Automatic photography system

• US 20040218916A1
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Hiroshi, Enomoto, Jun, Nakamura, Yoichi, Shinohara, Mamoru
• Granted Patent: US 6,996,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/263
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/175 Static expression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

Photography is automatically performed when a subject assumes expressions or poses that are considered to be desirable. Shapes that represent facial expressions of human subjects are repeatedly extracted from images, which are being imaged by a camera. Degrees of match between the extracted shapes and predetermined shapes are calculated. The subjects are photographed when the calculated degrees of match exceed a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An automatic photography system comprising:

a photographing portion; and

a control portion comprising;

a shape extracting means, for repeatedly extracting shapes that represent expressions of human subjects within images, which are being imaged by the photographing portion;

a match calculating means for recording predetermined shapes in advance, and for sequentially calculating the degrees of match between the extracted shapes and the predetermined shapes; and

a control means for controlling the photographing portion to photograph the subjects when the calculated degrees of match exceed a predetermined threshold value.

2. An automatic photography system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined threshold value is decreased according to an increase in the number of shape extractions.

3. An automatic photography system as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the control portion further comprises;

an identifying data receiving means, for receiving identifying data, transmitted from the subjects, that identifies the subjects; and

a memory means for recording predetermined threshold values corresponding to the identifying data of the subjects received by the identifying data receiving means;

wherein;

the control means controls the photographing portion based on the predetermined threshold values which are recorded in the memory means, corresponding to the received identifying data.

4. An automatic photography system comprising:

a photographing portion; and

a control portion comprising;

a shape extracting means, for repeatedly extracting shapes that represent poses of subjects within images, which are being imaged by the photographing portion;

a match calculating means for recording predetermined shapes in advance, and for sequentially calculating the degrees of match between the extracted shapes and the predetermined shapes; and

a control means for controlling the photographing portion to photograph the subjects when the calculated degrees of match exceed a predetermined threshold value.

5. An automatic photography system as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the predetermined threshold value is decreased according to an increase in the number of shape extractions.

6. An automatic photography system as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the control portion further comprises;

an identifying data receiving means, for receiving identifying data, transmitted from the subjects, that identifies the subjects; and

a memory means for recording predetermined threshold values corresponding to the identifying data of the subjects received by the identifying data receiving means;

wherein;

the control means controls the photographing portion based on the predetermined threshold values which are recorded in the memory means, corresponding to the received identifying data.