Electronic camera, image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing computer program

• US 7,643,742 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Furuki, Satoko, Matsuzaki, Hiroshi, Yachi, Akikazu, Matsuzawa, Toru, Nagata, Hideki, Watanabe, Nobuyuki, Shiratani, Fumiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/591,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20070098396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 396/60, 396/147, 396/287, 348/240.2, 348/240.99, 348/333.05, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/346
• US Class Current: 396/60
• 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 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

An electronic camera detects a person'"'"'s face image from an object image obtained by photographing an object, executes an enlarging process on the detected face image so as to obtain a face image whose face size is suitable, and displays the face image which is enlarged into the suitable size on a display device. When a plurality of people are present on the object image, the enlarged face images are switched by an image operating switch. As a result, the switched face image is displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image processing section which recognizes face images from an object image obtained by picking up an image of an object, determines regions of interest corresponding to the recognized face images and performs an enlargement process;

a display section which displays the face images obtained by the image processing section;

an image operating section which, when a plurality of people are present in the object image, accepts an instruction for sequentially switching the face images to be displayed on the display section; and

a control section which controls the face images so that they are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section according to the instruction accepted by the image operating section;

wherein the control section comprises;

an acquiring section which acquires information relating to a focusing position of the image processing apparatus; and

a display control section which controls face images closer to the focusing position indicated by the acquired information to be displayed first, when the face images are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control section controls the face images to be displayed on the display section in an order according to positions of the regions of interest of the face images with respect to a raster order.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image processing section divides the object image into a plurality of divided regions, and the display control section controls the face images in the divided regions to be displayed on the display section in an order according to positions of the divided regions.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a plurality of people are present in the object image, the display control section controls the face images to be displayed on the display section in an order according to evaluated values for recognizing the face images.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image operating section further comprises a change instructing section that changes a size of the face images to be displayed on the display section to a desired size.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control section controls positions on the object image where the face images to be displayed on the display section are present to be displayed on the display section in a superimposing manner.

7. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image processing section which includes a distance measuring section that detects a distance to an object, recognizes face images from an object image obtained by picking up an image of the object through an imaging lens, determines regions of interest corresponding to the recognized face images and performs an enlargement process;

a display section which displays the face images obtained by the image processing section;

a storage section which, when a plurality of people are present in the object image, stores lens positions or estimated lens positions where focusing states of positions of the recognized face images become best;

an image operating section which accepts an instruction for sequentially switching the face images to be displayed on the display section according to information about the lens positions or estimated lens positions stored in the storage section; and

a control section which controls the face images so that they are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section according to the instruction accepted by the image operating section;

wherein the control section comprises;

an acquiring section which acquires information relating to a focusing position of the image processing apparatus; and

a display control section which controls face images closer to the focusing position indicated by the acquired information to be displayed first, when the face images are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display control section controls the face images to be displayed on the display section sequentially starting from face images in positions where the distance measuring section determines that the distance is shorter.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display control section controls the face images to be displayed on the display section sequentially according to an order such that the face images are closer to focusing positions determined by the distance measuring section.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display control section controls positions on the object image where the face images displayed on the display section are present to be displayed on the display section in a superimposing manner.

11. An image processing method which recognizes face images from an object image obtained by picking up an image of an object, and displays the face images obtained by an image processing section that determines regions of interest corresponding to the recognized face images and performs an enlargement process, said method comprising:

acquiring information relating to a focusing position of the image processing apparatus;

accepting an instruction for sequentially switching the face images to be displayed on the display section when a plurality of people are present in the object image; and

first displaying face images closer to the focusing position indicated by the acquired information, when the face images obtained by the image processing section are sequentially switched to be displayed.

12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which recognizes face images from an object image obtained by picking up an image of an object, and displays the face images obtained by an image processing section that determines regions of interest corresponding to the recognized face images and performs an enlargement process, said computer program controlling functions of:

acquiring information relating to a focusing position of the image processing apparatus;

accepting an instruction for sequentially switching the face images to be displayed on the display section when a plurality of people are present in the object image; and

first displaying face images closer to the focusing position indicated by the acquired information, when the face images obtained by the image processing section are sequentially switched to be displayed.

13. An electronic camera comprising:

an image processing section which recognizes face images from an object image obtained by picking up an image of an object, determines regions of interest corresponding to the recognized face images and performs an enlargement process;

a display section which displays the face images obtained by the image processing section;

an image operating section which, when a plurality of people are present in the object image, accepts an instruction for sequentially switching the face images to be displayed on the display section; and

a control section which controls the face images so that they are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section according to the instruction accepted by the image operating section,

wherein the control section comprises;

an acquiring section which acquires information relating to a focusing position of the image processing section; and

a display control section which controls face images closer to the focusing position indicated by the acquired information to be displayed first, when the face images are sequentially switched to be displayed on the display section.