JP2003052056A - Video timing difference detection method, video correction method, video timing difference detection device, video correction device, recording / reproducing device using them, and receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To provide a stable stereoscopic video service that can easily detect a difference in video timing between each viewpoint video signal of a stereoscopic video, and is also used in theaters that provide stereoscopic video and other applications such as remote communication. The purpose is to provide. SOLUTION: A camera 101 generates signals corresponding to left and right eyes, respectively, and the signals are accumulated in respective recording units 113. When the signal stored in the recording unit 113 is reproduced, the detection device 813 is used to detect whether there is a time difference between frames for the right-eye and left-eye signals. Correction device 82
Reference numeral 3 corrects the signal based on the result of the detection processing using the data 813 of the frame for each eye. The reproducing unit 123 outputs the signals for each eye to the corresponding display devices. The display device 104 corresponds to a left-eye image and a right-eye image, respectively, and realizes a three-dimensional image by supplying a right-eye image to the right eye and a left-eye image to the left eye by the three-dimensional display means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image timing difference detecting / correcting apparatus used in a stereoscopic image system including recording, transmission and display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In many cases, ordinary video equipment is used in combination in recording, transmitting and displaying stereoscopic video, and there is no device for monitoring the time delay between videos representing each viewpoint. Instead, the operator or manager of the equipment was visually monitoring. Further, there is no means for correction when a time delay has occurred, and individual correction has been made for the part where the delay has occurred.

A specific example of a conventional stereoscopic video system will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a stereoscopic video system using a conventional recording / reproducing apparatus. For brevity, the binocular system consisting of two images for the left and right eyes is illustrated, but the n-eye system comprising n (natural number of 3 or more) viewpoints is also the same.

The stereoscopic image system shown in FIG.
1, a recording / reproducing device 103, and a display device 104. Further, the recording / reproducing device 103 includes a recording unit 113,
It is composed of the reproducing unit 123.

The cameras 101 are for the left eye (101 L),
A signal corresponding to the right eye (101R) is generated. The signals generated for the left and right eyes are accumulated in each recording unit 113. The reproducing unit 123 sends the accumulated signals to the display device 104. The display device 104 displays a stereoscopic image by a stereoscopic display means.

The subject 100 is a camera 101L for the left eye,
Images are captured by the right-eye camera 101R, and signals corresponding to the left eye and right eye are generated and sent to the recording / reproducing device 103. The recording / reproducing device 103 stores the sent signal in the recording unit 113. When the reproduction unit 123 receives a reproduction instruction, the recording unit 11
The signal for the left eye, which is stored in No. 3, to the display device 104L,
A signal for the right eye is output to the display device 104R. The display device 104L and the display device 104R correspond to the left-eye image and the right-eye image, respectively, and the stereoscopic display means supplies the right-eye image to the right eye and the left-eye image to the left eye. The stereoscopic image means is specifically a polarizing film, a time division display means, a lenticular screen, a parallax barrier, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a stereoscopic image system when a stereoscopic image is viewed in real time using a conventional receiver.

The stereoscopic image system shown in FIG.
L, a transmission device 201, a receiver 202, and a display device 104. In addition, the receiver 202 includes the receiving unit 21.
2. The image restoration unit 222. Camera 1
The 01L and the camera 101R respectively generate signals corresponding to the left and right eyes.

The signals generated for the left and right eyes are converted into transmission signals by each transmission device 201 and transmitted while controlling the data amount. The receiver 202 of the receiver 202 receives the transmission signal. The received signal is the image restoration unit 222.
Accumulated by. The display device 104 forms and displays a stereoscopic image from the accumulated signals by the stereoscopic display means.

The subject is photographed by the left-eye camera 101L and the right-eye camera 101R to generate signals corresponding to the left eye and the right eye, respectively, and then output to the transmission device 201. The transmission device 201 converts the transmitted signal into a transmission signal and transfers the data while controlling the amount of data to be transmitted. Receiver 202
Then, the transmitted signal is received by the reception unit 212, and the image restoration unit 222 accumulates the signal and restores a displayable video signal. When displaying, the signal for the left eye accumulated in the image restoration unit 222 is output to the display device 104L, and the signal for the right eye is output to the display device 104R. The display device 104 displays a stereoscopic image to the viewer by the stereoscopic display means.

[0012]

By the way, when reproducing a stereoscopic image, a plurality of recording units (VTRs or the like) corresponding to the number of viewpoints are synchronously operated (two units in the case of FIG. 1). If not enough, a delay occurs between videos. Also,
In recent transmission devices using the MPEG system or the like, a buffer is provided for transmission and reception in order to control the amount of data to be transmitted. Therefore, when transmitting a plurality of images at the same time, a time difference (timing difference) occurs between them. Even if video images are distributed via the Internet, a time lag will occur unless synchronization is taken into consideration.

In this system, a delay occurs between the left and right images in the transmission device or the recording / reproducing device even when the devices are synchronously coupled by the reference synchronization signal. In these devices, normally (as normal video equipment)
The synchronous operation is not compensated for the stereoscopic image, which causes a time difference of several frames (images). Moreover, even if the synchronous operation is normal, the precision of the edit point is not sufficient in video editing, and a time difference of 1 frame or more occurs when cutting and connecting.

When observing images having delays from each other,
It creates an incorrect stereoscopic effect that is different from the actual one. For example, on the screen
If there is a region in which ΔZ moves in one frame in the horizontal direction, when a time difference of n (natural number) frames occurs, a parallax shift of nΔZ occurs. If this is large, not only unnatural, but also an excessive parallax is caused, causing eye fatigue and stress.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and by using only the inter-frame calculation of the video signals so that the timing difference of the video signals from the video for each viewpoint is not generated, An object of the present invention is to provide a video timing difference detection method for detecting and correcting a video timing difference, a video correction method, a video timing difference detection apparatus, a video correction apparatus, and a recording / reproducing apparatus and a receiver using them.

[0016]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs means for solving the problems having the following features.

The invention described in claim 1 is the difference in the video timing between the reference video signal obtained from the reference camera and the monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras at the same timing. In the video timing difference detection method for detecting the difference, the corresponding pixels of the reference video signal and the monitored video signal are compared, the absolute values of the difference values of the pixels are accumulated over the entire screen, and the difference amount is calculated. And a timing difference detecting step of determining that there is a difference in video timing between the video signals when the difference amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

According to the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to easily detect the difference in the image timing of each viewpoint of the stereoscopic image by using only the difference amount calculation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image timing difference detection method, a reference image signal obtained from a reference camera and an image signal obtained at a different timing from the reference image signal. Comparing for each corresponding pixel between, the total of the absolute value of the pixel difference value over the entire screen, has a motion amount calculation step of calculating the motion amount, and changing the threshold value based on the motion amount Is characterized by.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to detect the timing difference between the viewpoint images more accurately.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the detecting step, when a difference in image timing is detected, an alarm means for notifying the detection is included.

According to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to easily recognize that the difference in the timing of the video signals between the viewpoints has been detected.

The invention described in claim 4 corrects a difference in image timing between a reference image signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored image signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras. In the image correction method, between a storage step of storing the reference video signal and a plurality of monitored video signals having different timings, and a reference video signal and a plurality of monitored video signals stored in the storage step. A correction step of comparing difference amounts obtained by accumulating absolute values of difference values of corresponding pixels for each screen and setting a video signal having the minimum difference amount as a monitored video signal at the same timing as the reference signal; It is characterized by having.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to output an image having no timing difference in the image signal of each viewpoint in the stereoscopic image display.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image correction method according to the fourth aspect, the accumulating step accumulates reference image signals at a plurality of timings, and the correcting step accumulates in the accumulating step. Between the plurality of reference video signals and the plurality of monitored video signals, the absolute values of the difference values of the corresponding pixels are compared and corrected by comparing the accumulated difference amounts with respect to all the reference video signals. .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to output an image with no timing difference in the image signals of each viewpoint in the stereoscopic image display.

In the invention described in claim 6, in the correction step, an alarm is issued when the corrected video signal does not match the monitored video signal obtained from another camera at the same timing as the reference video signal. And an alarm means for causing the alarm.

According to the invention described in claim 6, the practitioner of the present invention can easily recognize that the timing difference of the video signals has been corrected.

In the invention described in claim 7, the difference in the video timing between the reference video signal obtained from the reference camera and the monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras at the same timing. In the video timing difference detection apparatus for detecting the difference, the corresponding pixels of the reference video signal and the monitored video signal are compared, the absolute values of the difference values of the pixels are accumulated over the entire screen, and the difference amount is calculated. And a timing difference detection unit that determines that there is a difference in video timing between the video signals when the difference amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

According to the invention described in claim 8, in the video timing difference detection device, a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a video signal obtained at a timing different from the reference video signal are provided. Comparing each corresponding pixel between pixels, accumulating the absolute value of the difference value of the pixel over the entire screen, and having a motion amount calculation unit that calculates the motion amount, and changing the threshold value based on the motion amount. Is characterized by.

The invention described in claim 9 is characterized in that the detection section includes an alarm means for notifying the detection when a difference in video timing is detected.

According to the invention described in claims 7 to 9, it is possible to provide a video timing difference detection apparatus suitable for the video timing difference detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

The invention described in claim 10 corrects a difference in image timing between a reference image signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored image signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras. In the video correction device, between the reference video signal and a storage unit that stores the plurality of monitored video signals having different timings, and between the reference video signal and the plurality of monitored video signals stored in the storage unit. A correction unit that compares the difference amounts obtained by accumulating the absolute values of the difference values of the corresponding pixels for each screen and sets the video signal with the minimum difference amount as the monitored video signal at the same timing as the reference signal; It is characterized by having.

The invention described in claim 11 is the same as claim 1.
0. In the image correction device according to 0, the storage section stores reference video signals at a plurality of timings, and the correction section stores a plurality of reference video signals and a plurality of monitored video signals stored in the storage section. It is characterized in that the absolute value of the difference value of the corresponding pixel is corrected by comparing the accumulated difference amount with respect to all the reference video signals.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the correction unit warns when the corrected video signal does not match the monitored video signal obtained from another camera at the same timing as the reference video signal. And an alarm means for causing the alarm.

According to the invention described in claims 9 to 12, it is possible to provide an image correction apparatus suitable for the image correction method according to claim 4 or 6.

The invention described in claim 13 is the same as claim 1.
A recording / reproducing apparatus using the image correction apparatus according to any one of 0 to 12.

The invention described in claim 14 is the same as claim 1.
An image receiver using the image correction device according to any one of 0 to 12.

[0039]

First, the principle of the detection method of the present invention will be described.

In the description of the present invention, the left eye image (L screen) is used as the reference image signal for detection / correction. On the other hand, the right-eye image (R image) is a monitored image signal whose time relationship with respect to the left-eye image is delayed or preceded by unknown.

The image sequences in the left-eye image and the right-eye image are Ln (x, y) and Rn (x, y). Here, n is a frame number (= ..., -2, -1, 0, 1,
2, ...) (when 0 is the frame at the reference time). x and y represent horizontal and vertical coordinate positions of pixels in one frame. Since the time is unknown in the right-eye image, R
Let z (x, y). here,

[0042]

[Equation 1] Ask for. Σ indicates the total sum of x and y within one frame.

Here, a method of calculating Dn will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the Dn calculation method according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3, when each frame of the left-eye image (L signal) and the right-eye image (R signal) is continuously transmitted depending on time, the L signal at a certain time T is used as a reference frame Is compared with the frame of the R signal sent at the same time. In the comparison method shown in FIG. 3, the pixel value at the same position in both frames, for example, one pixel MB11 in the L signal frame and MB11 in the corresponding R signal frame is calculated to obtain the absolute value thereof. . Next, the absolute value is similarly obtained in the MB21 section. This is MBXY, where X and Y are the upper limits of x and y, respectively.
The total number of absolute values in one frame is calculated. This becomes the Dn value.

When z = n, the amount depends on the parallax of the left and right images.

[0047]

[Equation 2] And

The meaning of the value of Dn is that it has a property that the value of Dn remarkably increases when there is a time difference between the L image and the R image in a scene with large motion (scene change, panning image) and the like. Therefore, depending on the Dn value, L
-First to recognize that there is a time difference between R images
It can be used for the next judgment.

Thresholding is performed with a sufficiently large value θ of Dn,
It is used as a detection method when there is a time difference between LR images (first determination).

The primary judgment can be made sufficiently practical judgment in the video contents in which a scene with a large motion (scene change, panning video) frequently occurs. However, when a scene with little motion continues, the Dn value does not exceed the threshold value θ, and during that time, it is not possible to accurately detect the temporal difference of the images. Here, a method of adjusting the threshold value θ to increase the sensitivity of the determination can be considered, but the determination may become unstable such that the threshold value may be exceeded when the parallax amount (Equation 2) is large.

In order to deal with the above, when the primary determination is not applicable, the secondary determination is performed as follows.

First, the reference image (L image) frame and 1
The difference value of the pixel value from the frame delayed frame is calculated. That is,

[0053]

[Equation 3] Becomes

Here, a method of calculating En will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a method of calculating En according to the present invention.

In FIG. 4, the L signal is used as a reference signal, and a reference frame at a certain time T and a frame delayed by one frame are compared. The comparison method can be obtained in the same manner as in the above Dn calculation.

The calculated En generally indicates the "movement amount". On the other hand, Dn roughly corresponds to “parallax amount + movement amount (when there is a time difference)”. However, it is necessary to make a condition that a certain movement exists. This is because, in a still or quasi-still image, even if there is a time difference, no inconvenience occurs as a stereoscopic image. Therefore, if En is a value determined to be a still or quasi-still image, no correction is performed.

If En exceeds a predetermined value,
That is, when there is a certain amount of movement, in the comparison between Dn and En, the value of the amount of movement should be larger when there is no time difference in Dn, so the relational expression of En> Dn holds. On the contrary, when there is a time difference, En <Dn (or E
n = Dn). From the above, it is possible to detect the case where there is a time difference only based on the magnitude relationship between En and Dn.

The flow of the detection process will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is an example of a flowchart showing the time difference detection processing of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, when a signal is input, first, Dn is calculated (S51) and En is calculated (S52).
Next, it is determined whether Dn exceeds a predetermined threshold value θ1 (S
53) is performed, and if θ1 is exceeded, a correction flag for performing correction processing in the subsequent processing is generated (S56). Then, a flag is generated to warn of the detection (S5
Perform 7). In S53, when Dn is not larger than θ1, a determination is made for En (S54). If En is '0' or smaller than the specified threshold value θ2, it is determined that the image is a still or quasi-still image, and no correction is performed. Further, even if En is a large value in S54, if En is larger in the comparison of En and Dn (S55), it can be determined that the image is when the movement of the subject is large. , No correction is made. However, if Dn is greater than or equal to the value of En in S55, the inter-frame difference amount exceeds the motion amount, so it is determined that a time difference has occurred between frames, and the correction flag is generated in S56 and the alarm in S57 is issued. Generate flags.

Next, the principle of the correction method will be described.

In order to detect and correct the signal Rn photographed at the same time as the reference frame Ln of the L signal, Dn is calculated between Ln and a continuous frame before and after the Rz frame, and among them, Dn is calculated. By setting the frame of the minimum R signal to be the frame Rn, it is possible to correct the signals captured at the same time.

Here, the comparison of frames in the correction process will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the correction frame detection method according to the present invention.

In FIG. 6, when the R signal accumulates frames temporally before and after Rz as a reference (for example, a total of 10 frames), the L signal frame Ln and the accumulated R signal frame Rz-4. ~ Rz + 5 are compared with each other to calculate Dn. (In FIG. 6, first, in frames Ln and Rz + 5, D
Then, n is calculated, and then Dn is calculated for each frame of Ln + 1 and Rz + 4, ..., Ln and Rz-4, and each R signal. ) Next, assuming that the frame Rw of the R signal that is the smallest among the calculated values of Dn is the signal Rn that has been captured at the same time as Ln and that has no time difference, the temporal difference is obtained by using that frame. A set of L-R images without is obtained.

Further, in the correction method of FIG. 6, the number of frames of the L signal is set to 1. However, consecutive frames for the L signal are accumulated as a frame group, and a plurality of the frame group and the R signal are stored. By comparing with the frame group, the group having the minimum cumulative difference value of the entire group is obtained, and the frame at the same position as the Ln frame in the group is set as the Rn frame.
The accuracy of detecting frames at the same time can be improved. In the case of the above-described correction method, the number of frames in the frame group of the L signal and the R signal to be compared is the same. Further, by accumulating more R signals than L signals, further improvement in detection accuracy can be expected. For example, assuming that the number of accumulated frames of the signal R is N (natural number of 2 or more) and the number of accumulated frames of the signal L is N / 2, N / 2 kinds of comparisons will be performed.

Here, comparison of frames in the above-described correction method will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a second example of the corrected frame detection method according to the present invention. In FIG. 7, it is assumed that comparison is performed as a frame group.

In FIG. 7, the frame number N of the R signal is set to 1
It is assumed that 0 and the frame of the L signal are 5. When the R signal has accumulated frames (10 in total) that are before and after with respect to Rz, the R signal is associated with the frame group of the L signal.
A frame group of signals is generated, and the frames are compared with each other in association with consecutive frames. That is, in FIG. 7, first, the frames Ln + 2 and Rz + 5, Ln
+1 and Rz + 1, ..., Ln-2 and Rz + 1 are compared. The sum of the respective comparison results becomes the comparison value of the frame group. Next, shift one R signal frame and
n + 2 and Rz + 4, Ln + 1 and Rz + 3, ..., Ln-2
And Rz perform similar processing. After that, the same processing is performed by sequentially sliding. Therefore, in FIG. 7, a total of 5 comparisons are performed.

After all the comparisons are completed, the frame Rw of the R signal corresponding to Ln, which is the smallest frame group in the calculated comparison total value, is a signal Rn having no time difference taken at the same time as Ln. Given that, by using that frame, a set of L-R images with no time difference can be obtained.

The comparison order in the comparison method of FIGS. 6 and 7 is not limited to this.

In the correction method described above, the corrected R
When the signal Rw is not the same as the R signal Rz before comparison, a notification flag for notifying that the frame has been corrected is generated.

The flow of the correction process will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 8 is an example of a flowchart showing the correction processing of the present invention.

In FIG. 8, it is confirmed whether there is a correction instruction by the correction flag (S71). If there is no instruction, the L and R signals are output as they are without performing the correction processing (S7).
2) Do. If there is a correction instruction in S71,
The above-described frame group comparison processing (S73) is performed. After the process of S73 is completed, Ln and the frame Rw corresponding to the frame are output (S74). Here, it is confirmed whether Rw is the same frame as Rz (S75), and if they are not the same, an alarm flag is generated (S76).

By using the above-mentioned detection method and correction method, it is possible to provide an image with no time difference.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a stereoscopic video system using a recording / reproducing apparatus utilizing the present invention.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 comprises a camera 101, a recording / reproducing device 803, and a display device 104. Further, the recording / reproducing device 803 includes a recording unit 113 and a detecting device 8.
13, a correction device 823, and a reproduction unit 123.

The cameras 101 are for the left eye (101 L),
A signal corresponding to the right eye (101R) is generated. The signals generated for the left and right eyes are accumulated in each recording unit 113. When reproducing the signal accumulated in the recording unit 113,
The detection device 813 is used to detect whether or not there is a time difference between the signals for the right and left eyes. If there is a time difference, a correction flag and a warning flag are output. Correction device 8
Reference numeral 23 determines whether or not the correction processing is necessary based on the correction flag, and when the correction is necessary, the correction is performed from the accumulated frames for each eye. The reproducing unit 123 outputs the signals for each eye to the corresponding display devices 104L and 104R. Display device 104
L and 104R correspond to the left-eye image and the right-eye image, respectively, and the stereoscopic display means supplies the right-eye image to the right eye and the left-eye image to the left eye.

The subject 100 is the left-eye camera 101L,
The right-eye camera 101R takes images, generates signals corresponding to the left eye and the right eye, and then sends the signals to the recording / reproducing device 803. The recording / reproducing device 803 stores the transmitted signal in the recording unit 113. The accumulated signal is detected by the detection device 813 as to whether or not there is a time difference between the signals sent from the recording unit for both eyes. The configuration of the detection device 813 will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the detecting device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 10, the detection device 813 is Dn.
The calculation unit 901, the delay unit 902, the En calculation unit 903, and the detection unit 904 are included.

The Dn calculator 901 calculates Dn between the reference frame of either one of the signals and the other frame input at the same timing. In the delay unit 902,
The frame of the signal L is delayed by one frame. The En calculation unit 903 calculates En between the reference frame of the signal L and the frames delayed by one frame. Detection unit 904
Then, the necessity of the correction process is determined using Dn, En, and the threshold value, and if necessary, the correction flag and the alarm flag are output in addition to the signals L and R.

When the signal L for the left eye and the signal R for the right eye are input to the detection device 813, the difference in pixel value between the two signals is calculated using the method shown in FIG. Further, since En is calculated using the signal L, the delay unit 902 delays by one frame, and sends the delayed frame and the reference frame to the En calculation unit 903, and the En calculation unit 903 performs the calculation in FIG.
En is calculated using the method shown in. Detection unit 904
Uses the calculated Dn, En, and the threshold value to determine the necessity of correction according to the flowchart example of FIG. If the determination result indicates that no correction is necessary, only the signal L and the signal R are output. If the correction is necessary, the correction flag and the alarm flag are output in addition to the signals L and R.

The signal L, the signal R, and the correction flag are shown in FIG.
The correction device 823 and the alarm flag are output to the alarm unit 804. The correction device 823 performs processing according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the system configuration of the correction device 823 will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a first configuration example of the correction device in FIG.

In FIG. 11, the correction device 823 is composed of a delay unit A01 for delaying one frame and a correction unit A02.

In FIG. 11, the signal L is used as a reference frame,
The number of frames is 1. Further, the number N of comparative delay frame memories of the signal R is set to 10. Each frame delayed by the delay unit A01 is output to the correction unit A02. Correction unit A0
In 2, the correction frame is extracted according to the correction frame detection method described above (FIG. 6).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the correction device in FIG.

In FIG. 12, the signal L is used as a reference frame,
The number of frames is 5. Further, the number N of comparative delay frame memories of the signal R is set to 10. Each frame delayed by the delay unit A01 is output to the correction unit A02. Correction unit A0
2, the correction frame detection method as described above (FIG. 7)
A correction frame is extracted in accordance with.

By using the delay unit A01 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, several frames before and after the frame Rz of the R signal to be compared can be obtained, and the correction device 823 can be acquired at the same timing as the Rz frame. Input to Ln
The signal can be acquired.

In the correction process in the correction unit A02, if the correction frame Rw of the signal R for Ln is not the same frame as the frame Rz used in the Dn calculation in the Dn calculation unit 901, an alarm flag is issued. Is output to the alarm unit 804 in FIG.

When the notification flag is input by the detection device 813 and the correction device 823, the alarm unit 804 informs the inventor of the present invention that the temporal difference of frames has been detected and the correction has been performed accordingly. Sound an alarm.

The signal L and the corrected signal R are reproduced by the reproducing unit 123.
In, the left eye signal is output to the display device 104L and the right eye signal is output to the display device 104R. Display device 1
Reference numeral 04 displays a stereoscopic image to the viewer by a stereoscopic display means such as a polarizing film or time division.

By implementing the present invention, a stereoscopic image can be displayed from a set of L-R images with no time difference.

Next, a second embodiment utilizing the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of an embodiment of a stereoscopic video system using a receiver according to the present invention.

The stereoscopic video system shown in FIG. 13 includes a camera 101, a transmission device 201, a receiver B01, and a display device 1.
04 and an alarm unit 804. Further, the receiver B01 includes the receiving unit 212, the image restoring unit 222, and the detecting device 8.
13 and a correction device B02.

The subject 100 is the camera 101L for the left eye,
Images are captured by the right-eye camera 101R, and signals corresponding to the left and right eyes are generated. The generated signal is transmitted by the transmission device 201.
Transmitted by. Each transmitted signal is received by the receiver B01.
Is received by each receiving unit 212 and is stored in each image restoring unit 222. When the signal stored in the image restoration unit 222 is reproduced, the detection device 813 is used to detect whether or not there is a time difference between the frames between the right-eye and left-eye signals. The correction device B02 corrects the frame based on the correction flag input from the detection device 813. The corrected signals are the display devices 104L and 1L corresponding to the signals for the respective eyes.
Output to 04R. The display devices 104L and 104R correspond to the left-eye image and the right-eye image, respectively, and the stereoscopic display means supplies the right-eye image to the right eye and the left-eye image to the left eye. That is, in the second embodiment, there is no time difference L-
An assembly image of the R image can be displayed.

In the description of the present invention, the binocular system consisting of two images for the left and right eyes is illustrated, but the same result can be obtained with an n-eye system consisting of n (natural number of 3 or more) viewpoint images. You can

Further, the pixel unit is assumed as the arithmetic unit of the difference absolute value accumulated in one frame in the present invention.
When a video signal is processed by an appropriate means to extract only a specific resolution component and pixels are thinned out at equal intervals for calculation, or one frame is divided into macro blocks within a certain fixed range, and macros are used instead of pixels. Similar results can be obtained when the difference absolute value is obtained in block units.

[0104]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily detect the difference in the image timing between the viewpoint image signals of the stereoscopic image, which is stable in the theater which provides the stereoscopic image and other applications such as remote communication. It is possible to provide a stereoscopic video service.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a stereoscopic video system using a conventional recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system when a stereoscopic image is viewed in real time using a conventional receiver.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a Dn calculation method according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an En calculation method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a flowchart showing a time difference detection process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a corrected frame detection method according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a second example of the corrected frame detection method according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an example of a flowchart showing a correction process.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an embodiment of a stereoscopic video system using a recording / reproducing apparatus using the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a first configuration example of a correction device in the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a second configuration example of the correction device in the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of an example of a stereoscopic video system using a receiver using the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 camera 103, 803 Recording / reproducing apparatus 104 display device 113 recording section 123 Playback section 201 transmission device 202, B01 receiver 212 Receiver 222 Image restoration unit 804 Alarm unit 813 Detector 823, B02 correction device 901 Dn calculator 902 delay section 903 En calculator 904 Detector A01 1-frame delay circuit A02 Corrector

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Atsuo Hanazato             1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan             Broadcasting Association Broadcast Technology Institute (72) Inventor Shinji Ide             1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan             Broadcasting Association Broadcast Technology Institute F term (reference) 2H059 AA07 AA18 AA35 AA38                 5C061 AB04 AB12 AB24                 5C082 AA21 BA12 BA46 BB25 BB26                       BB53 BD09 CB01 DA63 DA73                       DA76 MM10

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A video timing difference detection method for detecting a video timing difference between a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras at the same timing. In the difference amount calculation step of calculating the difference amount by comparing the corresponding pixels of the reference video signal and the monitored video signal with each other and summing up the absolute values of the pixel difference values over the entire screen. And a timing difference detecting step of determining that there is a difference in video timing between the video signals when exceeds a predetermined threshold value. 2. The video timing difference detection method, wherein a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a video signal obtained at a different timing from the reference video signal are compared for each corresponding pixel. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a motion amount calculating step of calculating a motion amount by accumulating absolute values of pixel difference values over the entire screen, and changing the threshold value based on the motion amount. Video timing difference detection method. 3. The video timing difference detection method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes an alarm means for notifying the detection of a difference in the video timing when the difference is detected. 4. A video correction method for correcting a video timing difference between a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras. A signal, and a storage step of storing a plurality of monitored video signals having different timings, and a difference value of corresponding pixels between the reference video signal and the plurality of monitored video signals stored in the storage step. Absolute value 1
And a step of correcting the accumulated difference amount for each screen and setting the video signal having the minimum difference amount as the monitored video signal at the same timing as the reference signal. 5. The image correction method according to claim 4, wherein the storing step stores reference video signals at a plurality of timings, and the correcting step stores a plurality of reference video signals and a plurality of reference video signals stored in the storing step. An image correction method characterized by correcting the absolute value of the difference value of the corresponding pixel with respect to the monitored video signal by comparing the accumulated difference amount with respect to all the reference video signals. 6. The correcting step includes an alarm means for issuing an alarm when the corrected video signal does not match a monitored video signal obtained from another camera at the same timing as the reference video signal. 6. The image correction method according to claim 4, which is characterized in that. 7. A video timing difference detection device for detecting a video timing difference between a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras at the same timing. In the above, the difference amount calculation unit that compares the corresponding pixels of the reference video signal and the monitored video signal, accumulates the absolute values of the difference values of the pixels over the entire screen, and calculates the difference amount; And a timing difference detection unit that determines that there is a difference in the video timing between the video signals when exceeds a predetermined threshold value. 8. The video timing difference detection device compares, for each corresponding pixel, a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a video signal obtained at a different timing from the reference video signal. 8. A motion amount calculation unit that calculates a motion amount by accumulating absolute values of pixel difference values over the entire screen, and changes the threshold value based on the motion amount. Image timing difference detection device. 9. The video timing difference detection device according to claim 7, wherein the detection unit includes an alarm means for notifying the detection when a difference in video timing is detected by an alarm. 10. A video correction device for correcting a video timing difference between a reference video signal obtained from a reference camera and a monitored video signal obtained from at least one or more other cameras, wherein the reference video is provided. A signal and a storage unit that stores a plurality of monitored video signals having different timings; and a difference value of corresponding pixels between a reference video signal and a plurality of monitored video signals stored in the storage unit. An image including: a correction unit that compares difference amounts obtained by accumulating absolute values for each screen and sets a video signal having the smallest difference amount as a monitored video signal at the same timing as the reference signal. Correction device. 11. The video correction device according to claim 10, wherein the storage unit stores reference video signals at a plurality of timings, and the correction unit stores a plurality of reference video signals and a plurality of reference video signals stored in the storage unit. An image correction device for correcting the absolute value of the difference value of the corresponding pixel with respect to the monitored video signal by comparing the total difference amount with respect to all the reference video signals. 12. The correction unit includes an alarm unit for issuing an alarm when the corrected video signal does not match the monitored video signal obtained from another camera at the same timing as the reference video signal. The image correction device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that. 13. A recording / reproducing apparatus using the image correcting apparatus according to claim 10. 14. A receiver using the image correction device according to claim 10.