Adapter and corresponding methods for adding 3D function to a 2D digital camera

Abstract

A combination of a 3D optical adapter and corresponding digital process methods attached and updated to a conventional 2D digital camera so the digital camera can capture, save and transfer 3D stereoscopic digital images as well.

1 . A digital camera means for capturing, saving and transferring both 2 dimensional mono and 3 dimensional stereoscopic digital images and generating digital still images and/or digital live videos, comprising:
 a. an adaptor means for implementing optical process method to generate a 2 dimensional camera suitable 3 dimensional optical image in the present invention,   b. a 2 dimensional digital camera means for updating with corresponding digital process methods for additional 3 dimensional stereoscopic functionalities, and,   c. said adaptor means being attached to said 2 dimensional digital camera means for additional 3 dimensional stereoscopic functionalities.   
     
     
         2 . A simultaneous optical process method for converting a 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right optical image pair into a 2 dimensional camera suitable 3 dimensional optical image in the present invention, comprising:
 a. moving the left image parallel by predetermined distance directly toward the original right,   b. moving the right image parallel by predetermined distance directly toward the original left,   c. rotating the left image by predetermined degrees clockwise,   d. rotating the right image by predetermined degrees counterclockwise,   e. flipping the left image by predetermined degrees about its original vertical axis,   f. flipping the right image by predetermined degrees about its original vertical axis,   g. moving the left image parallel by predetermined distance toward the original up,   h. moving the right image parallel by predetermined distance toward the original up, whereby the 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right image pair is converted into a special optical image and a 2 dimensional digital camera can shoot and capture it directly as a normal 2 dimensional image.   
     
     
         3 . A digital image process method for converting a 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair into a symmetrical vertical left-right raw format digital image, comprising:
 a. providing a digital image memory means for storing a symmetrical vertical left-right raw format digital image; comprising: a top half and a bottom half,   b. flipping either left or right image of a 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair about its horizontal axis to make it upside down,   c. storing the flipped image into either said top half or said bottom half of said digital image memory means,   d. storing the other un-flipped image into the other half of said digital image memory means,   
       whereby said symmetrical vertical left-right digital image is formed as a single raw image for further formatting in terms of saving, processing, and transferring using common 2 dimensional digital image technologies. 
     
     
         4 . The digital camera means of  claim 1  wherein said corresponding digital process methods that generate and format a 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair, comprising:
 a. cropping a 2 dimensional camera suitable 3 dimensional digital image captured by said 2 dimensional digital camera means, into a left image and a right image with predetermined normal 2 dimensional image aspect ratio, thereby the 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair is formed with normal 2 dimensional aspect ratio and the overlapped area in between the left image and the right image can be removed, 
 b. restoring the cropped left image by rotating 90 degrees counterclockwise followed by flipping 180 degree horizontally, and restoring the right image by rotating 90 degrees clockwise followed by flipping 180 degree horizontally, thereby the 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair is restored, 
 c. formatting the restored 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right digital image pair into a digital raw format image such as the symmetrical vertical left-right raw format as claimed in  claim 3 . 
 
     
     
         5 . The digital camera means of  claim 1  wherein said adapter, furthermore comprising:
 a. a left view mirror means for acquiring the left image of the 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right optical image pair and delivering the left image toward its right direction, 
 b. a right view mirror means for acquiring the right image of the 3 dimensional stereoscopic left-right optical image pair and delivering the right image toward its left direction, 
 c. a collecting minor prism means for collecting both left and right images from both said left and right view mirror means, then delivering both left and right images toward the original up direction, 
 d. an output minor means for receiving images from said collecting minor prism means, flipping images up to down by 180 degrees, and outputting images toward the opposite direction where images originally come from. 
 
       whereby, said simultaneous optical process method as claimed in  claim 2  can be implemented such that the 2 dimensional camera suitable 3 dimensional optical image can be provided. 
     
     
         6 . An adapter means of  claim 5 , wherein said collecting minor prism means is a right angle minor prism means, furthermore comprising:
 a. a left collecting minor surface means that is the left perpendicular minor surface means of said collecting mirror prism means, which collects the left image from said left view mirror means, rotates the left image by about 90 degrees clockwise, and delivers the left image toward the original up,   b. a right collecting mirror surface means that is the right perpendicular mirror surface means of said collecting mirror prism means, which collects the right image from said right view mirror means, rotates the right image by about 90 degrees counterclockwise, and delivers the right image toward the original up.   
     
     
         7 . An adapter means of  claim 5 , wherein said left view mirror means and said right view minor means, are placed to form two viewing angles, they are a left viewing angle that is the angle in between said left view mirror means and the front direction; and a right viewing angle that is the angle in between said right view mirror means and the front direction, and the two viewing angles can be:
 a. both are fixed in a predetermined degrees about 45 degrees,   b. both are adjustable for converging the left and right views, or   c. any one of them is fixed in a predetermined degrees about 45 degrees, and the other is adjustable such that a single side adjustment convergence function is implemented, thereby the left and right views can be converged by only adjusting one side viewing angle.   
     
     
         8 . An adapter means of  claim 5 , wherein said left view mirror means and said right view minor means, are placed to form a left-right distance, that is the distance from the center of said left view minor means to the center of said right view minor means for providing the difference between the left image and the right image, and the left-right distance can be:
 a. a fixed predetermined distance about 65 mm, or   b. an adjustable distance within a predetermined range according to how many times adjustable zoom is applying.