JP2007329608A - Image processing unit, and control method therefor and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable position information for indicating a facial image to accurately indicate the face image; even when cutting an image cut. <P>SOLUTION: Image data indicating an object image 21 and facial position information indicating the position of a facial image region 22 are recorded in a memory card. A region 23 in the object image 21 is cut, and enlargement processing is performed by an electronic zoom so that the size of the image in the region 23 becomes the same as that of the object image 21. In the enlarged object image, the facial position information for indicating a region, corresponding to the facial image region 22, is recalculated. The new recalculated facial position information and the image data for indicating the enlarged object image are recorded in the memory card. The new facial position information recorded in the memory card will accurately indicate the facial image region in the enlarged object. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a control program thereof.

  An apparatus for detecting a target image portion such as a face image portion from a subject image has been realized. When the image data representing the subject image and the data indicating the position of the detected target image portion are recorded on a memory card, the image data and the position data are read from the memory card. It can be seen that among the subject images represented by the image data, there is a target image portion such as a face image portion at the position indicated by the position data. It is possible to realize processing (for example, printing) in which a target image portion such as a face image portion becomes bright.

Recording the position information and image processing control data of a reference part for performing image processing in an image file (Patent Document 1), storing operation history information of a file separately from a file (Patent Document 2), There is a technique (Patent Document 3) that detects an image portion of a face and performs synthesis processing according to the position and size of the face.
JP 2003-6666 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-18734 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-322588

  However, even if the image data and the data indicating the position of the target image portion such as the face image portion in the subject image represented by the image data are recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card, the image data is displayed. If the subject image is trimmed, and image data representing the trimmed subject image is recorded on the memory card, the position represented by the position data is the target image portion in the trimmed subject image. May not be accurately represented.

  An object of the present invention is to make the position represented by the position data accurately represent the target image portion.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: reading means for reading image data representing a subject image and position data indicating the position of a target image portion (face, eye, car, etc.) in the subject image from a detachable recording medium; Image extraction means for performing image extraction processing of a part of the subject image represented by the image data read by the reading means, and target image position determination means for determining the position of the target image portion in the image extracted by the image extraction means And recording control means for recording data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means and image data representing the image extracted by the image extracting means on the recording medium.

  The present invention also provides a control method suitable for the image processing apparatus. That is, in this method, the reading means reads image data representing the subject image and position data indicating the position of the target image portion in the subject image from a detachable recording medium, and the image extracting means uses the reading means. Image extraction processing of a part of the subject image represented by the read image data is performed, and the target image position determining means determines the position of the target image portion in the image extracted by the image extracting means, and the recording control means However, the data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means and the image data representing the image extracted by the image extracting means are recorded on the recording medium.

  The present invention also provides a program for realizing the control method of the image processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, the image data representing the subject image and the position data representing the position of the target image portion in the subject image are read from the removable recording medium. Image extraction processing for extracting a part of the subject image represented by the read image data is performed. The size of the extracted image is different from the size of the subject image. For this reason, the target image portion may not exist at the position represented by the position data read from the recording medium. According to the present invention, the position of the target image portion in the extracted image is newly determined (detected and calculated). Data indicating the newly determined position and image data representing the extracted image are recorded on the recording medium. When the image extraction process is performed, the position of the target image portion that matches the extracted image is determined, and the data indicating the determined position and the image data representing the extracted image are recorded on the recording medium. The newly determined position accurately represents the target image portion in the extracted image.

  You may further provide the expansion means which expands the magnitude | size of the image extracted by the said image extraction means to the magnitude | size of the said to-be-photographed image. In this case, the target image position determining means determines the position of the target image portion in the image enlarged by the enlarging means, and the recording control means determines the position determined by the target image position determining means. The data shown and the image data representing the image magnified by the magnification means will be recorded on the recording medium.

  The target image position detecting unit further includes, for example, a target image part detecting unit that detects a target image part from the image extracted by the image extracting unit. In this case, the position of the target image portion detected by the target image portion detection means will be determined as the position of the target image portion in the extracted image.

  In addition, the target image position detecting unit is configured to detect the position of the image extracted by the image extracting unit based on the position of the image extracted by the image extracting unit and the position indicated by the position data read by the reading unit. The position of the target image portion may be calculated.

  Further, the recording control means performs an extraction process by the image extraction means in addition to the data indicating the position determined by the target image position determination means and the image data representing the image extracted by the image extraction means. Data indicating that it has been transmitted may be recorded on the recording medium.

  Further, the reading means may read frequency data indicating the number of extraction processes in the image extracting means in addition to image data representing the subject image and position data indicating the position of the target image portion. In this case, the recording control unit further includes an incrementing unit that increments the number of times indicated by the number-of-times data read by the reading unit in response to the extraction process performed by the image extracting unit. In addition to recording data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means and image data representing the image extracted by the image extracting means on the recording medium, the number of times incremented by the increment means Will be overwritten on the number of times data recorded on the recording medium.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an image processing apparatus.

  The overall operation of the image processing apparatus is controlled by the CPU 2. The image processing apparatus includes a peripheral circuit 8 of the CPU 2. The peripheral circuit 8 includes an interrupt control circuit, a serial control circuit, and the like.

  The image processing apparatus includes an operation device 1, and an operation signal output from the operation device 1 is input to the CPU 2.

  A removable memory card 11 is attached to the image processing apparatus. Reading of image data from the memory card 11 and writing of image data to the memory card 11 are controlled by the media control circuit 6. The image data recorded on the memory card 11 is read by the media control circuit 6. The read image data is temporarily stored in the memory 10 by the memory control circuit 9.

  When the image data read from the memory card 11 is compressed, the image data is read from the memory 10 and given to the compression / decompression processing circuit 5. Data decompression is performed in the compression / decompression processing circuit 5. The decompressed image data is given to the memory 10 and stored again.

  The image processing apparatus also includes a digital signal processing circuit 3 that cuts out (trims or processes) a part of the image represented by the image data, and detects a face image portion from the image represented by the image data. A face detection circuit 4 and the like are also included.

  When the image data stored in the memory 10 is read and given to the display control circuit 7, a subject image represented by the read image data is displayed on the display screen of the display device 12. For example, when the user performs processing such as image cutting using the operation device 1, the processed image is displayed on the display screen of the display device 12.

  When face detection is performed, the image data stored in the memory 10 is read from the memory 10 and input to the face detection circuit 4. In the face detection circuit 4, a face image portion is detected from the subject image represented by the input image data. The CPU 2 calculates face position information representing the area of the detected face image portion.

  Image data representing the calculated face position information and an image processed by clipping or the like is recorded in the memory card 11. When the number of times processed is recorded in the memory card 11, the number of times processed may be incremented and overwritten on the memory card 11. If necessary, the image processing apparatus may be provided with an adder circuit for incrementing the number of times of processing. Further, when the image data is processed, data indicating that the image data is processed may be recorded on the memory card. By reading the data indicating that it has been processed, it can be seen that the image data recorded on the memory card is processed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the face image detection circuit 4 detects the face image portion, and the face position information indicating the position of the detected face image portion is recorded in the memory card 11, but as will be described later, New face position information may be recalculated using face position information recorded on the card 11 and information (electronic zoom magnification, etc.) obtained by processing such as clipping. New face position information obtained by recalculation is recorded in the memory card 11.

  When the operation program described above is stored in the memory card 11, it is possible to cause the image processing apparatus to perform the operation described above by reading the operation program from the memory card 11 and installing it in the image processing apparatus. it can.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of the file structure (data structure) of an image file.

  The image file includes a header recording area and an image data recording area.

  Thumbnail image data and image data (original image data) are recorded in the image data recording area.

  Image information including image file management data is recorded in the header recording area. In this embodiment, the number of times the subject image represented by the thumbnail image data and the original image data recorded in the image data recording area is processed (number of times of copying), and the face image included in the subject image is recorded. Face position information indicating the position is also recorded in the header recording area.

  3 and 4 are examples of subject images. With reference to these drawings, a process of cutting out a part of a subject image and enlarging it by electronic zoom, and a position of a face image included in the subject image before and after enlargement will be described.

  Referring to FIG. 3, a subject image 21 represented by image data recorded on memory card 11 is displayed on the display screen of display device 12. If face image detection processing has already been performed on image data recorded on the memory card 11, face position information is recorded on the memory card 11 as described above. A face image area 22 representing a face image portion included in the subject image 21 is detected from the face position information. The face image area 22 is a rectangular area surrounded by x11, x12, y11, and y12, where the horizontal (horizontal) coordinate is the X coordinate and the vertical (vertical) coordinate is the Y coordinate.

  A subject image 21 in which the face image area 22 is defined is displayed on the display screen of the display device 12. Although a frame for representing the face image area 22 is shown, the frame may or may not be displayed. The user designates an area 23 to be cut out using the controller device 1. Enlargement processing is performed by electronic zoom (pixel interpolation is performed if necessary) so that the size of the image in the designated area 23 becomes the size of the original subject image 21. The coordinates of the origin of the designated area 23 (the upper left coordinates of the area 23) are represented by (x0, y0).

  FIG. 4 shows an enlarged subject image 31.

  As described above, the enlarged subject image 31 includes the face image region 32 corresponding to the face image region 22 included in the subject image 21 before enlargement (see FIG. 3). The face image area 32 is a rectangular area surrounded by coordinates x21, x22, y21 and y22. The face image area 32 is obtained by enlarging the face image area 22 before the electronic zoom according to the zoom magnification of the electronic zoom. Therefore, the coordinates x11, x12, y11 and y12 of the face image area 22 before the electronic zoom and the coordinates x21, x22, y21 and y22 of the face image area 32 after the electronic zoom are expressed by Expressions 1 to 4.

x21 = (zoom magnification) × (x11−x0) Equation 1
x22 = (zoom magnification) × (x12−x0) Equation 2
y21 = (zoom magnification) × (y11−y0) Equation 3
y22 = (zoom magnification) × (y12−y0) Equation 4

  As described above, when image segmentation and enlargement processing using electronic zoom are performed, new face position information (coordinates x21, x22, y21 and y22) are recorded on the memory card. Even when a part of the subject image is enlarged, the new face position information accurately represents the position of the face image area in the enlarged subject image. The face image area in the subject image represented by the image data representing the enlarged subject image recorded on the memory card can be detected from the newly recorded face position information.

  In the embodiment described above, the clipped image portion is enlarged, but it is not always necessary to enlarge it. If the image is not enlarged, data representing the clipped image portion and face position information indicating the face image portion in the image portion will be recorded on the memory card.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the playback processing procedure of the image processing apparatus.

  When the memory card 11 is connected to the image processing apparatus, the image data recorded on the memory card 11 is read and reproduction processing is performed (step 41).

  If face position information is recorded in the memory card 11 (YES in step 42), the face position information is read out and temporarily stored in the memory 10 of the image processing apparatus (step 43). When the image cut-out process described above is performed (YES in step 44), the subject image represented by the image data read from the memory card 11 is displayed on the display screen of the display device 12 (step 45). ). When the subject image is displayed, the clipping process is performed from the subject image as described above (step 46), and the electronic zoom process is performed according to the clipped range. Face position information is recalculated based on the clipped image (image enlarged by electronic zoom) (step 47). New face position information obtained by recalculation and image data representing the enlarged image are recorded in the memory card 11 (step 48).

  The new face position information obtained by recalculation and the image data representing the enlarged image are overwritten on the image file in which the image data read from the memory card 11 is recorded as described above. However, it is not necessary to overwrite. A new image file may be generated and recorded in the memory card 11.

  When overwriting an image file, the number of times of overwriting (that is, the number of times of clipping processing, the number of times of copying, etc.) may be recorded in the image file. In addition, information indicating that the clipping process or the like has been performed may be recorded in the image file. By referring to the information indicating the number of times overwritten, the number of times clipping processing, etc. are performed, the position of the face image in the subject image represented by the image data by overwriting or cutting out the image data is changed to the face position. It can be seen that the information may not be accurate.

It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of an image processing apparatus. It is an example of the file structure of an image file. It is an example of a to-be-photographed image. It is an example of the to-be-photographed subject image. It is a flowchart which shows the reproduction | regeneration processing procedure.

Explanation of symbols

2 CPU
4 Face detection circuit 6 Media control circuit
11 Memory card

Claims (8)

Reading means for reading image data representing a subject image and position data indicating a position of a target image portion in the subject image from a removable recording medium;
Image extraction means for performing image extraction processing of a part of the subject image represented by the image data read by the reading means;
Target image position determining means for determining the position of the target image portion in the image extracted by the image extracting means, data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means, and the image extracted by the image extracting means Recording control means for recording image data representing the above onto the recording medium,
An image processing apparatus. And further comprising an enlarging means for enlarging the size of the image extracted by the image extracting means to the size of the subject image,
The target image position determining means is
Determining the position of the target image portion in the image magnified by the magnification means,
The recording control means is
The data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means and the image data representing the image enlarged by the enlargement means are recorded on the recording medium.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The target image position detecting means further comprises target image part detecting means for detecting a target image part from the images extracted by the image extracting means;
Determining the position of the target image portion detected by the target image portion detection means as the position of the target image portion in the extracted image;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The target image position detecting means is
Based on the position of the image extracted by the image extracting means and the position indicated by the position data read by the reading means, the position of the target image portion in the image extracted by the image extracting means is calculated. is there,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The recording control means is
In addition to the data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining unit and the image data representing the image extracted by the image extracting unit, the data indicating that the extraction processing by the image extracting unit has been performed To be recorded on a recording medium,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The reading means is
In addition to the image data representing the subject image and the position data indicating the position of the target image portion, the number of times data indicating the number of extraction processes in the image extracting means is read.
Incrementing means for incrementing the number of times indicated by the number-of-times data read by the reading means in response to the extraction processing in the image extracting means being performed;
In addition to the recording control means recording data indicating the position determined by the target image position determination means and image data representing the image extracted by the image extraction means on the recording medium, the increment The data indicating the number of times incremented by the means is overwritten on the number-of-times data recorded on the recording medium,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Reading means reads image data representing the subject image and position data representing the position of the target image portion in the subject image from a removable recording medium,
An image extracting means performs image extraction processing of a part of the subject image represented by the image data read by the reading means,
The target image position determining means determines the position of the target image portion in the image extracted by the image extracting means;
Recording control means records data indicating the position determined by the target image position determining means and image data representing the image extracted by the image extracting means on the recording medium;
A method for controlling an image processing apparatus. A procedure for reading image data representing a subject image and position data indicating the position of the target image portion in the subject image from a removable recording medium;
A procedure for performing image extraction processing of a portion of the subject image represented by the read image data;
A procedure for determining the position of the target image portion in the extracted image;
A control program for an image processing apparatus for causing an image processing apparatus to execute a procedure for recording data indicating a determined position and image data representing an extracted image on the recording medium.

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