Apparatus for and method of synthesizing face image

• US 20030189654A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kage, Hiroshi, Mitsuishi, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits

Abstract

An image of a face of a person is acquired. Image data corresponding to head is extracted from the image of the face. The image data is enlarged, reduces or rotated to obtain an image of the head that is vibrating. The vibrating image of the head is displayed on a display.

Claims

1. A face image synthesis apparatus comprising:

an image input unit which fetches an image including a face of a person;

a face region acquisition unit which acquires a face region including a head of the person from the image; and

a face region processing unit which processes image data corresponding to the face region to form a different face image that is different from the fetched image.

2. The face image synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the face region processing unit performs one or more from a group consisting of displaying, enlargement, reduction and rotation of the image data with passage of time to thereby form the different face image that is vibrating.

3. The face image synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image input unit fetches images of faces of at least two persons;

the face region acquisition unit acquires a face region including a head of the person from each of the images; and

the face region processing unit acquires at least one face inside region from one of the image data and a face outside region from the other image data, and combines the face inside region and the face outside region to thereby form the different face image.

4. The face image synthesis apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

each of the face inside regions includes at least one facial part, and the face outside region includes a portion of the face other than the face inside region.

5. The face image synthesis apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the facial parts are the eyes, nose and mouth.

6. The face image synthesis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image input unit is a digital still or movie camera.

7. A face image synthesis method comprising:

fetching an image including a face of a person;

acquiring a face region including a head of the person from the image; and

processing image data corresponding to the face region to form a different face image that is different from the fetched image.

8. The face image synthesis method according to claim 7, wherein

the acquiring includes one or more from a group consisting of displaying, enlargement, reduction and rotation of the image data with passage of time to thereby form the different face image that is vibrating.

9. The face image synthesis method according to claim 7, wherein

the fetching includes fetching images of faces of at least two persons;

the acquiring includes acquiring a face region including a head of the person from each of the images; and

the image data processing includes acquiring at least one face inside region from one of the image data and a face outside region from the other image data, and combining the face inside region and the face outside region to thereby form the different face image.

10. The face image synthesis method according to claim 9, wherein

each of the face inside regions includes at least one facial part, and the face outside region includes a portion of the face other than the face inside region.

11. The face image synthesis method according to claim 10, wherein

the facial parts are the eyes, nose and mouth.

12. A communication terminal comprising:

an image input unit which fetches an image including a face of a person;

a face region acquisition unit which acquires a face region including a head of the person from the image; and

a face region processing unit which processes image data corresponding to the face region to form a different face image that is different from the fetched image;

a display unit which displays the different face image; and

a communication unit which transmits or receives data of the different face image.

13. A communication method of a communication terminal, the communication terminal includes an image input unit which fetches an image including a face of a person;

a face region acquisition unit which acquires a face region including a head of the person from the image; and

a face region processing unit which processes image data corresponding to the face region to form a different face image that is different from the fetched image;

a display unit which displays the different face image; and

a communication unit which transmits or receives data, the method comprising;

displaying on the display unit, when the communication terminal receives a call or a mail, the different face image to thereby inform reception of the call or the mail.