3d pointer generation device and 3d pointer generation method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for generating a stereoscopic pointer. Position information designates a position of the stereoscopic pointer, including the depth direction of the stereoscopic pointer. Horizontal pointer position signals are generated based on the position information. The horizontal position of the pointer is set in left and right channels to a horizontal position shifted so as to correspond to a parallax of the position of the stereoscopic pointer in the depth direction. The stereoscopic pointer is displayed based on the horizontal pointer position signal.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An image signal processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image processing circuitry configured to
 receive position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer, 
 combine the stereoscopic pointer with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises shifting a lateral position of the stereoscopic pointer in the left and right images based on the depth information to cause a parallax of the stereoscopic pointer, and 
 perform an image processing on the input stereoscopic image based on at least the depth information of the stereoscopic pointer. 
   
     
     
         20 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to perform the image processing at least in part by processing at least a position of the input stereoscopic image corresponding to the position of the stereoscopic pointer. 
     
     
         21 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the image processing comprises superimposing of related information on the position of the input stereoscopic image. 
     
     
         22 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the related information is a subtitle information. 
     
     
         23 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the related information is an information related to a subject in the input stereoscopic image; and   a position of the subject corresponds to the position of the stereoscopic pointer.   
     
     
         24 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein superimposing the related information on the position comprises superimposing the related information on the right image and left image such that a parallax of the related information corresponds to the parallax of stereoscopic pointer. 
     
     
         25 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the image processing circuitry is further configured to change a display state of the stereoscopic pointer in accordance with the depth information of the stereoscopic pointer. 
     
     
         26 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the change the display state of the stereoscopic pointer comprises display size, display color, or display transparency of the pointer. 
     
     
         27 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the image processing circuitry is further configured to determine a size of the stereoscopic pointer based at least in part on the size of a display. 
     
     
         28 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to determine the size of the stereoscopic pointer to be 1/200 or more of the size of the display. 
     
     
         29 . A method comprising:
 receiving position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer,   combining the stereoscopic pointer with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises shifting a lateral position of the stereoscopic pointer in the left and right images based on the depth information to cause a parallax of the stereoscopic pointer, and   performing an image processing on the input stereoscopic image based on at least the depth information of the stereoscopic pointer.   
     
     
         30 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising:
 receiving position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer,   combining the stereoscopic pointer with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises shifting a lateral position of the stereoscopic pointer in the left and right images based on the depth information to cause a parallax of the stereoscopic pointer, and   performing an image processing on the input stereoscopic image based on at least the depth information of the stereoscopic pointer.   
     
     
         31 . An image signal processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image processing circuitry configured to:
 receive position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer, 
 combine a related information with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image, wherein combining the related information with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the related information in each of the left and right images to set a parallax of the related information, and 
 combine the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images respectively, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the pointer in each of the left and right images to set a parallax in accordance with the depth information and to set wherein the parallax of the stereoscopic pointer to correspond to the parallax of the related information. 
   
     
     
         32 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the related information is a subtitle information. 
     
     
         33 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein controlling the lateral position of the related information to set the parallax of the related information comprises controlling the lateral position to set the parallax to correspond to a parallax of a main subject in the stereoscopic image. 
     
     
         34 . The image signal processing apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein controlling the lateral position of the pointer to set the parallax of the stereoscopic pointer comprises controlling the lateral position to set the parallax to correspond to a parallax of a main subject in the stereoscopic image. 
     
     
         35 . A method comprising:
 receiving position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer,   combining a related information with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image, wherein combining the related information with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the related information in each of the left and right images to set a parallax of the related information, and   combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images respectively, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the pointer in each of the left and right images to set a parallax in accordance with the depth information and to set wherein the parallax of the stereoscopic pointer to correspond to the parallax of the related information.   
     
     
         36 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method comprising:
 receiving position information for designating a position of a stereoscopic pointer, the position information including depth information of the stereoscopic pointer,   combining a related information with a left image and a right image of an input stereoscopic image respectively, wherein combining the related information with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the related information in each of the left and right images to set a parallax of the related information, and   combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images respectively, wherein combining the stereoscopic pointer with the left and right images comprises controlling a lateral position of the pointer in each of the left and right images to set a parallax in accordance with the depth information and to set wherein the parallax of the stereoscopic pointer to correspond to the parallax of the related information.