Method of generating stereoscopic image signal and method of scaling the same

Abstract

A method of generating a stereoscopic image signal and scaling the same includes receiving a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal, generating a progressive stereoscopic image signal by multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal, and scaling up or down the progressive stereoscopic image signal. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a structure of an apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal and reduce manufacturing costs of the apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal.

1 . A method of generating a stereoscopic image signal, the method comprising: 
 receiving a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal;    generating a progressive stereoscopic image signal by multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal; and    scaling up or down the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating of the progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal such that scanning lines of the left-eye image signal and scanning lines of the right-image signal are alternately arranged.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the scaling up or down of the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 interpolating between consecutive scanning lines of the left-eye image signal and interpolating between consecutive scanning lines of the right-eye image signal to generate alternately arranged intermediate scanning lines of the left-eye and right eye signals.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating of the progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal such that pixels of the left-eye image signal and pixels of the right-image signal are alternately arranged.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the scaling up or down of the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 interpolating between consecutive pixels of the left-eye image signal and interpolating between consecutive pixels of the right-eye image signal to generate alternately arranged intermediate pixels of the left-eye and right eye signals.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scaling up or down of the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 buffering lines of the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal to interpolate first new lines between even-numbered line of the buffered lines, and second new lines between odd-numbered lines of the buffered lines such that the generate progressive stereoscopic image signal is scaled.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 displaying the first new lines and the even-numbered lines as a new left-eye image signal, and the second new lines and the odd-numbered lines as a new right-eye image signal.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first new lines are inserted between each pair of consecutive even-numbered lines, and the second lines are inserted between each pair of consecutive odd-numbered lines.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the lines comprise one of scanning lines and pixels in the scanning lines.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scaling up or down of the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 vertically scaling and horizontally scaling the generated progressive stereoscopic image signal.    
     
     
         11 . A method of scaling a stereoscopic image signal, comprising: 
 receiving a progressive stereoscopic image signal synthesized from a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal; and    scaling the received progressive stereoscopic image signal by interpolating first interpolation scanning lines corresponding to the left-eye image signal using scanning lines of the left-eye image signal and inserting the first interpolation lines between the scanning lines of the left-eye image signal, interpolating second interpolation lines corresponding to the right-eye image signal using scanning lines of the right-eye image signal and inserting the second interpolation lines between the scanning lines of the right-eye image signal, and multiplexing a resulting left-eye image signal and a resulting right-eye image signal.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the multiplexing of the resulting left-eye image signal and the resulting right-eye image signal comprises: 
 multiplexing the resulting left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal such that scanning lines of the resulting left-eye image signal and scanning lines of the resulting right-eye image signal are alternately arranged.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the multiplexing of the resulting left-eye image signal and the resulting right-eye image signal comprises: 
 multiplexing the resulting left-eye image signal and the resulting right-eye image signal such that pixels of the resulting left-eye image signal and pixels of the resulting right-eye image signal are alternately arranged.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the scaling of the received stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 sequentially inputting and updating n scanning lines of the progressive stereoscopic image signal sequentially inputting and updating through an interpolation operation and a multiplexing operation, and sequentially inputting and updating other scanning lines of the progressive stereoscopic image signal through the interpolation operation and the multiplexing operation, wherein n is an integer smaller than a total number of scanning lines of the progressive stereoscopic image signal.    
     
     
         15 . A method of generating a stereoscopic image signal, comprising: 
 multiplexing a first image signal and a second image signal to form a combined image signal; and    adjusting a resolution of the combined signal.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the multiplexing of the first image signal and the second image signal comprises: 
 combining the first and second image signals such that the first image signals form odd scanning lines of the combined image signal and the second image signals form even scanning lines of the combined image signal.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the adjusting of the resolution of the combined image signal comprises: 
 interpolating between consecutive odd scanning lines of the combined signal to generate at least one intermediate odd scanning line between the consecutive odd scanning lines; and    interpolating between consecutive even scanning lines of the combined signal to generate at least one intermediate even scanning line between the consecutive even scanning lines.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the multiplexing of the first image signal and the second image signal comprises: 
 combining the first and second image signals such that the first image signal forms odd numbered pixels of the combined image signal and the second image signal forms even numbered pixels of the combined image signal.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the adjusting of the resolution of the combined image signal comprises: 
 interpolating between consecutive odd numbered pixels of the combined signal to generate at least one intermediate odd numbered pixel between the consecutive odd numbered pixels; and    interpolating between consecutive even numbered pixels of the combined signal to generate at least one intermediate even numbered pixel between the consecutive even numbered pixels.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the adjusting of the resolution of the combined signal comprises: 
 increasing at least one of a number of scanning lines of the combined signal and a number of pixels of the combined signal.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second image signals comprise image signals to be viewable by a left eye and a right eye, respectively.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus to generate a stereoscopic image signal, comprising: 
 a multiplexer to multiplex a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal into a progressive stereoscopic image signal; and    a scaler to scale the progressive stereoscopic image signal multiplexed in the multiplexer.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 a plurality of first scanning lines corresponding to the left-eye image signal; and    a plurality of second scanning lines corresponding to the right-eye image signal and arranged alternately with respect to the plurality of first scanning lines.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises: 
 a plurality of scanning lines, each having a plurality of first pixels corresponding to the left-eye image signal and a plurality of second pixels corresponding to the right-eye image signal and arranged alternately with respect to the plurality of first pixels.    
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the progressive stereoscopic image signal comprises a plurality of scanning lines, and the scaler comprises: 
 a line interpolator to interpolate between consecutive odd numbered scanning lines to generate intermediate odd numbered scanning lines between the consecutive odd numbered scanning lines and to interpolate between consecutive even numbered scanning lines to generate intermediate even numbered scanning lines between the consecutive even numbere scanning lines.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the scaler comprises: 
 a plurality of line buffers to generate odd-numbered lines and even-numbered lines from the combined image signal; and    an interpolator to interpolate first lines between each pair of consecutive even-numbered lines and second lines between each pair of consecutive odd-numbered lines.