METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR IDENTIFICATION AND SHARING OF DIGITAL IMAGES WITH FACE SIGNATURES

• US 20100287053A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 11967134 Canada Limited
• Original Assignee: Applied Recognition Inc.
• Inventors: Man Ro, Yong, Studholme, Chris, Ganong, Ray, Plataniotis, Konstantinos, Waugh, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.66
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/32 Normalisation of the pattern dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/30 in albums, collections or shared content, e.g. social network photos or video
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification

Abstract

The present invention solves the problem of automatically recognizing multiple known faces in photos or videos on a local computer storage device (on a home computer). It further allows for sophisticated organization and presentation of the photos or videos based on the graphical selection of known faces (by selecting thumbnail images of people). It also solves the problem of sharing or distributing photos or videos in an automated fashion between ‘friends’ who are also using the same software that enables the invention. It further solves the problem of allowing a user of the invention to review the results of the automatic face detection, eye detection, and face recognition methods and to correct any errors resulting from the automated process.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing one or more faces in a digital image, the method characterized by:

a. generating one or more face coordinates corresponding to one or more candidate regions for one or more faces;

b. generating eye coordinates based on the face coordinates;

c. detecting each face using one or more projection images defined by the face coordinates and the eye coordinates; and

d. comparing each projection image with one or more known projection images, wherein a similarity threshold is provided for defining a best match between the projection image and the known projection images.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 further characterized in that the face coordinates are generated by:

a. initiating a first texture-based detection routine to detect one or more candidate faces, each candidate face having face coordinates;

b. applying a skin color detection test to the one or more candidate faces to define a subset of the one or more candidate faces;

c. reducing the size defined by the face coordinates of the subset to a predefined size to define face objects;

d. initiating a second texture-based detection routine to the face objects to define a set of true positive face objects and a set of uncertain face objects; and

e. rotating the uncertain face objects to define further true positive face objects.

3. The method claimed in claim 2 further characterized by, if the digital image is a color image:

a. detecting in the digital image, the ratio of skin color to non-skin color; and

b. if the ratio exceeds a threshold, determining that the digital image does not consist of a face.

4. The method claimed in claim 2 further characterized by rotating each image bounded by the eye coordinates to correspond to the rotation of the uncertain face objects.

5. The method claimed in claim 1 further characterized by:

a. cropping an eye image corresponding to the portion of the digital image bounded by each eye coordinates;

b. optionally resizing the eye image to a predetermined size;

c. reducing reflected light in the eye image; and

d. isolating a plurality of pupils in the eye image corresponding to dark locations of the eye image.

6. The method claimed in claim 1 further characterized in that the projection image is generated by:

a. translating, rotating, and scaling the candidate region to a normalized image having a predetermined size wherein the eye coordinates are linked to predetermined locations;

b. masking the normalized image to define a masked image wherein the face is isolated;

c. applying a histogram equalization to a greyscale depiction of the masked image; and

d. generating the projection image using principal component analysis.

7. A method for sharing a digital image depicting one or more faces, the method characterized by:

a linking a plurality of computer terminals to a computer network, each computer terminal associated with an individual;

b. linking the digital image to at least one of the computer terminals;

c. enabling at least one of the computer terminals to initiate a face recognition routine on the digital image, the face recognition routine producing a list of one or more persons whose faces are depicted in the digital image, at least one of the persons being one of the individuals; and

d. enabling at least one of the computer terminals to initiate a sharing routine for disseminating the digital image to the computer terminals associated with the one or more persons.

8. The method claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each computer terminal is linked to a processing engine, wherein the processing engine:

a. scans one or more file folders such that the processing engine determines when the individual has linked the digital image to one of the file folders;

b. initiates the face recognition routine on the digital image; and

c. links a result of the face recognition routine to a database.

9. The method claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the computer terminal is also linked to a user interface enabling the individual to link the digital image to one of the file folders.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the user interface is accessible from a mobile device.

11. The method claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the user interface enables a user to create one or more albums linking a plurality of digital images.

12. The method claimed in claim 7, further characterized by:

a. the individuals being linked to one or more peer groups; and

b. the digital image being disseminated only to persons linked to one of the peer groups also linked to the individual that is associated with the computer terminal linked to the digital image.

13. A method for providing secure targeted advertising characterized by:

a. tracking one or more demographic properties associated with an individual registered to a computer program;

b. retrieving from a first source a list of advertising pointers associated with one or more advertisements targeted based on the one or more demographic properties;

c. retrieving from a second source the one or more advertisements;

d. deleting the one or more demographic properties from the first source; and

e. presenting the advertisements to the individual.

14. A system for sharing a digital image depicting one or more faces, the system characterized by:

a. a plurality of computer terminals linked to a computer network, each computer terminal associated with an individual;

b. a digital image operable to be linked to at least one of the computer terminals;

c. a face recognition routine operable to be initiated by at least one of the computer terminals, the face recognition routine producing a list of one or more persons whose faces are depicted in the digital image, at least one of the persons being one of the individuals; and

d. a sharing routine operable to be initiated by at least one of the computer terminals, the sharing routine disseminating the digital image to the computer terminals associated with the one or more persons.