Abstract: A method of generating a stereoscopic image is disclosed. The method includes defining at least two, three or more regions in a scene representing a region of interest, a near regions and/or a far region. This is followed by forming an image pair for each region, this image pair containing the information relating to objects in or partially in their respective region. The perceived depth within the regions is altered to provide the idea or best perceived depth within the region of interest and acceptable or more compressed perceived depths in the other regions. The image pairs are then mapped together to form a display image pair for viewing on a display device.

Abstract: A stereoscopic display controller supplies serial picture element data to a scanned stereoscopic display which comprises a plurality of picture elements. Each of the picture elements includes image data for M color components, while M is greater than one. The stereoscopic display controller includes: N memories, N being an integer greater than one; a memory controller arranged to write the picture element data for N different views of a three-dimensional image in the respective memories, and arranged to control reading of the memories in turn so that image data for consecutively scanned picture elements of the display are read from different ones of the memories; and a data reordering circuit coupled to outputs of the memories and arranged to reorder the image data for at least one of the color components.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for segmenting a pixellated image, comprising: (a) selecting at least one first region from a first reference image; (b) deriving from values of pixels of the at least one first region a first threshold such that a first predetermined proportion of the pixels have values on a first side of the first threshold; (c) forming a difference image as a difference between each pixel of the image and a corresponding pixel of an image of a non-occluded background; and (d) allocating each difference image pixel to at least one first type of region if the value of the difference image pixel is on the first side of the first threshold and the values of more than a first predetermined number of neighboring difference image pixels are on the first side of the first threshold. An apparatus for performing the foregoing method is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing a stereo image of a (real or simulated) scene using at least one (real or simulated) camera, which creates the impression of being a 3D image when viewed on a display by a user, wherein the depth of the scene is mapped onto a maximum perceived depth of the image on the display, and the maximum perceived depth is chosen to provide comfortable viewing for the user.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a human face in an image, such as a sequence of images supplied by a video camera. The method comprises locating in each image a candidate face region and analyzing the candidate face region for a first characteristic indicative of a facial feature. The locating step may comprise detecting uniformity saturated regions of predetermined shape in a reduced resolution version of the image. The analyzing step may comprise selecting a signal color component, forming a vertical integral projection profile and detecting an omega shape in the profile characteristic of an eye region of a face.

Abstract: A stereoscopic display controller supplies serial picture element data to a scanned stereoscopic display which comprises a plurality of picture elements. Each of the picture elements includes image data for M colur components, while M is greater than one. The stereoscopic display controller includes: N memories, N being an integer greater than one; a memory controller arranged to write the picture element data for N different views of a three-dimensional image in the respective memories, and arranged to control reading of the memories in turn so that image data for consecutively scanned picture elements of the display are read from different ones of the memories; and a data reordering circuit coupled to outputs of the memories and arranged to reorder the image data for at least one of the color components.

Abstract: A stereoscopic display controller supplies serial picture element data to a scanned stereoscopic display which includes a plurality of picture elements. Each of the picture elements includes image data for M color components, while M is greater than one. The stereoscopic display controller includes: N memories, N being an integer greater than one; a memory controller arranged to write the picture element data for N different views of a three-dimensional image in the respective memories, and arranged to control reading of the memories in turn so that image data for consecutively scanned picture elements of the display are read from different ones of the memories; and a data reordering circuit coupled to outputs of the memories and arranged to reorder the image data for at least one of the color components.

Abstract: A 3D camera includes at least two detector heads which are moveable laterally with respect to each other but whose optical are maintained parallel. Each of the detector heads includes a zoom lens and a detector. A user selects the separation between the detector heads and the camera electronics automatically select the field of view by controlling the zoom lenses as a function of the detector head separation.

Abstract: A method of detecting a face-like region of a colour image, comprises reducing the resolution of the colour image by averaging the saturation to form a reduced resolution image and searching for a region of the reduced resolution image. The searched region has, in a predetermined shape, a substantially uniform saturation which is substantially different from the saturation of the portion of the reduced resolution image surrounding the predetermined shape.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for segmenting a pixellated image, comprising: (a) selecting at least one first region from a first reference image; (b) deriving from values of pixels of the at least one first region a first threshold such that a first predetermined proportion of the pixels have values on a first side of the first threshold; (c) forming a difference image as a difference between each pixel of the image and a corresponding pixel of an image of a non-occluded background; and (d) allocating each difference image pixel to at least one first type of region if the value of the difference image pixel is on the first side of the first threshold and the values of more than a first predetermined number of neighboring difference image pixels are on the first side of the first threshold. An apparatus for performing the foregoing method is disclosed.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic display comprises an SLM which is controlled to provide an image display and a signal display. A parallax optic has a first portion which cooperates with the image display to form a plurality of viewing windows. A second portion of the parallax optic forms first and second images visible to an observer at alternate viewing windows so as to allow the observer to distinguish between desired orthoscopic viewing zones and undesirable viewing positions such as pseudoscopic positions.

Abstract: An observer tracking display is provided in which the image data displayed by at least three image displays along respective different directions is updated depending on the lateral position of an observer. The image displayed in a viewing region not visible to the observer is updated with an appropriate image in anticipation of the observer moving to a position where that viewing region is visible.