Digital image adjustable compression and resolution using face detection information

• US 20060204057A1
• 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: Steinberg, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/41 Bandwidth or redundancy reduction by scanning H04N1/17 ; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/136 Incoming video signal characteristics or properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/154 Measured or subjectively estimated visual quality after decoding, e.g. measurement of distortion use of rate-distortion criteria H04N19/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/186 the unit being a colour or a chrominance component

Abstract

A method of adjustable spatial and/or temporal compression of an image including a face includes identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image. A first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels is determined. A second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels is also determined. The first compression portion may be automatically compressed with higher-grade compression than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face, or an option to provided the compressed image including the different grade compressions may be provided.

Claims

1. A method of compression of an image including one or more faces, comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image;

(b) determining a first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels;

(c) determining a second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels; and

(d) automatically compressing the first compression portion with higher-grade compression rate than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face.

2. A method of compression of an image as recited in claim 1, further comprising implementing said compression rate as adjustable image resolution.

3. A method of compression of an image as recited in claim 1, said higher grade compression rate varying between a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a plurality of faces.

4. A method of compression of an image as recited in claim 1, said higher grade compression rate comprising a function of one or more parameters including the relative size of the face, location of the face, exposure of the face, or total of faces detected in the image, or combinations thereof.

5. A method of compression of an image including one or more faces, comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image;

(b) determining a first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels;

(c) determining a second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels; and

(d) automatically providing an option for compressing the first compression portion with higher-grade compression rate than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face.

6. A method of providing an option for compression of an image as recited in claim 5, wherein said option is variable based on a subjective user decision.

7. A method of providing an option for compression of an image as recited in claim 6, further comprising determining said option as a function of one or more parameters including the relative size of the face, location of the face, exposure of the face, or total of faces detected in the image, or combinations thereof.

8. 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 compression of an image including a face, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image;

(b) determining a first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels;

(c) determining a second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels; and

(d) automatically compressing the first compression portion with higher-grade compression than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face.

9. The one or more storage devices of claim 8, the method further comprising implementing said compression rate as adjustable image resolution.

10. The one or more storage devices of claim 8, said higher grade compression rate varying between a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a plurality of faces.

11. The one or more storage devices of claim 8, said higher grade compression rate comprising a function of one or more parameters including the relative size of the face, location of the face, exposure of the face, or total of faces detected in the image, or combinations thereof.

12. 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 compression of an image including a face, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a group of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired image;

(b) determining a first compression portion of the image including the group of pixels;

(c) determining a second compression portion of the image other than the group of pixels; and

(d) automatically providing an option for compressing the first compression portion with higher-grade compression than the second compression portion to generate a compressed image including the face.

13. The one or more storage devices of claim 12, wherein said option is variable based on a subjective user decision.

14. The one or more storage devices of claim 13, the method further comprising determining said option as a function of one or more parameters including the relative size of the face, location of the face, exposure of the face, or total of faces detected in the image, or combinations thereof.