Generating a Stereoscopic Image

Abstract

A method of generating an image to be observed as a stereoscopic image when viewed binocularly through an eye-side surface of a lenticular lens, in which a plurality of parallax images are arranged on a back surface of each of lenses of the lenticular lens or light beams corresponding to the plurality of images are input to the back surface, the method including parallax per unit length is made relatively smaller, in at least part, at a position closer to each edge of each lens in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the lens.

1 . A method of generating an image to be observed as a stereoscopic image when viewed binocularly through an eye-side surface of a lenticular lens, in which a plurality of parallax images are arranged on a back surface of each of lenses of the lenticular lens or light beams corresponding to the plurality of images are input to the back surface, the method comprising:
 parallax per unit length is made relatively smaller, in at least part, at a position closer to each edge of each lens in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the lens.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least part is near a center of each lens. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in an entire area of each lens, the parallax per unit length is made relatively smaller at a position closer to each edge of each lens in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the lens. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each adjacent two of the plurality of parallax images have the same parallax, and, at least a pair of adjacent two of the plurality of parallax images, an image arranged at or inputted to a position closer to either of the edges has a larger width in the orthogonal direction than the other image in the pair. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of parallax images are simultaneously taken by a single camera having a plurality of lenses. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of parallax images are successively taken by a single camera every time the camera moves an equal distance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of parallax images include two parallax images and images obtained through interpolation between the two images in such a manner that parallax of adjacent images, in at least part, is made larger at a position closer to the center of each lens, and the images are arranged in or inputted to areas on a back surface of each lens, respectively, the areas each having the same width in the orthogonal direction. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for generating a stereoscopic image, the apparatus comprising:
 a lenticular lens; and   a plurality of parallax images which are arranged on a back surface of each of lenses of the lenticular lens and are observed as a stereoscopic image when viewed binocularly through an eye-side surface of the lens, the parallax images having relatively smaller parallax per unit length, in at least part, at a position closer to each edge of each lens in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the lens.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for generating a stereoscopic image, the apparatus comprising:
 a lenticular lens;   means for obtaining interpolation images from two parallax images through interpolation between the two images in such a manner that parallax of adjacent images thereof is made larger at a position closer to the center of each lens; and   means for arranging or inputting the two images and the interpolation images in or to areas on a back surface of each lens of the lenticular lens, respectively, the areas each having the same width in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the lens.