Perfecting the effect of flash within an image acquisition devices using face detection

• US 7,471,846 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FotoNation Vision Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Steinberg, Eran, Bigioi, Petronel, Corcoran, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta; Bhavesh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seth; Manav
• Application Number:
  US10/608,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20060204056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382115-118, 382/254, 382/274, 348/61, 348/68, 348 77- 78, 348/143, 348/152, 348/155, 348/158, 348/169, 348/207.99, 3482201-2291
• US Class Current: 382/274
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

Within a digital acquisition device with a built in flash unit, the exposure of an acquired digital image is perfected using face detection in the acquired image is provided. Groups of pixels that correspond to plural images of faces are identified within a digitally acquired image, and corresponding image attributes to the group of pixels are determined. An analysis is performed of the corresponding attributes of the groups of pixels. It is then determined to activate the built-in flash unit based on the analysis. An intensity of the built-in flash unit is determined based on the analysis. Alternatively based on similar analysis, a digital simulation of the fill flash is performed on the image.

Claims

1. Within a digital acquisition device with a built in flash unit, a method of perfecting the exposure of an acquired digital image using face detection in said acquired image, comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to plurality images of faces within a digitally-acquired image, and determining corresponding image attributes to said groups of pixels, said groups of pixels of faces being given a certain weight based on a distance of said groups of pixels to the device;

(b) generating in-camera, capturing or otherwise obtaining in-camera a collection of low resolution images including said faces, wherein said determining corresponding image attributes is based on said low resolution images;

(c) performing an analysis of said corresponding attributes of said groups of pixels;

(d) determining to activate said built-in flash unit based on said analysis for capturing said digitally-acquired image or determining an intensity of said built-in flash unit based on said analysis, or both.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an initial step of calculating image attributes on an entire said acquired digital image and comparing said image attributes to said image attributes said group of pixels.

3. The method of claim 2, said image attributes comprising exposure.

4. The method of claim 3, said exposure being calculated as a function of one or more parameters including aperture, speed, gain, or relative sensitivity, or combinations thereof.

5. A method of perfecting the exposure of acquired digital images using face detection in recited in claim 1, said groups of pixels of faces being given a certain weight based on weight criteria.

6. A method of perfecting the exposure of acquired digital images using face detection as recited in claim 5, said weight criteria being calculated based on relative sizes of said groups of pixels.

7. The method of claim 1, farther comprising performing a pre-flash based on said calculated flash intensity to determine whether said analysis is accurate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising performing a second analysis based on said pre-flash.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises tracking said faces within said collection of low resolution images.

9. Within a digital acquisition device with a built in flash unit, one or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of perfecting the exposure of an acquired digital image using face detection in said acquired image, comprising:

(a) identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to plurality images of faces within a digitally-acquired image, and determining corresponding image attributes to said groups of pixels, said groups of pixels of faces being given a certain weight based on a distance of said groups of pixels to the device;

(b) generating in-camera, capturing or otherwise obtaining in-camera a collection of low resolution images including said faces, wherein said determining corresponding image attributes is based on said low resolution images;

(c) performing an analysis of said corresponding attributes of said groups of pixels;

(d) determining to activate said built-in flash unit based on said analysis for capturing said digitally-acquired image or determining an intensity of said built-in flash unit based on said analysis, or both.

10. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, the method further comprising an initial step of calculating image attributes on an entire said acquired digital image and comparing said image attributes to said image attributes said group of pixels.

11. The one or more storage devices of claim 10, said image attributes comprising exposure.

12. The one or more storage devices of claim 11, said exposure being calculated as a function of one or more parameters including aperture, speed, gain, or relative sensitivity, or combinations thereof.

13. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, the method of perfecting the exposure of acquired digital images using face detection including said groups of pixels of faces being given a certain weight based on weight criteria.

14. The one or more storage devices of claim 13, the method of perfecting the exposure of acquired digital images using face detection including said weight criteria being calculated based on relative sizes of said groups of pixels.

15. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, the method further comprising performing a pre-flash based on said calculated flash intensity to determine whether said analysis is accurate.

16. The one or more storage devices of claim 15, the method further comprising performing a second analysis based on said pre-flash.

18. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises tracking said faces within said collection of low resolution images.