A method of transmitting a visual communication signal, a transmitter for transmitting a visual communication signal and a receiver for receiving a visual communication signal

摘要

Disclosed is a visual communication signal ( 32 ) which comprises image model information ( 10 ) for generating 3-D images. The image model information ( 10 ) may comprise a 3-D image model, e.g. a 3-D wireframe model or a 3-D voxel map. Some of the generated 3-D images may have a relatively low image quality. The visual communication signal ( 32 ) further comprises image enhancement information ( 20 ) corresponding to at least part of the 3-D images for enhancing the image quality of the generated 3-D images. This image enhancement information ( 20 ) may comprise image information corresponding to one or more single viewpoints ( 22, 24 ) and/or image information corresponding to one or more ranges of viewpoints ( 26, 28 ). The visual communication signal ( 32 ) may be transmitted from a transmitter ( 30 ) to a receiver ( 34 ) in a visual communication system ( 40 ) such as a 3-D television system or a 3-D teleconferencing system. Alternatively, the visual communication signal ( 32 ) may be carried by a tangible medium, e.g. a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM.