Face portion detecting apparatus

• US 20020181774A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikura, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,952,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor

Abstract

In a face portion detecting apparatus, an image of an eye portion of a car driver can be properly extracted without adverse influences caused by a reflection image reflected from a luster reflection surface of spectacles worn by the car driver. The face portion detecting apparatus is arranged by a light source of an illumination for illuminating a face portion of a human being from different directions from each other; a camera for photographing the face portion which is illuminated by the light source; an illumination lighting control unit for controlling turn-ON operation of the light source; a camera control unit for controlling the camera in synchronism with the turn-ON operation of the illumination light source; and a retina reflection detecting unit for removing a reflection image of an article having a luster reflection surface by employing at least one image which is acquired by the camera in synchronism with the turn-ON operation of the illumination light source, whereby only a determined face portion is extracted.

Claims

1. A face portion detecting apparatus comprising:

at least one illumination means for illuminating a face portion of a human being from different directions from each other;

photographing means for photographing the face portion which is illuminated by said illumination means;

illumination lighting control means for controlling turn-ON operation of said illumination means;

photographing control means for controlling said photographing means in synchronism with the turn-ON operation of said illumination means; and

face portion detecting means for removing a reflection image of an article having a luster reflection surface by employing at least one image which is acquired by said photographing means in synchronism with the turn-ON operation of said illumination means, whereby only a determined face portion is extracted.

2. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said face portion corresponds to an eye portion, and

said face portion detecting means detects a retina reflection image which is formed by that the irradiation light of said illumination means is reflected on a retina of the human being.

3. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said illumination lighting control means turns ON a plurality of illumination means in a continuous manner; and

while said face portion detecting means employs a plurality of images which are acquired by said photographing means in synchronism with the turn-ON operation of said illumination means, said face portion detecting means removes a reflection image whose reflection position is moved among said plurality of images as the reflection image of the article having the luster reflection surface.

4. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

both the illumination lighting control means and the photographing control means synchronize turn-ON operation of at least said one illumination means with the photographic operation of said photographing operation;

said illumination lighting control means turns ON at least one illumination means while said photographing means photographs one image; and

said face portion detecting means detects as the retina reflection image, such a reflection image which is present within a constant region among the images acquired by said photographing means, and an illuminance level of which is higher than, or equal to a predetermined value.

5. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

at least a portion of said one illumination means is arranged within a range separated from an optical axis of said photographing means by a constant distance.

6. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

at least one of said plurality of illumination means is arranged within a range separated from the optical axis of said photographing means by a constant distance.

7. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

at least a portion of said one illumination means is arranged within a range separated from the optical axis of said photographing means by a constant distance, and said illumination means owns a predetermined shape;

said illumination lighting control means turns ON said illumination means while one image is photographed; and

said face portion detecting means detects as the retina reflection image, such a reflection image which is present within constant region among the images acquired by said photographing means, and the luminance level of which is higher than, or equal to a predetermined value, and furthermore, removes such a reflection image having a shape identical to said predetermined shape of said illumination means as the reflection image of the article having the luster reflection surface.

8. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

at least one of said plurality of illumination means is arranged within a range separated from an optical axis of said photographing means by a constant distance, and said plurality of illumination means are arranged in such a manner that said plural illumination means constitute a predetermined shape;

said illumination lighting control means turns ON said plurality of illumination means while one image is photographed; and

said face portion detecting means detects as the retina reflection image, such a reflection image which is present within a constant region among the images acquired by said photographing means, and the luminance level of which is higher than, or equal to a predetermined value, and furthermore, removes such a reflection image having a shape identical to said predetermined shape of said plurality of illumination means as the reflection image of the article having the luster reflection surface.

9. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein:

said predetermined shape of the illumination means is a straight-line shape.

10. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein:

said predetermined shape of the illumination means is a coaxial shape with respect to the optical axis of said photographing means.

11. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the irradiation light of said illumination means corresponds to near infrared rays.

12. A face portion detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the irradiation light of said illumination means corresponds to infrared rays.