JP2007158395A - Face-imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a face-imaging apparatus capable of making the photographic conditions substantially fixed, and photographing faces naturally without restricting the face. <P>SOLUTION: The face-imaging apparatus comprises a portable body 4; a camera incorporated into the body 4; a folding hood 5 that is provided so that it can be pulled out of or stored into the body 4, can interrupt external light from the head Sh of an object S facing the body 4 at a pull-out position, and has a reflection function given to the internal surface; an illuminator, that is provided in the body 4 and reflects light emitted from a light source on the internal surface of the hood; and an optical path forming section for forming optical paths La, Lb between the face Sf of the object S and the imaging device of the camera. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a facial imaging apparatus suitable for photographing a face and diagnosing the state of the skin.

  Conventionally, when performing beauty counseling, a hand-held ultra-small CCD camera with a light source is brought close to the face to photograph a part of the skin, and the photographed skin image is enlarged and displayed on another monitor screen. Diagnosis is often done.

  However, since such an imaging apparatus cannot observe the entire face, there is a lack of persuasiveness in diagnosing the entire face in a partial skin state displayed on the monitor.

  In view of this, a facial imaging apparatus has been proposed that can capture the entire face when diagnosing skin.

  When checking the effects of makeup and facial surgery, it is effective to shoot the face before and after makeup and facial surgery, and compare the captured images. If it is spread out as a whole, the distance between the subject and the imaging camera, the ambient brightness, the incident direction of light, and the like change due to different shooting times, making it difficult to shoot under the same shooting conditions.

In order to solve this problem, the face imaging apparatus includes a face holder 51 for holding the position of the face at the focal point of the imaging camera 50 as shown in FIG. In addition, a concave light diffusion plate 52 is provided between the face holder 51 and the imaging camera 50 in order to uniformly spread diffused light not only to the front of the face but also to the left and right cheeks. In addition, a double ring illumination light source 53 is provided on the back side of the concave light diffusion plate 52 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-302424 A (page (2), FIG. 1)

  However, in the conventional face imaging apparatus described above, it is necessary to bring the face into close contact with the face holder 51 in order to make the photographing conditions constant. The face holder 51 holds the forehead by the upper frame 51a, and further the jaws. Since the chin is held by the mounting portion 51b, a feeling of pressure is given to the customer, and the facial image photographed in such a state becomes unnaturally distorted.

  In addition, in order to secure the depth of field in a state where the distance between the face and the imaging camera 50 cannot be increased, it is necessary to reduce the aperture of the lens of the imaging camera 50. If the lens is reduced, the image becomes darker. The illuminance of the light source 53 must be set high, which is also one of the factors that the face cannot be photographed naturally.

  Customers seeking beauty counseling have a desire to be more beautiful. Therefore, customers could not get satisfaction even if the makeup and facial effects were explained using facial images taken in a state clearly different from the familiar face in the mirror, and there was room for improvement .

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems in the conventional facial imaging apparatus as described above, and allows the photographing conditions to be made almost constant and the face to be photographed in a natural state without restraining the face. An imaging apparatus is provided.

  The present invention is provided with a portable main body, a camera unit built in the main body, and a main body that can be pulled out or stored in the main body, so that the head of a subject facing the main body can be shielded from external light at the pull-out position. A foldable hood that has a reflection function on its inner surface, a lighting device that is provided on the main body and reflects light emitted from the light source to the inner surface of the hood, an image sensor of the subject's face and the camera unit, It is a face imaging device provided with the optical path formation part which forms an optical path between.

  According to the present invention, when the hood stored in the main body is pulled out to the extraction position, the head of the subject can be shielded from outside light. When the lighting device is turned on in this state, the light emitted from the lighting device is emitted. The image of the face reflected by the inner surface of the hood and uniformly applied to the face as indirect light and illuminated is formed on the image sensor of the camera unit via the optical path forming unit.

  In the present invention, if a reflection plate for bending the optical path is provided in the main body as the optical path forming portion, the depth of the main body can be shortened.

  In the present invention, if the optical path forming unit has a prism type mirror that divides the optical path in the main body into a plurality of parts, and an imaging element is arranged on each of the divided optical paths divided by the prism type mirror, one imaging area is obtained, for example. Since the image is taken in a state of being magnified 4 times, the resolution can be increased.

  In the present invention, an image synthesizing circuit for synthesizing the divided images photographed by the respective image sensors into one image can be provided.

  In the present invention, if the hood is composed of a plurality of hood pieces formed in an arch shape, the hood pieces can be extended from the main body in an obliquely upward direction to be extended to the drawing position.

  In the present invention, it is preferable to apply a reflection treatment to the inner surface of the hood.

  In the present invention, when the main body is formed in a box shape, if the upper surface is configured as a reflecting surface that reflects light emitted from the lighting device, the face can be illuminated from above, below, left, and right.

  According to the face imaging apparatus of the present invention, the photographing conditions can be made almost constant, and the photographing can be performed in a natural state without restricting the face.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

  FIG. 1A is a plan view showing an appearance of a facial imaging apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a side view thereof.

  In both figures, the facial imaging apparatus 1 is configured to be portable and portable, and can be placed on, for example, the table 3 toward a customer (hereinafter referred to as a subject S) seated on the chair 2 when in use. It has become.

  The face imaging apparatus 1 includes a box-shaped main body 4 and a hood 5 provided on the upper portion of the main body 4 and formed of metal or resin. The hood 5 is pulled out from the main body 4 (in the direction of arrow A). As a result, it can be expanded to a position that substantially covers the head Sh of the subject S.

  The hood 5 is composed of three arched pieces (as viewed from the direction of the arrow B) hood pieces 5a to 5c whose both leg portions are pivotally supported by the rotation fulcrum 6. FIG. The state which extended the piece 5a-5c to the maximum and formed in the dome shape is shown.

  FIG. 2 shows a state in which the hood 5 is housed in the main body 4.

  The side wall upper portion 4a of the main body 4 is inclined forward as viewed from the subject S side, and communicates with the main body rear wall 4b. Each hood piece 5a-5c which comprises the hood 5 is accommodated in the state folded by the main body rear part 4c pushed up.

  Further, the inner surface of the hood 5 is subjected to a reflection process by light reflecting paint, plating, vapor deposition, or the like, so that light emitted from the lighting device described later is reflected by the inner surface of the hood 5.

  FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the main body 4.

  The main body 4 includes a horizontally formed stage portion 4d, a front plate portion 4e that is obliquely raised from the stage portion 4d, a top plate portion 4f that is inclined downward from the top of the front plate portion 4e, A rear plate portion 4g that is lowered from the rear edge portion of the top plate portion 4f. In the description of the present embodiment, the subject S side is the front side.

  The surface of the stage portion 4d is subjected to a reflection process such as a light reflecting paint, plating, vapor deposition, etc., so that light emitted from a shadowless strobe to be described later is effectively reflected.

  In the protruding portion 4h formed in a convex shape by the front plate portion 4e, the top plate portion 4f, and the rear plate portion 4g, a mirror 10 is disposed on the front plate portion 4e so that the face of the subject S can be reflected. It has become.

  While looking at the mirror 10, the subject (customer) S can check the state of the face before photographing and confirm that the expression is natural.

  A reflecting plate 11 is disposed on an extended line of the optical path La connecting the center of the mirror 10 and the face Sf of the subject S, and the reflected light Lb reflected by the reflecting plate 11 passes through the condenser lens 12 and is reflected in plural numbers. It is guided to a prism type mirror 13 having a reflective surface.

  CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) 14a to 14d as image pickup devices are disposed in the respective optical paths divided into a plurality of optical paths by the prism type mirror 13. The reflector 11, the condenser lens 12 and the prism type mirror 13 function as an optical path forming unit.

  The principle that the image of the face Sf is divided and formed on the CCDs 14a to 14d will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The light La ′ emitted from the face Sf is reflected in a bowl shape by the reflecting plate 11, travels toward the prism type mirror 13, passes through the condenser lens 12, and is condensed at the virtual imaging point F.

  The light beam condensed by the condensing lens 12 is divided by the prism type mirror 13 disposed on the optical path Lb ′ toward the virtual imaging point F. Specifically, the prism type mirror 13 is formed in a quadrangular pyramid shape and includes four reflecting surfaces 13a to 13d made of a triangle, so that the light beam is divided into four.

  On the other hand, four CCDs 14a to 14d are arranged around the prism type mirror 13 so as to correspond to the respective reflection surfaces 13a to 13d, and are divided by the reflection surfaces 13a to 13d of the prism type mirror 13. The light is imaged at points a to d on the CCDs 14a to 14d.

  The CCDs 14a to 14d function as the camera unit 14, and the CCDs 14a to 14d can acquire data necessary for facial diagnosis if, for example, CCDs having a size of about 5 million pixels are used. The data necessary for facial diagnosis is the surface shape, skin color distribution, etc., and by acquiring these data, facial texture, skin, fine lines, rough skin, dullness, spots, pores, acne, square plugs, etc. Can be diagnosed.

  As described above, if the four CCDs 14a to 14d having the same number of pixels are used and the facial imaging area is divided into four imaging areas, the imaging can be performed in a state in which one imaging area is enlarged four times. As a result, the face Sf can be photographed with a resolution four times that of the case of photographing with a single CCD.

  Further, when photographing in four parts, the prism type mirror 13 is slightly moved back and forth in the optical axis direction so that there are overlapping portions in the images obtained from the adjacent CCDs, and the overlapping portions in the four images are converted into the image synthesizing circuit 15. One high-resolution image can be obtained by synthesizing in (see FIG. 3).

  The image synthesis circuit 15 is built in the main body 4 in the above embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The image synthesis circuit 15 is an image synthesis circuit that outputs four image signals as they are from the main body 4 via an interface and is mounted on another personal computer. A synthesis process can also be performed.

  Further, in FIG. 3, when photographing the face Sf, the mirror 10 is interlocked with a shutter (not shown) of the camera unit 14 like the mirror of the single-lens reflex finder, and jumps up in the direction of arrow D around the fulcrum 10a. It moves to the position of 10 'that contacts the portion 4f.

  When the mirror 10 is flipped up to the position 10 ', the window 4e' formed on the front plate 4e of the main body 4 is opened, and between the face Sf and the reflector 11 through the window 4e '. An optical path La is formed.

  It should be noted that a vibration absorbing material (not shown) is provided at each portion of the main body 4 that contacts the mirror 10 so that no shock is generated when the mirror 10 is flipped up and returned. Further, the reflector 11 is disposed behind the mirror 10 so as to avoid the moving range of the mirror 10.

  In addition, when shooting so that only the face falls within the angle of view, the distance between the window 4e ′ and the condensing lens 12 needs to be long to some extent. If they are arranged on a straight optical path, The depth becomes longer, the device becomes larger, and the portability is lost.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, the optical path is reflected (folded back) using the reflector 11, so that the optical path length from the face Sf to the prism type mirror 13 can be increased, thereby This makes it possible to photograph the face at an appropriate size while maintaining the compactness of the apparatus.

  If the optical path length from the face Sf to the prism-type mirror 13 can be increased, a telephoto lens that is advantageous for naturally photographing facial expressions is used instead of a wide-angle lens that exaggerates left and right distortion. be able to.

  For example, when a telephoto lens of 85 mm is used, there is very little focus on the silver salt camera and it is difficult to focus on the entire face made of curved surfaces, but the size of the CCD 14 that is widely used is Except for a large dedicated CCD, it is usually smaller than a 35 mm film size, so the focal length is shorter than a silver salt camera even at the same angle of view. When the focal length is short, the depth of field is deep (the focusing range is wide), so that the entire face made of a curved surface can be focused, and information necessary for skin diagnosis can be accurately acquired.

  In addition, since the optical path length is increased, the mirror 10 that moves up can be disposed with a margin.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration of the lighting device 7 provided in the main body 4.

  In the figure, the illuminating device 7 has two shadowless photographing strobes 7a and 7b provided on the left and right sides of the mirror 10 on the front plate portion 4e of the protruding portion 4h, and the subject S side above the protruding portion 4h. The light source 7c is a positioning light source 7c and a strobe for dull photographing 7d provided near the subject of the stage 4d.

  The shadowless shooting strobes 7a and 7b and the textured shooting strobe 7d are controlled to emit light in conjunction with the shooting operation of the camera unit 14, and at the time of shooting, either one of the strobes 7a, 7b or 7d is controlled. Selectively emits light.

  The shadowless photographing strobes 7a and 7b are disposed on the front plate portion 4e inclined at an angle θ, and the light emitted toward the subject S is reflected by the inner surface of the hood 5 functioning as a diffuser plate, so that indirect light is emitted. The face Sf is illuminated obliquely from above and from the left and right. Further, since the stage portion 4d functions as a reflecting surface, a part of the light emitted from the shadowless photographing strobes 7a and 7b is reflected by the stage portion 4d so as to illuminate the face Sf obliquely from below. Yes.

  When the shadowless photographing strobes 7a and 7b are caused to emit light, it is possible to reduce reflection of shadows in photographing the face Sf.

  Next, when the non-photographing strobes 7a and 7b are turned off, the face-photographing strobe 7d emits light so that the face Sf is exclusively illuminated by direct upward light, so that the face Sf is emphasized with shadows enhanced. Is taken. This shooting is performed when checking the texture of the skin.

  In the figure, reference numeral 7e denotes a pair of beam irradiation units for focusing, and the two red beams irradiated from these beam irradiation units 7e intersect at the in-focus position of the camera unit 14. . Therefore, the subject S confirms the photographing position by moving the face Sf closer to the mirror 10 or away from the mirror 10 so that two red dots appearing on, for example, the forehead of the face Sf projected on the mirror 10 overlap each other. be able to.

  Note that the method of focusing the camera unit 14 on the face Sf is not limited to the method of irradiating the focus beam, but for example, focusing on the camera unit 14 side using passive autofocus or active autofocus. It can also be done.

  In the figure, the alignment light source 7c is specifically composed of a U-type fluorescent tube, and is turned on when the face photographing apparatus 1 is turned on to illuminate the face Sf.

  FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the facial imaging apparatus of the present invention.

  In the following drawings, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

The facial imaging apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6 is a more compact one by shortening the depth L of the main body 4 shown in FIG. The reflector 11 is disposed below the rear part of the main body 4, and accordingly, the subject S enters the hood 5 with its face Sf facing slightly downward and is photographed. H ₀ indicates the height of the main body 4.

  FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the facial imaging apparatus of the present invention.

The facial imaging device 21 shown in the figure is the same as the facial imaging device 20 shown in FIG. 6 except that the height of the main body 4 is changed from H ₀ to H ₁ (H ₁ > H ₀ ). The reflector 11 is disposed above the rear part in the main body 4, and accordingly, the subject S enters the hood 5 with the upper body raised as compared to the face imaging device 20 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the facial imaging apparatus of the present invention.

Facial imaging apparatus 22 shown in the figure, is modified in H ₂ at the same depth L as facial imaging device 21 the height of the main body 4 from _{H 1 (H 2> H 1} ) shown in FIG. The reflector 11 is disposed further upward in the main body 4, and accordingly, the subject S enters the hood 5 with the upper body raised substantially vertically as compared with the face imaging device 20 shown in FIG. Is called.

  In this configuration, the optical path extending in the horizontal direction from the face Sf is reflected downward by 90 ° by the reflecting plate 11 and guided to the condenser lens 12.

  FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment of the facial imaging apparatus of the present invention.

  The face image pickup device 23 shown in the figure is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 6 with respect to the main body 4, but the configuration of the hood is different.

  All the hoods 5 described above are configured to be pulled out counterclockwise from the main body 4, but the hood 24 shown in FIG. 9 has a pair of left and right fan-shaped hood pieces 24a to 24c as shown in the perspective view of FIG. The hood 24 is formed by sequentially pulling in the direction (arrow E direction). However, the upper edge of the hood piece 24c is connected in a U shape by a horizontal plate 24c '. Even in such a configuration, external light can be blocked in the same manner as the hood 5 described above.

(a) is a plan view of a facial imaging apparatus according to the present invention, and (b) is a side view. It is a side view which shows the state which accommodated the hood shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the main body shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed the principle by which the image of a face is imaged by CCD. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of an illuminating device. It is a side view which shows 2nd embodiment of a face imaging device. It is a side view which shows 3rd embodiment of a face imaging device. It is a side view which shows 4th embodiment of a face imaging device. It is a side view which shows 5th embodiment of a face imaging device. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the hood shown in FIG. It is a principal part perspective view which shows the structure of the conventional face imaging device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Face imaging device 2 Chair 3 Table 4 Main body 4a Side wall upper part 4b Rear wall 4c Main body rear part 4d Stage part 4e Front plate part 4f Top plate part 4g Rear board part 4h Protrusion part 5 Hood 5a-5c Hood piece 6 Rotation fulcrum 7 Illumination Apparatus 7a, 7b Shadowless shooting strobe 7c Positioning light source 7d Texture shooting strobe 7e Beam irradiation unit 10 Mirror 10a Support point 11 Reflecting plate 12 Condensing lens 13 Prism type mirrors 13a to 13d Reflecting surface 14 Camera units 14a to 14d CCD
15 Image composition circuit

Claims (7)

A portable body,
A camera part built in the main body,
Folding type that is provided so that it can be pulled out or stowed with respect to the main body, and is configured to block the head of a subject facing the main body from outside light at the pulling position, and has a reflection function on the inner surface. Food and
An illuminating device that is provided in the main body and reflects light emitted from a light source to the inner surface of the hood;
An apparatus for imaging a face, comprising: an optical path forming unit that forms an optical path between the face of the subject and an imaging device of the camera unit.   The facial imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reflection plate for bending the optical path is provided in the main body as the optical path forming unit.   3. The optical path forming unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a prism type mirror that divides the optical path in the main body into a plurality of parts, and the imaging element is disposed on each of the divided optical paths divided by the prism type mirror. Face imaging device.   The face imaging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an image synthesis circuit that synthesizes the divided images photographed by the imaging elements into one image.   The said hood consists of several hood pieces formed in the arch shape, and it is comprised so that it may be extended to the said drawer | drawing-out position by extending | stretching a hood piece from the said main body toward diagonally upward. The face imaging device according to any one of the above.   The face imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the hood is subjected to a reflection process.   The facial imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main body is formed in a box shape, and an upper surface thereof is configured as a reflective surface that reflects light emitted from the illumination device.

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