Method and apparatus for recording stereoscopic images and lenticular recording material used therefor

Claim 1

A method for recording stereoscopic images, which records a plurality of original images from different viewpoints, on a lenticular recording material having a recording layer provided on the rear side of a lenticular sheet, comprising the step of: obtaining image information on said plurality of original images, forming discrete linear images that correspond to the pitch of lenticular lenses on said lenticular sheet, determining, in accordance with the conditions for recording the original images, the positions where the linear images based on said original images are to be recorded on said recording layer in such a way that a completed stereoscopic image will come out correctly when it is viewed from the lenticular sheet side, and recording said linear images from the rear side of said lenticular recording material.

Claim 4

A method for recording stereoscopic images, by which linear images as produced from a plurality of original images from different viewpoints are recorded to produce a stereoscopic image on a lenticular recording material having a lenticular sheet and a recording layer, wherein a light beam modulated in accordance with the linear images to be recorded is deflected one-dimensionally in the fast scan direction which is generally parallel to the generatrix of said lenticular sheet while, at the same time, said lenticular recording material and the light beam deflected in said fast scan direction are moved relative to each other in the slow scan direction which is generally perpendicular to said fast scan direction, thereby scan exposing the recording layer of said lenticular recording material with said light beam, the spot diameter in the slow scan direction of the light beam incident on said recording layer and/or the number of times by which the linear images of the same original image are recorded within one pitch are adjusted in accordance with the pitch of lenticular lenses in said lenticular recording material so that the recording width of the linear images is increased in accordance with the pitch of lenticular lenses on said lenticular sheet.

Claim 5

A method for recording stereoscopic images, by which a plurality of original images from different viewpoints are recorded on a lenticular recording material having a recording material provided on the rear side of a lenticular sheet, comprising the step of: obtaining image information on said plurality of original images and information on the principal objects of the original images, splitting each original image into linear images, determining the positions in which the linear images are to be recorded on said recording layer in such a way that a completed stereoscopic image will come out correctly when it is viewed from the lenticular sheet side and that those linear images which carry at least the central portions of the principal objects of the original images are recorded within the same pitch of lenticular lenses in the lenticular recording material, thereby outputting image information that is to be recorded on said lenticular recording material, and scan exposing said lenticular recording material with the light beam modulated in accordance with said output image information, thereby recording a stereoscopic image.

Claim 6

An apparatus for recording stereoscopic images, which records a plurality of original images from different viewpoints on a lenticular recording material having recording material provided on the rear side of a lenticular sheet, comprising: an image processing means that obtains image information on said plurality of original images, that forms linear images to be recorded for each of said original images, that determines the positions in which the linear images are to be recorded on said recording layer in accordance with the conditions for recording the original images in such a way that a completed stereoscopic image will come out correctly when it is viewed from the lenticular sheet side, and which outputs linear image information; an image forming means that comprises a means that issues a light beam modulated in accordance with the linear image information delivered from said image processing means and which deflects said light beam one-dimensionally in the fast scan direction which is parallel to the generatrix of said lenticular sheet and a means by which said lenticular recording material and the light beam deflected in said fast scan direction are moved relative to each other in the slow scan direction which is generally perpendicular to said fast scan direction, said image forming means exposing the recording layer of said lenticular recording material from the rear surface with said light beam; and a means of determining the positions for image recording on said lenticular recording material.

Claim 7

An apparatus for recording stereoscopic images, which records a plurality of original images from different viewpoints on a lenticular recording material having a recording material provided on the rear side of a lenticular sheet, comprising: an image processing means that obtains image information on said plurality of original images, that forms linear images to be recorded for each of said original images, that determines the positions in which the linear images are to be recorded on said recording layer in accordance with the conditions for recording the original images in such a way that a completed stereoscopic image will come out correctly when it is viewed from the lenticular sheet side, and which outputs linear image information; a display on which said linear images are represented in accordance with said linear image information delivered from said image processing means; and a means of determining the positions for image recording on said lenticular recording material; wherein the image represented on said display is recorded on the rear surface of said lenticular recording material as the longitudinal direction of said linear images is brought into substantial registry with the direction of the generatrix of said lenticular sheet while the sequence of said linear images in the transverse direction is allowed to correspond to the pitch of lenticular lenses is said lenticular recording material.

Claim 9

An apparatus for recording stereoscopic images, with which linear images as produced from a plurality of original images from different viewpoints are recorded to produce a stereoscopic image on a lenticular recording material having a lenticular sheet and a recording layer, comprising: an image processing means that obtains image information on said plurality of original images, that splits each of said original images into linear images to be recorded, that determines the positions in which said linear images are to be recorded on said recording layer, and which outputs image information; an image forming means that comprises a light beam issuing unit for issuing a light beam modulated in accordance with the image information delivered from said image processing means, and a scanning unit that deflects said light beam one-dimensionally in the fast scan direction which is generally parallel to the generatrix of said lenticular sheet while, at the same time, said lenticular recording material and the light beam deflected in said fast scan direction are moved relative to each other in the slow scan direction which is generally perpendicular to said fast scan direction; and a means of increasing the width of said linear images to be recorded on said lenticular recording material.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 - 11, wherein the recording width of said linear images is increased by said recording width increasing means in such a way that said linear images can be recorded without any overlap and without producing any blank portions in the stereoscopic image recording regions of the lenticular recording material.

Claim 13

An apparatus for recording stereoscopic images, by which a plurality of original images from different viewpoints are recorded on a lenticular recording material having a recording material provided on the rear side of a lenticular sheet, comprising: an image processing means comprising a means that obtains image information on said plurality of original images and information on the principal objects of the original images and which splits each original image into linear images to be recorded, and a means of determining the positions in which the linear images are to be recorded on said recording layer in such a way that a completed stereoscopic image will come out correctly when it is viewed from the lenticular sheet side and that those linear images which carry at least the central portions of the principal objects of the original images are recorded within the same pitch of lenticular lenses in the lenticular recording material; an image forming means that comprises a means that issues a light beam modulated in accordance with the linear image information delivered from said image processing means and which deflects said light beam one-dimensionally in the fast scan direction which is parallel to the generatrix of said lenticular sheet and a means by which said lenticular recording material and the light beam deflected in said fast scan direction are moved relative to each other in the slow scan direction which is generally perpendicular to said fast scan direction, said image forming means exposing the recording layer of said lenticular recording material with said light beam; and a means of determining the positions for image recording on said lenticular recording material.