Image processing apparatus and image processing method

• US 20090016645A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Hirotaka, Sugino, Akinobu, Sano, Akane, Tsuruta, Masaaki, Ozaki, Nozomu, Sako, Yoichiro, Matsuda, Kouichi, Ito, Taiji, Sekizawa, Hidehiko, Kamatani, Yoshiteru, Asukai, Masamichi, Kawakami, Itaru
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/298
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/175 Static expression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00843 based on recognising a copy prohibited original, e.g. a banknote pattern authentication and markers therefor, forgery detection G06V20/95; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40; testing paper currency or similar valuable papers for genuineness G07D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00851 externally to or remotely from the reproduction apparatus, e.g. using a connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00872 by image quality reduction, e.g. distortion or blacking out
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• 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 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an image-processing apparatus. The apparatus includes: a taken-image acquisition section configured to acquire a taken image; and a to-be-processed area setting section configured to carry out an analysis on a taken image acquired by the taken-image acquisition section and configured to use the pixel area of a photographed-subject image of a specific type in the taken image as a to-be-processed area of an image conversion process in accordance with the size of the photographed-subject image if a result of the analysis indicates that the photographed-subject image exists in the taken image. The apparatus further includes an image conversion section configured to carry out the image conversion process on the photographed-subject image with the pixel area thereof used as the to-be-processed area in order to generate a post-conversion image obtained as a result of the image conversion process.

Claims

1. An image-processing apparatus comprising:

taken-image acquisition means for acquiring a taken image;

to-be-processed area setting means for carrying out an analysis on the taken image and for using a pixel area of a photographed-subject image of a specific type in said taken image as a to-be-processed area of an image conversion process in accordance with a size of said photographed-subject image if a result of said analysis indicates that said photographed-subject image exists in said taken image; and

conversion means for carrying out said image conversion process on said photographed-subject image with said pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area in order to generate a post-conversion image obtained as a result of said image conversion process.

2. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said to-be-processed area setting means produces a result of determination as to whether the size of the photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is small or large and, if the result of said determination indicates that said size of said photographed-subject image of a specific type is small, said to-be-processed area setting means uses the pixel area of said photographed-subject image as the to-be-processed area of said image conversion process.

3. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said to-be-processed area setting means produces a result of determination as to whether the size of the photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is small or large and, if the result of said determination indicates that said size of said photographed-subject image of the specific type is large, said to-be-processed area setting means uses the pixel area of said photographed-subject image as the to-be-processed area of said image conversion process.

4. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said to-be-processed area setting means produces a first result of determination as to whether said taken image is taken in a manual photographing with a timing set by a manual operation or taken in an automatic photographing carried out automatically;

if the first result of said determination indicates that said taken image is taken in the manual photographing with the timing set by the manual operation, said to-be-processed area setting means produces a second result of determination as to whether the size of the photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is small or large and, if the second result of said determination indicates that said size of said photographed-subject image of the specific type is small, said to-be-processed area setting means uses the pixel area of said photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image as the to-be-processed area of the image conversion process; and

if the first result of said determination indicates that said taken image is taken in the automatic photographing, said to-be-processed area setting means produces a third result of determination as to whether the size of the photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is small or large and, if the third result of said determination indicates that said size of said photographed-subject image of the specific type is large, said to-be-processed area setting means uses the pixel area of said photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image as the to-be-processed area of the image conversion process.

5. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is of a face of a person.

6. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said photographed-subject image of the specific type in said taken image is of a copyrighted work.

7. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, as said image conversion process, said conversion means caries out processing to convert said photographed-subject image with the pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area into an image which cannot be recognized or is difficult to recognize.

8. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, as said image conversion process, said conversion means caries out processing to replace said photographed-subject image with the pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area with another image.

9. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, as said image conversion process, said conversion means caries out processing to replace a face image with the pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area with another image in accordance with a result of recognizing attributes of a person whose face is shown by said face image or a result of recognizing a facial expression of said face.

10. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said taken-image acquisition means includes an imaging unit for carrying out an image pickup process to acquire an image of an object of photographing.

11. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said imaging unit has a configuration including typically a CCD or CMOS sensor which serves as an imaging device.

12. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said taken-image acquisition means includes a communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus in order to acquire and receive the taken image from said external apparatus.

13. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said taken-image acquisition means includes a reproduction unit for reproducing information from a portable recording medium in order to acquire the taken image as a result of said reproduction of information from said portable recording medium.

14. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

storage processing means for carrying out a storing process to store the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means.

15. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:

said storage processing means includes a recording unit for recording information onto a recording medium; and

said recording unit carries out said storing process to store the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means into said storage medium.

16. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:

said storage processing means also includes a communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus; and

in said storing process, said communication unit transmits the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means to said external apparatus.

17. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

image output means for carrying out a process to output the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said image conversion means.

18. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 17 wherein:

said image output means includes a display unit; and

in said process to output the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means, said post-conversion image is output to said display unit for displaying said post-conversion image.

19. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 17 wherein:

said image output means includes a communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus; and

in said process to output the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means, said communication unit transmits said post-conversion image to said external apparatus.

20. The image-processing apparatus according to claim 17 wherein:

said image output means includes a recording unit for recording information onto a portable recording medium; and

in said process to output the post-conversion image generated as the result of the image conversion process carried out by said conversion means, said recording unit stores said post-conversion image into said portable storage medium.

21. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a taken image;

carrying out an analysis on the taken image and using a pixel area of a photographed-subject image of a specific type in said taken image as a to-be-processed area of an image conversion process in accordance with a size of said photographed-subject image if a result of said analysis indicates that said photographed-subject image exists in said taken image; and

carrying out said image conversion process on said photographed-subject image with said pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area in order to generate an image as a result of said image conversion process.

22. An image-processing apparatus comprising:

a taken-image acquisition section configured to acquire a taken image;

a to-be-processed area setting section configured to carry out an analysis on the taken image acquired by said taken-image acquisition section and configured to use a pixel area of a photographed-subject image of a specific type in said taken image as a to-be-processed area of an image conversion process in accordance with a size of said photographed-subject image if a result of said analysis indicates that said photographed-subject image exists in said taken image; and

a conversion section configured to carry out said image conversion process on said photographed-subject image with said pixel area thereof used as said to-be-processed area in order to generate a post-conversion image obtained as a result of said image conversion process.