Three-dimensional television system

Claim 2

A three-dimensional television system comprising: means for developing first and second video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject to be transmitted; means responsive to said first and second video signals for producing a third video signal representing the difference between the higher frequency components of said first and second video signals, said third video signal being limited to a relatively narrow band of frequencies compared to the band of frequencies occupied by said first and second video signals; means for transmitting to a receiver said third video signal and a selected one of said first and second video signals; means at said receiver for combining said third video signal with said selected one of said first and second video signals in a manner to effectively recreate the non-selected one of said first and second video signals; an image reproducing device operable to produce two horizontally interleaved images; and means for impressing said selected and effectively recreated non-selected ones of said first and second signals upon said image reproducing device to produce, respectively, said two interleaved images.

Claim 3

A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 1 wherein: said subject is a three-dimensional scene.

Claim 4

A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 2 wherein: said subject is a record having juxtaposed left-eye and right-eye representations of a three-dimensional scene.

Claim 5

A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 3 wherein: said record is a photographic film.

Claim 6

A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 4 wherein: said juxtaposed representations occupy two adjacent areas of each frame of said film.

Claim 7

A three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 5 wherein: each of said juxtaposed representations is a two-to-one horizontally anamorphosed version of said scene.

Claim 8

In a three-dimensional television system for operation in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum, a transmitter comprising: means for producing first and second complete video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies; means responsive to said first and second video signals for producing a third video signal representing the difference between the higher frequency components of said first and second video signals, said third video signal being limited to a narrow band of frequencies relative to said first and second video signals; and means for transmitting a composite signal representative of said two stereoscopically related images, said composite signal comprising said third video signal and a selected one of said first and second video signals.

Claim 9

In a three-dimensional television system for operation in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum, a transmitter comprising: means for producing first and second complete video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies; means responsive to said first and second video signals for producing a third video signal representing the difference between the higher frequency components of said first and second video signals, said third video signal being limited to a narrow band of frequencies relative to said first and second video signals; and means for transmitting a composite signal representative of said two stereoscopically related images, said composite signal comprising said third video signal and a selected one of said first and second video signals.

Claim 10

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes: means for limiting said third video signal to a relatively narrow band at one end of said relatively wide range of frequencies.

Claim 11

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 8, wherein said transmitter includes: means for shifting said third video signal to the other end of said relatively wide range of frequencies.

Claim 12

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 9, wherein said transmitter includes: means for reducing the amplitude of said third video signal.

Claim 13

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 10, wherein said transmitter includes: means for producing a picture carrier having a frequency adjacent one end of said channel; means for modulating said picture carrier by said selected one of said first and second video signals to produce modulation products including a complete sideband and a vestigial sideband within said channel; means for producing a difference signal carrier having a frequency within said channel; and means for modulating said difference signal carrier by said third video signal to produce modulation products including sidebands within said channel.

Claim 14

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 11, wherein: said difference signal carrier has a frequency within said vestigial sideband of said picture carrier.

Claim 15

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 7, wherein said transmitter includes: means for modifying the character of said third video signal.

Claim 16

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 13, wherein said signal character-modifying means comprises: means for altering said third video signal to modify its character in such a manner as to create a desired psychophysical effect in the picture reproduced by an image reproducing device.

Claim 17

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 14, wherein said signal-altering means comprises: means to compensate for certain anomalous effects including zone flattering, giantism and puppetry in the reproduced picture.

Claim 18

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying the phase of said third video signal.

Claim 19

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying the amplitude of said third video signal.

Claim 20

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying the linearity of said third video signal.

Claim 21

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises: means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in time.

Claim 22

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises: means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in amplitude.

Claim 23

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 18, wherein said linearity-varying means comprises: means for varying the linearity of said third video signal in both time and amplitude.

Claim 24

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying said third video signal in both phase and amplitude.

Claim 25

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying said third video signal in both phase and linearity.

Claim 26

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying said third video signal in both amplitude and linearity.

Claim 27

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 15, wherein said compensating means comprises: means for varying said third video signal in phase, amplitude and linearity.

Claim 28

In a three-dimensional television system in which there is transmitted in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum a composite signal including (1) a picture carrier with a complete sideband and a vestigial sideband produced by the modulation of said picture carrier by a selected one of first and second video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies, anD (2) a difference signal carrier with modulation sidebands produced by a third video signal limited to a relatively narrow band of frequencies representative of the high frequency difference between said first and second video signals, a receiver comprising: means for separately recovering said third video signal and said selected one of said first and second video signals; means for combining said recovered third video signal with said recovered selected one of said first and second video signals in a manner to effectively recreate the non-selected one of said first and second video signals; an image reproducing device operable to produce two horizontally interleaved images; and means for impressing said selected and effectively recreated non-selected ones of said first and second video signals upon said image reproducing device to produce, respectively, said two interleaved images.

Claim 29

In a three-dimensional television system in which there is transmitted in a predetermined channel of the frequency spectrum a composite signal including (1) a picture carrier with a complete sideband and a vestigial sideband produced by the modulation of said picture carrier by a selected one of first and second video signals respectively representative of two stereoscopically related images of a subject and respectively having a relatively wide range of frequencies, anD (2) a difference signal carrier with modulation sidebands produced by a third video signal limited to a relatively narrow band of frequencies representative of the high frequency difference between said first and second video signals, a receiver comprising: means for separately recovering said third video signal and said selected one of said first and second video signals; means for combining said recovered third video signal with said recovered selected one of said first and second video signals in a manner to effectively recreate the non-selected one of said first and second video signals; an image reproducing device operable to produce two horizontally interleaved images; and means for impressing said selected and effectively recreated non-selected ones of said first and second video signals upon said image reproducing device to produce, respectively, said two interleaved images.

Claim 30

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 26, in which said third video signal is transmitted as a relatively narrow band of low frequencies, wherein said receiver includes: means for shifting said recovered third video signal to a relatively narrow band of high frequencies corresponding to said high frequency difference between said first and second video signals.

Claim 31

In a three-dimensional television system as defined in claim 27, in which the modulation sidebands of said difference frequency carrier are transmitted at reduced amplitude, wherein said receiver includes: means for enhancing the amplitude of said recovered third video signal before its combination with said selected one of said first and second video signals.