Face Image Correction

• US 20070252674A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Joakim, Gulliksson, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.530
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/006 Geometric correction correction of chromatic aberrations adapted to be used in an image pickup device containing an electronic image sensor H04N23/10; detecting, correcting, reducing or removing artefacts resulting only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" H04N25/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/593 involving spatial prediction techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Methods for adjusting a picture of an object captured by a camera in a mobile radio communication terminal include defining a first camera angle relative to the object and capturing an image of the object by means of the camera from a second camera angle relative to the object. The second camera angle is offset from the first camera angle. The methods further include storing image data relating to the captured image, and generating an angularly adjusted image of the object in response to the image data and an angular relation between the first camera angle and the second camera angle. Corresponding mobile radio communication terminals are also disclosed. The terminals include an image processing system configured to process an image of an object captured by a camera from a second camera angle by generating an angularly adjusted image of the object in response to image data for the image, and in response to an angular relation between the second camera angle and a first camera angle.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting a picture of an object captured by a camera in a mobile radio communication terminal, comprising:

defining a first camera angle relative to the object;

capturing an image of the object by means of the camera from a second camera angle relative to the object, wherein the second camera angle is offset from the first camera angle;

storing image data relating to the captured image; and

generating an angularly adjusted image of the object, in response to the image data and an angular relation between the first camera angle and the second camera angle.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing reference image data relating to a reference image of the object captured from the first camera angle, wherein generating the angularly adjusted image of the object is further performed in response to the reference image data.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

capturing the reference image of the object from the first camera angle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the captured image is a moving image, and wherein generating the angularly adjusted image comprises generating a moving adjusted image in real time.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein generating the angularly adjusted image comprises:

digitally identifying corresponding structures in the captured image and the reference image;

establishing a mathematical transform from a mathematical relation between spatial image data of the image data and of the reference image data, for the corresponding structures; and

transforming the captured image to appear as captured from the first camera angle by applying the mathematical transform to the image data.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein generating the angularly adjusted image comprises:

digitally identifying a key feature present both in the captured image and in the reference image;

detecting movement of the key feature in the captured image;

filtering out the movement from the captured image; and

applying the movement to the key feature in the reference image for obtaining an adjusted image.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating the angularly adjusted image comprises:

slanting the captured image to compensate for a difference between the first camera angle and the second camera angle; and

zooming and cropping the slanted image.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first camera angle comprises a predetermined camera angle to the object.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first camera angle is selected from a plurality of selectable preset angles, by means of an input command to the terminal.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second camera angle is sensed by an angle sensor in the terminal.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second camera angle is selected from a plurality of selectable preset angles, by means of an input command to the terminal.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

encoding the adjusted image into a radio signal; and

transmitting the radio signal from the terminal.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

encoding the image data for the captured image, together with data indicative of the angular relation between the first camera angle and the second camera angle, into a radio signal;

transmitting the radio signal from the terminal;

receiving the radio signal in a radio signal receiving device; and

generating the angularly adjusted image of the object in the radio signal receiving device.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the object is the comprises a face of a user holding the terminal.

15. A mobile radio communication terminal, comprising:

a camera configured to capture images,

means for generating and transmitting a radio signal comprising captured images to a recipient, and

an image adjusting mechanism, comprising a memory configured to store a first angle value for a first camera angle relative to an object, and a second angle value for a second camera angle relative to the object, the second camera angle offset from the first camera angle, and an image processing system configured to process an image of the object captured by the camera from the second camera angle, by generating an angularly adjusted image of the object, response to image data for the image, and in response to an angular relation between the first camera angle and the second camera angle.

16. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises reference image data relating to a reference image of the object captured from the first camera angle, wherein the means image processing system is further configured to generate the angularly adjusted image of the object in response to the reference image data.

17. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the camera is further configured to capture moving images, and wherein the image processing system comprises means for generating a moving adjusted front image in real time.

18. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the image processing system comprises:

means for digitally identifying corresponding structures in the captured image and the reference image;

means for establishing a mathematical transform from a mathematical relation between spatial image data of the image data and of the reference image data, for the corresponding structures; and

means for transforming the captured image to appear as captured from the first camera angle by applying the mathematical transform to the image data.

19. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the image processing system comprises:

means for digitally identifying a key feature in the captured image and in the reference image;

means for detecting movement of the key feature in the captured image;

means for filtering out the movement from the captured image; and

means for applying the movement to the key feature in the reference image for obtaining the adjusted image.

20. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the image processing system comprises:

means for slanting the captured image to compensate for a difference between the first camera angle and the second camera angle; and

means for zooming and cropping the slanted image.

21. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the first camera angle comprises a predetermined camera angle to the object.

22. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the first camera angle is selected from a plurality of selectable preset angles, by means of an input command to the terminal.

23. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the second camera angle is sensed by an angle sensor in the terminal.

24. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the second camera angle is selected from a plurality of selectable preset angles, by means of an input command to the terminal.

25. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the image processing system comprises:

means for encoding the adjusted image into a radio signal; and

means for transmitting the radio signal from the terminal.

26. The mobile radio communication terminal as recited in claim 15, wherein the object comprises a face of a user holding the terminal.