Face image recording system

• US 20020176610A1
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Toshio, Okazaki, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions

Abstract

In a face image recording apparatus, a camera photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times, a processor extracts at least one high-quality image from the plurality of images photographed by the camera, and this high-quality image extracted by the processor is recorded in a memory.

Claims

1. A face image recording apparatus for recording a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times;

a processor which extracts at least one high-quality face image from the plurality of face images photographed by said camera; and

a memory which records the high-quality face image extracted by said processor.

2. A face image recording apparatus for recording a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times;

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera; and

a memory which records at least one image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor.

3. A an apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises an authentication unit which authenticates the genuineness of a person by a method other than face image collation, and

in which said camera photographs a plurality of number of times the face of a person authenticated by said authentication unit.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises a generator which generates attribute information concerning an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor, and

in which said memory records an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor, in relation to attribute information generated by said generator and concerning the image.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said feature amount extractor extracts one of a pupil, naris, and lip end point as the face feature amount, and

said memory records an image from which one of 1the pupil, naris, and lip end point can be extracted by said feature amount extractor.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises an image processor which converts an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor into an image to be recorded, and

in which said memory records an image processed by said image processor.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image processor performs one of a face region extraction process, image density correction process, normalization process, or image compression process, as the image processing for an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor.

8. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the case where not less than a predetermined number of images from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor exist in images photographed by said camera, at least one of the images from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor is recorded.

9. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a notification unit which, in the case where the number of images from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor is not more than the predetermined number in images photographed by said camera, notifies the person of interest that recording of the face image photographed by said camera is unsuccessful or that photographing of the face image is attempted again.

10. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the case where said feature amount extractor can extract, within a predetermined time, the face feature amount from at least one of the plurality of images photographed by said camera, said memory records at least one of the images from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor.

11. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a notification unit which, in the case where said feature amount extractor cannot extract, within a predetermined time, the face feature amount from any of the plurality of images photographed by said camera, notifies the person of interest that recording of the face image photographed by said camera is unsuccessful or that photographing of the face image is attempted again.

12. An apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises a posing detector which detects posing by another person from an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted by said feature amount extractor, and

in which said memory records an image from which said posing detector does not detect any posing by another person.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said posing detector detects posing in the case where no face motion is detected from the plurality of images photographed by said camera.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a notification unit which, in the case where the collation by said collator is unsuccessful, notifies an external apparatus that the collation of the person'"'"'s face photographed by said camera with the person'"'"'s face registered in said first memory is unsuccessful.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, which further comprises an input unit from which a person to be photographed by said camera inputs personal ID information, and

in which personal ID information of each person is registered in said first memory in relation to a face feature amount of the person, and said collator collates the face feature amount extracted by said feature amount extractor with the face feature amount corresponding to the personal ID information which is input from said input unit and registered in said first memory.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a display which displays an image found by said search unit.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a second memory which records the face feature amount extracted by said feature amount extractor with respect to the image found by said search unit.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a second memory which records a person'"'"'s face feature amount meeting a predetermined condition;

a collator which calculates, with respect to an image found by said search unit, a collation degree between the face feature amount extracted by said feature amount extractor and the face feature amount recorded in said second memory; and

an updating unit which, in the case where the collation degree calculated by said collator is a predetermined value, rewrites the face feature amount recorded in said second memory with the face feature amount extracted from the image found by said search unit.

14. A face image recording apparatus for storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

a first memory in which a feature amount of the face of a person whose face image need not be recorded is registered beforehand;

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times;

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera;

a collator which collates the face feature amount extracted by said feature amount extractor with the face feature amount registered in said first memory; and

a second memory which, in the case where the collation by said collator is unsuccessful, records an image which is one of the images photographed by said camera and from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor.

17. A face image recording apparatus for storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times;

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera;

a generator which generates attribute information concerning an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor;

a memory which records an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, in relation to attribute information concerning the image and generated by said generator;

an input unit which inputs a search condition with respect to an image recorded in said memory; and

a search unit which searches for an image recorded in said memory, on the basis of the input search condition from said input unit and the attribute information recorded in said memory.

21. An information management system in which at least one terminal apparatus and a management apparatus are connected,

said terminal apparatus comprising

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times,

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera, and

a transmitter which transmits to said management apparatus an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, and

said management apparatus comprising a display which displays the image transmitted from said terminal apparatus.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said terminal apparatus further comprises a memory which records an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein

said terminal apparatus further comprises a memory which records an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, and a processor which, on the basis of an instruction from said management apparatus, switches a first operation mode in which an image photographed by said terminal apparatus is recorded in said memory without transmitting the image to said management apparatus by said transmitter, and a second operation mode in which an image transmitted from said terminal apparatus by said transmitter is displayed on said display of said management apparatus, and

said management apparatus further comprises a controller which instructs said terminal apparatus to set one of the first and second operation modes.

24. An information management system comprising a first information terminal which transmits electronic information, and a second information terminal which can receive the electronic information from said first information terminal,

said first information terminal comprising

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times,

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera, and

a transmitter which transmits to said second information terminal an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, by attaching the image to electronic information.

25. An information management system comprising a first information terminal which transmits electronic information, a second information terminal which can receive the electronic information from said first information terminal, and an authentication apparatus connected to one of said first and second information terminals,

said first information terminal comprising

a camera which photographs the face of a person a plurality of number of times,

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera, and

a transmitter which transmits to said second information terminal an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, by attaching the image to electronic information, and

said authentication apparatus comprising

a memory in which face images of a plurality of persons are recorded beforehand,

a collator which collates an image attached to electronic information transmitted from said first information terminal to said second information terminal, with a face image stored in said memory, and a notification unit which, in the case where the collation by said collator is successful, notifies said second information terminal that the sender of the electronic information is authenticated, and, in the case where the collation by said collator is unsuccessful, notifies said second information terminal that the sender of the electronic information cannot be authenticated.

26. An information management system comprising a first information terminal which performs application requiring a decision by an authorized person, and a second information terminal which the authorized person can operate,

said first information terminal comprising a transmitter which transmits, to said second information terminal, application data indicating application contents requiring a decision by the authorized person, and

said second information terminal comprising

a display which displays the application contents of the application data transmitted from said first information terminal,

a camera which, in the case where the authorized person permits the application contents displayed on said display, photographs the face of the authorized person a plurality of number of times,

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera, and

a returning unit which returns the application data to said first information terminal by attaching to the application data an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor.

27. An information management system comprising a first information terminal which performs application requiring a decision by an authorized person, a second information terminal which the authorized person can operate, and an authentication apparatus connected to one of said first and second information terminals,

said first information terminal comprising a transmitter which transmits, to said second information terminal, application data indicating application contents requiring a decision by the authorized person,

said second information terminal comprising

a display which displays the application contents of the application data transmitted from said first information terminal,

a camera which, in the case where the authorized person permits the application contents displayed on said display, photographs the face of the authorized person a plurality of number of times,

a feature amount extractor which extracts a face feature amount from each image photographed by said camera, and

a returning unit which returns the application data to said first information terminal by attaching to the application data an image from which the face feature amount is extracted by said feature amount extractor, and

said authentication apparatus comprising

a memory in which face images of a plurality of persons are recorded beforehand,

a collator which collates the image attached to the application data transmitted from said second information terminal to said first information terminal, with a face image stored in said memory, and

a notification unit which, in the case where the collation by said collator is successful, notifies said first information terminal that the image attached to the application data is identified as the authorized person, and, in the case where the collation by said collator is unsuccessful, notifies said first information terminal that the image attached to the application data cannot be identified as the authorized person.

28. A face image recording method of recording a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting at least one high-quality image from the plurality of images photographed by the camera; and

recording the extracted high-quality image into a memory.

29. A face image recording method of recording a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera; and

recording into a memory at least one image from which the face feature amount is extracted.

30. A face image recording method of recording a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

detecting posing by another person from an image from which the face feature amount can be extracted; and

recording into a memory at least one image from which the face feature amount is extracted, and from which no posing by another person is detected.

31. A face image recording method of storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

recording beforehand into a first memory a feature amount of the face of a person whose face image need not be recorded;

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

collating the face feature amount with the face feature amount registered in the first memory; and

recording, in the case where the collation is unsuccessful, an image which is one of the images photographed by the camera and from which the face feature amount is extracted.

32. A face image recording method of storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

generating attribute information concerning an image from which the face feature amount is extracted;

recording into a memory an image from which the face feature amount is extracted, in relation to attribute information concerning the image;

inputting a search condition with respect to an image recorded in the memory; and

searching for an image recorded in the memory, on the basis of the input search condition and the attribute information recorded in the memory.

33. A face image recording method of storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

generating attribute information concerning an image from which the face feature amount is extracted;

recording into a first memory an image from which the face feature amount is extracted, in relation to attribute information concerning the image;

inputting a search condition with respect to an image recorded in the first memory;

searching for an image recorded in the first memory, on the basis of the input search condition and the attribute information recorded in the first memory; and

recording into a second memory a face feature amount extracted from the image found from the first memory on the basis of the input search condition.

34. A face image recording method of storing a person'"'"'s face image, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

generating attribute information concerning an image from which the face feature amount is extracted;

recording into a first memory an image from which the face feature amount is extracted, in relation to attribute information concerning the image;

inputting a search condition with respect to an image recorded in the first memory;

searching for an image recorded in the first memory, on the basis of the input search condition and the attribute information recorded in the first memory;

calculating a collation degree between a face feature amount extracted from an image found by the search and a face feature amount recorded beforehand in a second memory; and

rewriting, in the case where the collation degree is a predetermined value, the face feature amount recorded in the second memory with the face feature amount extracted from the found image.

35. An information management method used for at least one terminal apparatus and a management apparatus, comprising:

photographing the face of a person a plurality of number of times by a camera of the terminal apparatus;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera;

transmitting from the terminal apparatus to the management apparatus an image from which the face feature amount is extracted; and

displaying on the management apparatus the image transmitted from the terminal apparatus.

36. An information management method used for a first information terminal which transmits electronic information, and a second information terminal which can receive the electronic information from the first information terminal, comprising:

photographing a plurality of number of times the face of a person who transmits electronic information, by a camera of the first information terminal;

extracting a face feature amount from each image photographed by the camera; and

transmitting an image from which the face feature amount is extracted, by attaching the image to electronic information, from the first information terminal to the second information terminal.

37. An information management method used for a first information terminal which performs application requiring a decision by an authorized person, and a second information terminal which the authorized person can operate, comprising:

transmitting, from the first information terminal to the second information terminal, application data indicating application contents requiring a decision by the authorized person;

displaying, on the second information terminal, the application contents of the application data transmitted from the first information terminal;

photographing the face of the authorized person a plurality of number of times in the case where the authorized person permits the displayed application contents;

extracting a face feature amount from each photographed image; and

returning the application data from the second information terminal to the first information terminal by attaching to the application data an image from which the face feature amount is extracted.