The visual presentation of information derived from a 3D image system

Claim 1

A method of creating a 2½D solid model picture for viewing, in which a stereoscopic image is identified as a series of depth slices and the resulting slice data built up to a 2½D model using software which transforms the data.

Claim 4

A method of creating a 2½D solid model picture for viewing, comprising: a) comparing a stereoscopic pair at one relative lateral position and identifying points of coincidence to represent a slice through the picture at a depth corresponding to that particular relative lateral position, b) moving the pair laterally relative to one another by an amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax in the stereoscopic pair and repeating step a, c) repeating step b as often as required to identify points of coincidence at all parallax depths or slices of the stereoscopic picture, and d) building up the 2½D solid model image by using the slice data so obtained.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in any preceding claim in which the stereoscopic pair are multiplexed alternately on a plane at one relative lateral position and points which appear to be solid, static and non- flickering are selected to represent the depth slice, and the pair are then moved laterally relative to one another by an amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax in the pair to obtain a further depth slice.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the stereoscopic pair are of different colours, are multiplexed alternately on a plane at one relative lateral position and points identified as the colour which is characteristic of the superimposed coloured images are selected to represent the depth slice, and the pair are then moved laterally relative to one another by an amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax in the pair to obtain a further depth slice.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7 in which the stereoscopic pair are compared by subtracting the image information of one of the pair from the other, at one relative lateral position to give first depth plane information, moving the pair laterally relative one another by the amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax and again subtracting the image information of one of the pair from the other to give second depth plane information, and further subtracting the first depth plane information from the second depth plane information.

Claim 9

A method of creating a 2½D solid model picture for viewing, in which successive depth plane information is obtained from a stereoscopic pair by successively subtracting the image information of one of the pair from the other of the pair when the pair is superimposed at one relative lateral superimposition so giving first depth plane information, moving the pair relative one another by an amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax in a display for the images, again subtracting the image information of one of the pair from the other of the pair at that later superimposition so giving second depth plane information, and further subtracting the first depth plane information from the second depth plane information to provide the unique depth plane information at the said one relative lateral superimposition, effecting the said movement and subtractions as necessary to provide unique depth plane information for as many planes as required, the said second depth plane information being used as the said first depth plane information in a subsequent step and new second depth plane information being obtainable after the said movement of the pair relative one another by an amount equal to the minimum detectable parallax in a display for the images, and thereafter building up the 2½D solid model image by using the depth plane information obtained.