`
`
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`Related U'S' Application Data
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`
`
`Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 952,780, Oct. 19, 1978,
`
`
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`
`
`abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
`
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`
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`751,141, DeC- 16, 1976, abandoned
`
`
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`
`
`[51]
`Int. Cl.3 .............................................. G03B 35/00
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`[52] US. Cl. ........................................ 352/57- 352/43-
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`352/86- 352/62
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`[58] Field of Search ....................... 352/57 55 65 62
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`352/60, 43;, 53’, 86, 89
`
`_
`
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`Mercier .
`7/1904
`
`
`Baruch .
`6/1919
`
`
`Smith .................................... 352/43
`10/1921
`
`
`
`
`
`3/1924
`Runcie ........... 352/43
`
`
`
`
`9/1933
`Dieterich .............................. 352/86
`
`
`
`
`Feil
`.
`12/1933
`
`
`11/1935
`Barnes ................................... 352/86
`
`
`
`5/1937
`Draper .
`
`
`Brock .
`12/1937
`
`
`4/1938
`Oakley .
`
`
`Rosenhauer .
`5/1939
`
`
`3/1940
`‘
`Cathey .
`
`
`
`5/1945
`Terwilliger ........................... 352/43
`
`
`
`McCormick .
`12/1969
`
`
`9/1951
`Goldsmith .
`
`
`Huber .
`2/1953
`
`
`12/1955
`Jenkins .................................. 352/89
`
`
`
`Laube et a1.
`.
`6/1958
`
`
`
`6/1959
`Barake .,
`
`
`Marks et al.
`.
`9/1960
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`[63]
`
`
`[5 61
`
`765,980
`
`1,307,074
`
`1,394,797
`
`1,488,027
`
`1,927,925
`
`1,939,343
`
`2,022,454
`
`2,080,604
`
`2,101,979
`
`2,114,060
`
`2,157,099
`
`2,194,737
`
`2,375,962
`
`2,482,908
`
`2,566,700
`
`2,627,200
`
`2,727,427
`
`2,838,975
`
`2,891,440
`
`2,952,182
`
`
`
`
`
`[19]
`United States Patent
`
`
`McElveen
`
`
`
`
`
`
`[11]
`
`[45]
`
`4,303,316
`
`Dec. 1, 1981
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`[54] PROCESS FOR RECORDING VISUAL
`
`
`
`SCENES FOR REPRODUCTION IN
`STEREOPSIS
`
`Inventor: Robert H. McElveen, 103 Forest
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`H1115 Dr_., Gaffney, 8'0 29340
`
`
`
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 69,708
`
`
`
`
`[22] Filed:
`Aug. 27, 1979
`
`[76]
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`2,996,949
`8/1961 Le Ray ................................. 352/60
`
`
`
`33285:; 13/32; $3136 et a1.
`.
`,
`e S .
`5
`y
`
`3,482,913 12/1969 Glenn .
`
`
`
`4,131,342 12/1978 Dudley .................................. 352/86
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Primary Examiner—Monroe H. Hayes
`
`
`
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Luke J. Wilburn, Jr.;
`
`
`Welllngton M. Manning, Jr.
`
`
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`A process for recording and projecting a three-dimen-
`
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`sional visual scene onto a receiving surface from which
`
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`the scene may be viewed in stereopsis by the unaided
`
`
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`human eye. The scene is recorded from right and left
`
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`View positions laterally separated by a distance 0f no
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`more than about one inch and groups ofrecorded right
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`and recorded left views are alternately projected onto a
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`receiVing surface in sequence such that the visual dura‘
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`tion of each group varies from a minimum to a maxi-
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`mum time which is generally proportional to the dis-
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`tance of the nearest non-moving object of special regard
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`in the scene from the recording positions and is approxi-
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`
`mately equal to the visio-psychological suppression rate
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`of the human eyes.
`'
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`To eliminate possible distance variations of right and
`left view cameras from the visual scene and the need for
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`film editing to align right and left View film frames on a
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`single film strip, the views may be recorded by use of a
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`single lens camera with moving shutter to alternately
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`block right and left half portions of the lens in desired
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`sequence. The central points of focus of the left and
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`right views may be selectively set at different distances
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`during recording to reduce “keystoning” effect of the
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`projected views.
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`The process has application throughout the field of the
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`visual arts, e.g., both in motion picture and in television,
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`and may be projected from a single projector source.
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`Also disclosed is a motion picture filmstrip product.
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`39 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures
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`/Z
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`APPL-1044/ Page 1 of 16
`Apple v. Corephotonics
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`APPL-1044 / Page 1 of 16
`Apple v. Corephotonics
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`

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`US. Patent
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`Dec. 1, 1981
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`Sheet 1 of 5
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`4,303,316
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`mm 5C»
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`NN7m(lma\
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`N ix
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`APPL-1044/ Page 2 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 2 of 16
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`'U.S. Patent
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`'Dec. 1,1981
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`Sheet 2 of 5
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`4
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`£03,316
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`fim
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`$66%
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`APPL-1044/ Page 3 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 3 of 16
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`US. Patent Dec. 1,1981
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`Sheet 3 of5
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`4,303,316
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`50
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`||///-
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`APPL-1044/ Page 4 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 4 of 16
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`US. Patent j Dec. 1,1981‘
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`Sheet 4‘ of 5
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`94
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`303,316
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`APPL-1044/ Page 5 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 5 of 16
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`U.S. Patent. Dec. 1, 1981
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`Sheet 5 of5
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`4,303,316 ,
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`L748.
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`APPL-1044/ Page 6 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 6 of 16
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`

`

`1
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`
`PROCESS FOR RECORDING VISUAL SCENES
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`FOR REPRODUCTION IN STEREOPSIS
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`4,303,316
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`5
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`10
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`
`
`This is a continuation-in-part application of my co-
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`
`
`pending US. Patent application Ser. No. 952,780, filed
`Oct. 19, 1978, now abandoned which is itself a continua-
`
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`tion-in-part of my previous US. patent application Ser.
`No. 751,141, filed Dec. 16, 1976 now abandoned.
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`The prior applications and the present invention are
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`directed to the production of motion pictures which
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`may be viewed in three—dimension, or stereopsis, by the
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`human eye and, more particularly, to a process for re—
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`cording both still and moving visual scenes and objects
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`which may be projected for Visualization in stereopsis
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`by the unaided eye on a two-dimensional receiving
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`surface, and with conventional projection and viewing
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`equipment presently available in the prior art. The pro-
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`cess includes the simultaneous recording of a visual
`20
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`scene from two cameras with spaced lens bases, or from
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`a single camera lens system in which right and left half
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`portions of the lens are alternately blocked in a desired
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`sequence, to provide the recording of spaced predomi-
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`nant right and left views of the visual scene.
`25
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`The term “visual scene” as used in the specification
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`and claims herein means and includes any visible object
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`or image or groups of objects or images, both moving
`and still, which can be observed in three-dimension in
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`the real world by the human eyes. Such term typically
`30
`includes, without limitation, all amimate and inanimate
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`objects, alone or in combination, and moving or still, in
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`which the human eyes may perceive a depth relation-
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`ship.
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`As used herein, the term “recording”, when referring
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`to a visual scene, means capturing information of a
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`visual scene in any form which may be used to project
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`the scene onto a receiving surface for visualization.
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`Such term includes capturing the visual scene on photo-
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`graphic film, such as in the motion picture field, as well
`40
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`as capturing the visual scene as any electronic, mag-
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`netic, electromagnetic, sound, or other signal informa-
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`tion which may be reproduced as visible images on a
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`receiving surface, such as in the television field.
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`As used herein, the term “projecting” when referring
`45
`to recorded views of visual sCenes includes the trans-
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`mission, in any manner, of the recorded visual scene
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`information, e.g., photographic film image, electronic,
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`electromagnetic, sound, and other signal information,
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`onto a receiving surface for visible observation.
`BACKGROUND
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`Although the human anatomy provides in man the
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`innate, or natural, ability to see in depth, or stereopsis,
`the three-dimensional real world scene, where the vi-
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`55
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`sual “screen” for the eyes is 6f infinite depth, man does
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`not have such natural ability when the viewing screen is
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`two—dimensional, as in the video arts, e.g., the motion
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`picture and television fields. For years attempts have
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`been made to reproduce three-dimensional, real world
`60
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`scenes so that they can be viewed in depth on a two—di-
`mensional surface.
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`The anatomical and psychological capability of men
`to visualize the three-dimensional, live world scene in
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`stereopsis, or depth, has long been a subject of investi-
`65
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`gation, and much has been learned and written about
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`the human visual apparatus, i.e., the eyes and brain of
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`the body. It is generally known that man’s natural abil-
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`ity to visualize three~dimensional objects and scenes in
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`50
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`2
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`depth, or stereopsis, is due to a combined operation of
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`the two eyes and the brain to produce a visio-psycho-
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`logical impression in the mind. More specifically, it is
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`known that the actual view received in the left eye and
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`the actual view received in the right eye, when a visual
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`scene is observed, are slightly different because of the
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`displacement, or distance of separation, of the eyes in
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`the head. This interocular separation, or disparity,
`is
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`approximately 63 mm, or 25 inches, in the normal adult.
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`These slightly differing right and left views received by
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`the respective eyes are continuously transmitted to the
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`brain where the right and left views are psychologically
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`“combined” by the brain to create a resultant “cyclo-
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`pean”, or one-eye, view in the mind, wherein near ob-
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`15 jects and far objects in the three-dimensional real world
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`scene appear at their actual distances from the observer.
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`Most authors believe that a true fusion of right and left
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`eye views occurs in the brain to produce the single
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`“cyclopean” view of the mind, although there is an-
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`other theory that a “replacement” phenomena occurs
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`wherein the brain alternately suppresses right and left
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`eye views to produce the cyclopean resultant view in
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`the mind. In any event it is agreed that the ability of man
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`to visualize a three-dimensional scene in depth is princi-
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`pally attributed to the visual parallax created by the
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`interocular separation of the eyes to provide the brain
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`with slightly different left and right views of the same
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`scene. This is supported by the fact that a one-eyed man
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`cannot observe three-dimensional scenes in depth as
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`does the two-eyed individual.
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`It has also been postulated that in the human visual
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`apparatus the single eye sees both right and left views of
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`a Visual scene, i.e., the right view being that which is
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`“seen” by the right eye temporal retina and the left eye
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`nasal retina, and the left view being that which is “seen”
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`by the right eye nasal retina and the left eye temporal
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`retina. However, three-dimensional effect is suppressed
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`or not obtained with the single eye in fixed position
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`because of lack of disparity, i.e., distance of separation,
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`of the two single eye views.
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`Therefore,
`in attempts to reproduce three-dimen-
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`sional scenes in depth on a two~dimensional surface,
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`many have been led to take left and right view photo-
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`graphs with cameras spaced at ocular separation, i.e., as
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`the human eyes would actually see the same scene, to
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`superimpose these photographs on a two—dimensional
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`screen, and in viewing the scene,
`to block all right
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`views for the left eye and left views from the right eye
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`of the observer to permit three-dimensional assimilation
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`of the views by the brain.
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`Early work in the area of three-dimensional still pho-
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`tography produced the steroptican, in which two single
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`frame pictures recorded on film by a stereocamera hav-
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`ing a lens base separation equal to the distance between
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`the human eyes are simultaneously projected from
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`spaced projection points and superimposed upon a,
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`screen to produce a composite picture which can be
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`observed in depth. In the motion picture field, motion
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`pictures have been produced for viewing in depth by
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`use of multiple projectors and filmstrips which simulta-
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`neously project, with differently polarized light, right
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`and left images of a visual scene onto a screen. By wear-
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`ing correspondingly polarized glasses, a viewer receives
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`only left view images in the left eye and right view
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`images in the right eye so that the visio-psychological
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`operation of the human visual apparatus produces an
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`impression of stereopsis in the mind of the viewer. Al-
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`though such three-dimensional motion pictures were
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`APPL-1044 / Page 7 of 16
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`4,303,316
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`3
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`commercially exhibited to the public, they apparently
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`were not well accepted, and their popularity was short-
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`lived in the industry. Such motion pictures not only
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`required the purchase and use of special additional pro-
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`jection equipment and glasses which had to be worn by
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`the viewers, but also the stereopsis, or depth, produced
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`in the pictures was overly exaggerated and appeared to
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`be more than that seen in real life, quite often causing
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`many Viewers to experience headaches as a result of
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`viewing the pictures.
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`It has also been proposed in the past to provide appa-
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`ratus and processes for recording and reproducing vi-
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`sual scenes for viewing in stereopsis by the unaided eye,
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`i.e., without the necessity of special glasses or viewing
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`equipment to be used by the viewing audience. Typical
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`apparatus and processes heretofore proposed for three-
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`dimensional photography are described in the following
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`US. patents:
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`10
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`15
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`765,980 Mercier
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`1,307,074 Baruch
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`1,939,343
`Feil
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`2,080,604 Draper
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`2,101,979 Brock
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`. 2,114,060 Oakley
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`2,157,099 Rosenhauer
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`2,194,737 Cathey
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`2,566,700 Goldsmith
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`2,627,200 Huber
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`2,838,975
`Laube
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`2,891,440 Barake
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`2,952,182 Marks et al
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`3,006,241 Marks et al
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`3,240,549 Wells
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`3,482,908 McCormick
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`3,482,913 Glenn, Jr.
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`45
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`US. Pat. Nos. 2,101,979 and 2,157,099 propose the
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`production of stereoptic motion pictures by photo-
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`graphing left and right views of a scene from laterally
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`spaced positions less than interocular with a single cam-
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`era having rotating mirror and blocking shutter, respec-
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`tively, to record the views on alternate single frames of
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`a moving filmstrip. US. Pat. No. 2,101,979 further sug-
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`gests that the frames of the filmstrip may be laterally
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`shifted to align the same on the strip and reduced dispar-
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`ity between left and right views.
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`US Pat. No. 3,366,438 discloses the use of multiple
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`cameras with mirrors and lens system to photograph a
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`scene from laterally spaced positions for stereoptic re-
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`production.
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`Although numerous proposed solutions, as indicated
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`in the foregoing patents, have been given to enable
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`production of motion pictures for visualization in three-
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`dimension by the unaided eye, I know of no present
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`commercially accepted or used process or system
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`which proves the validity of the aforementioned pro-
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`posals or achieves this long sought objective. In addi-
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`tion, many prior art proposals require highly special-
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`ized, complicated equipment for projection and viewing
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`which requires extensive and expensive modification of
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`existing equipment in the video arts.
`OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
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`It‘ is therefore an object of my present invention to
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`provide a process for reproducing motion pictures in
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`stereoposis, or depth, which may be simply and eco-‘
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`nomically employed throughout the entire field of the
`60
`video arts.
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`It is another object of the present invention to pro—
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`vide a process for producing motion pictures which
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`may be viewed in stereopsis by the unaided eye, and
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`which may be projected for viewing on conventional
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`projector equipment and screens which are presently
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`available in motion picture theaters.
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`It is another object of the invention to provide three-
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`dimensional motion pictures which may be viewed in
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`65
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`4
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`depth by an observer located at any position relative to
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`the viewing screen, and without objectionable shake, or
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`keystoning, of the visual scene to the observer.
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`It is another object to provide a process for produc-
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`ing motion pictures in stereopsis which may be trans-
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`mitted and viewed in depth by the unaided eye of a
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`viewer on conventional television receiver equipment.
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`It is a further object to provide a process for repro-
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`ducing,
`in stereopsis, on a two-dimensional viewing
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`surface, real life scenes as they occur, as in live televi-
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`sion programming, and wherein the same will appear in
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`stereopsis on standard television receiver equipment to
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`be viewed by the unaided eye of the observer.
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`It is a still further object of the present invention to
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`provide a process for reproducing scenes in stereopsis
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`on a two-dimensional receiving surface which has uni-
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`versal application in the visual communication field.
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`It is another object to provide a motion picture film-
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`strip product containing visual scenes which may be
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`projected from a single projector onto a receiving sur-
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`face for visualization in stereopsis by the unaided
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`human eye.
`GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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`My present invention is the discovery of a process
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`whereby three-dimensional, live world scenes may be
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`recorded and projected from a single film, video-tape,
`or transmission channel onto a two-dimensional receiv-
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`ing surface for visualization in stereopsis by the unaided
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`human eye. In the motion picture film industry, this
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`permits the recording to be projected from a single
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`filmstrip so that existing projector and screen equip-
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`ment presently available in motion picture theaters may
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`be employed. In the field of television, the process will
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`permit
`the transmission of three-dimensional scenes,
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`both live and on video-tape, for reception and visualiza-
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`tion in depth on conventional television sets, without
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`the need of modification of the sets. Thus, the process is
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`believed to have universal application in the video arts
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`media to provide the first unaided visualization in stere-
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`opsis of three-dimensional scenes on any existing two-
`dimensional surface, and without the use of additional
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`equipment for this purpose.
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`In its broad aspects, the present process comprises the
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`discovery that by carefully controlling several parame-
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`ters in the recording and projection of visual scene,
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`excellent stereopsis may be obtained. More specifically,
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`the process includes the step of recording a plurality of
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`right and left views, or predominately right and left
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`views, of a visual scene from corresponding right and
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`left positions laterally displaced from each other no
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`more than about one inch apart, and preferably between
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`about é” to %”, and continuously projecting, in alternat-
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`ing sequence, a group of one or more of the right re-
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`corded views and a group of one or more of the left
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`recorded views onto a receiving surface, with the se-
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`quence of projection of the groups being timed such
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`that the visual duration of each group on the receiving
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`surface approximately equals the visio—psychological
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`suppression, i.e., alternation, rate between right and left
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`eye views of the human visual apparatus.
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`In addition to controlling the lateral recording dis-
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`tance between right and left views, and the duration of
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`alternating visualization of such views,
`I have now
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`found that side to side movement, or keystoning effect
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`which may be observed by the viewer of non-moving
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`objects in the scene when right and left views of the
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`APPL-1044/ Page 8 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 8 of 16
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`4,303,316
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`6
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`scene when left and right View images of the scene are
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`alternately projected for viewing.
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`More particularly, I have discovered that all moving
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`objects in a scene may be disregarded when establishing
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`the control parameters of lens base separation,
`film,
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`frame tempo (or visual duration of left and right views),
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`and focus disparity to give optimum stereopsis. The
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`important scene considerations in establishing control
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`parameters mentioned above are the predominant non-
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`moving, or inanimate, objects in the visual scene to be
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`recorded and,
`in particular,
`the closest predominant
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`non-moving object in the scene. I have discovered that
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`by setting the central point of focus of one recording
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`camera at a distance in front of the nearest non-moving
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`object which is approximately one-third of the distance
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`to the object, while setting the central point of focus of
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`the other camera at a distance behind the nearest object
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`which is approximately one-third more than the dis-
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`tance to the object, visual observation of keystone effect
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`is substantially eliminated.
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`By way of example, I have observed that for most
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`camera lens systems, focus distances above 30 feet from
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`the camera may be generally considered and handled as
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`infinity focus for the lens system. Thus, in employing
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`the focus disparity concept
`to effectively eliminate
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`keystoning between left and right view projections, the
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`following chart indicates typical distance settings for
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`left and right view recording lens systems.
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`Distance to Nearest
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`Non-Moving Object
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`In Scene
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`Distance Setting For
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`Lens System of
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`Recording Position
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`#1
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`Distance Setting For
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`Lens System of
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`Recording Position
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`——.—_________—_
`20’
`1'
`#2
`18'
`8’
`4'
`§'
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`30'
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`6'
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`3’
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`1'
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`Inf.
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`Inf.
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`16’
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`5
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`scene are alternately projected on the viewingsurface
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`(due to lateral displacement of the recording cameras)
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`can be minimized below. objectionable level by also
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`varying the central point of focus of the right'and left
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`recordings of the scene. More specifically, if either the
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`left or right recording camera of the overall scene is
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`centrally focused at a nearer point than the nearest
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`non-moving object in the scene while the other record-
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`ing camera is focused at a further point in the scene. than
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`the nearest non-moving object, the alternating projec-
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`tion of such right and left recorded views can be visual-
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`ized as well as recorded in stereopsis with greater depth
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`of field and without objectionable keystoning effect.
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`This combined control of lens base separation and
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`focus disparity, together with proper control of dura-
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`tion of visualization and proper alignment of right and
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`left views in projection of the scene provides exCellent
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`stereopsis while minimizing jump, or “keystoning” ef-
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`fect, heretofore believed to have been a major problem
`20
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`in all prior attempts to provide stereoptic visualization
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`by the unaided eye.
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`In the process of my present invention, it is essential
`that a lateral distance much less than interocular be
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`employed at all times between the recording positions
`of the visual scene, in order that a true three-dimen-
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`sional effect be achieved without excessive lateral dis-
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`parity in the reproduction of the left and right view
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`recordings. More specifically, the two recording posi-
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`tions for the visual scene must be maintained at a lateral
`30
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`separation of no more than about 1 inch, (with a dis-
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`tance of approximately 1% to g inch being suitable in most
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`instances) to avoid breaking up or unacceptable jump-
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`ing of the non-moving objects in the visual scene during
`observation on a two—dimensional surface.
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`In the process of the present invention, the recorded
`right and left views of the visual scene must also be
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`projected so as to bombard the human visual apparatus
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`with alternating right and left view images at a certain
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`tempo such that the visual duration of each right View
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`image and each left view image on the viewing surface
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`is apparently equal to the visio-psychological alterna-
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`tion rate of the brain between right and left Views of the
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`human Visual apparatus. Through experimentation, I
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`have discovered that this alternation rate between right
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`and left views by the brain which permits the mind to
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`visualize the scene in stereopsis is between about 1/24th
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`to éth of a second. Thus, in producing a motion picture
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`film for three-dimensional projection, and employing a
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`conventional camera and projector speed of 24 frames
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`per second, stereopsis is obtained by alternately project-
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`ing sequential right frame groups and left frame groups
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`which are each of about 1 to 6 frames in duration, with
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`3 frames per group being preferred in most instances.
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`The resulting picture on the two-dimensional receiving
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`surface of right and left view recorded images is thus
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`perceived by the human visual apparatus in stereopsis,
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`or depth, just as it would appear in the real world scene
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`which has been recorded. Surprisingly, since this alter-
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`nating right and left eye view alternation is created on
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`the photographic filmstrip itself, a one-eyed man can
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`observe the projected scene in stereopsis, as well as a
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`two-eyed man.
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`In a preferred form of the invention, I have found
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`that by setting the central point of focus of the left and
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`right recorded views of the scene at different selected
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`distances, controlled focus disparity between left and
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`right views effectively minimizes keystoning effect, or
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`lateral shifting, of predominant non-moving objects in a
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`In View of the fact that the visual scene may be repro-
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`duced for viewing in stereopsis by the unaided eye on a
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`two-dimensional! surface by use of a single projection
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`source, it can be readily understood that the process
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`may be employed to reproduce live as well as prere-
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`corded events in stereopsis on a conventional television
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`screen, since transmission of video information of right
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`and left views does not require multiple sources of pro-
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`jection.
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`The invention may be better understood by the fol-
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`lowing detailed description of apparatus which may be
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`employed to carry out the-process in producing a mo-
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`tion picture film, as illustrated in the accompanying
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`drawings, in which:
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`FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a motion picture
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`two-camera arrangement which may be employed to '
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`record a three-dimensional visual scene for subsequent
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`projection onto a two-dimensional receiving surface for
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`stereoptic visualization by the human visual apparatus;
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`FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating the manner
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`in which groups of frames from right and left view-con-
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`taining filmstrips from the two cameras in FIG. 1 may
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`be alternately reproduced on a single motion picture
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`filmstrip for projection for stereoptic visualization;
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`FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view representation of
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`light rays entering a single lens camera system adapted
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`with shutter mechanism for alternately recording pre-
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`dominantly left and right views of a three-dimensional
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`APPL-1044/ Page 9 of 16
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`APPL-1044 / Page 9 of 16
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`4,303,316
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`visualscene on a single recording surface for projection
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`onto a viewing surface for visualization in stereopsis;
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`FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view representation of
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`the single lens camera system of FIG. 3 illustrating the
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`lateral sep