1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to automatic convergence of stereoscopic images based on disparity maps.
2. Description of the Related Art
In human visual systems or stereoscopic camera systems, the point of intersection of the two eye axes or two camera axes is the convergence point. The distance from the convergence point to the eye or camera is the convergence distance. For human eyes, the convergence point can be at an arbitrary distance. For stereoscopic cameras, the convergence point may be, for example, at infinity (for a parallel camera configuration) or at a fixed distance (for a toe-in camera configuration).
When a person looks at stereoscopic images on a stereoscopic display, the eyes naturally converge to the display screen. The distance from the display screen to the eyes is the natural convergence distance. However, to view the 3D effect correctly, the viewer's eyes adjust to have the same convergence distance as the camera. Such constant convergence distance adjustment can cause discomfort over time such as headaches or eye muscle pain.