US Patent 9167222 Method and apparatus for providing and processing 3D image

A method and apparatus for providing a three-dimensional (3D) image is provided. In the method, first-viewpoint image data and second-viewpoint image data that provide a 3D image are obtained. Time information that represents points of time that the first-viewpoint image data and the second-viewpoint image data are to be processed is produced, based on relation information to indicate that the first-viewpoint image data and the second-viewpoint image data are a pair of pieces of image data. The first-viewpoint image data, the second-viewpoint image data, and the time information are transmitted. The first-viewpoint image data is transmitted in a first stream, and the second-viewpoint image data is transmitted in a second stream.