Digital image processing composition using face detection information

• US 20060204054A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FotoNation Vision Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Corcoran, Peter, Steinberg, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• 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 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A method of automatic or assisted recomposing of digital image processing uses face detection. Pixels that correspond to a face within a digital image are identified. A re-compositioned image is based on spatial or other parameters of the detected image, particularly in relation to the entire digital image or other portions of the image.

Claims

1. A method of digital image processing using face detection, comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digital image;

(b) identifying a second group of pixels that correspond to another feature within the digital image; and

(c) determining a re-compositioned image including a new group of pixels for at least one of the face and the other feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed within a digital image acquisition device as part of the acquisition process.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device prior to capturing the image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a user approving the re-compositioned image prior to said capturing of the image.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device prior to acquiring the image.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising a user approving the re-compositioned image prior to said acquisition of the image.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device as part of a playback mode.

8. The method of claim 1, the other feature comprising an eye, a lip, nose, an ear, hair line, nose bridge, chin, neck, shoulder, or torso, or combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, the other feature comprising at least one additional face.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more grid lines on the re-compositioned image to assist a user in evaluating the re-compositioned image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said one or more grid lines are based on composition aesthetics guidelines.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating the determined re-compositioned image.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically providing one or more re-composition options for generating the determined re-compositioned image.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of re-composition options; and

(b) allowing the user to select an instance of said plurality of options.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining values of one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels and determining relatively-adjusted values.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically generating an adjusted image using the relatively-adjusted values of the one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically providing an option to generate an adjusted image using the relatively-adjusted values of the one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels.

18. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of digital image processing using face detection, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digital image;

(b) identifying a second group of pixels that correspond to another feature within the digital image; and

(c) determining a re-composited image including a new group of pixels for at least one of the face and the other feature.

19. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 18, wherein said processor is located within a digital image acquisition device.

20. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 18, wherein said method is performed within a digital image acquisition device as part of an acquisition process.

21. The one or more storage devices of claim 20, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device prior to capturing the image.

22. The one or more storage devices of claim 21, the method further comprising a user approving the re-compositioned image prior to said capturing of the image.

23. The one or more storage devices of claim 21, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device prior to acquiring the image.

24. The one or more storage devices of claim 23, the method further comprising a user approving the re-compositioned image prior to said acquisition of the image.

25. The one or more storage devices of claim 21, wherein said determining a re-compositioned image includes displaying the re-compositioned image within said digital image acquisition device as part of a playback mode.

26. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the other feature comprising an eye, a lip, nose, an ear, hair line, nose bridge, chin, neck, shoulder, or torso, or combinations thereof.

27. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the other feature comprising at least one additional face.

28. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the method further comprising displaying one or more grid lines on the re-compositioned image to assist a user in evaluating the re-compositioned image.

29. The one or more storage devices of claim 28, wherein said one or more grid lines are based on composition aesthetics guidelines.

30. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the method further comprising automatically generating the determined re-compositioned image.

31. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, further comprising automatically providing one or more re-composition options for generating the determined re-compositioned image.

32. The one or more storage devices of claim 31, the method further comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of re-composition options; and

(b) allowing the user to select an instance of said plurality of options.

33. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the other feature comprising a second face.

34. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the method further comprising automatically generating the determined re-composited image.

35. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the method further comprising automatically providing an option for generating the determined re-composited image.

36. The one or more storage devices of claim 18, the method further comprising determining values of one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels and determining relatively-adjusted values.

37. The one or more storage devices of claim 36, the method further comprising automatically generating an adjusted image using the relatively-adjusted values of the one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels.

38. The one or more storage devices of claim 36, the method further comprising automatically providing an option to generate an adjusted image using the relatively-adjusted values of the one or more parameters of the first and second groups of pixels.