IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, AUTOMATIC FOCUSING METHOD, AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE METHOD, ELECTRONIC FLASH CONTROL METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20070268370A1
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shiraishi, Kenji, Sanno, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• 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 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An image pickup device includes an image pickup unit configured to convert an optical image of a subject to image data and to output the image data, a face image recognition unit configured to recognize face image from the image data, and a face portion judgment unit configured to judge each portion in the face image recognized by the face image recognition unit. When every portion in the face image can be judged by the face portion judgment unit, a release button for executing photographing of the subject is automatically pressed, or the photographing operation is executed.

Claims

1. An image pickup device comprising:

an image pickup unit configured to convert an optical image of a subject to image data and to output the image data;

a face image recognition unit configured to recognize face image from the image data; and

a face portion judgment unit configured to judge each portion in the face image recognized by the face image recognition unit,

wherein when every portion in the face image can be judged by the face portion judgment unit, a release button for executing photographing of the subject is automatically pressed, or the photographing operation is executed.

2. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein when all of the respective portions in the face image cannot be judged by the face portion judgment unit, the operation of the face portion judgment unit is continued until all of the respective portions in the face image can be judged.

3. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the image data is continuously taken in, and only when all of the respective portions in the face image can be judged by the face portion judgement unit, the image data is stored.

4. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the face portion judgment unit has an edge detection unit configured to detect a characteristic point of the edge for each portion in the face image, and when the edge detection value of the edge detection unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold, control waits until the edge detection value exceeds the threshold, or the operation of the edge detection unit is continued, until the edge detection value exceeds the threshold.

5. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the edge detection unit is repetitively operated, while continuously taking in the image data, and when the edge detection value of the edge detection unit exceeds a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, the image data is taken in, or the release button is pressed.

6. The image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display data contents, wherein when photographing conditions are satisfied, this matter is displayed on the display unit.

7. The image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein when the photographing conditions are not satisfied, after a predetermined period of time has passed, this matter is displayed on the display unit.

8. The image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning unit configured to generate sound, wherein when the photographing conditions are satisfied, sound is generated by the warning unit.

9. The image pickup device according to claim 8, wherein the warning unit is configured to generate sound when the photographing conditions are not satisfied after a predetermined period of time has passed.

10. The image pickup device according to claim 8, wherein frequency or melody of the sound is changed, between when the photographing conditions are satisfied and when they are not satisfied.

11. The image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection unit configured to select whether the release button is to be pressed, when the face portion judgment unit detects a face image, and when it is selected not to press the release button by the selection unit, the release button is to be pressed manually.