JP2009265726A - Image processor and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor and an image processing method for generating correction image data, which provides a person in a photographic image with a display result or a print result without giving the person a sense of dissatisfaction. <P>SOLUTION: The image processor has: a face detection unit detecting a face area of a person and an organ area of a face included in image data; and an averaging processing unit applying right-and-left averaging processing to the image data of the detected face area based on the detected organ area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for generating corrected image data that can obtain a display result or a print result with little discomfort for a subject person in a photographic image. About.

  Even if a person's face appears to be symmetrical at first glance, it is often not completely symmetrical when viewed closely. Depending on the degree, the person's face is usually a mirror image that he is used to looking at in the mirror. You may feel uncomfortable with the difference between your face and your face that is not flipped.

  Due to this uncomfortable feeling, commemorative photos that were supposed to be good memories could be frustrating for the person.

  In addition, due to the above-mentioned uncomfortable feeling, it has been assumed that "I am not good at taking a picture", and some people may feel resistance or aversion to taking a picture.

Various image processing has been performed on various types of image data such as photographic images and CG images, and one of them is a mirror image process by reversing almost the entire image, There is an image processing technique in which only a portion that is not desired to be inverted is left as it is without being inverted (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-223402

  However, the above image processing technology assumes a floor plan of a building as an image to be processed, and assumes a character portion or the like existing in a part of the image as a non-inverted portion of the image. It is assumed that the majority of the image is reversed and subjected to mirror image processing.

  Therefore, when this image processing technique is applied to photographic image data in which a person is photographed together with the background, not only the face of the person but also the body and background of the person are reversed. It is inappropriate as a process and is not appropriate as a solution for solving the above-mentioned uncomfortable feeling.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to perform image processing for generating corrected image data capable of obtaining a display result or a print result with little discomfort for the subject person in the photographic image. An apparatus and an image processing method are provided.

  According to an aspect of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the detection is performed based on the face detection unit that detects a human face area and a facial organ area included in the image data, and the detected organ area. An image processing apparatus is provided that includes an averaging processing unit that performs left-right averaging processing on the image data of the face area.

  In the above aspect of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the face detection unit sets a rectangular area defining the detected face area for each face area, and sets a vertical central axis of the rectangular area to the vertical axis. Each rectangular area is specified, and each rectangular area may be divided into a plurality of divided rectangular areas each including left and right portions of each organ of the face.

  The averaging processing unit compares position coordinates of organ parts included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas, and is included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas so that the position coordinates are averaged. The left-right averaging process may be performed by performing a deformation process of the image data of the organ part for each of the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas.

  When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit, the averaging processing unit may selectively perform the left-right averaging process on any of the image data of the plurality of face areas. .

  In the above aspect of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing apparatus further includes a print data generation unit that converts the data format of the image data and generates print image data that can be processed by the printer.

  When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit and the number of detected face areas matches the planned number of prints, the averaging processing unit is the face area to be subjected to the left-right averaging process The left and right averaging process may be performed by changing the image data for each scheduled print number.

  According to another aspect of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, a face detection unit for detecting a human face area and a face organ area included in the image data, and data for cutting out the image data of the detected face area A clipping unit, a data deformation unit that performs left-right averaging processing on the image data of the cut face area to generate deformed image data of the face area, and the original deformed image data of the generated face area An image processing apparatus is provided.

  In the other aspect of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the face detection unit sets a rectangular area defining the detected face area for each face area, and sets the vertical central axis of the rectangular area to the It is preferable to specify each rectangular area and divide each rectangular area into a plurality of divided rectangular areas each including left and right portions of each organ of the face.

  The data transformation unit compares the position coordinates of the organ parts included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas, and the organs included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas so that the position coordinates are averaged. The left-right averaging process may be performed by performing the deformation process of the image data of the part for each of the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas.

  When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit, the data transformation unit may selectively perform the left-right averaging process on any of the image data of the plurality of face areas.

  In another aspect of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, a print data generation unit that converts the data format of the corrected image data synthesized by the data synthesis unit and generates print image data that can be processed by a printer is further provided. It should be provided.

  When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit and the number of detected face areas matches the planned number of prints, the data transformation unit determines the face area to be subjected to the left-right averaging process. The left and right averaging process may be performed by changing the image data for each scheduled print number.

  Further, according to one aspect of the image processing method according to the present invention, based on the face detection process of detecting a human face area and facial organ area included in the image data, and the detected organ area, There is provided an image processing method comprising: an averaging process step of performing a left-right averaging process on the image data of the detected face area.

  According to another aspect of the image processing method of the present invention, a face detection process for detecting a human face area and a face organ area included in the image data, and image data of the detected face area are obtained. Data cut-out process to cut out, data deformation process to perform left-right averaging on the cut-out face area image data to generate deformed image data of the face area, and the generated deformed image data of the face area to the original photo And an image processing method characterized by including a data synthesis process for synthesizing the image data.

  Further, according to one aspect of the computer program according to the present invention, based on the face detection function for detecting the human face area and the facial organ area included in the image data, and the detected organ area, There is provided a computer program for causing a computer to realize an averaging processing function for performing left-right averaging processing on detected face area image data.

  According to another aspect of the computer program of the present invention, a face detection function for detecting a human face area and a face organ area included in the image data, and image data of the detected face area are cut out. A data cutout function, a data transformation function that performs left-right averaging processing on the image data of the cut face area to generate deformed image data of the face area, and the original photo image of the generated deformed image data of the face area There is provided a computer program for causing a computer to implement a data synthesizing function for synthesizing data.

  The image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the present invention eliminate or reduce the uncomfortable feeling that the subject person in the photographic image feels in comparison with his / her face of the reversed right-and-left image that he / she is familiar with by looking at the mirror. It is possible to generate corrected image data that can obtain a display result or a print result.

  The outline of the configuration of the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the present invention is to detect a face area of a person included in the image data when displaying or printing a photographic image in which the person is included as a subject. The image data of the face area is subjected to left / right reversal processing or left / right averaging processing, and is synthesized with the original photographic image data to generate corrected image data.

  By performing left-right reversal processing on the image data of the face area, the face of the reversed right-and-left image that the subject person is accustomed to seeing in the mirror is reproduced in the photographic image, and the person himself / herself remembers It is possible to provide a photo display result or a print result that does not give a sense of incompatibility in comparison with the face.

  However, if the left and right reversal processing is performed on the face area of the person included in the photographic image, the resulting photographic image will not feel uncomfortable for the subject person himself, but will feel uncomfortable when viewed from others. May feel.

  Therefore, in the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the present invention, it is possible to select not only the left / right reversal process but also the left / right averaging process as a process to be performed on the detected face area image data. It is possible to provide a photographic display result or a print result with little discomfort for the person himself / herself and others.

  Embodiments of an image processing apparatus and an image processing method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer multifunction machine including an image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The image processing apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is not necessarily required to be connected to a host computer, and is a printer multifunction device capable of printing photographic image data recorded on a memory card or the like alone. It is the example embodied as an apparatus which comprises some 1s. Note that a printer multifunction device is a device having functions of a scanner, a copier, etc. in addition to the functions of a printer.

  1 includes a data input device 10 for inputting image data, a memory 30 that temporarily stores input image data, and an image processing device 20 that performs image processing on the image data. And a user interface 40 for displaying and inputting information necessary for operation, and a printer unit 50 for performing printing based on print image data generated as a result of image processing.

  The data input device 10 inputs image data from an external device such as a memory card reader 11 that reads image data from a memory card, a scanner unit 12 that reads image data from a document, and a computer. The external interface unit 13 is provided.

  Image data input via the data input device 10 is temporarily stored in the memory 30.

  The user interface 40 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) 41 that displays information necessary for operation, and a switch or button 42 or a touch panel 43 for inputting an instruction from the user.

  An image processing apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a face detection unit 21 that detects a face area of a person included in image data, and a data cutout unit that cuts out image data of the detected face area. 22, a data transformation unit 23 that performs left-right reversal processing or left-right averaging processing on the cut-out face area image data to generate deformed image data of the face area, and the generated deformed image data of the face area A data synthesizing unit 24 that synthesizes the photographic image data, and a print data generating unit 25 that converts the data format of the synthesized photographic image data to generate print image data that can be processed by the printer unit 50. Yes.

  The image processing apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention performs image processing on the photographic image data temporarily stored in the memory 30 by the sequential operation of the units 21 to 25.

  The printer unit 50 performs image printing based on the generated print image data.

  Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, that is, the procedure of the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, that is, the procedure of the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing how the faces of detected image data are sequentially selected and displayed.

  In the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, first, face detection processing by the face detection unit 21 is performed on the image data to be processed, and the image data is included in the image data. The face area of a person is detected, and the number of face areas and the position and size of each face area are specified (step S101). The face detection process can be performed using any face detection technique including an existing face detection technique. In the face detection process, a rectangular area that defines the detected face area is set for each face area. Further, in the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the left / right reversing process or the left / right averaging process performed on the image data of the face area shows the face of the image data almost from the front. However, when the face of the image data is seen from an oblique direction, it is difficult to carry out the face. Therefore, in the face detection processing by the face detection unit 21, the face that is reflected almost directly from the front. It is preferable to make a setting in advance so as to detect only. Such setting is performed by using, for example, only face image data taken from the front as learning sample face image data used for the operation control program of the face detection unit 21, so that the face area of the person included in the image data is used. It is possible to extract and detect only the face that is reflected from the front.

  As a result of the face detection process, it is identified whether or not a person's face area is detected (step S102). If no person's face area is detected, the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention In addition, since it is not necessary to perform image processing by the image processing method, the print data generation unit 25 converts the data format of the photographic image data to generate print image data that can be processed by the printer unit 50 (step S115). .

  On the other hand, when a face area of a person is detected, application or non-application is determined in order to sequentially determine application or non-application of image processing by the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is identified whether or not there is a remaining face area that has not been determined (step S106). If there is a remaining face area that has not yet been determined to be applied or not applied, one of them is selected (step S107). Then, a selection input of a processing method for the selected face area is received (step S108).

  Here, for example, by using the liquid crystal display 41 of the user interface 40, as shown in FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. When the cursor is overlaid and displayed, correction processing for the image data of the face area, that is, application or non-application of left / right inversion processing or left / right averaging processing, and when applying correction processing, left / right inversion processing or left / right averaging A selection input as to which of the processing is applied is accepted. On the display screen, a “Yes” and “No” click button is displayed together with a message “Do you want to perform correction processing on the selected face?”, And if “Yes” is selected, further correction is performed. As a process, the message “Would you like to perform left-right reversal processing or left-right reversal averaging processing?” Is displayed along with the “Left-right reversal processing” and “Left-right reversal averaging” click buttons, and “Right-left reversal processing” or “Left-right reversal processing” The selection input for any of the “processing” is accepted. The selection input is received via the switch or button 42 of the user interface 40 or the touch panel 43, for example.

  After accepting a selection input of a processing method for the currently selected face area, application or non-application of the correction process is determined based on the selection input (step S109). If non-application is determined, step S106 is performed. Returning to, it is determined whether or not there is a remaining face area for which application or non-application has yet to be determined, and the subsequent steps are sequentially performed in the same manner.

  On the other hand, when application of the correction process is determined, the image data of the rectangular area defining the currently selected face area is cut out from the original photographic image data by the data cutout unit 22 (step S110), and the processing method Based on the selection input, it is identified whether or not the left / right inversion processing and the left / right averaging processing are selected (step S111). If the left / right averaging processing is selected, the face area is selected. Left and right averaging processing is performed on the image data (step S112), and when left and right averaging processing is not selected, left and right inversion processing is performed on the image data of the face area (step S113). Deformed image data of the face area is generated.

  Here, the horizontal inversion process and the horizontal averaging process in the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the left-right reversal process, the vertical center axis of the rectangular area that defines the detected face area, that is, the center axis that passes between the eyebrows and the nasal bridge and the central end of the lower jaw is specified, and the left-right reversal process with respect to the center axis By performing the above, mirror surface inversion processing is performed on the image data of the face area.

  It should be noted that the hairstyle of the person who is the correction processing target is, for example, right division or left division, and the hair portion may be clearly different between the mirror anti-transfer image and the real image. It is desirable that the rectangular area that defines the face area to be included does not include the hair portion.

  On the other hand, in the left-right averaging process, not only the vertical central axis of the rectangular area that defines the detected face area is specified, but also the positions of the organs included in the face area, that is, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth And the rectangular area defining the face area is divided into a plurality of divided rectangular areas each including left and right portions of each organ. For example, as the plurality of divided rectangular areas, divided rectangular areas each including the left eyebrow, the right eyebrow, the left eye, the right eye, the left half of the nose, the right half of the nose, the left half of the mouth, and the right half of the mouth are set.

  Then, the position coordinates of the organ parts included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas are compared, and the image data of the organ parts included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas are transformed so that the position coordinates are averaged. Process. By performing the position coordinate averaging process of the left and right organ parts by the deformation process of the image data of the organ part for each of the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas, the left and right averaging process of the image data of the face area can be performed. .

  For specifying the position of the organ included in the face area, for example, any position specifying technique including the technique disclosed in JP-T-2002-53901 can be used.

  Further, with regard to the specification of the vertical central axis of the rectangular area that defines the face area, the division of the rectangular area that defines the face area into a plurality of divided rectangular areas, and the deformation processing of the image data of the divided rectangular areas, for example, Any face detection technology and image data deformation processing technology including the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-082325 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-195049 can be used.

  After the left / right reversing process or the left / right averaging process is completed, a process of combining the deformed image data of the face area and the original photographic image data is performed (step S114) to generate corrected image data. At the time of this composition processing, in order to prevent the boundary portion between the deformed image data of the face region and the original photographic image data from being unnaturally conspicuous, correction processing such as blurring processing is performed on the boundary portion as a whole. It should be natural photographic images.

  After performing the synthesis process, the process returns to step S106, and whether there is a remaining face area for which application or non-application of image processing by the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention is undetermined. If there is a remaining face area for which application or non-application is not yet determined, the subsequent steps are sequentially performed in the same manner.

  On the other hand, if there is no remaining face area for which application or non-application has yet to be determined, the print data generation unit 25 converts the data format of the corrected image data that has been combined and can be processed by the printer unit 50. Data is generated (step S115). The conversion of the data format into the print image data performed here is a known data conversion process such as color data conversion from RGB data to CMYK data and halftoning process, and is related to the essential configuration of the present invention. Since there is no detailed explanation, it is omitted.

  As described above, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention detect a human face area included in image data and perform left-right inversion processing on the image data of the face area. Alternatively, by performing left-right averaging processing, a display result or print result that can eliminate or reduce the sense of incongruity that the subject person in the image feels in comparison with his / her face of a horizontally reversed image that he / she is familiar with looking at the mirror is obtained. Correction image data to be generated can be generated.

  In the above-described image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, print image data is generated based on photographic image data to be processed and finally printed. The example in which the image processing apparatus 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is embodied as an apparatus that includes the print data generation unit 25 and constitutes a part of the multifunction printer 1 has been described.

  However, when printing is not performed, that is, when it is sufficient to display the corrected photographic image on the display device based on the corrected image data generated by combining the deformed image data of the face area and the original photographic image data. The print data generation unit 25 and the print data generation step (process) are not necessary configurations as the configurations of the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  Further, when only the indispensable components are extracted from the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention are as follows. A face detection unit (or process) that detects a human face area and facial organ area included in the image data, and a left-right inversion process for the detected face area image data based on the detected organ area Alternatively, a data transformation (inversion process or averaging process) unit (or process) that performs a left-right averaging process is provided.

  Next, when printing the same number of photos of multiple people as the number of people in the photo and distributing it to each person, select the face area of the person to be image-processed for each print. The embodiment in which the photograph is distributed so that the person who has been subjected to the image processing on the image data of the face area and the person who receives the print result is the same as the application example of the first embodiment. The second embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, that is, the procedure of the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 also shows a corrected photographic image that is a print result based on photographic image data obtained by changing the selection of the face area of a person to be image-processed for each print and performing image processing on the image data of the face area. It is explanatory drawing shown typically.

  Also in the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention, first, face detection processing by the face detection unit 21 is performed on the image data to be processed, and the image data is included in the image data. The face area of a person is detected, and the number of face areas and the position and size of each face area are specified (step S101). In the face detection process, a rectangular area that defines the detected face area is set for each face area.

  As a result of the face detection process, it is identified whether or not a person's face area is detected (step S102). If no person's face area is detected, the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention In addition, since it is not necessary to perform image processing by the image processing method, the print data generation unit 25 converts the data format of the photographic image data to generate print image data that can be processed by the printer unit 50 (step S115). .

  On the other hand, when a human face area is detected, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention identify whether or not the number of detected face areas is plural. (Step S103).

  If the number of detected face regions is not plural, that is, only one is not the case assumed by the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention, step S106 is started. Steps up to step S115 are performed in exactly the same manner as the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above.

  On the other hand, when the number of detected face regions is plural, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention accept the number of printed sheets (step S104). The input of the number of prints is received via the switch or button 42 or the touch panel 43 of the user interface 40, for example.

  After receiving the number of printed sheets, it is determined whether or not the number of detected face areas matches the number of printed sheets (step S105).

  If the number of detected face areas and the number of printed sheets do not match, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention are not assumed, so steps S106 to S115 are performed. This is exactly the same as the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above.

  On the other hand, if the number of detected face areas and the number of printed sheets match, it is estimated that there is a high possibility that the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention are assumed. Therefore, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention in which the operation procedure of the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention is partially changed. Execute the operation procedure.

  First, application or non-application is undecided in order to sequentially determine application or non-application of image processing by the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention for each printed sheet. It is discriminated whether or not there is a remaining number of prints (step S116), and if there is a remaining number of prints that has not yet been determined to be applied or not applied, one of the unselected face areas of the detected face areas Is selected (step S117), and a selection input of a processing method for the selected face area is received (step S118). Specifically, as in the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, correction processing for the image data of the selected face area, that is, left-right inversion processing or left-right averaging processing In the case of applying or non-applying and applying correction processing, selection input regarding whether to apply left-right inversion processing or left-right averaging processing is accepted. That is, for example, by using the liquid crystal display 41 of the user interface 40, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a), 3 (b), and 3 (c), the selected face in the photographic image has a frame shape. The cursor is displayed in an overlapping manner, and the selection input is received via the switch or button 42 of the user interface 40 or the touch panel 43, for example.

  After accepting a selection input of the processing method for the currently selected face area, application or non-application of the correction processing is determined based on the selection input (step S119). If non-application is determined, step S116 is performed. Returning to, it is identified whether there is a remaining number of prints that have not yet been determined to be applied or not applied, and the subsequent steps are sequentially performed in the same manner.

  On the other hand, when the application of the correction process is determined, the image data of the rectangular area defining the currently selected face area is cut out from the original photographic image data by the data cutout unit 22 (step S120), and the processing method Based on the selection input, it is discriminated whether left / right averaging processing of left / right inversion processing and left / right averaging processing is selected (step S121). Left and right averaging processing is performed on the image data (step S122). If left and right averaging processing is not selected, left and right inversion processing is performed on the image data of the face area (step S123). Deformed image data of the face area is generated. The specific contents of the left-right reversing process and the left-right averaging process in the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention are the same as the image processing apparatus according to the above-described first embodiment of the present invention and This is the same as the left / right inversion processing and left / right averaging processing in the image processing method.

  After the left / right reversing process or the left / right averaging process is completed, a process of combining the deformed image data of the face area and the original photographic image data is performed (step S124) to generate corrected image data.

  After executing the synthesizing process, the print data generating unit 25 converts the data format of the corrected corrected image data, and generates print image data that can be processed by the printer unit 50 (step S125).

  After generating print image data for one of the printed sheets, the process returns to step S116 again, and application or non-application of image processing by the image processing apparatus and image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Is determined whether there is an undecided remaining number of prints, and if there is a remaining number of printed sheets that has not yet been determined to be applied or not applied, the subsequent steps are sequentially performed in the same manner.

  If there is no remaining number of prints for which application or non-application has yet to be determined, the operation procedure of the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention ends.

  As described above, the image processing apparatus and the image processing method according to the second embodiment of the present invention print a photograph showing a plurality of persons by the same number as the number of persons in the image. In the case of distributing to a person, the selection of the face of a person to be image-processed is changed for each printed sheet, and the image data of the face area is subjected to image processing such as left-right inversion processing or left-right averaging processing.

  Then, for example, the photographic image data subjected to the image processing on the image data of the face area of Mr. A so that the person who has been subjected to the image processing on the image data of the face area matches the person who receives the print result. The print result photograph shown in FIG. 5A is distributed to Mr. A, and the print result photograph shown in FIG. 5B based on the photograph image data obtained by performing image processing on the image data of the face area of B is B The print result photograph shown in FIG. 5C based on the photographic image data in which image processing is performed on the image data of Mr. C's face area is distributed to Mr. C.

  As a result, each person who receives the print result photo develops his / her own image in which the sense of discomfort has been eliminated or reduced in comparison with his / her face in a mirror image that he / she is accustomed to seeing in the mirror. It is possible to provide an optimal print result photograph in which a mapping of a face that matches a face that is usually familiar to which no image processing is applied is developed. That is, it is possible for each person who receives a print result photograph to provide an optimal print result photograph that is comfortable or less uncomfortable even if he / she sees himself / herself in the developed photograph.

  The functions of the components included in the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention and the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention described above are realized in a computer by software, that is, a computer program. You may be made to do. A computer program that realizes such a function is provided in a form recorded on a recording medium that can be read by a computer. The computer can realize the functions of the above-described components by executing the computer program read from the recording medium directly or indirectly by the arithmetic processing unit.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction printer including an image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the image processing method which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically a mode that the face of the detected image data is selected and displayed sequentially. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the image processing method which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a corrected photographic image that is a printing result based on photographic image data obtained by changing the selection of the face of a person to be image processed for each print and performing image processing on the image data of the face area. is there.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer multifunction machine 10 Data input device 11 Memory card reader 12 Scanner unit 13 External interface unit 20 Image processing device 21 Face detection unit 22 Data extraction unit 23 Data transformation unit 24 Data composition unit 25 Print data generation unit 30 Memory 40 User interface 41 Liquid crystal display (LCD)
42 Switch or button 43 Touch panel 50 Printer unit

Claims (8)

A face detection unit for detecting a human face area and facial organ area included in the image data;
Based on the detected organ region, an averaging processing unit that performs left-right averaging processing on the image data of the detected face region;
An image processing apparatus comprising:   The face detection unit sets a rectangular area that defines the detected face area for each face area, specifies a vertical central axis of the rectangular area for each rectangular area, and each rectangle The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area is divided into a plurality of divided rectangular areas each including left and right portions of each organ of the face.   The averaging processing unit compares position coordinates of organ parts included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas, and is included in the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas so that the position coordinates are averaged. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the left-right averaging process is performed by performing a deformation process of the image data of the organ part for each of the corresponding left and right divided rectangular areas.   When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit, the averaging process unit selectively performs the left-right averaging process on any of the image data of the plurality of face areas. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a print data generation unit that converts the data format of the image data and generates print image data that can be processed by a printer.   When a plurality of face areas are detected by the face detection unit and the number of detected face areas matches the planned number of prints, the averaging processing unit is the face area to be subjected to the left-right averaging process The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the left-right averaging process is performed by changing the image data for each scheduled print number. A face detection process for detecting a human face area and facial organ area included in the image data;
Based on the detected organ area, an averaging process step for performing a left-right averaging process on the image data of the detected face area;
An image processing method comprising: A face detection function for detecting a human face area and facial organ area included in the image data;
Based on the detected organ region, an averaging processing function for performing left-right averaging processing on the image data of the detected face region;
A computer program for realizing a computer.

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