Method of extracting candidate human region within image, system for extracting candidate human region, program for extracting candidate human region, method of discerning top and bottom of human image, system for discerning top and bottom, and program for discerning top and bottom
First Claim
1. A method of extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image, said method comprising the steps of:
- finding variance values of image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including vertical and horizontal rows of pixels constituting said picture image;
selecting regions having variance values of image features in excess of threshold values about vertical and horizontal line directions; and
extracting an area within the picture image in which the selected regions in the line directions overlap each other as the region in which the human image exists.
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Abstract
A method is provided for extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image. The top-bottom direction of a picture image containing a human image is discerned. Based on the result of the discernment, the human image is modified to the actual top-bottom direction. Then, the variance values of image features are found about vertical and horizontal lines comprising vertical and horizontal rows of pixels constituting the picture image. Regions having variance values of image features in excess of their threshold values are selected about the vertical and horizontal line directions. An area within the picture image in which the selected regions in the line directions overlap with each other is extracted. Thus, an area within the picture image in which the human image exists can be robustly and quickly extracted.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image, said method comprising the steps of:
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finding variance values of image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including vertical and horizontal rows of pixels constituting said picture image;
selecting regions having variance values of image features in excess of threshold values about vertical and horizontal line directions; and
extracting an area within the picture image in which the selected regions in the line directions overlap each other as the region in which the human image exists.
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2. A method of extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image, said method comprising the steps of:
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discerning a top-bottom direction of the human image within said picture image;
rotating said picture image based on results of the discernment to modify said human image to an actual top-bottom direction;
thereafter finding variance values of image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including vertical and horizontal rows of pixels constituting said picture image;
selecting regions having variance values of image features in excess of threshold values about vertical and horizontal line directions; and
extracting an area within the picture image in which the selected regions in the line directions overlap each other as the region in which the human image exists. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image, said system comprising:
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an image reading portion for reading said picture image;
an image feature calculation portion for calculating image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including rows of pixels constituting the picture image read by said image reading portion;
a variance value calculation portion for finding variance values of the image features about vertical and horizontal line directions obtained by said image feature calculation portion; and
a candidate human image region detection portion for detecting a region in which the human image exists from regions in the line directions having the variance values of the image features in excess of threshold values in the vertical and horizontal line directions, the variance values being obtained by said variance value calculation portion.
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9. A system for extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image, said system comprising:
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an image reading portion for reading said picture image;
a top-bottom discerning portion for discerning a top-bottom direction of the human image within the picture image read by said image reading portion;
a top-bottom modification portion for rotating said picture image based on results of the discernment performed by said top-bottom discerning portion to modify said human image to an actual top-bottom direction;
an image feature calculation portion for calculating image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including rows of pixels constituting the picture image whose top-bottom direction has been modified by said top-bottom modification portion;
a variance value calculation portion for finding variance values of the image features about vertical and horizontal line directions obtained by said image feature calculation portion; and
a candidate human image region detection portion for detecting a region in which the human image exists from regions in the line directions having the variance values of the image features in excess of threshold values in the vertical and horizontal line directions, the variance values being obtained by said variance value calculation portion. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A program for extracting a candidate human image region from within a picture image containing a human image by causing a computer to perform functions of:
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a top-bottom discerning portion for discerning a top-bottom direction of the human image within said picture image;
a top-bottom modification portion for rotating said picture image based on results of the discernment performed by said top-bottom discerning portion to modify said human image to an actual top-bottom direction;
an image feature calculation portion for calculating image features about vertical and horizontal lines respectively including rows of pixels constituting the picture image whose top-bottom direction has been modified by said top-bottom modification portion;
a variance value calculation portion for finding variance values of the image features about vertical and horizontal line directions obtained by said image feature calculation portion; and
a candidate human image region detection portion for detecting a region in which the human image exists from regions in the line directions having the variance values of the image features in excess of threshold values in the vertical and horizontal line directions, the variance values being obtained by said variance value calculation portion. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of discerning a top-bottom direction of a human image within a picture image in which the human image exists within a polygonal frame having at least three angles, the human image principally including the upper half or head of a person, said method comprising the steps of:
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finding variance values of image features of rows of pixels constituting at least one of;
sides of said picture image; and
lines close to the sides; and
identifying the side providing the highest variance value or the side close to the line providing the highest variance value as a ground side.
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14. A system for discerning top-bottom direction of a human image within a picture image containing the human image within a polygonal frame having at least three angles, the human image principally including the upper half or head of a person, said system comprising:
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a variance value calculation portion for calculating variance values of image features of rows of pixels forming at least one of;
sides of said picture image; and
lines close to the sides; and
a top-and-bottom discerning portion for identifying the side providing the highest one of the variance values obtained by said variance value calculation portion or the side close to the line providing the highest one of the variance values obtained by said variance value calculation portion as a ground side.
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15. A program for discerning top-bottom direction of a human image within a picture image containing the human image within a polygonal frame having at least three angles, the human image principally including the upper half or head of a person, said program comprising causing a computer to perform functions of:
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a variance value calculation portion for calculating variance values of image features of rows of pixels forming at least one of;
sides of said picture image; and
lines close to the sides; and
a top-and-bottom discerning portion for identifying the side providing the highest one of the variance values obtained by said variance value calculation portion or the side close to the line providing the highest one of the variance values obtained by said variance value calculation portion as a ground side.
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Specification