Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the same, and image pickup apparatus

• US 9,088,709 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Kazunori, Honda, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Camargo, Marly
• Application Number:
  US14/097,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 348/245, 348/222.1, 348/78, 382/117, 382/118, 382/190, 396/51
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

At least either of a location and a size of a subject area that is detected from an image by a first detection unit is corrected based on information about an area corresponding to the subject area detected by the first detection unit, the area being included in an area that is detected from the image by a second detection unit and in which the subject area can be estimated. A particular subject area can be detected in an image with higher accuracy.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a first detection unit to detect an area of a first detection subject from an image;

a second detection unit to detect, from an image, an area of a second detection subject that allows for an estimation of the area of the first detection subject;

a correction unit to correct a location of the area of the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit;

a setting unit to set an evaluation area based on the area of the first detection subject; and

a control unit to perform at least one of a focus detection control, an exposure control, and a color control based on a signal of an image corresponding to the evaluation area,

wherein

the correction unit corrects the location of the area of the first detection subject based on information about the area of the second detection subject corresponding to the area of the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the correction unit additionally corrects a size of the area of the first detection subject based on information about the area of the second detection subject corresponding to the area of the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when it is determined that a degree of reliability of at least one of detection results of the first and second detection units is low, the correction unit limits correction of the area of the first detection subject.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an indication control unit to provide an indication of the area of the first detection subject,

wherein

the correction unit corrects a location of the indication of the area of the first detection subject provided by the indication control unit, based on information about the area of the second detection subject corresponding to the area of the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third detection unit to detect an orientation or an angle of the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit,

wherein

the correction unit limits correction of the area of the first detection subject based on a detection result of the third detection unit.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the correction unit, when the third detection unit detects that the first detection subject detected by the first detection unit faces front, limits correction of the area of the first detection subject.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the correction unit, when a difference in at least one of a size and a center location between the area of the first detection subject and the area of the second detection subject is larger than a predetermined value, limits a correction of the area of the first detection subject.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first detection subject includes a human face, and the second detection subject includes a human body.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the setting unit sets a first evaluation area and a second evaluation area smaller than the first evaluation area, based on the area of the first detection subject, and

the control unit performs the control based on a signal obtained from the first evaluation area and a signal obtained from the second evaluation area.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

when the correction unit corrects the location of the area of the first detection subject, the setting unit sets the first evaluation area based on the area after the correction of the first detection subject, and sets the second evaluation area based on the area before the correction of the first detection subject.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the setting unit sets the second evaluation area to be included in the first evaluation area.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

when the correction unit does not correct the location of the area of the first detection subject, the setting unit sets the second evaluation area based on the first evaluation area.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a fourth detection unit to detect an orientation or an angle of the second detection subject detected by the second detection unit,

wherein

the setting unit sets the second evaluation area based additionally on a detection result of the fourth detection unit.

14. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

the image processing apparatus according to claim 1; and

an image capture unit adapted to perform photoelectric conversion on an optical image of a subject to generate an image to be provided to the image capture unit.

15. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising:

a first detecting step of detecting an area of a first detection subject from an image;

a second detecting step of detecting, from an image, an area of a second detection subject that allows for estimation of the area of the first detection subject;

a correcting step of correcting a location of the area of the first detection subject detected in the first detecting step;

a setting step of setting an evaluation area based on the area of the first detection subject; and

a control step of performing at least one of a focus detection control, an exposure control, and a color control based on a signal of an image corresponding to the evaluation area, wherein

in the correcting step, the area of the first detection subject is corrected based on information about the area of the second detection subject corresponding to the area of the first detection subject detected in the first detecting step.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the steps of the method according to claim 15.