Image processing device, image processing method, and program

• US 20080273798A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugino, Akinobu, Sano, Akane, Tsuruta, Masaaki, Ozaki, Nozomu, Sako, Yoichiro, Ito, Taiji, Sekizawa, Hidehiko, Asukai, Masamichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions

Abstract

There is provided an image processing device that includes a facial image extraction portion, a positivity computation portion, and a selected image update portion. The facial image extraction portion specifies a facial region of an imaged subject within at least one sequentially input selection-eligible image and extracts from the selection-eligible image a facial image that corresponds to the facial region. The positivity computation portion computes for the selection-eligible image, using the corresponding facial image, a positivity of the imaged subject toward a person who acquired the selection-eligible image. The selected image update portion compares the selection-eligible image for which the positivity was computed in the positivity computation portion to a selection candidate image that has the greatest positivity among selection-eligible images for the same imaged subject for which the positivities have already been computed, and makes the image with the greater positivity the new selection candidate image.

Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

a facial image extraction portion that specifies a facial region of an imaged subject within at least one sequentially input selection-eligible image and extracts from the selection-eligible image a facial image that corresponds to the facial region;

a positivity computation portion that computes for each selection-eligible image, using the facial image, a positivity of the imaged subject toward a person who acquired the at least one selection-eligible image; and

a selected image update portion that compares each selection-eligible image for which the positivity was computed in the positivity computation portion to a selection candidate image that has a greatest positivity among all the selection-eligible images for the same imaged subject for which the positivities have already been computed, and makes the image with a greater positivity a new selection candidate image.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image selection portion that selects, as a selected image for the imaged subject, the selection candidate image for the imaged subject that was updated in the selected image update portion.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the positivity is computed based on at least one of a size of the facial image, a facial expression of the imaged subject, a face orientation of the imaged subject, a line-of-vision orientation of the imaged subject, a detection of eyes and a mouth, a color saturation of the facial image, and a spatial frequency of the facial image.

4. The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein

a corresponding sound is input for each sequentially input selection-eligible image, and

the positivity is computed based also on the intonation of the sound and the volume of the sound.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an eligibility determination portion that determines, for each sequentially input selection-eligible image, whether or not the imaged subject is eligible for a selected image selection.

6. The image processing device according to claim 5,

wherein the eligibility determination portion makes the eligibility determination using selection-ineligible information that specifies the imaged subject is not eligible for the selected image selection.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first positivity editing portion that can increase and decrease the positivity that the positivity computation portion computed for each selection-eligible image.

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

a second positivity editing portion that can increase and decrease the positivity that was computed for the selection candidate image for the imaged subject.

9. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image acquisition portion that acquires and inputs in real time the at least one selection-eligible image.

10. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage portion that stores the at least one selection-eligible image.

11. The image processing device according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one selection-eligible image is input from an external device.

12. An image processing method, comprising the steps of:

specifying a facial region of an imaged subject within at least one sequentially input selection-eligible image and extracting from each selection-eligible image a facial image that corresponds to the facial region;

computing for each selection-eligible image, using the facial image, a positivity of the imaged subject toward a person who acquired the at least one selection-eligible image; and

comparing each selection-eligible image for which the positivity was computed in the computing step to a selection candidate image that has a greatest positivity among all the selection-eligible images for the imaged subject for which the positivities have been computed, and making the image with a greater positivity a new selection candidate image.

13. The image processing method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

selecting, as a selected image for the imaged subject, the selection candidate image for the imaged subject that is updated when the image with the greater positivity is made the new selection candidate image.

14. A program that comprises instructions that command a computer to function as:

a specifying portion that specifies a facial region of an imaged subject within at least one sequentially input selection-eligible image and extracts from each selection-eligible image a facial image that corresponds to the facial region;

a computing portion that computes for each selection-eligible image, using the facial image, a positivity of the imaged subject toward a person who acquired the at least one selection-eligible image; and

a comparing-updating portion that compares each selection-eligible image for which the positivity was computed in the computing portion to a selection candidate image that has a greatest positivity among all the selection-eligible images for the imaged subject for which the positivities have already been computed, and makes a image with the greater positivity a new selection candidate image.

15. The program according to claim 14, further comprising instructions that command the computer to function as:

a selection portion that selects, as a selected image for the imaged subject, the selection candidate image for the imaged subject that was updated in the comparing-updating portion that makes the image with the greater positivity the new selection candidate image.