JP2003078748A - Reader for photo in application form - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reader a photo in an application form that can correct a deviation in the position of a portrait. SOLUTION: The reader for reading a photo in an application form for reading a portrait pasted to an application form as a digital image is configured to comprise an image input section 21 that reads the photo of the application form as a digital image, a first memory 22 that stores the digital image read by the image input section 21, a control section 23 that reads the digital image stored in the first memory 22 and controls each processing, an image processing section 24 that applies prescribed image processing to the image data received from the control section 23 and a second memory 25 that stores the image data processed by the image processing section 24.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an application photograph reading device for reading a face photograph attached to an application.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an ID card (Identification Card) has come to be used to prove oneself. Since an ID card is a card for certifying oneself, for example, an identification number (ID number) of oneself is printed on the surface of the ID card, a photograph of a face is printed, and the name, date of birth, address, expiration date, etc. Are described. Examples of this type of card include a license, a company employee ID card, a credit card, and a passport.

In order to create an ID card, it is necessary to read the face photograph attached in the application form by the image input means. In this case, when the face photo is attached to the application form, the face photo may be attached at an angle, or the face photo may be inclined because the application itself is inclined.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state of the application form.
(A) shows a normal state, (b) and (c) show an abnormal state. In the figure, 10 is an application form, 1 is a facial photograph, 2
Is an ID number. In the application form 10, the name, the date of birth, the address, etc. are described in addition to the face photograph and the ID number, but they are omitted here. (B) shows a state where the face photograph is attached obliquely, and (c) shows a state where the face photograph is inclined because the application form 10 itself is inclined.

In the normal photographing shown in (a), the face photograph 1 is read by the image input means and the ID number 2
Is read by OCR (Optical Character Reader). In this way, when the face picture and ID number are read, they are sent to the ID card printer and printed on a blank card (raw ID card) along with the ID information (personal information) sent separately. Then, the ID card is created.

On the other hand, when the obliquely photographed face photograph shown in (b) and (c) is read, it is necessary to take some measures so that the read face photograph is in a normal position.

[0007]

When the application form is automatically and continuously read by an auto feeder or the like, the photo reading position may be slightly changed depending on the transport system. Also,
If the subject of the photograph is tilted or worn, an ID card is issued or registered in the personal information database in the shifted state.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an application photograph reading apparatus capable of correcting a displacement of a facial photograph position.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] (1) The invention according to claim 1 is an image input device for reading a photograph of a face attached to an application form as a digital image. Section, a first memory for storing the digital image read by the image input section, a control section for reading the digital image stored in the first memory, and a control section for controlling each process, and a control section for supplying the digital image from the control section. And a second memory for storing the image data processed by the image processing unit.

According to this structure, the displacement of the face photograph position can be corrected by processing it in the image processing unit. (2) The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a digital camera or an image scanner is used as the image input unit.

With this configuration, it is possible to read the face photograph as digital image data. (3) The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the image input section reads the application photograph larger than the size actually used.

According to this structure, the image processing correction including the trimming can be performed by reading the size larger than the size actually used. (4) The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that position detecting means for detecting the position of the face photograph pasted on the application form is provided.

According to this structure, it is possible to correct the displacement of the face photograph position. (5) The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that inclination detecting means for detecting the inclination of the facial photograph attached to the application form is provided.

According to this structure, it is possible to correct the inclination of the face image. (6) The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the image processing section corrects the inclination based on the output of the inclination detecting means.

According to this structure, it is possible to correct the inclination of the face image. (7) The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the image processing section automatically performs trimming so that the read face image is located at the center of the visual field.

With this configuration, the face photograph position can be accurately determined. (8) The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the image processing unit adds a background image when the trimming position does not reach a predetermined range from the top of the face image when automatically trimmed. The feature is that a sufficient range is set at the top of the face image.

According to this structure, a well-balanced face photograph can be obtained.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an image input unit for reading a face photograph (application photograph) attached to the application form as a digital image. The image input unit 21
For example, a digital camera or an image scanner is used. By using these devices, a face photograph can be read as digital image data.

Reference numeral 22 is a first memory (abbreviated as memory 1) for storing the digital image data read by the image input section 21, and 23 is a control for reading the digital image stored in the memory 1 and controlling each processing. It is a department. Memory 1
For example, a magneto-optical desk (M
O), a hard disk (HD), etc. are used. As the control unit 23, for example, a CPU is used.

Reference numeral 24 is an image processing unit for performing a predetermined image processing on the image data given from the control unit 23, and 25 is a second memory (memory 2 and memory 2 for storing the image data processed by the image processing unit 24). Abbreviated). Image processing unit 24
Performs various kinds of processing such as position correction and inclination correction on given image data. For example, a CPU is used. As the memory 2, a magneto-optical disk, a hard disk, or the like is used like the memory 1. 26 is
Under control of the control unit 23, the display unit displays the unprocessed image data stored in the memory 1 and the processed image data stored in the memory 2, and also displays various kinds of information as necessary. As the display unit 26, for example, a CRT, a liquid crystal display or the like is used. 27 is connected to the control unit 23,
It is an operation unit for inputting various commands and the like. The operation unit 2
For example, a keyboard, a mouse or the like is used as 7. The operation of the apparatus thus configured will be described below.

The operation of the device of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, the application form 10 (see FIG. 4) is set in the application form photo reading device (S1).
In this case, when a digital camera is used as the image input unit 21, if a frame having the size of the application form is provided and the application form 10 is fitted into this frame, the application form itself will not tilt. Even when an image scanner is used as the image input unit 21, it is desirable to provide a means for holding the application so that the application is not tilted as much as possible.

Next, it is determined whether the ID number is automatically recognized (S2). To automatically recognize the ID number,
The ID number 2 (see FIG. 4) is read by an OCR (optical character reader). In step 3, I
It is checked whether the automatic recognition of the D number is OK. If the ID number is not automatically recognized in step S2, or if the automatic ID recognition fails in step S3, the operator manually inputs the ID number (S4).

When the input of the ID number is completed, the image input section 21 starts reading the image (S5). When the image input unit 21 is a digital camera, the reading of the image is instantaneously ended. However, when the image input unit 21 is an image scanner, the facial photograph 1 (see FIG. 4) is sequentially scanned while the image is being scanned. It takes time to read. In this case, it is desirable that the image input unit 21 read the application photograph larger than the size actually used. By doing so, it is possible to perform image processing correction including trimming.

The image input unit 21 saves the read image data in the memory 1 (S6). The image processing unit 24 reads out the image data from the memory 1, determines an image shift, and corrects the shift (S7). Details of the deviation correction will be described later. Next, the image processing unit 24 performs automatic trimming so that the facial photograph 1 is located at the center of the visual field (S).
8). As a result, the face photograph position can be accurately determined.

After the trimming is completed, the image processing unit 24
Confirms the upper interval of the face photograph data (S9). If the upper space is narrow, the upper space is corrected (S10).
Details of the upper gap correction will be described later. If there is no problem with the upper gap, and the face image data with the corrected upper gap is stored in the memory 2 (S11). In such a series of sequences, the control unit 23 can read out the image stored in the memory 1 and display it on the display unit 26. Further, the image after image processing can be read from the memory 2 and displayed on the display unit 26. The operator operates the operation unit 27 as necessary to operate the control unit 23.
, And a required image can be displayed on the display unit 26.

(Image Displacement Correction) (a) Image Displacement Correction Position detecting means (not shown) for detecting the face photograph position pasted on the application form 10 is provided near the image input unit 21. The output of the position detecting means is supplied to the control section 23, and the control section 23 notifies the image processing section 24 of the supplied output of the position detecting means. From the output of the position detecting means, the image processing unit 24 can recognize how much the actual face photograph position is from the center of the visual field, and the position can be corrected by the image processing.

(B) Image inclination correction An inclination detecting means (not shown) for detecting the inclination of the face photograph pasted on the application form 10 is provided near the image input section 21. For example, when the photographic image is tilted as shown in FIG. 4B or 4C, the tilt detection means notifies the tilt angle θ to the control unit 23. For the tilt detection of the tilt detection means, an existing tilt detection technique such as an edge detection method can be used. The control unit 23 gives the tilt angle θ to the image processing unit 24. The image processing unit 24 corrects the inclination of the image data by the rotation correction algorithm. That is, (a) of FIG.
As shown in, image correction processing is performed so that an image to be read is obtained when the tilt angle θ is 0. When the inclination of the image is corrected by image processing, the image quality may deteriorate. However, when the image is read by a digital camera of 3 million pixels, the image resolution is sufficient, so the image of the inclination correction is corrected. Image deterioration does not pose a problem even if the processing is performed.

(C) When the upper-spacing-corrected image data is automatically trimmed, the face image may not reach the predetermined position from the upper portion to the cut-out position, resulting in poor balance. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the face photograph upper interval correction. (A) shows the case where there is not enough margin from the upper part of the face image to the cutout position. If the distance from the upper part of the head to the cutting position is ΔH, Δ
H has not reached a sufficient value. Therefore, in order to improve the balance as a face image, ΔH is multiplied by a plurality of times and added to ΔH. By performing such an upper gap correction, (b)
As shown in, the upper space is corrected and a well-balanced facial photograph can be obtained. In this case, since the upper part of the face photograph is filled with the same background, the background does not look unnatural.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) According to the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to correct the deviation of the facial photograph position by processing the image processing unit.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, the face photograph can be read as digital image data. (3) According to the third aspect of the invention, the image processing correction including trimming can be performed by reading the size larger than the size actually used.

(4) According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to correct the deviation of the face photograph position. (5) According to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to correct the inclination of the face image.

(6) According to the invention described in claim 6, it is possible to correct the inclination of the face image. (7) According to the invention described in claim 7, it is possible to accurately determine the facial photograph position.

(8) According to the invention described in claim 8, it is possible to obtain a well-balanced face photograph. As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide the application photograph reading device capable of correcting the displacement of the facial photograph position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of face photograph upper interval correction.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state of an application form.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 Image input section 22 memory 1 23 Control unit 24 Image processing unit 25 Memory controller 24 Operation part 25 memory 2 26 Display 27 Operation part

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An application photograph reading device for reading a facial photograph attached to an application as a digital image, which stores an image input section for reading the application photograph as a digital image and a digital image read by the image input section. A first memory, a digital image stored in the first memory, a control unit that controls each process, and an image processing unit that performs predetermined image processing on image data provided from the control unit And a second memory for storing the image data processed by the image processing unit. 2. The application photograph reading device according to claim 1, wherein a digital camera or an image scanner is used as the image input unit. 3. The application photograph reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input unit reads the application photograph larger than an actually used size. 4. The application form photo reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising position detecting means for detecting a face photo position pasted on the application form. 5. The application photograph reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising inclination detecting means for detecting the inclination of the facial photograph attached to the application. 6. The application photograph reading device according to claim 5, wherein the image processing unit corrects the tilt based on the output of the tilt detecting means. 7. The application photograph reading device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit automatically trims the read face image so that the face image is centered in the visual field. 8. The image processing unit adds a background image to the upper portion of the face image when the area from the upper portion of the face image to the cutout position does not reach a predetermined range when automatically trimmed. 8. The application photograph reading device according to claim 7, wherein the range is set.