of an input video, wherein the depth values are estimated based on an amount of a characteristic of the input video, and wherein the depth values are represented by pixel shading;

set a protruding amount and a depth amount with respect to a screen surface of a display;

calculate the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display based on the set protruding amount and the set depth amount;

generate a second depth map by correcting the depth values of pixels within a first distance from each of right and left ends of the first depth map to become closer to the calculated depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display that does not protrude forward or recede rearward in stereoscopic viewing as the pixels within the first distance are positioned closer to the each of the right and left ends of the first depth map; and

generate a multi-parallax image by shifting pixels of the input video by an amount horizontally based on the depth values of the second depth map.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein

the circuitry is configured to, based on the set protruding amount and the set depth amount, calculate the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display by Equation (1):

D screen =D MAX *Z + /( Z − +Z + )  (1)

wherein D screen represents the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display, DMAX represents a maximum depth value, Z + represents a maximum protruding amount, and Z − +Z + represents a depth range Z − +Z + .

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to set the first distance to equal to or more than a maximum shift amount obtained when the multi-parallax image is generated.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the circuitry is configured to decrease a weight coefficient within the first distance from the each of ends of the each of right and left ends of the depth map, and to correct, by Equation (2), the depth values of the pixels within the first distance:

D′ ( x )= W*D screen +(1.0 −W )* D ( x )  (2)

wherein D′(x) represents a corrected depth value, W represents the weight coefficient, D screen represents the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display, and D(x) represents a depth value before being corrected.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to:

encode a video signal;

generate a first depth map comprising depth values of pixels of an input video, wherein the depth values are estimated based on an amount of a characteristic of the input video, and wherein the depth values are represented by pixel shading;

set a protruding amount and a depth amount with respect to a screen surface of a display;

calculate the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display based on the set protruding amount and the set depth amount;

generate a second depth map by correcting the depth values of pixels within a distance from each of right and left ends of the first depth map to become closer to the calculated depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display that does not protrude forward or recede rearward in stereoscopic viewing as the pixels within the distance are positioned closer to the each of the right and left ends of the first depth map;

generate a multi-parallax image by shifting pixels of the input video by an amount horizontally based on the depth values of the second depth map;

convert an encoded input video signal into a video signal for stereoscopic display;

convert the converted video signal for stereoscopic display into a video signal in a format for display on a display; and

output the video signal.

6. A method comprising:

generating a first depth map comprising depth values of pixels of an input video, wherein the depth values are estimated based on an amount of a characteristic of the input video, and wherein the depth values are represented by pixel shading;

setting a protruding amount and a depth amount with respect to a screen surface of a display;

calculating the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display based on the set protruding amount and the set depth amount;

generating a second depth map by correcting the depth values of pixels within a first distance from each of right and left ends of the depth map to become closer to the calculated depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display that does not protrude forward or recede rearward in stereoscopic viewing as the pixels within the first distance are positioned closer to the each of the right and left ends of the depth map; and

generating a multi-parallax image by shifting pixels of the input video by an amount horizontally based on the depth values of the second depth map.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein

generating a second depth map comprises, based on the set protruding amount and the set depth amount, calculating the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display by Equation (1):

D screen =D MAX* Z + /( Z − +Z + )  (1)

wherein D screen represents the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display, DMAX represents a maximum depth value, Z + represents a maximum protruding amount, and Z − +Z + represents a depth range Z − +Z + .

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating a second depth map comprises setting the first distance to equal to or more than a maximum shift amount obtained when the multi-parallax image is generated.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating a second depth map comprises decreasing a weight coefficient within the first distance from the each of ends of the each of right and left ends of the depth map, and correcting, by Equation (2), the depth values of the pixels within the first distance:

D′ ( x )= W*D screen (1.0 −W )* D ( x )  (2)

wherein D′(x) represents a corrected depth value, W represents the weight coefficient, D screen represents the depth value corresponding to the screen surface of the display, and D(x) represents a depth value before being corrected.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2021
From: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058666/0407 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058255/0579 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2021
From: HISENSE VISUAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056681/0441 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2020
From: TOSHIBA VISUAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: HISENSE VISUAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051493/0333 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA VISUAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046640/0626 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2012
From: OSHIKIRI, MAKOTO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 028627/0260 →