IP Library Granted Patent US 11,159,781
Granted Patent B2
US 11,159,781 · App. 16/039,424 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Image processing apparatus, camera apparatus, and output control method

Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi (Fukuoka, JP); Yuma Kobayashi (Fukuoka, JP); Haruo Kogane (Fukuoka, JP); Masayuki Serizawa (Fukuoka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
H04N13/359H04N5/2353H04N13/128H04N13/15H04N13/194H04N13/239H04N13/257H04N13/289H04N2005/2255H04N2013/0081
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,159,781
App. No.
16/039,424
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided an image processing apparatus connected to a camera head capable of imaging a left eye image and a right eye image having parallax on one screen based on light at a target site incident on an optical instrument, the apparatus including: an image processor that performs signal processing of the left eye image and the right eye image imaged by the camera head; and an output controller that outputs the left eye image and the right eye image on which the signal processing is performed to a monitor via each of a first channel and a second channel, in which the output controller outputs one of the left eye image and the right eye image on which the signal processing is performed to the monitor via each of the first channel and the second channel in accordance with switching from a 3D mode to a 2D mode.

Claims (26)

1. An image processing apparatus which is connected to a camera head capable of imaging a left eye image and a right eye image having parallax on one screen based on light at a target site incident on an optical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

an image processor that performs signal processing to extract left parallax video of the left eye image and to extract right parallax video of the right eye image, which are imaged by the camera head; and

an output controller that outputs the left parallax video of the left eye image to a monitor via a first channel, and that outputs the right parallax video of the right eye image to the monitor via a second channel, in accordance with a 3D mode,

wherein the output controller outputs one of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image to the monitor via both of the first channel and the second channel, in accordance with switching from the 3D mode to a 2D mode,

wherein the image processor maintains a transmission format of the other of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image, in accordance with the switching from the 3D mode to the 2D mode, and

wherein the output controller displays the 2D video on the monitor in a pseudo manner in a 2D mode based on one of the left eye image and the right eye image output to the monitor via the first channel and the second channel.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the switching from the 3D mode to the 2D mode is input by a user operation.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a distance measurer that measures a distance from the optical instrument to the target site based on the parallax appearing in the left eye image and the right eye image which are imaged by the camera head in the 3D mode,

wherein the output controller outputs the information on the distance to the monitor together with the left eye image and the right eye image on which the signal processing is performed.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the output controller interrupts an output of the information on the distance to the monitor in response to switching from the 3D mode to the 2D mode.

5. A camera apparatus comprising:

a camera head capable of imaging a left eye image and a right eye image having parallax on one screen based on light at a target site incident on an optical instrument;

an image processor that performs signal processing to extract left parallax video of the left eye image and to extract right parallax video of the right eye image, which are imaged by the camera head; and

an output controller that outputs the left parallax video of the left eye image to a monitor via a first channel, and that outputs the right parallax video of the right eye image to the monitor via a second channel, in accordance with a 3D mode,

wherein the output controller outputs one of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image to the monitor via both of the first channel and the second channel, in accordance with switching from the 3D mode to a 2D mode,

wherein the image processor maintains a transmission format of the other of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image, in accordance with the switching from the 3D mode to the 2D mode, and

wherein the output controller displays the 2D video on the monitor in a pseudo manner in a 2D mode based on one of the left eye image and the right eye image output to the monitor via the first channel and the second channel.

6. An output control method in which an image processing apparatus which is connected to a camera head capable of imaging a left eye image and a right eye image having parallax on one screen based on light at a target site incident on an optical instrument is used, the method comprising:

performing signal processing to extract left parallax video of the left eye image and to extract right parallax video of the right eye image, which are imaged by the camera head; and

outputting the left parallax video of the left eye image to a monitor via a first channel and outputting the right parallax video of the right eye image to the monitor via a second channel, in accordance with a 3D mode; and

outputting one of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image the monitor via both of the first channel and the second channel, in accordance with switching from the 3D mode to a 2D mode,

maintaining a transmission format of the other of either the left parallax video of the left eye image or the right parallax video of the right eye image, in accordance with the switching from the 3D mode to the 2D mode, and

wherein the output controller displays the 2D video on the monitor in a pseudo manner in a 2D mode based on one of the left eye image and the right eye image output to the monitor via the first channel and the second channel.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 16, 2023
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: I-PRO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063101/0966 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 16, 2023
From: I-PRO CO., LTD.
To: I-PRO CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063102/0075 →
ADDRESS CHANGE Recorded Dec 29, 2020
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055479/0932 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 28, 2020
From: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054757/0114 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2019
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051276/0226 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2018
From: KOBAYASHI, KENJI; KOBAYASHI, YUMA; KOGANE, HARUO; SERIZAWA, MASAYUKI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 047468/0875 →