Image search apparatus for images to be detected, and method of controlling same

• US 20060098875A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Masahiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris

Abstract

If a target-image portion to be detected is detected anew, an evaluation value of this target-image portion is calculated. If the target-image portion is detected anew, it is determined whether the number of target-image portions has exceeded n owing to such detection. If, in a case where n has been exceeded, information concerning a target-image portion having an evaluation value smaller than that of the newly detected target-image portion has been stored, then the information having this evaluation value is deleted from a list and the information concerning the newly detected target-image portion is stored in the list. Since the number of items of information stored in the list will not exceed n, it is possible to avoid a malfunction that can occur if processing is executed following storage of a large number of items of information.

Claims

1. An image search apparatus for searching for a detection-target image, comprising:

a detection device for finding a detection-target image portion, based upon an evaluation value indicating degree of detection-target likeliness, in an image subjected to detection;

a storage device for storing information concerning the detection-target image portion that has been found by said detection device;

a determination device for determining whether a number of detection-target image portions that have been found by said detection device is equal to or greater than a prescribed number; and

an erasing device, responsive to a determination by said determination device that the number is equal to or greater than the prescribed number, for erasing detection-target image portions, which have been stored in the storage device, in order of increasing reference value that is based upon a prescribed criterion in such a manner that the number of detection-target image portions that have been found by said detection device will fall below the prescribed number.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value is based upon at least one among the size, brightness, saturation, position, orientation, inclination and hue of the found detection-target image portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection-target image portion is a face image or redeye image.

4. An image search apparatus for searching for a detection-target image, comprising:

a detection device for finding a detection-target image portion in an image subjected to detection;

a determination device for determining whether a number of detection-target image portions that have been found by said detection device is equal to a prescribed number;

a storage control device, responsive to a determination by said determination device that the number is not equal to the prescribed number, for storing information, which concerns the detection-target image portion that has been found by said detection device, in a storage device; and

a detection processing control device, responsive to a determination by said determination device that the number is equal to the prescribed number, for halting processing executed in said detection device.

5. A method of controlling an image search apparatus for searching for a detection-target image, the apparatus having a detection device for finding a detection-target image portion, based upon an evaluation value indicating degree of detection-target likeliness, in an image subjected to detection, and a storage device for storing information concerning the detection-target image portion that has been found by the detection device, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a number of detection-target image portions that have been found by the detection device is equal to or greater than a prescribed number; and

in response to a determination that the number is equal to or greater than the prescribed number, erasing detection-target image portions, which have been stored in the storage device, in order of increasing reference value that is based upon a prescribed criterion in such a manner that the number of detection-target image portions that have been found by the detection device will fall below the prescribed number.

6. A method of controlling an image search apparatus, comprising the steps of:

finding a detection-target image portion in an image subjected to detection;

determining whether a number of detection-target image portions that have been found is equal to a prescribed number;

in response to a determination that the number is not equal to the prescribed number, storing information, which concerns the detection-target image portion that has been found, in a storage device; and

in response to a determination that the number is equal to the prescribed number, halting detection processing.