Method and system for real-time facial image enhancement
First Claim
1. A method for enhancing facial images of a person in a video by superimposing virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time, comprising the following steps of:
- (a) capturing a plurality of images for said person with at least one means for capturing images,(b) processing said plurality of images in order to detect the face of said person in said plurality of images for an initial face detection,(c) tracking the detected face in real-time using a face tracking window,(d) verifying said face within the boundary of the face tracking window using a second local face detection,(e) calculating facial feature coordinate information from said face by applying a plurality of facial feature detection approaches and applying a block-processing,(f) processing a touch-free interaction by said person to select virtual object images, and(g) superimposing said virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time,wherein the virtual object images comprise predefined virtual objects that can be attached to and enhance the facial images,whereby the verification of said face within the boundary of the face tracking window makes more accurate facial images to be passed on to the next step while enabling real-time tracking of the face, andwhereby said touch-free interaction enables said person to choose said virtual object images on a means for displaying output to superimpose onto said facial images without touching any device.
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Abstract
The present invention is a system and method for detecting facial features of humans in a continuous video and superimposing virtual objects onto the features automatically and dynamically in real-time. The suggested system is named Facial Enhancement Technology (FET). The FET system consists of three major modules, initialization module, facial feature detection module, and superimposition module. Each module requires demanding processing time and resources by nature, but the FET system integrates these modules in such a way that real time processing is possible. The users can interact with the system and select the objects on the screen. The superimposed image moves along with the user'"'"'s random motion dynamically. The FET system enables the user to experience something that was not possible before by augmenting the person'"'"'s facial images. The hardware of the FET system comprises the continuous image-capturing device, image processing and controlling system, and output display system.
334 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for enhancing facial images of a person in a video by superimposing virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time, comprising the following steps of:
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(a) capturing a plurality of images for said person with at least one means for capturing images, (b) processing said plurality of images in order to detect the face of said person in said plurality of images for an initial face detection, (c) tracking the detected face in real-time using a face tracking window, (d) verifying said face within the boundary of the face tracking window using a second local face detection, (e) calculating facial feature coordinate information from said face by applying a plurality of facial feature detection approaches and applying a block-processing, (f) processing a touch-free interaction by said person to select virtual object images, and (g) superimposing said virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time, wherein the virtual object images comprise predefined virtual objects that can be attached to and enhance the facial images, whereby the verification of said face within the boundary of the face tracking window makes more accurate facial images to be passed on to the next step while enabling real-time tracking of the face, and whereby said touch-free interaction enables said person to choose said virtual object images on a means for displaying output to superimpose onto said facial images without touching any device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for enhancing facial images of a person in a video by superimposing virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time, comprising the following steps of:
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(a) capturing a plurality of images for said person with at least one means for capturing images, (b) processing said plurality of images in order to detect the face of said person in said plurality of images for an initial face detection, (c) tracking the detected face in real-time using a face tracking window, (d) verifying said face within the boundary of the face tracking window using a second local face detection, (e) calculating facial feature coordinate information from said face by applying a plurality of facial feature detection approaches and applying a block-processing, (f) processing a touch-free interaction by said person to select virtual object images, and (g) superimposing said virtual object images onto said facial images automatically and dynamically in real-time, wherein the virtual object images comprise predefined virtual objects which that can be attached to and enhance the facial images, whereby the verification of said face within the boundary of the face tracking window makes more accurate facial images to be passed on to the next step while enabling real-time tracking of the face, and whereby said touch-free interaction enables said person to choose said virtual object images on a means for displaying output to superimpose onto said facial images without touching any device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification