Method and apparatus for generating stereoscopic images from a dvd disc

Abstract

A system and method described herein provide stereoscopic video using standard DVD video data combined with enhancement data. In various embodiments, the enhancement data may be stored on the same DVD as the standard video, or provided via downloading and/or streaming to a stereoscopic DVD player. When stored on the DVD, the enhancement data is provided in various forms, including MPEG (-1 or -2) program Stream level; or the MPEG elementary stream level.

1 . An apparatus generating a stereoscopic video signal comprising:
 a read member receiving an optical disc and reading standard video data, from said optical disc;   a data source providing enhancement data; and   a combiner coupled to said read member and said data source and combining said standard video data and said enhancement data to generate said stereoscopic video signal.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said data source receives a data file with said enhancement data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said data source receives a data stream, said enhancement data being part of said data stream. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enhancement data is received by said data source from said optical disc. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an input device coupled to said data source and selectively receiving an external device, said external device providing enhancement data to said data source through said input device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said external device is a USB data storage device. 
     
     
         8 . A method of generating a stereoscopic video signal by a DVD player from an optical disc comprising:
 retrieving from said optical disc standard video data;   receiving enhancement data by said player; and   combining the standard video data with said video data to generate said stereoscopic video signal.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein optical disc includes a first section with said standard video data and a second section with said enhancement data and said step of receiving by said player includes retrieving said enhancement data from said optical disc. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said enhancement data is presented as a data file. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said enhancement data is streamed data. 
     
     
         13 . An optical data disc comprising:
 a first section containing standard video data; and   a second section containing enhancement data;   said first section is arranged and constructed so that   when the disc is inserted into a standard player, the standard player can play said standard video data as a standard program; and   and when the disc inserted into a stereo player, the stereo player can play a stereo version of the standard program by combining said standard video data and said enhanced data.   
     
     
         14 . The optical data disc of  claim 13  wherein said optical data disc further comprises a flag transparent to the standard video player and is used by the second player as an indication that enhancement data is present on the disc and can be used to combine with the standard video data to generate stereo content. 
     
     
         15 . A stereo player rendering three-dimensional video images, said stereo player comprising:
 a receiver portion that receives video signals from an optical disc and enhanced data signals;   a video renderer adapted to receive said video signals and to generate a standard video output in the absence of said enhanced data signals, and to generate a stereo video output in the presence of said enhanced data signals.   
     
     
         16 . The player of  claim 15  wherein said enhanced data signals are stored on the optical disc. 
     
     
         17 . The player of  claim 15  further comprising a receiving device receiving said enhanced data signals from a remote source. 
     
     
         18 . The player of  claim 17  wherein said receiving device receives said enhanced data signals wirelessly. 
     
     
         19 . The player of  claim 17  wherein said receiving device receives an external device with a data storage storing said enhanced data signals. 
     
     
         20 . The player of  claim 17  wherein said external device is a USB data storage device. 
     
     
         21 . The player of  claim 20  wherein one decoder reads left-eye images and the second detector reads images corresponding to a difference between left- and right-eye images, on a pixel-by pixel basis. 
     
     
         22 . The player of  claim 20  further comprising a flag-detector detecting a 3D flag indicative of whether a disc contains only 2D signals, or 3D signals. 
     
     
         23 . The player of  claim 20  wherein said enhancement signal is preprocessed before storage on the disc and wherein one of said decoders performs an inverse process on said enhancement signal to reverse said preprocessing. 
     
     
         24 . The player  claim 23  wherein said one decoder includes a lookup table for said inverse process. 
     
     
         25 . A player capable of playing discs with either 2D or 3D signals comprising:
 two decoders reading data from a disc and generating from said disc a standard and an enhanced signal, respectively;   wherein said enhancement signal is preprocessed before storage on the disc and wherein one of said decoders performs an inverse process on said enhancement signal to reverse said preprocessing.   
     
     
         26 . The player  claim 25  wherein said one decoder includes a lookup table for said inverse process.