Image context based camera configuration

• US 9,992,407 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Quirk, Aaron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vieaux, Gary C
• Application Number:
  US14/872,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20170099432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/176 Dynamic expression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An approach to configuring camera settings to reduce the intrusiveness of image capture on image subjects. A preliminary image is analyzed to determine an image context. The image context is compared to intrusiveness context cues, either known or discovered from analyzing historical images associated with the subjects identified in the preview image. If any intrusiveness context cues are found in the image context then configuration parameters associated with the intrusive context cues are changed to minimize the intrusive nature before the image is captured.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for updating settings associated with a camera to reduce intrusiveness to image subjects based on image context, the method comprising:

analyzing, by one or more processors, a preliminary image to form a current context;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the current context to one or more intrusiveness context cues; and

responsive to detecting the current context matching the one or more intrusiveness context cues, performing, by the one or more processors, an action facilitating a change of image capture settings to reduce intrusiveness based on identifying one or more specific subjects in the preliminary image and their image history.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one intrusiveness context cue is a sleeping specific subject and a shutter sound predicted to disturb the sleeping specific subject.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one intrusiveness context cue is a specific subject known to react negatively to a flash and a flash predicted to disturb the specific subject.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating, by the one or more processors, the intrusiveness context cues dynamically based on an analysis of a history of images comprising the one or more specific subjects.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the intrusiveness context cues comprise lighting conditions, location, number of specific subject faces, ambient light, specific subject facial expressions, specific subject visual direction and image environment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the camera further comprises a microphone for detecting ambient noise, and muting the shutter sound if the ambient noise is below a preconfigured minimum.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the action is at least one of changing a configuration setting, providing notification of a recommended configuration and providing one or more environment change recommendations.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein one of the one or more environment change recommendations is recommending an alternative light source, visible in the preliminary image, for providing additional light for image capture.

9. A computer program product for reducing intrusiveness to image subjects based on updating a configuration associated with a camera, the computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to, analyze a preliminary image to generate a current context;

program instructions to, compare the current context to one or more intrusiveness context cues; and

responsive to detecting the current context matching the one or more intrusiveness context cues, program instructions to, perform an action facilitating a change of the configuration to reduce intrusiveness based on identifying one or more specific individuals in the preliminary image and their image history.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein one intrusiveness context cue is a sleeping specific subject and a shutter sound predicted to disturb the sleeping specific subject.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein one intrusiveness context cue is a specific subject known to react negatively to a flash and a flash predicted to disturb the specific subject.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising:

program instructions to, update the intrusiveness context cues dynamically based on an analysis of a history of images comprising the one or more specific subjects.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the intrusiveness context cues comprise lighting conditions, location, number of specific subject faces, ambient light, specific subject facial expressions, subject visual direction and image environment.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the camera further comprises a microphone for detecting ambient noise, and muting the shutter sound if the ambient noise is below a preconfigured minimum.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the action is at least one of, program instructions to, change a configuration setting, provide notification of a recommended configuration and provide one or more environment change recommendations.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein one of the one or more environment change recommendations is program instructions to, recommend an alternative light source, visible in the preliminary image, for providing additional light for image capture.

17. A computer system for reducing intrusiveness to image subjects based on updating a configuration associated with image capture, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to, analyze a preliminary image to generate a current context;

program instructions to, compare the current context to one or more intrusiveness context cues; and

responsive to detecting the current context matching the one or more intrusiveness context cues, program instructions to, perform an action facilitating a change of the configuration to reduce intrusiveness based on identifying one or more specific individuals in the preliminary image and their image history.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions to, update the intrusiveness context cues dynamically based on an analysis of a history of images comprising the one or more specific subjects.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the intrusiveness context cues comprise lighting conditions, location, number of specific subject faces, ambient light, subject facial expressions, specific subject visual direction and image environment.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the action is at least one of, program instructions to, change a configuration setting, provide notification of a recommended configuration and provide one or more environment change recommendations.