Makeup counseling apparatus

• US 20030007071A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shiseido Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shiseido Company Limited
• Inventors: Goto, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,088,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/448 Hair evaluation, e.g. for hair disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/466 Coded colour; Recognition of predetermined colour; Determining proximity to predetermined colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0278 Control or determination of height or angle information for sensors or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/524 Calibration of colorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

The present invention is composed of a computer positioned at a basal portion of an apparatus for conducting image processing and counseling processing; a first image display means for displaying a computer-processed image to a subject, mounted upright in the computer, a second image display means for displaying the computer-processed image to a counselor, mounted upright in the computer so that a display screen thereof is directed in a direction opposite the first display means; and photographic means, positioned near the first image display means, for photographing a subject directed in a direction of the first display means and feeding a facial image of the subject into the computer, thus making the apparatus small in scale and simple in composition, and suitable for a counselor to provide counseling on make-up to a subject.

Claims

1. A make-up counseling apparatus comprising:

a computer positioned at a basal portion of the apparatus for conducting image processing and counseling processing;

a first image display means for displaying a computer-processed image to a subject, mounted upright in the computer;

a second image display means for displaying the computer-processed image to a counselor, mounted upright in the computer so that a display screen thereof is directed in a direction opposite the first display means; and

photographic means, positioned near the first image display means, for photographing a subject directed in a direction of the first display means and feeding a facial image of the subject into the computer.

2. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a space bounded by the computer and by the first and second image display means contains the photographic means.

3. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photographic means comprises:

a digital camera for photographing a subject;

a strobe for illuminating the subject; and

a distance sensor for measuring a distance to the subject.

4. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first image display means has a transparent touch panel on the display surface.

5. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second image display means has a transparent touch panel on the display surface.

6. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein display contents of the first image display means and display contents of the second image display means are identical.

7. The make-up counseling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display contents of the first image display means and the display contents of the second image display means are different.

8. A make-up counseling apparatus comprising:

a digital camera for photographing a subject;

a strobe for illuminating the subject;

a distance sensor for measuring a distance to the subject;

color balance adjustment means for adjusting a color balance of the digital camera so that a difference in color between color values of a color sample image of predetermined colors obtained from a color correction chart having a plurality of color samples placed at approximately equal distances illuminated by the strobe light and photographed by the digital camera, and color values of color samples of the predetermined colors measured under previously predetermined conditions is within a stipulated range of values;

conversion formula calculation means for obtaining a conversion formula for converting the color values of the color sample image obtained from photographing the color correction chart with the digital camera into Lab values of the color samples measured under previously predetermined conditions;

deviation calculation means for obtaining a deviation between the color values of the color sample image obtained from photographing the color correction chart with the digital camera converted into Lab values using the conversion formula and the Lab values of color samples of the predetermined color measured under previously predetermined conditions;

brightness correction means for correcting the brightness of a facial image according to a distance measured by the distance sensor when the facial image of a subject at approximately a fixed distance is photographed by the digital camera as a photographic object; and

color correction means for correcting the brightness-corrected facial image according to the deviation.