JP2010086194A - Share image browsing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a share image browsing method and device for effectively displaying images in slide-show mode without requiring a user who browses the images to perform unnecessary operation, by recognizing the user, changing the display time or display method of the slide-show, and automatically emphasizing an object. <P>SOLUTION: The share image browsing device is provided with: an operation instruction means for giving an instruction to browse a share image to be shared and browsed by a plurality of persons; a browsing user recognition means for recognizing and determining a browsing user by acquiring identification information of the operation instruction means; a browsing image determination means for selecting an image including the browsing user and a share image which has high correlation with the browsing user information from share images; a browsing method determination means for determining the browsing method of the selected shared image; and a browsing means for displaying the share image selected by the determined browsing method. The operation instruction means instructs the browsing means to browse the share image, and the browsing means displays the selected share image by the determined browsing method. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a shared image browsing method and apparatus capable of recognizing a viewer and changing a display method and the like including a display time of a slide show according to the characteristics of each image.

  Conventionally, when displaying images by a slide show, there is generally known a method of displaying images sequentially by the same browsing method at regular intervals or by a trigger such as a viewer's instruction. For example, it is realized by a digital camera, a mobile phone, a digital photo frame, or the like. There is also a technique for adding music or fading at the time of switching display images.

  In Patent Literature 1, score information obtained by quantifying the image feature amount of an image to be played back by a still image playback device or the music feature amount of music is determined, and the image data having a high score information is displayed large for a long time. Or, it is shown that the slide show is played so as to move slowly.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that interactive viewing can be realized by reflecting an image operation performed by an arbitrary user on an image shared by a plurality of users on an image viewed by another user in real time.

JP 2005-240221 A WO2005 / 095933

However, when the slide show is automatically switched at regular intervals, even if there is an image that the viewer wants to see slowly, it is necessary to stop the slide show by himself and when the viewer gives a trigger, Every time it was switched, the viewer had to operate.
In addition, in the still image reproduction device described in Patent Document 1, the display time, display method, and the like can be changed depending on the image feature amount, but the slideshow display time, display method, and the like are changed by the viewer. In addition, it is not possible to display for a long time when displaying a photograph showing a viewer or a close friend of the viewer.
In the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 2, it is possible to reflect an image operation on an image shared by a plurality of users in real time on an image of another user, but a certain viewer (user) appreciates for a long time. Even if there is an image to be displayed, the screen is operated by another viewer (user), and it is not always possible to perform an effective display for the viewer.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, recognize a viewer when a slide show is performed, change the display time, display method, etc. of the slide show, It is an object of the present invention to provide a shared image browsing method and apparatus for automatically performing display such as emphasis without effectively performing a wasteful operation by a viewer.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention acquires identification information of an operation instruction unit that instructs the browsing unit that displays at least one of the shared images that can be shared by a plurality of people to browse the shared image. A step of determining a viewer who operates the operation instruction means based on the identification information; and a share image including the viewer and a viewer registered in advance from among pre-stored share images Selecting at least one share image of the share image highly correlated with the browsed user information, determining a viewing method of the selected one or more share images, and selecting the selected by the determined viewing method A shared image browsing method comprising: displaying one or more shared images.

Here, the browsing method is preferably determined based on the number of viewers.
Further, the browsing method is determined based on the subject information obtained by analyzing the selected one or more share images, obtaining subject information of the subject shown in the selected one or more share images. It is preferable.
The browsing method is preferably determined based on the number of subjects acquired from the subject information.

Further, in the browsing method, at least one of a face of the viewer and a face of a person highly correlated with the viewer information is processed, and at least one of zoom in and zoom out is processed. preferable.
Moreover, it is preferable that the browsing method causes one or more subjects among the viewer and the person highly correlated with the viewer information to perform one or more processes of feature and zoom-in or zoom-out.
In the browsing method, it is preferable that a display time of the selected one or more share images is changed.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention obtains operation instruction means for instructing browsing of a shared image that can be shared by a plurality of people, and identification information of the operation instruction means. Based on a viewer recognition means for recognizing and determining a viewer who operates the operation instruction means, a share image including the viewer from among pre-stored share images, and the viewer registered in advance The browsing image determination means for selecting one or more share images among the share images highly correlated with the browsed user information, the browsing method determination means for determining the browsing method for the one or more selected shared images, and the determination Browsing means for displaying the selected one or more share images by the browsing method, and the operation instruction means instructs the browsing means to browse the share images, so that the operation finger Said browsing means indicated by means by browsing method the determined, providing a share of the image browsing apparatus and displaying one or more share image said selected.

  According to the present invention, a slide show that is most effective for a viewer can be obtained by changing a viewing method, a viewing time, and the like for each viewer for each shared image that is shared so that the viewer can view it. The viewer can browse without performing a useless operation.

  A share image browsing apparatus of the present invention that realizes a method according to the present invention will be described in detail below based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a device configuration of a share image browsing device of the present invention.
The shared image browsing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an operation instruction unit 12, a viewer storage unit 14, a viewer recognition unit 16, an image storage unit 18, a friend information storage unit 20, a browsing image determination unit 22, and a browsing method determination unit. 24 and browsing means 26.

The operation instruction means 12 is used by the viewer to instruct operation such as start and end of the slide show. A viewer who is an operator uses the operation instruction unit 12 to start and end the slide show.
As the operation instruction means 12, for example, a remote controller using infrared communication, a known means such as a PC mouse, keyboard, touch pen, or the like can be used.

  The operation instruction means 12 has unique identification information. The identification information is identification information such as an ID stored in the operation instruction unit 12 in advance. The viewer instructs the viewer recognition means 16 to start and end the slide show by operating his / her operation instruction means 12. The transmission of the identification information may be performed by transmitting the identification information from the operation instruction unit 12, or the operation movement of the operation instruction unit 12 is stored in advance as an operation pattern for each viewer. The viewer can also be identified by the movement of the operation pattern.

The browser storage unit 14 is a database that stores information about a viewer who operates the operation instruction unit 12.
In the browser storage means 14, the browser ID and face image are registered in advance as recognition information for recognizing the viewer. These pieces of information can be added and updated as necessary. The recognition information is used not only for specifying the viewer in the browser recognition means 16 but also for processing in the browsing image determination means 22 and the browsing method determination means 24 described later as the viewer information.

An example of the recognition information stored in the browser storage unit 14 is shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, as the recognition information, a viewer ID, a viewer's face image, and an image preference keyword are used. Such recognition information is registered in advance for each viewer and stored in the viewer storage means 14.
The browser ID is an ID unique to the operation instruction means 12 of each browser. When the recognition information is registered, the identification information of the operation instruction means 12 and the friend information storage means to be described later are stored in the viewer storage means 14. 20 is automatically set as viewer information in association with the friend information stored in 20.

The face image is a face image of a browser having the operation instruction means 12. The face image is selected when the browsing image determination unit 22 selects an image to be browsed from the images stored in advance in the image storage unit 18 or when the browsing method determination unit 24 determines the browsing method of each image to be browsed. Used. The selection of the browsing image and the determination of the browsing method will be described in detail later.
A plurality of face images may be registered for each viewer. When a plurality of face images are stored, a priority order is set for each face image. The criteria for setting the priority order of face images include those with the face facing forward, those with a new shooting date and time, those whose shooting date and time approximate the shooting date and time of the image to be compared, and the size of the face. Examples include those having a predetermined threshold value or more and those having an image quality of a certain level or higher. The priority order may be set so as to increase the priority order of images that can be compared more accurately.

  As the image preference keyword, a keyword for a favorite image of the viewer is registered. For example, the keyword may be registered as “flower” if the viewer likes flowers, and “car” if the viewer likes cars. Further, as keywords, not only the names of objects but also colors such as “red” and “blue” or landscapes such as “night view” may be set.

The browser recognition unit 16 recognizes the viewer based on the identification information of the operation instruction unit 12 and the recognition information of the browser storage unit 14.
When a request for starting a slide show is made by the operation instruction unit 12, the viewer recognition unit 16 receives the identification received from the operation instruction unit 12 from the recognition information of each viewer stored in the browser storage unit 14. Acquire recognition information corresponding to the information.
Further, the viewer recognition unit 16 transmits the acquired recognition information to the browsing image determination unit 22 as part of the viewer information. Note that the viewer information includes recognition information and friend information described later.

  The image storage unit 18 stores an image group to be displayed in a slide show. Each of the images stored in the image storage unit 18 has shooting information such as shooting date and time.

The friend information storage means 20 is a database for storing the friend information of the viewer used when selecting images to be displayed as a slide show by the shared image browsing device 10.
In the friend information storage means 20, a friend ID of a friend, a face image as a representative image, and the like are registered in advance as friend information. These pieces of information can be added and updated as necessary.

An example of the friend information stored in the friend information storage means 20 is shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, a friend ID, representative image, distribution destination information, friend level, gender, layout preference, and image preference keyword are registered and stored as friend information.
The friend ID is an ID unique to the friend of the viewer, and is automatically set in the friend information storage means 20 when registering the friend information. The friend information is a part of the viewer information and the viewer. Associated with the recognition information.

The representative image is a face image of a browser friend. The representative image is used when the browsing image determination means 22 specifies who the subject person of the image is. That is, the browsing image determination means 22 determines whether or not those face images belong to the same person by comparing the face image in the image with the representative image stored as the friend information. The determination may be performed by a known face recognition process.
A plurality of representative images may be registered for one friend. When a plurality of representative images are stored, a priority order is set for each representative image. The criteria for setting the priority order of representative images include those with the face facing forward, those with a new shooting date and time, those with a shooting date and time that approximates the shooting date and time of the image to be compared, and the size of the face. Examples include those having a predetermined threshold value or more and those having an image quality of a certain level or higher. The priority order may be set so as to increase the priority order of images that can be compared more accurately.
The representative image is updated as needed.

  The distribution destination information is transmission destination information in the case where a slide show is distributed to a friend of a viewer via the Internet. In this embodiment, as an example, an e-mail address is registered as distribution destination information.

The friend level is set according to the relationship between the viewer and the friend.
The friend level is based on, for example, the distance between the viewer and the friend in the image, the number of images in which the viewer and the friend are together in the same image, and the like. If the distance is close, or if the number of images taken together is large, the value is set high. Also, when the distance between the two is long, or when the number of images taken together is small, the friend level is set low.
The friend level may be set not only between the viewer and the friend but also between the friends.

The gender registers the gender of the sharing partner of the shared image shared so that it can be viewed by a plurality of people.
The layout preference information is favorite layout information in a friend slide show browsing method. By determining the slide show viewing method using the layout preference information, when a slide show is delivered to a friend, the slide show that matches the friend's preference can be delivered. For example, a friend's favorite frame can be superimposed on the shared image and displayed.
As the image preference keyword, a keyword related to a friend's favorite image is registered. For example, the keyword may be registered as “flower” if the friend likes flowers, and “car” if the friend likes cars. Further, as keywords, not only the names of objects but also colors such as “red” and “blue” or landscapes such as “night view” may be set.

The browsing image determination unit 22 is stored in the image storage unit 18 based on the browsing information, that is, the recognition information received from the browsing unit recognition unit 16 and the friend information stored in the friend information storage unit 20. The image to be browsed is selected and determined from the group of images being displayed.
The image is selected by extracting all images related to the viewer from the image group stored in the image storage unit 18. Related images include, for example, an image showing a viewer, an image showing a friend registered in friend information, an image related to an image showing a viewer or a friend, a viewer or a friend Images according to the taste of the user.

First, selection of an image showing a viewer or a friend will be described.
The browse image determination unit 22 performs face extraction processing on the image group stored in the image storage unit 18 and determines that the image from which the face has been extracted is an image in which a person is captured as a subject.
Then, the face area of the image in which it is determined that the person is captured, the face image of the viewer included in the viewer information received from the viewer recognition means 16, or the friend included in the friend information Compare the face image. The comparison of face images may be performed by a known face recognition process. When both are faces of the same person, the image is determined to be a photograph of a viewer or a friend, and is selected as an image group used for the slide show.

Next, selection of an image related to an image showing a viewer or a friend and an image according to the preference of the viewer or a friend will be described.
In the browsing image determination means 22, the favorite keyword of the image of the viewer or friend included in the recognition information or the friend information that is part of the browsing information received from the browsing recognition means 16, and the image storage means 18, the image related to the viewer or friend and the preference of the viewer or friend among the images whose faces are not extracted by the browse image determination means 22 based on the shooting information of each image stored in 18. The corresponding images are extracted and selected as an image group to be used for the slide show.

The browsing method determination unit 24 automatically determines what browsing method is used in the slide show for each image for the image selected by the browsing image determination unit 22.
For example, when the viewer is alone, among the images selected by the browse image determination means 22, an image of the viewer can be displayed with the viewer's face being featured.
When there are a plurality of viewers, the face of the viewer can be featured and displayed for the shared image in which even one viewer is shown. In addition, for shared images in which multiple viewers are shown, the viewer's face is featured and displayed one by one in order, and then the entire shared image is displayed, or multiple viewers' faces are displayed simultaneously. It can be displayed as a feature, or the display time can be extended according to the number of viewers in the image.
For a shared image that is a viewer or a friend and the subject is alone, the subject can be zoomed in or out and displayed.

The browsing means 26 displays a slide show. Moreover, the browsing means 26 may perform various displays according to instructions from the browsing image determination means 22 and other means.
One browsing means 26 may be installed for one share image browsing apparatus 10, or a plurality of browsing means 26 may be provided.

Next, a specific operation of the shared image browsing apparatus of the present invention that realizes the shared image browsing method of the present invention will be described.
First, in the operation instruction means 12, the identification information of the viewer is acquired. Based on the identification information, the browser recognition unit 16 determines whether the viewer is a single user or a plurality of viewers, and from the recognition information of each browser stored in the browser storage unit 14, from the operation instruction unit 12. Recognition information corresponding to the received identification information is acquired and transmitted to the browsing image determination means 22 as part of the viewer information.

The browsing image determination unit 22 is stored in the image storage unit 18 based on the browsing information, that is, the recognition information received from the browsing unit recognition unit 16 and the friend information stored in the friend information storage unit 20. The image to be browsed is selected and determined from the group of images being displayed.
The subject information used for image selection, such as face image recognition processing, and the image that is selected and determined to be displayed as a slide show are transmitted to the viewing method determination means 24.

  The browsing method determining unit 24 determines the order in which the images received from the browsing image determining unit 22 are weighted based on subject information, shooting information, and the like. For example, the images may be displayed in order of shooting date and time, or the image in which the viewer is photographed may be displayed with priority based on the subject information.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example of the browsing method determination by the browsing method determination means 24. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which only a shared image that is shared so as to be browsed by a plurality of people is used as an image to be browsed.
First, in step S100, it is determined whether the viewer is alone.
If the viewer is alone, it is determined in step S102 whether the subject of the shared image is a viewer. If it is a viewer, it is determined as a browsing method for featuring the viewer's face (step S104).

If the subject of the shared image is not a viewer, it is determined in step S116 whether the subject's friend is included in the subject.
If the subject's friend is included in the subject, it is determined in step S118 whether the friend is alone.
When the friend is alone, it is determined as a browsing method for featuring the friend's face (step S120). If the friend is not alone, that is, there are a plurality of friends, the browsing method is determined to feature the faces of the friends one by one (step S122).
If it is determined in step S116 that the subject does not include a friend, it is determined in step S124 whether the subject is a person.
If the subject is a person, the viewing method is determined to zoom in or out on the subject (step S126). If the subject is not a person, that is, if it is an animal or a plant, or if it is a favorite shared image such as a landscape photograph, it is decided to browse as it is (step S128).

If the number of viewers is not single in step S100, that is, if there are a plurality of viewers, it is next determined in step S108 whether or not some of the viewers are included in the subject.
If the subject includes some of a plurality of viewers, it is determined in step S110 whether the viewer is included in the subject.
When the viewer included in the subject is alone, the viewer is determined as a browsing method that features the viewer's face (step S112).
In step S110, when there are a plurality of viewers included in the subject, a browsing method for featuring the viewers' faces one by one is determined (step S114).

In step S108, if the subject does not include any of the plurality of viewers, the browsing method is determined by the steps after step S116 described above, as in the case where it is determined in step S102 that the subject is not a viewer. Is done.
In addition, you may provide the criteria (weighting) different from a present Example, and you may change the browsing method suitably. In addition, when the viewer is alone, not only the shared image but also a private image that is not shared by a plurality of people may be included.
The image is transmitted to the browsing means 26 according to the browsing method determined by the browsing method determining means 24.

  The browsing means 26 displays the image received from the browsing method determining means 24 according to the browsing method determined by the browsing method determining means 24.

  As described above, according to the shared image browsing apparatus of the present invention, the images to be browsed in the slide show are automatically determined according to the viewer, and the browsing method in the slide show is also automatically determined. As a result, regardless of whether there is a single viewer or a plurality of viewers, it is possible to automatically perform a slide show in which images are weighted and the browsing method, browsing time, etc. are most effective for the viewer. it can.

  As described above, the share image browsing method and the share image browsing apparatus of the present invention have been described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Changes may be made.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of an apparatus structure of the share image browsing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of recognition information. It is a figure which shows an example of friend information. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the browsing method determination means of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Share image browsing apparatus 12 Operation instruction | indication means 14 Viewer memory | storage means 16 Viewer recognition means 18 Image storage means 20 Friend information storage means 22 Browse image determination means 24 Browse method determination means 26 Browse means

Claims (8)

Obtaining identification information of an operation instruction means for instructing browsing of the shared image to a browsing means for displaying at least one of the shared images that can be shared by a plurality of people;
Determining a viewer who operates the operation instruction means based on the identification information;
Selecting one or more share images of a share image that is highly correlated with the share image that includes the viewer and the viewer information that is registered in advance by the viewer from among pre-stored share images;
Determining a method of browsing the selected one or more share images;
And displaying the selected one or more share images according to the determined browsing method.   The shared image browsing method according to claim 1, wherein the browsing method is determined based on the number of viewers.   The browsing method is determined based on the subject information obtained by subjecting the selected one or more shared images to image analysis, obtaining subject information of a subject shown in the selected one or more shared images. Item 3. The shared image browsing method according to item 1 or 2.   The shared image browsing method according to claim 3, wherein the browsing method is determined based on the number of subjects acquired from the subject information.   The browsing method is to perform at least one of a feature and a zoom-in or zoom-out process on one or more faces of the viewer's face or a person's face highly correlated with the viewer information. Item 5. The shared image browsing method according to any one of Items 1 to 4.   5. The browsing method is to cause one or more subjects among the viewer and the person highly correlated with the viewer information to perform at least one of a feature and zoom in or zoom out. The shared image browsing method described in any of the above.   The shared image browsing method according to claim 1, wherein the browsing method is to change a display time of the one or more selected shared images. An operation instruction means for instructing browsing of a shared image shared by a plurality of people for viewing;
Obtaining the identification information of the operation instruction means, based on the identification information, a browser recognition means for recognizing and determining a viewer who operates the operation instruction means;
Browse image determination means for selecting one or more share images from among share images stored in advance, a share image including the viewer, and a share image highly correlated with the viewer information registered in advance by the viewer When,
A browsing method determination means for determining a browsing method of the selected one or more share images;
Browsing means for displaying the selected one or more share images by the determined browsing method;
When the operation instructing unit instructs the browsing unit to browse the share image, the browsing unit instructed by the operation instructing unit has the one or more selected shares by the determined browsing method. A shared image browsing apparatus characterized by displaying an image.

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