Method and apparatus for determining facial characteristics

• US 8,077,931 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew S. Chatman, Melissa Geska
• Original Assignee: Andrew S. Chatman, Melissa Geska
• Inventors: Chatman, Andrew S., Geska, Melissa
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire, Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US11/778,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 351/246, 382/118, 382/154, 382/190, 705/26
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for determining the characteristics of a face is provided. The method may include obtaining an image that includes a rendering of a face of a person; analyzing the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face, forming, as a function of the at least one characteristic, a model of the rendering of the face, and using the model to select at least one article for the person to wear.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

obtaining an image that includes a rendering of a face or body part of a person using at least one computing device;

analyzing the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face or body part using the at least one computing device, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a plurality of characteristics, analyzing the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face or body part comprises analyzing the image to obtain the plurality of characteristics, and forming the model of the rendering of the face or body part comprises forming the model as a function of the plurality of characteristics, and at least one of the plurality of characteristics comprises a shape associated therewith;

forming, as a function of the at least one characteristic, a model of the rendering of the face or body part using the at least one computing device, wherein forming the model as a function of the plurality of characteristics comprises;

determining an outline of the shape;

selecting, from a plurality of predetermined shapes, a predetermined shape that is consistent with the outline; and

applying, to the image, the predetermined shape, wherein the predetermined shape is positioned in the image at substantially the same place as the outline of the shape, and the outline of the shape is defined by a given number of dimensions, and forming the model as a function of the plurality of characteristics further comprises adjusting the predetermined shape to be consistent with the given number of dimensions;

processing the image to obtain at least one region of the rendering of the face or body part using the at least one computing device;

including in the model the at least one region using the at least one computing device;

using the model to select at least one article using the at least one computing device; and

applying to the at least one region within the model a rendering of the at least one article using the at least one computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming an output image, wherein the output image includes the image having the rendering of the face or body part and the rendering of the at least one article; and

outputting the output image to a given media so as to allow for re-rendering of the image with the rendering of the face or body part and the rendering of the at least one article.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the model to select at least one article for the person to wear comprises:

providing, as a function of the model, a plurality of articles for the person to wear; and

selecting from the plurality of articles the at least one article for the person to wear.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein processing the image for optimizing placement of the image comprises:

at least one of (i) performing a best-fit analysis of the image to the workspace, and (ii) manipulating the image within the workspace.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face or body part is performed in a workspace, and the method further comprising:

processing the image for optimizing placement of the image within the workspace.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the image comprises:

at least one of (i) obtaining the image from a storage medium, and (ii) obtaining the image from an image capturing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one of the plurality of characteristics comprises a shape of any of (i) the face, (ii) an eye included in the rendering of the face, (iii) a nose included in the rendering of the face, (iv) a mouth included in the rendering of the face, and (v) a least one lip included in the rendering of the face.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report that includes a description of the at least one article; and

outputting the report to a given media.

9. A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions, which when executed perform the method according to claim 1.

10. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising program instructions for:

forming an output image, wherein the output image includes the image having the rendering of the face or body part and the rendering of the at least one article; and

outputting the output image to a given media so as to allow for re-rendering of the image with the rendering of the face and the rendering of the at least one article.

11. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions for using the model to select at least one article for the person to wear comprises program instructions for:

providing, as a function of the model, a plurality of articles for the person to wear; and

selecting from the plurality of articles the at least one article for the person to wear.

12. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising program instructions for processing the image to optimize placement of the image within a workspace.

13. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program instructions for processing the image for optimizing placement of the image comprise:

at least one of (i) program instructions for performing a best-fit analysis of the image to the workspace, and (ii) program instructions for manipulating the image within the workspace.

14. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions for obtaining the image comprise:

at least one of (i) program instructions for obtaining the image from a storage medium, and (ii) program instructions for obtaining the image from an image capturing device.

15. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising program instructions for:

generating a report that includes a description of the at least one article; and

outputting the report to a given media.

16. A system comprising:

a memory operable to store program instructions to;

obtain an image that includes a rendering of a face or body part of a person;

analyze the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face or body part;

form, as a function of the at least one characteristic, a model of the rendering of the face or body part;

process the image to obtain at least one region of the rendering of the face or body part;

include in the model the at least one region;

use the model to select at least one article for the person to wear;

apply to the at least one region a rendering of the at least one article; and

a processor operable to obtain from the memory the program instructions, and operable to execute the program instructions of claim 1.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises program instructions to:

form an output image, wherein the output image includes the image having the rendering the face or body part and the rendering of the at least one article; and

output the output image to a given media so as to allow for re-rendering of the image with the rendering of the face or body part and the rendering of the at least one article.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the program instructions to use the model to select at least one article for the person to wear comprises program instructions to:

provide, as a function of the model, a plurality of articles for the person to wear; and

select from the plurality of articles the at least one article for the person to wear.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises program instructions to process the image to optimize placement of the image within a workspace.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the program instructions to process the image to optimize placement of the image comprise:

at least one of (i) program instructions to perform a best-fit analysis of the image to the workspace, and (ii) program instructions to cause manipulation of the image within the workspace.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the program instructions to obtain the image comprise:

at least one of (i) program instructions to obtain the image from a storage medium, and (ii) program instructions to obtain the image from an image capturing device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a plurality of characteristics, wherein the program instructions to analyze the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face or body part comprise:

program instructions to analyze the image to obtain the plurality of characteristics, and wherein the program instructions to form the model of the rendering of the face or body part comprise;

program instructions to form the model as a function of the plurality of characteristics.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises program instructions to generate a report that includes a description of the at least one article and output the report to a given media.