Shuttering the display of inter-frame transitions

Abstract

A shuttering device can improve a viewer's perception of displayed three-dimensional (3D) content by concurrently shuttering both of the viewer's eyes during frame transitions. One implementation includes the shuttering device receiving a shuttering signal synchronized to a display of 3D content at a display device. In response to the shuttering signal, the shuttering device can shutter the display of the 3D content. The shuttering can include shuttering a first shuttering component during a first time period corresponding to display of second eye 3D content. The shuttering can also include shuttering both the first shuttering component and a second shuttering component concurrently during a second time period corresponding to display of a transition from the second eye 3D content to first eye 3D content. Additionally, the shuttering can include shuttering the second shuttering component during a third time period corresponding to display of the first eye 3D content.

1 . At a shuttering device, the shuttering device including one or more processors and a memory, a computerized method of shuttering displayed three-dimensional (3D) content in response to a shuttering signal to improve the perception of the displayed 3D content by concurrently shuttering both of a viewer's eyes during frame transitions, the method comprising the acts of:
 receiving a shuttering signal; and   responding to the received shuttering signal, wherein the method further comprises:
 shuttering a first shuttering component during a first time period corresponding to a display of second eye 3D content at the display device; 
 shuttering the first shuttering component and a second shuttering component concurrently during a second time period corresponding to a display of a transition from the second eye 3D content to first eye 3D content at the display device; and 
 shuttering the second shuttering component during a third time period corresponding to a display of the first eye 3D content at the display device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 shuttering a first shuttering component comprises shuttering a component configured to be placed about a user's right eye; and   shuttering the second shuttering component comprises shuttering a component configured to be placed about a user's left eye.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 shuttering a first shuttering component comprises shuttering a component configured to be placed about a user's left eye; and   shuttering the second shuttering component comprises shuttering a component configured to be placed about a user's right eye.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising opening the first shuttering component and the second component during a fourth time period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttering signal comprises one or more data packets that include one or more shuttering instructions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising processing the one or more shuttering instructions to identify at least:
 a first shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to shutter only the first shuttering component during the first time period;   a second shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to shutter the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component concurrently during the second time period; and   a third shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to shutter only the second shuttering component during the third time period.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a signal type of the shuttering signal; and   processing the shuttering signal according to the signal type to determine a plurality of shuttering instructions included in the shuttering signal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component concurrently during the second time period comprises shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component during an entire display of the transition from the second eye 3D content to first eye 3D content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component concurrently during the second time period comprises shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component during only a portion of the display of the transition from the second eye 3D content to first eye 3D content. 
     
     
         10 . At a shuttering device, the shuttering device including one or more processors and a memory, a computerized method of shuttering displayed three-dimensional (3D) content in response to a synchronous shuttering signal to improve the perception of the displayed 3D content by concurrently shuttering both of a viewer's eyes during frame transitions in which at least a portion of an image intended for viewing by a right eye and at least a portion of a second image intended for viewing by a left are currently displayed, the method comprising the acts of:
 receiving a shuttering signal that includes a plurality of shuttering instructions synchronized to 3D content to be displayed at a display device;   identifying a first shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to shutter a first shuttering component for a first time period;   shuttering the first shuttering component for the first time period;   identifying a second shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to concurrently shutter the first shuttering component and a second shuttering component during a second time period corresponding to a frame transition period;   shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component concurrently for the second time period;   identifying a third shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to shutter the second shuttering component for a third time period; and   shuttering the second shuttering component for the third time period.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying a fourth shuttering instruction that instructs the shuttering device to refrain from shuttering either of the first shuttering component or the second shuttering component; and   refraining from shuttering either of the first shuttering component or the second shuttering component.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the shuttering signal comprises a digital signal that includes one or more data packets. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component for the entire frame transition period. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising shuttering the first shuttering component and the second shuttering component for less than the entire frame transition period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 generating one or more substitute shuttering instructions based on the received shuttering signal; and   shuttering the first and second shuttering components in response to the substitute shuttering instructions when the shuttering signal is lost.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first time period corresponds to at least a portion of a time period during which a display device displays 3D content intended to be viewed only by a first eye; and   the third time period corresponds to at least a portion of a time period during which a display device displays only 3D content intended to be viewed only by a second eye.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second time period occurs between the first time period and the third time period. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the frame transition period corresponds to a time period during which the display device displays at least a portion of the 3D content intended to be viewed only by a first eye and at least a portion of the 3D content intended to be viewed only by a second eye. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein shuttering the first shuttering component comprises applying voltage to a liquid crystal layer within the first shuttering component. 
     
     
         20 . In a computerized environment, one or more computer storage products having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed cause one or more processors in a computer system to perform a perform a method of shuttering displayed three-dimensional (3D) content in response to a shuttering signal to improve the perception of the displayed 3D content by concurrently shuttering both of a viewer's eyes during frame transitions, the method comprising the acts of:
 receiving a shuttering signal; and   responding to the received shuttering signal, wherein the method further comprises:
 shuttering a first shuttering component during a first time period corresponding to a display of second eye 3D content at the display device; 
 shuttering the first shuttering component and a second shuttering component concurrently during a second time period corresponding to a display of a transition from the second eye 3D content to first eye 3D content at the display device; and 
   shuttering the second shuttering component during a third time period corresponding to a display of the first eye 3D content at the display device.