Abstract: A 3D image cinema system having at least one projection room for viewing 3D images or 2D images is divided into forward and rearward viewing directions for the projection of an image on a front screen and a rear screen which are provided in a front end and a rear end of the projection room, respectively. Further, a front direction chair and a rear direction chair having a different viewing direction are provided on a front step and a rear step between the projection room and the front and rear screens where the theater can be easily installed in a general building and the 3D and 2D image has as much as 1.5-2 times wider viewing as a prior image.

Abstract: An image conversion apparatus includes an image signal input unit repeatedly inputting an odd-numbered frame of a first parallax, an odd-numbered frame of a second parallax, an even-numbered frame of the first parallax, and an even-numbered frame of the second parallax, in this order; a frame memory storing the first and second parallax data having been input; a memory control unit alternately reading as field data (m+1) pieces (m is an integer of one or larger than one) of identical odd-numbered frames of the first parallax and m pieces of identical odd-numbered frames of the second parallax, and subsequently alternately reading as field data m pieces of identical even-numbered frames of the first parallax and (m+1) pieces of identical even-numbered frames of the second parallax; and an image output unit outputting the field data having been read.

Abstract: Provided is a 3D image cinema system through which in one projection room one 3D image or 2D image is divided forward and rearward to be projected on a front screen and a rear screen which are provided in a front end and a rear end of the projection room, respectively. Further, a front direction chair and a rear direction chair having a different viewing direction are provided on a front step and a rear step between the projection room and the front and rear screens wherein the theater can be easily installed in a general building and the 3D and 2D image as 1.5-2 times wide as a prior image can be viewed.

Abstract: In a transcoder that decodes and encodes a motion picture stream, a highly compressed motion picture stream cannot be obtained if the same corresponding frame is referenced for coding purposes in a situation where an intraframe coding mode, in which an unconverted stream is not provided with vector information, is used and in a situation where an interframe predictive coding mode, in which the unconverted stream is provided with vector information, is used. Further, if an additional frame is referenced after searching for the corresponding frame, the circuit scale and power consumption increase.

Abstract: A motion-picture distributor (12) uses a computer system (22) to convert video signals from a master film (14) into serial video data (41) complying with DVD-Video standards. Further, the computer system (22) modifies the sequence of scene-data sets (42-1, 42-2, . . . ) constituting the data (41) and encrypts the data for each scene-data set, thus producing encrypted non-serial video data (45). The data (45) are separated into DVD-ROMs (15-1, 15-2, . . . ), for distribution purposes. A theater (13) then uses a serialization apparatus (51) to read the data (45) from the DVD-ROMs (15-1, 15-2, . . . ), and sorts the scene-data sets in a correct sequence, thus producing encrypted serial video data (80). A motion picture projector (52) decrypts the data (80), thereby preparing the data (41). The data (41) are played back to view a movie. On the other hand, a movie distributor (12) may distribute the DVD-ROMs in a separated manner.

Abstract: A method of compensating for atmospheric effects to detect the actual location of low elevation objects using near horizon radar to detect an object which utilizes a preexisting satellite structured to send a signal indicating the position and velocity of said satellite, wherein the location of the satellite is known. The method includes a step of providing a radar site, a first receiver structured to receive a signal from the satellite indicating an apparent location of the satellite, and a second receiver, located at a distance from the radar site, structured to receive the satellite signal and which indicates the observed location of the satellite. The first receiver is utilized to receive a signal from the satellite when the satellite is at a low elevation. This signal indicates the apparent location and velocity of the satellite.

Abstract: A rolling loop motion picture projector is convertible for projecting images either from a 2-D film strip or from a 3-D film strip. The film is advanced through the same incremental amount irrespective of whether a 2-D film of a 3-D film is being projected. The projector has a single central aperture for projecting 2-D images and respective 3-D images on opposite sides of the central aperture. The images on the 3-D film strip are anamorphically compressed in the direction of film travel by a factor of two and the 3-D apertures are correspondingly sized. Projection lenses associated with the 3-D apertures decompress the images so that images of comparable size appear on the screen irrespective of whether a 2-D film or a 3-D film is being shown.

Abstract: Integrated process for three-dimensional taking, copying and reproducing of still and moving pictures, in which (a) the taking of still or moving three-dimensional pictures is done using conventional cameras which expose as many two-dimensional pictures as there are cameras, there are n cameras which are distributed in groups or supergroups, there being inserted between each two horizontal camera groups which have their optical axes mutually perpendicular a semitransparent plate forming 45.degree.

Abstract: A camera for producing 3-D motion pictures has "left eye" and "right eye" camera lenses and two corresponding film transport mechanisms. Images to be recorded on films transported by the mechanisms are reflected by semitransparent mirrors and the mechanisms and the mechanisms are arranged so that the mirrors turn the images transversely of the films. Contact prints made from the films can then simply be turned face-for-face to correct for the image reversals due to the presence of the mirrors. The contact prints are then correctly oriented for projection.

Abstract: In an alternate eye 3-D motion picture projection apparatus of the rolling loop type, light projection is accomplished by the combination of focal plane shutters that are coupled to the rotor of the projector and a supplementary shutter arrranged to trim the projected light so that discrete "left eye" and "right eye" images are projected. Various embodiments are disclosed in which a rotary blade shutter is located at the stop of the projection lens. Where there are two projection lenses, a single blade or two counter-rotating blades trim the light projected through both lenses.

Abstract: A 3-D motion picture projector comprises two rolling loop film transport mechanisms arranged in vertically superposed relationship with the pricipal components of the two mechanisms in vertical alignment with one another. Each film transport mechanism includes a cam unit for decelerating the film as it approaches the aperture for projection. The two cam units are driven from a common vertical drive shaft by toothed belt drives. The lower cam unit is mounted on an arm so that it can be swung out to an inoperative position for maintenance and service. The belt drives maintain the drive coupling at this time and automatically restore proper cam timing when the cam unit is returned to its operative position.

Abstract: A method of producing and displaying a 3-D motion picture is disclosed. Two master film negatives are prepared using a camera rig employing one camera that looks directly at the subject through a semi-transparent mirror and a second camera that looks at the same subject by way of the reflective surface of the mirror, to obtain left and right eye images. The cameras are oriented so that the mirror images recorded by the second camera are turned laterally of the film in being reflected by the mirror. Contact prints are made from the negatives. Before projecting the images, the contact print from the negative that was shot by way of the mirror is turned about its longitudinal axis so that images on that print are turned laterally. Images from the two prints are simultaneously projected onto the same screen to produce a coincident 3-D image. The left and right eye images are optically coded, for example by using optical filters that are polarized at right angles to one another.

Abstract: A stereoscopic camera with two lenses, in which each lens is supported by a support table fixed rigidly to two parallel resilient plates. Simultaneous focussing and convergence of the lenses is brought about by a cam urging the plates to bend, thereby constraining both lenses to follow the required straight line loci.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is camera mounting apparatus which is particularly useful for independently adjusting the interocular spacing and convergence distance between the respective optical axes of a pair of cameras used in three-dimensional (3-D) photography. Such apparatus comprises a pair of slider mechanisms, each including a slider member which is connected to a camera housing (e.g., via a camera support plate) and movable along a rectilinear path defined by its respective mechanism. One of the slider mechanisms is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which perpendicularly intersects the respective paths of both slider members. Separate means are provided for (a) adjusting the positions of the slider members along their respective sliding paths, and (b) adjusting the angular relationship of one sliding path relative to the other, whereby the camera support plate is movable through a predetermined interocular spacing (e.g. 4.

Abstract: Flying spot scanner technology is combined with stereo photography in motion to produce two channels of video imagery which can be optically combined to produce the perception of dynamic stereoscopic detail. The scanner generates alternate lines with lateral offset corresponding to the physical separation between stereo photographic pairs to provide two rasters.

Abstract: A stereoscopic picture viewing system having pairs of precisely aligned stereoscopic images arranged in rows on image carriers, with at least two pairs of images on each row, and with one image of each pair located between the two images of a different pair. In one embodiment, the image carriers are circular disks, with the image rows extending radially, and preferably having supplementary key indications at the inner radial ends of each row and in the spaces between the outer ends of successive rows. In another embodiment, the image carriers are long strips of wide film, either still film strips or motion picture film, with the image rows extending transversely across the width of the film strip.