Digital Stereo Photographic System

Abstract

The invention provides a complete system for three-dimensional (3D) (stereo) still photography in a digital format. This includes capturing the image or photo, viewing, printing and projecting it. Intermediate steps would include downloading images to a computer, editing, enhancing or modifying, saving, recording photo images to other storage medium, and the printing of still photos. This invention is a significant advancement of the traditional analog film stereo slides, in that the digital format will allow viewing of the image in the camera in 3D, prior to, during, immediately after exposure and at any other time after exposure. With significant computer processing capability after exposure in editing, enhancing, color correcting, adding text and art, the images are further improved. The system includes the ability to view mages, in 3D (stereo), in the camera, in a hand held viewer, on a computer screen on a standard television set as well as printed pairs or in anaglyph formats. The images can also be viewed with conventional digital projectors using conventional polarized glasses. The camera is also a significant advancement over the standard digital still cameras because it provides the three-dimensional image capture in a digital format. It also retains the full 2-dimensional capability of digital photography.

1 . A method of operating a stand-alone digital camera capable of taking three dimensional as well as two dimensional photographs, the camera having a pair of identical and linked lenses, a means for capturing an image through each lens, a liquid crystal display linked to each means for capturing an image through each lens, a means for capturing, storing, and retrieving sound, and a means for storing and retrieving a captured image, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning the camera at a first position;   selecting left only lens or right only lens;   capturing a first image through the selected lens;   selecting the opposite lens;   moving the camera a distance to a second position;   capturing a second image through the selected lens;   displaying the captured images on the liquid crystal display;   saving or deleting the first image, the second image, or both.   
     
     
         2 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , comprising the additional step of moving the camera to a third position to recapture the first image or the second image. 
     
     
         3 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is moved in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, or both after capturing the first image. 
     
     
         4 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , wherein the camera further comprises a means for capturing, storing, and retrieving sound, the method comprising the additional steps of:
 enabling audio capture;   linking audio capture to capturing the first age, the second image, or both;   capturing audio while capturing the first image, the second image, or both;   reviewing the captured audio;   saving or deleting the captured audio.   
     
     
         5 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , wherein the camera further comprises a fight sensor and a flash unit, the method comprising the additional steps of:
 initiating a flash of light from the flash unit;   measuring the flash of fight from the flash unit with the light sensor; and   adjusting the duration of the flash of light from the flash unit based on the amount of light measured with the light sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , wherein the camera further comprises an audio button, the method comprising the additional steps of:
 activating the audio button to enable the means for capturing, storing, and retrieving sound;   starting the recording of audio;   displaying a countdown timer for recording time remaining;   stopping the recording of audio;   displaying a selection to play the recorded audio; and   selecting the selection to play the recorded audio.   
     
     
         7 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 6 , the method comprising the additional steps of:
 capturing an image after recording audio; and   saving the recorded audio simultaneously with the captured image.   
     
     
         8 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 6 , the method comprising the additional steps of:
 capturing an image before recording audio; and   selecting the captured image to add audio.   
     
     
         9 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , further comprising image editing software on a computer, the method comprising the additional step of adding audio to a captured image using the image editing software on a computer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 1 , the method comprising the additional steps of:
 identifying a plurality of images; and   assembling the plurality of images into a sequence for presentation to viewers.   
     
     
         11 . The method of operating the camera of  claim 10 , further comprising a means for recording onto magnetic tape or optical disk, the method comprising the additional step of recording the assembly of the plurality of images onto magnetic tape or an optical disk.