Image output apparatus, method and program

• US 7,995,239 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yonaha, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu; Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang; Fan
• Application Number:
  US11/091,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,324 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/624 Red-eye correction control of camera based on recognised facial parts H04N23/611

Abstract

Correction processing is performed on a region that requires correction processing, in a photographed image obtained by taking a photograph of a subject, and a corrected image is obtained. The degree of effect is calculated in the corrected image. Then, judgment is made, based on the magnitude of the degree of effect, as to whether it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the photographed image. If it is judged that it is required to check the effect of correction processing, at least one of the photographed image and the corrected image is displayed to check the effect. Then, the corrected image is printed.

Claims

1. An image output apparatus comprising:

a correction means for performing correction processing on a region requiring correction in an original photographed image obtained by taking a photograph of a subject and obtaining a corrected image;

a face detection means for detecting a face of the subject, wherein the region that requires correction is a facial region, detected by the face detection means;

a face checking means, for checking whether the detected face is one of a plurality of faces of subjects, which are registered in advance;

an effect degree calculation means for calculating a degree of effect in the obtained corrected image after performing correction processing on the region that requires correction, by comparing the obtained corrected image to the original photographed image, wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to whether the checked face is the face of one of the pre-registered subjects and a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the checked face matches the pre-registered subject face and smaller when the checked face does not match the pre-registered subject face;

a check requirement judgment means for judging, based on a magnitude of the degree of effect, whether it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

a check display means for displaying at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image to check the effect of correction processing if the check requirement judgment means judges that it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

an image output instruction means for instructing output of the corrected image after the at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image is displayed to check the effect; and

an image output means for one of outputting the instructed corrected image, and outputting the original photographed image if the check requirement judgment means judges that it is not required to check the effect of correction processing,

wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to an inclination of the detected face and wherein a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the facial region is disposed substantially straight toward a camera, which takes the photograph of the subject and smaller when the facial region is inclined toward the camera.

2. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the image output means is a printer.

3. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the printer prints the instructed corrected image onto a front surface of a print medium, and prints the contents of the correction processing having a great degree of effect, which was administered on the original photographed image, on the rear surface of the print medium.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the printer prints only the obtained corrected images and is precluded from printing corresponding non corrected images.

5. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the image output means is a recording device for recording onto electronic recording media.

6. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the recording device records the original photographed image in an electronic recording medium along with the instructed corrected image.

7. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of correction processes is performed; and

the effect degree calculation means weights the degree of effect for each of the correction processes when calculating the degree of effect.

8. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to an area of the region that requires correction.

9. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to variations in pixel values of the region, that requires correction, between the obtained corrected image and the original photographed image.

10. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein if the degree of effect in the corrected image is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the check requirement judgment means judges that it is required to check the effect of correction processing in the obtained corrected image.

11. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the check display means displays at least one of the original photographed image and corrected images selected from a plurality of corrected images sequentially in decreasing order of the degree of effect, from the corrected image in which the degree of effect is the highest, to check the effect of correction processing in each selected corrected image.

12. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to an area of the facial region and wherein a value of the calculated degree of effect increases with an increase of a ratio of the facial region to the original photographed image.

13. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to a position of the facial region, detected within the original photographed image, and wherein a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the facial region is disposed substantially close to a center of the original photographed image and smaller when the facial region is not disposed substantially close to the center of the original photographed image.

14. The image output apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a red-eye detection means for detecting a red-eye region of the subject;

, wherein the region that requires correction is a red-eye region of the subject, detected by the red-eye detection means, and the correction processing is red-eye correction processing.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the image output instruction means instructs the output of the obtained corrected image after the effect of correction is confirmed.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect of correction processing in the obtained corrected image by weighting degrees of effect of each correction process performed on the original photographed image and adding the weighted degrees, based on a predetermined index, wherein a heavier weight is given to the correction processes that correct only a portion of the image and a lighter weight is given to the correction process that correct an entirety of the image.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the check judgment requirement means judges that the obtained corrected image is to be checked if the degree of effect is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold and wherein the check display means does not display the obtained corrected image for the check if the degree of effect is less than the predetermined threshold.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the check judgment requirement means performs an automatic determination whether the obtained corrected image is to be checked based on an output of the effect degree calculation means.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded program instructions for causing a computer to function as:

a correction means for performing correction processing on a region requiring correction in an original photographed image obtained by taking a photograph of a subject and obtaining a corrected image;

a face detection means for detecting a face of the subject, wherein the region that requires correction is a facial region, detected by the face detection means;

a face checking means, for checking whether the detected face is one of a plurality of faces of subjects, which are registered in advance;

an effect degree calculation means for calculating a degree of effect in the obtained corrected image after performing correction processing on the region that requires correction, by comparing the obtained corrected image with the original photographed image, wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to whether the checked face is the face of one of the pre-registered subjects and a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the checked face matches the pre-registered subject face and smaller when the checked face does not match the pre-registered subject face;

a check requirement judgment means for judging, based on a magnitude of the degree of effect, whether it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

a check display means for displaying at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image to check the effect of correction processing if the check requirement judgment means judges that it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

an image output instruction means for instructing output of the corrected image after the at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image is displayed to check the effect; and

an image output means for one of outputting the instructed corrected image, and outputting the original photographed image if the check requirement judgment means judges that it is not required to check the effect of correction processing,

wherein the effect degree calculation means calculates the degree of effect according to an inclination of the detected face and wherein a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the facial region is disposed substantially straight toward a camera, which takes the photograph of the subject and smaller when the facial region is inclined toward the camera.

20. An image output method comprising:

performing correction processing on a region requiring correction, in an original photographed image obtained by taking a photograph of a subject;

obtaining a corrected image;

comparing the obtained corrected image, after performing correction processing, to the original photographed image;

detecting a face of the subject, wherein the region that requires correction is a facial region;

checking whether the detected face is one of a plurality of faces of subjects, which are registered in advance;

calculating a degree of effect in the obtained corrected image, based on comparing, wherein the degree of effect is calculated according to whether the checked face is the face of one of the pre-registered subjects and a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the checked face matches the pre-registered subject face and smaller when the checked face does not match the pre-registered subject face;

judging, based on a magnitude of the degree of effect, whether it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

displaying at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image to check the effect of correction processing, if it is judged that it is required to check the effect of correction processing performed on the original photographed image;

instructing output of the obtained corrected image after the at least the corrected image from between the photographed image and the corrected image is displayed to check the effect; and

one of;

outputting the instructed corrected image, and

outputting the original photographed image if it is judged that it is not required to check the effect of correction processing,

wherein the calculating the degree of effect comprises calculating the degree of effect according to an inclination of the detected face and wherein a value of the calculated degree of effect is greater when the facial region is disposed substantially straight toward a camera, which takes the photograph of the subject and smaller when the facial region is inclined toward the camera.