Method and system for controlling space magnification for stereoscopic images

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system of displaying stereoscopic images. The method comprises displaying at least one stereoscopic image on a set of display device, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images, and providing adjustment data for spatial magnification, the spatial magnification relating to a size of a space that is imaged. The method also comprises transmitting the magnification adjustment data to a set of remotely located stereoscopic cameras, and adjusting the distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the magnification adjustment data.

1 . A method of displaying stereoscopic images, comprising: 
 displaying at least one stereoscopic image on a set of display devices, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;    providing, at the set of display devices, adjustment data for spatial magnification, the spatial magnification relating to a size of a space that is imaged;    transmitting the magnification adjustment data to a set of remotely located stereoscopic cameras; and    adjusting the distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 imaging a scene using the adjusted cameras;    transmitting the image to the set of display devices; and    receiving and displaying the image on the set of display devices.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing a distance (W a ) between the center points of a viewer's eyes;    initializing a distance between the stereoscopic cameras to be the same as the W a  value;    determining whether the magnification adjustment data is greater than 1; and    narrowing the camera distance if the magnification adjustment data is greater than 1.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising widening the camera distance if the magnification adjustment data is less than 1.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the adjusted spatial magnification on the set of display devices.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a voice signal representing the adjusted spatial magnification.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of display devices comprises a unitary display device adapted to sequentially display the two-dimensional plane images.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of display devices comprises a pair of display devices configured to simultaneously display the two-dimensional plane images, respectively.  
     
     
         9 . A system for displaying stereoscopic images, comprising: 
 a set of display devices configured to display at least one stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;    an input device configured to provide adjustment data for spatial magnification to at least one of the display devices, the spatial magnification relating to a size of a space that is imaged;    a transmitter configured to transmit the magnification adjustment data to a set of remotely located stereoscopic cameras;    a receiver configured to receive the magnification adjustment data; and    a camera controller configured to adjust the distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the camera controller comprises: 
 a servo controller configured to determine an adjustment amount based on the spatial magnification adjustment data; and    a horizontal motor configured to adjust the camera distance based on the determined adjustment amount.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of display devices is selected from one of the following: a head mount display, a projection display device, a LCD device, a CRT device, and a plasma display panel device.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of the display devices is configured to display the adjusted spatial magnification.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of display devices comprises a unitary display device adapted to sequentially display the two-dimensional plane images.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of display devices comprises a pair of display devices configured to simultaneously display the two-dimensional plane images, respectively.  
     
     
         15 . A camera system for communicating data with a set of display devices, comprising: 
 a set of stereoscopic cameras configured to produce at least one stereoscopic image;    a receiver configured to receive adjustment data for spatial magnification from the set of display devices, the space magnification relating to a size of the space that is imaged by the set of stereoscopic cameras; and    a camera controller configured to adjust the distance between the set of stereoscopic cameras based on the spatial magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         16 . The camera system of  claim 15 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the adjusted stereoscopic image to the set of display devices.  
     
     
         17 . The camera system of  claim 15 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive a distance (W a ) between the center points of a viewer's eyes and the camera controller is configured to adjust a distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the magnification adjustment data and the W a  value.  
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising: 
 providing a set of stereoscopic cameras;    generating at least one stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images generated by the set of stereoscopic cameras, respectively;    receiving adjustment data for spatial magnification from a set of remotely located display devices, the spatial magnification relating to a size of the space that is imaged by the set of stereoscopic cameras; and    adjusting the distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the spatial magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 initializing the camera distance such that the spatial magnification is 1;    determining whether the magnification adjustment data is greater than 1; and    narrowing a distance between the stereoscopic cameras if the magnification adjustment data is greater than 1.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising widening the camera distance if the magnification adjustment data is less than 1.  
     
     
         21 . A method of displaying stereoscopic images, comprising: 
 providing a pair of projection portions spaced at a predetermined distance apart from each other and configured to project three-dimensional structural data of a scene into a pair of two-dimensional planes;    producing at least one stereoscopic image from the three-dimensional structural data by the pair of projection portions spaced at a predetermined distance apart from each other, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;    displaying the pair of two-dimensional plane images in a pair of display devices, respectively;    providing adjustment data for space magnification to the display devices, the space magnification relating to a size of the scene; and    adjusting the distance between the projection portions based on the magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the spatial magnification is related to a size of the scene that is perceived by a viewer  
     
     
         23 . A system for displaying stereoscopic images, comprising: 
 a pair of projection portions spaced at a predetermined distance apart from each other and configured to produce at least one stereoscopic image from three-dimensional structural data of a scene, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images;    a pair of display devices configured to display the pair of two-dimensional plane images, respectively;    an input device configured to provide adjustment data for spatial magnification to the display devices, the spatial magnification relating to a size of the scene; and    a computing device configured to adjust the distance between the projection portions based on the magnification adjustment data.    
     
     
         24 . A system for controlling a set of stereoscopic cameras, comprising: 
 means for providing a set of stereoscopic cameras;    means for generating at least one stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a pair of two-dimensional plane images generated by the set of stereoscopic cameras, respectively;    means for receiving adjustment data for spatial magnification from a set of remotely located display devices, the spatial magnification relating to a size of the space that is imaged by the set of stereoscopic cameras; and    means for adjusting the distance between the stereoscopic cameras based on the spatial magnification adjustment data.