Orthographic approach to representing 3-D images and interpolating light rays for 3-D image communication and virtual environment

First, this paper explains the concept of the 'Integrated 3-D Visual Communication System', aiming to realize a display-independent method for representing 3-D scenes/objects. This concept will promote the progress of 3-D image communication systems, while several 3-D display technologies are making rapid progress. Secondly, a ray-based method is developed as a fundamental approach to realize this concept, and three types of parameterization of light rays are formulated. The main proposal of this paper is the utilization of orthographic views, which are neutral for any input and output system. Once a set of orthographic views of a 3-D scene/object is obtained, we can synthesize its any perspective view while viewing it from within a visual zone. Thirdly, in order to enhance the visual effects, a method for interpolating light rays is also proposed. In this method, structural properties, estimated from input images, are utilized. The advantage of the proposed method is that the visibility of estimation errors of structural properties is effectively suppressed in the synthesized views. Experimental results show the potential applicability of the proposed method to the next-generation 3-D image communication and virtual reality systems. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.