Method, system and apparatus for selecting an image captured on an image capture device

• US 9,344,631 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Penev, Alex, Tainsh, Mark Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US13/708,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20130148003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.11, 348/231.2, 348/207.11, 382/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A method of selecting an image captured on an image capture device (101) is disclosed. A captured image is displayed on a display (114) associated with the image capture device (101). A viewer image of a viewer viewing the captured image displayed on the display (114) is captured using the image capture device (101). The captured image and the viewer image are compared to identify at least one common feature in the captured image and the viewer image. The captured image is selected if the at least one common feature is identified in both the captured image and the viewer image.

Claims

1. A method of selecting an image captured on a portable image capture device having a forward facing camera component and a backward facing camera component, said method comprising:

capturing an image using the forward facing camera component of the portable image capture device;

displaying the captured image on a display of the portable image capture device;

capturing, using the backward facing camera component of the portable image capture device, a viewer image of at least the viewer viewing the display displaying the displayed image;

comparing at least one region of the displayed image and the viewer image to identify at least one common feature in the displayed image and the viewer image; and

selecting the displayed image for communication to at least the viewer according to the communication details of the viewer, if the at least one common feature is identified in both the displayed image and the viewer image.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one common feature is a human face.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the common feature is a personal identifier.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the common feature is one or more of shape, material, texture or colour of a dress or clothing apparel of the viewer.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating metadata associated with the selected image.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining if the displayed image has been viewed for a minimum time interval before the displayed image is selected.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting a positive or negative emotional response from the viewer before the displayed image is selected.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving said communication details for the viewer using the identity of the viewer determined from the viewer image.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising flagging the selected image for pending transmission.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising prompting a user to confirm and/or adjust transmission parameters associated with communicating the selected image to one or more recipients.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting a change of viewer.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising capturing an image of a further viewer.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a digital camera.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a camera-phone.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a surface computing device.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a computer terminal comprising a user-facing camera configured for capturing images of the viewer.

17. The method according to claim 1, where the display and camera are separate hardware components.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication details are retrieved from a social network using the identity of the viewer determined from the viewer image.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the selected image to one or more recipients.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the selected image is transmitted following a positive emotional response being detected from the viewer.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the communication details are retrieved from a social network.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting additional images associated with the selected image.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising updating metadata associated with the additional images.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising transmitting one or more of the additional selected images to one or more recipients.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein one of the additional selected images is transmitted to one or more recipients if the additional selected image has at least one common feature with the viewer image.

26. Apparatus for selecting an image captured on a portable image capture device having a forward facing camera component and a backward facing camera component, said apparatus comprising:

means for capturing an image using the forward facing camera component of the portable image capture device;

means for displaying the captured image on a display of the portable image capture device;

means for capturing, using the backward facing camera component of the portable image capture device, a viewer image of at least the viewer viewing the display displaying the displayed image;

means for comparing at least one region of the displayed image and the viewer image to identify at least one common feature in the displayed image and the viewer image; and

means for selecting the displayed image for communication to at least the viewer according to the communication details of the viewer, if the at least one common feature is identified in both the displayed image and the viewer image.

27. A system for selecting an image captured on a portable image capture device having a forward facing camera component and a backward facing camera component, said system comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program;

a processor coupled to said memory for executing said computer program, said computer program comprising instructions for;

capturing an image using the forward facing camera component of the portable image capture device;

displaying the captured image on a display of the portable image capture device;

capturing, using the backward facing camera component of the portable image capture device, a viewer image of at least the viewer viewing the display displaying the displayed image;

comparing at least one region of the displayed image and the viewer image to identify at least one common feature in the displayed image and the viewer image; and

selecting the displayed image for communicating to at least the viewer according to the communication details of the viewer, if the at least one common feature is identified in both the displayed image and the viewer image.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon for selecting an image captured on a portable image capture device having a forward facing camera component and a backward facing camera component, said program comprising:

code for capturing an image using the forward facing camera component of the portable image capture device;

code for displaying the captured image on a display of the portable image capture device;

code for capturing, using the backward facing camera component of the portable image capture device, a viewer image of at least the viewer viewing the display displaying the displayed image;

code for comparing at least one region of the displayed image and the viewer image to identify at least one common feature in the displayed image and the viewer image; and

code for selecting the displayed image for communication to at least the viewer according to the communication details of the viewer, if the at least one common feature is identified in both the displayed image and the viewer image.

29. A method of selecting an image captured on an image capture device having at least two lens components integral with the image capture device, said method comprising:

capturing an image on an image capture device using a first lens component of the image capture device, the image capture device being adapted to operate in a capture mode to capture images to be displayed on a display of the image capture device, in a review mode to display the images captured in the capture mode on the display of the image capture device, and in a viewer image capture mode to capture at least one image of a viewer using a second lens component while the viewer is reviewing the displayed image;

displaying the captured image on the display of the image capture device if the image capture device is in the review mode;

capturing, using the second lens component of the image capture device being in the viewer image capture mode, an image of a viewer viewing the display displaying the displayed image, in response to detecting the viewer;

comparing at least one region of the displayed image and the viewer image to identify at least one common feature in the displayed image and the viewer image; and

selecting the displayed image for communication to at least the viewer according to communication details of the viewer, if the common feature is identified in both the displayed image and the viewer image, wherein the communication details of the viewer are retrieved from a database using the identity of the viewer detected based on the viewer image.