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If the stereo images are relatively distorted and must be transformed
before complete registration can be achieved, local parallaxes will still
remain within the superimposed image area and the sign and magnitude of the
corresponding error signals will vary from point to point within this area.
Under these conditions the parallax analyzer will deliver fluctuating error
signals having an average value of zero but having instantaneous values and
polarities representative of the parallax existing in the area being scanned
at any instant.
The fluctuating parallax signals from the parallax analyzer are called
composite registration error signals and contain the information necessary
to direct the transformations which must be applied to the images in order
to achieve complete registration. The registration analyzer receives the
composite registration signals from the parallax analyzer and X and Y
reference signals from the raster generator. From these four inputs the
registration analyzer computes 10 error signals, each of which is a measure
of the correction needed in each of the 10 prime first- and second-order
transformations already described.
Signals from the raster generator when applied to the cathode ray tubes
of the viewer and the flying spot scanners produce a square scanning raster
in each case. The transformation circuits develop AX and AY signals
which, when added to the signals from the raster generator, modify the shape
of the rasters on the flying spot scanner tubes. Since the raster on the
viewer tubes remains square, the imagery as seen by the operator suffers
transformations complementary to the change in the shape of the flying spot
rasters.
The AX and AY signals delivered by the transformation circuits are
under the control of the 10 transformation error signals from the registration
analyzer. If no registration error exists, then all error signals will be
zero and the AX and AY outputs from the transformation circuits are also
zero. Under these conditions the flying spot rasters remain square and no
transformation of the imagery as seen by the operator results. If, however,
registration is incomplete, then one or more prime transformation error sig
nals will be present and a corresponding set of AX and AY signals will
be generated by the transformation circuits. These signals, when added to
the signals for a square raster, will produce on the face of the flying spot
scanners a transformation of the type required to produce registration.
Here, again, transformations will be applied to the left and right scanning
rasters equally but in opposite senses.
The operation of the parallax analyzer, registration analyzer, and trans
formation circuits is described later in the paper. Since the operation of
these circuits and the ability to detect parallax in two dimensions are tied
up intimately with the nature of the scanning pattern employed, we will con
sider first and in some detail the characteristics of scanning patterns and
their relation to the nature of the image information to be utilized.