Imaging apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer program

• US 8,385,607 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okada, Miyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US11/869,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20080118156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 382/118, 348/333.02, 348/333.03
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• 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 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup unit for capturing an image of a subject, an image input unit for inputting the image captured by the image pickup unit, a face detecting unit for detecting a face from the image input by the image input unit, a face position marker generating unit for generating a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detecting unit, in the image input by the image input unit, an overlaying unit for overlaying the face position marker generated by the face position marker generating unit and the image input by the image input unit, and a display unit for displaying an image overlaid by the overlaying unit.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

an image input section configured to input the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein if a plurality of faces are detected by the face detector in the image input by the image input section, the face position marker generator generates the face position marker so that the detected faces are different from each other in terms of a transparency of the face position marker.

2. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker having an outline that surrounds the face detected by the face detecting section; and

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the image captured by the image pickup section, wherein the display section displays one of an internal area and an external area of the outline of the face position marker with one of luminance and color thereof being modified from original luminance or original color of the image.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display section is further configured to modify only the external area of the outline of the face position marker in color or in color saturation level.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display section is further configured to modify only the internal area of the outline of the face position marker in color or color saturation level.

5. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

an image input section configured to input the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section and further detect a variety information relating to the face detected;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker based on the variety of information relating to the face, the face position maker indicating a position of the face detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the variety of information relating to the face is a degree of an expression of the face and the face position marker varies in accordance with the degree of the expression of the face.

6. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the image captured by the image pickup section; and

a camera control value detecting section configured to detect a degree of focusing or a degree of lens exposure matching, relating to the face,

wherein the face position marker generating section is further configured to modify the face position marker based on the degree of focusing or the degree of lens exposure matching detected by the camera control value detecting section.

7. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the image captured by the image pickup section;

a memory that stores information relating to a face of a particular person; and

a determining section configured to determine whether a face detected by the face detecting section matches the face of the particular person stored in the memory,

wherein the face position marker generating section is further configured to generate a different face position marker for the face which matches the face of the particular person stored in the memory, the different face position marker being discriminated from face position markers of other persons that do not match the face of the particular person stored in the memory.

8. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

an image input section configured to input the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a face looking direction marker in a vicinity of the face position marker of the face in response to a direction of the face if the face detected by the face detector looks in one of an upward direction, a downward direction, a leftward direction and a rightward direction, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker, generated by the face position marker generator, and the face looking direction marker on the image input by the image input section.

9. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

an image input section configured to input the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a face tilt marker to be displayed in a vicinity of the face position marker of the face in response to a tilt angle if the face detected by the face detector is tilted as a result of a rolling action, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker and the face tilt marker, generated by the face position marker generator, on the image input by the image input section.

10. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the image captured by the image pickup section,

wherein the face position marker indicates an upper side of the face detected by the face detecting section.

11. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image pickup section configured to capture an image of a subject;

an image input section configured to input the image captured by the image pickup section;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a particular position marker as a face position marker indicating one of an upper position, a lower position, a left position and a right position in the face detected by the face detector, the particular position marker being displayed on or in the vicinity of the face position marker, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker and the particular position marker, generated by the face position marker generator, on the image input by the image input section.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an image pickup status detector configured to detect an image pickup status with a portrait view angle, based on the particular position marker generated by the face position marker generator,

wherein if the image pickup status detector has detected the image pickup status with a portrait view angle, the display displays an indication indicating that the image pickup status with a portrait view angle has been detected, together with the particular position marker generated by the face position marker generator in the image overlaid by the overlaying section.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an output section configured to output, to a recording medium, image incidental information indicating that the image pickup status with a portrait view angle has been detected, together with the image overlaid by the overlaying section, if the image pickup status detector has detected the image pickup status with a portrait view angle.

14. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section configured to input an image;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein if a plurality of faces are detected by the face detector in the image input by the image input section, the face position marker generator generates the face position marker so that the detected faces are different from each other in terms of a transparency of the face position marker.

15. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from an input image;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker having an outline that surrounds the face detected by the face detecting section; and

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the input image, wherein the display section displays one of an internal area and an external area of the outline of the face position marker with one of luminance and color thereof being modified from original luminance or original color of the image.

16. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section configured to input an image;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section and further detect a variety information relating to the face detected;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker based on the variety of information relating to the face, the face position maker indicating a position of the face detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the variety of information relating to the face is a degree of expression of the face and the face position marker varies in accordance with the degree of the expression of the face.

17. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from an input image;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the input image; and

a camera control value detecting section configured to detect a degree of focusing or a degree of lens exposure matching, relating to the face,

wherein the face position marker generating section is further configured to modify the face position marker based on the degree of focusing or the degree of lens exposure matching detected by the camera control value detecting section.

18. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from an input image;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the input image;

a memory that stores information relating to a face of a particular person; and

a determining section configured to determine whether a face detected by the face detecting section matches the face of the particular person stored in the memory,

wherein the face position marker generating section is further configured to generate a different face position marker for the face which matches the face of the particular person stored in the memory, the different face position marker being discriminated from face position markers of other persons that do not match the face of the particular person stored in the memory.

19. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section configured to input an image;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a face looking direction marker in the vicinity of the face position marker of the face in response to a direction of the face if the face detected by the face detector looks in one of an upward direction, a downward direction, a leftward direction and a rightward direction, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker, generated by the face position marker generator, and the face looking direction marker on the image input by the image input section.

20. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section configured to input an image;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a face tilt marker to be displayed in a vicinity of the face position marker of the face in response to a tilt angle if the face detected by the face detector is tilted as a result of a rolling action, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker and the face tilt marker, generated by the face position marker generator, on the image input by the image input section.

21. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a face detecting section configured to detect a face from an input image;

a face position marker generating section configured to generate a face position marker that indicates a position of the face detected by the face detecting section;

a display section configured to display the face position marker and the input image,

wherein the face position marker indicates an upper side of the face detected by the face detecting section.

22. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image input section configured to input an image;

a face detector configured to detect a face from the image input by the image input section;

a face position marker generator configured to generate a face position marker indicating a position of the face, detected by the face detector, in the image input by the image input section;

an overlaying section configured to overlay the face position marker generated by the face position marker generator and the image input by the image input section; and

a display configured to display an image overlaid by the overlaying section,

wherein the face position marker generator is further configured to generate a particular position marker as a face position marker indicating one of an upper position, a lower position, a left position and a right position in the face detected by the face detector, the particular position marker being displayed on or in the vicinity of the face position marker, and

wherein the overlaying section is further configured to overlay the face position marker and the particular position marker, generated by the face position marker generator, on the image input by the image input section.