JP2004008632A - Complexion measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a complexion measuring instrument for simply and accurately measuring a change value of a complexion in order to grasp a continuous health state, and a complexion measuring method using the same. <P>SOLUTION: A face is displayed on a screen like a reflected image by a CCD camera set just above the screen. By aligning the images of both eyes with a binocular base point shown on the screen, the region of the face can be specified and a complexion measuring point can be determined. Further, the distance between the camera and the face is kept constant by a theory of triangulation. Furthermore, a color sample is set in the photographing range of the camera to be displayed within the screen and, by utilizing the difference between the color of the color sample and the measured complexion, the effect on the complexion caused by changes in dress, time, white balance, or the like, can be removed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a complexion measuring device, and more particularly, to an apparatus for measuring a complexion change value as a guide for health management or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Technology development and research that performs various measurements on human faces and collects and uses various data, such as color, brightness, organ placement position, organ size, and their changes, etc. Many have been done so far. For example, there are those that use the face image to identify who the person is as a security measure, and those that recognize the person from the TV broadcast screen and use it for TV program search (and the like).
[0003]
The paper "Unlock control system by face image collation" (Doi et al., IEICE Transactions, D-II Vol. J80-D-II No. 8 pp. 2203- 2208 (1997, 8)) This shows a prototype of an unlocking control system that determines unlocking of an entrance based on the result of image matching. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-235640 discloses an apparatus for detecting a face organ such as an eye or a lip. In the detection process, one skin color of a face is estimated from measurement data.
[0004]
Of the many technologies developed and researched to perform various measurements on human faces and collect and use various data, many technologies developed and researched to measure complexion have been announced. However, there is hardly any device that uses the complexion itself as an indicator of a health condition.
[0005]
Among them, the “diagnosis system” described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-165375 is intended to quantify objective biological information obtained from skin color such as face color without being influenced by display image color reproduction. It aims at accurate diagnosis. The diagnostic system obtains various parameters that accurately indicate the state of a living body and the like by using various types of arithmetic processing using color data of a face that has been digitized and captured by a digital camera. At this time, a color member indicating a reference color is provided on the object to be photographed (person), and a color correcting unit for performing color correction using the color member as a color reference is provided in the photographing unit. It is stated that this makes it possible to correct the temporal change of the spectral characteristics of the light source and the influence of ambient light, thereby further improving the accuracy of the image color.
[0006]
However, there is no specific disclosure about how the above-described color correction means performs correction.
[0007]
By the way, in order to automatically measure a complexion by a machine, a face region must be specified and cut out as preprocessing. In the prior art, the aim is to automatically perform the processing of identifying and cutting out the face area by a computer, but the image processing technology required for realizing the processing is advanced and the processing achievement is completely completed. It is difficult to do.
[0008]
Furthermore, when actually measuring complexion for several days or months, it is necessary to collect information such as instability in the distance between the camera and face, variations in shooting time, changes in clothing, and variations in camera white balance. Many external factors affect the complexion data. Since these external factors are factors unrelated to the variation of the complexion itself, the influence of the external factors on the change of the complexion data must be minimized.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for simply and accurately measuring a change value of a complexion for continuously grasping a health condition.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made to achieve the above object. The complexion measuring device according to claim 1 according to the present invention,
A first control unit;
A first display unit;
A second control unit;
A second display unit,
The first control unit and the second control unit are connected via a network unit,
The first control unit has an imaging unit and an encoding unit, and appropriately processes image data collected by the imaging unit and encoded by the encoding unit.
A first display unit connected to the first control unit for displaying data from the first control unit;
The second control unit appropriately processes data input from the network unit,
A second display unit connected to the second control unit for displaying data from the second control unit;
This is a face color measurement device that measures the face color of the person to be imaged. In the complexion measuring device,
The imaging unit and the first display unit are installed so that the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the normal direction of the display surface of the first display unit substantially match and are extremely close to each other,
The first control unit, when displaying the image data collected by the imaging unit on the first display unit, displays the image data by inverting left and right,
Furthermore, two first base points are displayed at a predetermined distance substantially at the center of the first display unit,
Therefore, the face of the person to be imaged faces the imaging unit and the first display unit, and the two center points of the images of both eyes of the person to be imaged on the first display unit correspond to the two first base points, respectively. When they overlap, the distance between the person to be imaged and the imaging unit is fixed.
[0011]
The complexion measuring device according to claim 2 according to the present invention,
A second base point having a unique positional relationship with the two first base points is displayed on the first display unit from the first control unit,
Image data of a point on the image of the person to be imaged that overlaps the second base point, or image data in the vicinity of the point including the point, is taken as face color measurement data.
A face color measuring device according to claim 1.
[0012]
The complexion measuring device according to claim 3 according to the present invention,
A reference color member is set within an imaging range of the imaging unit,
A reference color base point is set from the first control unit to the first display unit,
When the reference color base point and the display position of the image of the reference color member overlap, image data of a point on the image of the reference color member overlapping the reference color base point is measured reference data,
Difference value data between the face color measurement data and the measurement reference data is displayed on a first display unit or a second display unit, or is stored in a storage unit attached to the first control unit or attached to a second control unit. Stored in the storage unit,
A face color measuring device according to claim 1 or 2.
[0013]
The complexion measuring device according to claim 4 according to the present invention,
As the face color measurement data and the measurement reference data, only the red component is extracted from the image data and used.
A face color measuring device according to claim 3.
[0014]
The complexion measuring device according to claim 5 according to the present invention,
An average value of the difference value data is calculated, and further difference data between each of the difference value data at different time points and the average value is displayed on the first display unit or the second display unit, or Stored in a storage unit associated with the first control unit or a storage unit associated with the second control unit.
A face color measuring device according to claim 3 or 4.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
<< 1st Embodiment >>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a face color measuring device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The function of the complexion measuring device 2 is separately set for a subject residence 4 which is a place related to the lying-up and sleeping of the complexion subject and a management center 6 to which an observer of complexion measurement belongs.
[0017]
A CCD camera unit 10 is set in the subject's residence 4. An image of the subject is collected by the CCD camera unit 10, the image is subjected to predetermined encoding processing by the color encoding unit 12, and is sent to the face color measurement processing unit 14 as image data. Here, the color encoding unit 12 is, for example, an NTSC encoder, and the face color measurement processing unit 14 is (a CPU of) a computer equipped with appropriate software.
[0018]
Furthermore, the target person's residence 4 is provided with a display operation unit 16. The display operation unit 16 displays various data including image data, and includes an image signal sent from the face color measurement processing unit 14. The image signal sent from the face color measurement processing unit 14 includes the image data sent from the CCD camera unit 10 described above. Therefore, the image of the subject taken by the CCD camera unit 10 is set to be immediately displayed on the display operation unit 16.
[0019]
However, as will be described later in detail, in the first embodiment of the present invention, an image of the subject by the CCD camera unit 10 is set so that the display screen of the display operation unit 16 functions as a so-called "mirror" for the subject. Is displayed left and right upside down on the display screen of the display operation unit 16.
[0020]
The display operation unit 16 and the face color measurement processing unit 14 transmit and receive various control signals to and from each other.
[0021]
The face color measurement processing unit 14 of the subject's residence 4 and the centralized control processing unit 18 set in the management center 6 are connected via the Internet 8, and various digital data are transmitted / received via the Internet 8. Is done. The complexion measurement processing unit 14 and the centralized control processing unit 18 may be connected by a telephone line (or the like).
[0022]
As described above, the central control processing unit 18 is set in the management center 6. In FIG. 1, only one target residence 4 connected to the management center 6 (the complexion measurement processing unit 14 thereof) is depicted, but a plurality of target residences 4 connected to the management center 6 may be provided. . The central control processing unit 18 of the management center 6 includes a display unit 20. Here, the central control processing unit 18 is a computer equipped with appropriate software, and the display unit 20 is an appropriate display device.
[0023]
Therefore, the image data from the plurality of target residences 4 is transmitted to the management center 6 in a concentrated manner, and the image data is centrally processed by the centralized control processing unit 18 and displayed on the display unit 20 in a concentrated manner. Will be.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a front view of the CCD camera unit 10 and the display operation unit 16 set in the subject residence 4 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing how the subject 28 uses the CCD camera unit 10 and the display operation unit 16 in the subject residence 4 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, a screen 22 is provided on one surface of the display operation unit 16 as a housing. On the screen 22, an image collected by the CCD camera unit 10 is displayed. As shown in FIG. 2, the CCD camera unit 10 is installed on, for example, the upper end surface of the display operation unit 16.
[0025]
Further, the CCD camera unit 10 is installed facing the same direction as the normal direction of the screen 22. Therefore, when the image collected by the CCD camera unit 10 is controlled by the face color measurement processing unit 14 so that the image is displayed on the screen 22 in a left-right reversed manner, the normal direction of the screen 22, that is, the direction of the CCD camera unit 10. When the target person 28 is positioned facing (for example, sits), the image on the screen 22 for the target person 28 functions as a “mirror image”. That is, the target person 28 can use the screen 22 as a “mirror”.
[0026]
As described above, if the image collected by the CCD camera unit 10 is displayed on the screen 22 in a reversed left and right direction, the subject 28 can use the screen 22 as a mirror for reflecting himself, and the subject 28 can easily feel a complexion The measuring device 2 can be used.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 3, the subject 28 goes to the CCD camera unit 10 and the screen 22 to have his / her image data collected. The lower housing 24 in FIG. 3 includes the color encoder unit 12, the face color measurement processing unit 14, an operation unit (for example, a keyboard or the like) (not shown), and the like. By the way, a color member 30 (hereinafter, referred to as a reference color member) that covers a reference color is set near the subject 28. As will be described in detail later, since the reference color member 30 is to be displayed at a predetermined position (the reference color base point 36 in FIGS. 4 and 5) on the screen 22, it is movable for that purpose. It must be fixable.
[0028]
FIG. 4 shows an example of the screen 22 of the display operation unit 16. The screen 22 in FIG. 4A displays only some of the base points. The base points are a binocular base point 32, a color sampling base point 34, and a reference color base point 36. In FIG. 4A, the binocular base point 32 is represented by two white crosses, the coloring base point 34 is represented by a cross just below one binocular base point 32, and the reference color base point 36 is represented by another cross. ing.
[0029]
The two binocular base points 32 are set at approximately the center of the screen 22 at an appropriate distance. When displaying the face of the subject on the screen, the target person 28 slightly moves his / her face back and forth and left and right so that the “pupils” of his / her eyes overlap the two binocular base points 32. Here, if the magnification of the CCD camera unit 10, the distance between the two binocular base points 32, and the like are continuously fixed, the subject 28 superimposes the images of both eyes on the two binocular base points 32. The distance between the subject 28 and the CCD camera unit 10 is kept constant. That is, by applying the principle of triangulation, the distance between the two is kept constant.
[0030]
By making the distance between the two constant, fluctuations in the influence of the distance (to the camera) on the complexion are removed. In addition, the position on the face of the coloring area (coloring base point 34) described later is fixed.
[0031]
Note that the position of the binocular base 32 on the screen 22 can be changed by an operation unit (not shown) in order to change and adjust the distance between the CCD camera unit 10 and the subject 28.
[0032]
The coloring base point 34 is set immediately below one of the binocular base points 32. If the positional relationship between the binocular base 32 and the coloring base 34 is constant, the distance between the subject 28 and the CCD camera unit 10 is constant, so that the coloring base 34 is the same as the image data of the face. Always overlap on the point. Therefore, the image data of the coloring base point 34 in the face color measurement device 2 may be used as the measurement data of the image data of the face color. Further, for example, the image data of each of the five pixels above, below, left, and right of the color-collecting base point 34 may be averaged to obtain measurement data of the image data of the face color, so that the measurement reliability can be improved.
[0033]
The position of the coloring base point 34 on the screen 22 can also be changed by an operation unit (not shown) in order to change and adjust the position of the coloring target.
[0034]
The reference color base point 36 must be changed in position by an operation of an operation unit (not shown), and be superimposed on the image of the reference color member 30 displayed on the screen 22. If they are superimposed, the image data at the reference color base point 36 becomes the image data of the reference color (described later). The reference color member 30 may be set at a position within a range that can be displayed on the screen 22, but the positional relationship with the CCD camera unit 10 is fixed so that the influence of the distance on the reference color does not vary as much as possible. It is desirable to keep it.
[0035]
By the way, in the first embodiment, only the red component (R component) of the camera output, out of the image data of the face color at the coloring base point 34, is used as the measurement data. At the same time, the red component of the image data of the reference color base point 36 is used as a reference of measurement data (measurement reference data). Therefore, the reference color member 30 is preferably substantially red.
[0036]
Of course, the measurement data may be other than the R component, and may be, for example, a G component, a B component, those in which the three primary colors are coded by an NTSC encoder, a monochrome signal, or infrared light.
[0037]
When the subject 28 determines that it is the moment (timing) at which the measurement data should be collected, the subject 28 determines that the timing to collect the measurement data by a predetermined operation on an operation unit (not shown) provided in the lower housing 24. Notify the measurement processing unit 14. The face color measurement processing unit 14 receives the trigger (notification) data indicating that it is time to collect the measurement data, and, based on the image data of the face color at that moment, the face color measurement data (I) at the color collection base point 34 and the reference color The measurement reference data (M) at the base point 36 is extracted.
[0038]
The extracted data (I, M) is transmitted to the central control processing unit 18 of the management center 6 via the Internet 8 together with the image data at the moment of extraction, and is stored in the storage unit (see FIG. (Not shown). At the same time, the extracted data (I, M) and the image data at the moment of extraction may be stored in a storage unit (not shown) provided in the face color measurement processing unit 14 of each subject's residence 4.
[0039]
In the processing in the centralized control processing unit 18, the face color measurement data (I) may be used as it is, but in order to suppress the influence of external light fluctuation due to weather, time, lighting, and the like, measurement reference data (M) The difference value (MI) between the image data and the face color measurement data (I) is used.
[0040]
An example in which the average value av (MI) (for an appropriate period) of the difference value (MI) and, for example, the daily difference value (MI) for each of the subjects 28 is displayed in a graph. FIG. In FIG. 5, the average value av (M−I) is indicated by a straight line with reference numeral 50, and the daily difference value (M−I) is indicated by a broken line with reference numeral 52. .
[0041]
For example, a further difference between the daily difference value (M-I) and the average value av (M-I) is defined as a "health guideline value (K)" which is a guideline for health condition determination based on a change in face color. be able to. The health target value (K) may be displayed on the display unit 20 connected to the central control processing unit 18 every day. In addition, the health target value (K) data may be transmitted to the face color measurement processing unit 14 relating to the subject 28 and displayed on the display operation unit 16 to call attention of the subject 28.
[0042]
At this time, categories such as “normal”, “change”, and “caution” are set according to the magnitude of the value with respect to the health standard value (K) for each of the subjects 28, and the above-mentioned daily health standard value varies. The category may be determined by the central control processing unit 18, transmitted to the face color measurement processing unit 14, and displayed on the display operation unit 16.
[0043]
By using the above-described complex color measuring device according to the first embodiment, complex color measurement as a measure of health change can be performed by a simple mechanism and procedure. For example, it is easy for a solitary elderly person to continuously measure a complexion with a complexion color measuring device as part of health management. Of course, a caregiver (or the like) in a remote place can easily grasp the change in the complexion of a solitary elderly person.
[0044]
<< Other embodiments >>
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above-described first embodiment, the binocular base points 32 are set on the screen 22 in order to fix the color collection area of the complexion and to keep the distance between the CCD camera unit 10 and the subject 28 constant. You. A “contour line” of the face may be set on the screen 22 for the same purpose.
[0045]
Further, in the first embodiment, the image is displayed left and right on the screen 22 of the display operation unit 16, but the left and right may be displayed without being reversed.
[0046]
The facial color measurement value, health reference value, and image data are referenced not only by the subject and the management center, but also by caregivers, medical personnel, and the subject's family via their own computers via the network. May be possible.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
By utilizing the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
[0048]
With a simple mechanism and procedure, it is possible to measure a complexion as a measure of health change. Since the numerical value is normalized by the reference color, the influence of the variable element can be removed.
[0049]
For example, it is easy for a solitary elderly person to continuously perform a complexion measurement by the complexion measuring device of the present invention as part of the health management of a solitary elderly person. Also, a caregiver (or the like) in a remote place can easily grasp the change in the complexion.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a complexion color measuring apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a CCD camera unit and a display operation unit set in a target person residence of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a CCD camera unit and a display operation unit set in a subject's residence of FIG. 1 and a subject heading toward them.
FIG. 4 is a screen example of a display operation unit of the face color measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing an average value av (MI) of difference values (MI) and a daily difference value (MI) for a certain subject.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 ... complexion measuring device, 4 ... subject's residence, 6 ... management center, 8 ... internet, 10 ... CCD camera unit, 12 ... color encoder unit, 14 ... complexion Measurement processing unit, 16 display operation unit, 18 centralized control processing unit, 20 display unit, 22 screen, 28 subject, 30 reference color member, 32 ... binocular base point, 34 ... color-taking base point, 36 ... reference color base point.

Claims (5)

A first control unit;
A first display unit;
A second control unit;
A second display unit,
The first control unit and the second control unit are connected via a network unit,
The first control unit has an imaging unit and an encoding unit, and appropriately processes image data collected by the imaging unit and encoded by the encoding unit.
A first display unit connected to the first control unit for displaying data from the first control unit;
The second control unit appropriately processes data input from the network unit,
A second display unit connected to the second control unit for displaying data from the second control unit;
In a complexion measuring device for measuring the complexion of a person to be imaged,
The imaging unit and the first display unit are installed so that the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the normal direction of the display surface of the first display unit substantially match and are extremely close to each other,
The first control unit, when displaying the image data collected by the imaging unit on the first display unit, displays the image data by inverting left and right,
Furthermore, two first base points are displayed at a predetermined distance substantially at the center of the first display unit,
Therefore, the face of the person to be imaged faces the imaging unit and the first display unit, and the two center points of the images of both eyes of the person to be imaged on the first display unit correspond to the two first base points, respectively. When they overlap, the distance between the subject and the imaging unit is fixed,
A complexion measuring device. A second base point having a unique positional relationship with the two first base points is displayed on the first display unit from the first control unit,
Image data of a point on the image of the person to be imaged that overlaps the second base point, or image data in the vicinity of the point including the point, is taken as face color measurement data.
The complexion color measuring device according to claim 1. A reference color member is set within an imaging range of the imaging unit,
A reference color base point is set from the first control unit to the first display unit,
When the reference color base point and the display position of the image of the reference color member overlap, image data of a point on the image of the reference color member overlapping the reference color base point is measured reference data,
Difference value data between the face color measurement data and the measurement reference data is displayed on a first display unit or a second display unit, or is stored in a storage unit attached to the first control unit or attached to a second control unit. Stored in the storage unit,
The facial color measuring device according to claim 1 or 2. As the face color measurement data and the measurement reference data, only the red component is extracted from the image data and used.
The complexion measuring device according to claim 3. An average value of the difference value data is calculated, and further difference data between each of the difference value data at different time points and the average value is displayed on the first display unit or the second display unit, or Stored in a storage unit associated with the first control unit or a storage unit associated with the second control unit.
The facial color measuring device according to claim 3 or 4.

Images