Face detection apparatus, face detection method, and program

• US 9,495,579 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohsuga, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): YEH, EUENG NAN
• Application Number:
  US14/510,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20150098634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/167 using comparisons between temporally consecutive images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships

Abstract

A face detection apparatus detecting a face from an image including the face of a target person in a region imaged by an imaging unit, includes: a model fitting unit generating a first model of the face based on a first image from the imaging unit; a tracking unit fitting the first model to a second image from the imaging unit; a position detection unit detecting positions of face parts based on the second image; and a comparison unit determining whether or not a deviation occurs between the positions of the face parts in the first model fitted by the tracking unit and the positions of the face parts detected by the position detection unit. When the comparison unit determines that the deviation occurs, the model fitting unit generates a second model of the face based on the second image.

Claims

1. A face detection apparatus detecting a face from an image which includes the face of a target person in a region imaged by an imaging unit, the apparatus comprising:

a model fitting unit that generates a first model of the face on the basis of a first image from the imaging unit, the first model including model face parts;

a position detection unit that detects positions of image face parts of the face on the basis of a second image from the imaging unit; and

a comparison unit that determines whether or not a deviation occurs between the positions of the model face parts in the first model and the positions of corresponding image face parts of the second image detected by the position detection unit,

wherein, when the comparison unit determines that the deviation occurs, the model fitting unit generates a second model of the face with positions of the model face parts updated on the basis of the second image.

2. The face detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the model face parts and the image parts each include the eyes, and

the position detection unit creates a difference image between an image from the imaging unit of a certain frame and an image from the imaging unit of a previous frame, and detects positions of the eyes on the basis of the difference image.

3. The face detection apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the position detection unit determines a search region on the basis of positions of the eyes of the first model fitted by the tracking unit, and creates the difference image in the search region.

4. The face detection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first model includes feature points indicating the locations of the model face parts,

the model fitting unit stores a template including regions respectively corresponding to at least one of the feature points in the first model, and

further comprising a tracking unit that determines a position to provide the template on the second image on the basis of the second image, and provides the first model on the second image on the basis of the determined position of the template.

5. The face detection apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein each region of the template corresponds to one or two or more feature points, and is thus associated with coordinates of the feature points.

6. A face detection method comprising:

acquiring a first image including a face of a target person in a region from an imaging unit;

causing a model fitting unit to generate a first model of the face on the basis of the first image from the imaging unit, the first model including model face parts;

acquiring a second image including the face from the imaging unit;

causing a position detection unit to detect positions of image face parts of the face on the basis of the second image along with the fitting of the first model;

causing a comparison unit to determine whether or not a deviation occurs between the positions of the model face parts in the first model and the positions of corresponding image face parts of the second image detected by the position detection unit; and

causing the model fitting unit to generate a second model of the face with positions of the model face parts updated on the basis of the second image when the comparison unit determines that the deviation occurs.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for detecting a face from an image which includes the face of a target person in a region imaged by an imaging unit, the program causing a computer to function as:

a model fitting unit configured to generate a first model of the face on the basis of a first image from the imaging unit, the first model including model face parts;

a position detection unit configured to detect positions of image face parts of the face on the basis of a second image from the imaging unit along with the fitting of the first model performed by the tracking unit; and

a comparison unit configured to determine whether or not a deviation occurs between the positions of the model face parts in the first model and the positions of corresponding image face parts of the second image detected by the position detection unit,

wherein, when the comparison unit determines that the deviation occurs, the model fitting unit generates a second model of the face with positions of the model face parts updated on the basis of the second image.