JP2011039784A - Device and method for controlling display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a part of a face in an image from being cut off and displayed during the execution of slide show. <P>SOLUTION: A display control device includes a control means for controlling side show so that when executing the slide show for automatically and successively reproducing images, a segmentation determining area in an image is decided, whether the segmentation determining area may be included in a preset first condition is determined, and when the area is included, the segmentation determination area may be decided in the first condition, but when the area is not included, image segmentation processing may be performed according to a second condition or a third condition to prevent good appearance from being lost due to lack of an object and distortion of a segmented shape during the execution of the slide show. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control device and a display control method.

  In recent years, a small electronic device such as a digital camera is also equipped with a face detection function, which is used to detect a face and focus when shooting. In addition, as a function for effectively using the face detection function in a playback mode for playing back captured images, there is a slide show in which images are automatically played back sequentially.

  Specifically, when a slide show is executed, if a face is detected in an image to be displayed, the face may be used as a close-up and displayed on the screen. At that time, depending on the position and size of the face relative to the image, the face may not be displayed in the center or a part of the face may be cut off.

  In particular, when the face periphery is cut out and displayed, if the face is at the edge, the cut out shape may be missing, the cut out shape may not be symmetrical or distorted, It is not preferable in appearance. Therefore, in the case where the cutout shape is chipped, the cutout area is moved inward so that the cutout shape is not chipped. As a result, a part of the face may be cut out and cut out. there were.

  As a technique for solving such a problem, for example, in Patent Document 1, when an enlarged image is displayed around an arbitrary point of an image, the enlarged region is not included outside the display region. In addition, it is proposed that correction is made so as to be closer to the inside of the display area.

Japanese Patent No. 2557720

However, in the image display device described in Patent Document 1 described above, a part of the face is cut off due to correction so as to be brought closer to the inside of the display area, and the face in the image cannot be displayed beautifully. There was a problem that happened.
In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to prevent a part of a face in an image from being cut and displayed when a slide show is executed.

  The display control apparatus according to the present invention determines a cutout determination area in an image when executing a slide show for automatically reproducing images sequentially, and whether the cutout determination area falls within a preset first condition. If it does not fit, the cutout determination area is determined under the first condition, and if it does not fit, the image cutout process is controlled according to the second condition or the third condition. It has the control means to do.

  According to the present invention, when a slide show is performed in which a part of an image is cut out based on the subject and automatically reproduced in sequence, the subject is missing or the cutout shape becomes distorted, which deteriorates the appearance. Can be prevented.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the display control apparatus of this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the display control apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the image cut-out process which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the image and cutout area which concern on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the display control apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the image cut-out process which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a display control device and a display control method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, a case where the apparatus and method according to the present invention are applied to a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) will be described as an example.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a PC 100 as an example of a display control apparatus in which the present invention can be implemented.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a hard disk (HD) 102, a memory 103, a display 104, an input unit 105, a recording medium drive 106, a network interface (I / F) connected by an internal bus 111. 107 and the like.

  The CPU 101 is an arithmetic processing device that controls the operation of the display control device, receives instructions from the user via the input unit 105 and the like, executes various programs described later, and performs display control of the display 104. The HD 102 stores images and operation processing procedures of the CPU 101 (for example, a program such as computer startup processing, basic input / output processing, and each processing of the present invention described later). The memory 103 is used as a work area for the CPU 101.

  The display 104 is a display unit for displaying the graphic user interface in the present embodiment, and a thumbnail image to be described later is displayed on the display unit. The input unit 105 is an input unit for receiving an instruction from the user, and is an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse as a pointing device, or a touch panel. By using the input unit 105, the user can execute the image reproduction program. The recording medium drive 106 is a device that reads data stored in an external recording medium 108 such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or flash memory, and writes data to the external recording medium 108.

The CPU 101 performs face detection processing for checking whether or not a face is included in the read image. The face detection function will be described below.
The CPU 101 sends image data to be detected to the face to the image processing unit 20. The image processing unit 20 applies a horizontal band-pass filter to the image data under the control of the CPU 101. Further, under the control of the CPU 101, the image processing unit 20 applies a vertical band-pass filter to the processed image data. By these horizontal and vertical band pass filters, edge components are detected from the image data.

  After that, the CPU 101 performs pattern matching on the detected edge component, and extracts a candidate group of eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Then, from the extracted eye candidate group, those satisfying a preset condition (for example, distance between two eyes, inclination, etc.) are determined as eye pairs, and only eyes having eye pairs are identified. Narrow down as a candidate group. Then, the CPU 101 associates the narrowed eye candidate group with other parts (nose, mouth, ears) that form the corresponding face, and passes the preset non-face condition filter so that the face is identified. To detect. The CPU 101 outputs face information according to the face detection result, and ends the process. At this time, feature quantities such as the number of faces are stored in the memory 103.

  As described above, it is possible to detect subject information by analyzing the image data reproduced and displayed and extracting the feature amount of the image data. In this embodiment, face information is taken as an example of subject information. However, subject information includes various information such as red-eye determination, eye detection, eye-brow detection, and smile detection. The image analysis described above is performed using the image processing unit 20, but similar processing can be performed according to a program without using dedicated hardware.

(First embodiment)
The operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed at the time of executing a slide show in which images recorded on the external recording medium 108 are automatically reproduced in sequence on the display 104 via the recording medium drive 106. First, when the slide show function is executed, an initial display image to be displayed first is set in S201.

  For example, the oldest image recorded in the external recording medium 108 is set as an initial display image to be displayed first, or an image that has been viewed before the slide show function is set. Next, in S202, the initial display image set in S201 is read from the recording medium drive 106 into the memory 103. Next, in S203, an image cutout process for cutting out an area to be displayed on the display 104 is executed on the image read in S202.

  Next, in S204, the area cut out in S203 is displayed on the display 104. Next, in S205, it is determined whether the image displayed in S204 is the last image to be reproduced in the slide show. This determination is performed based on whether a preset image switching interval elapses or whether an instruction to switch to the next image is received from the user via the input unit 105. As a result of the determination in S205, if it is not the last image, the process proceeds to S206, and if it is the last image, the process proceeds to S207 to end the slide show. In S206, an image to be displayed next is set as a display image. Thereafter, the process returns to S202, and image reading and display are repeated.

Here, the image cutout process executed in S203 described above will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image cut-out process. In S301, with respect to the image data read into the memory 103 in S202, the presence / absence of a specific subject in the read image, the segmentation determination area and the position of the specific subject are compared, and the position of the specific subject is determined. Subject detection is performed. Specifically, the face detection process is executed to determine whether a face exists in the image. As a result of this determination, if a face exists, the process proceeds to S302, and if no face exists, the process proceeds to S312. In S302, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of faces detected in S301. As a result of the determination, if there are a plurality of faces, the process proceeds to S303, and if there are not a plurality of faces, the process proceeds to S304.

  In S303, priorities are set for a plurality of faces existing in the image. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S304. In S304, a face to be cut out is set as a cutout reference according to the priority set in S303. Next, in S305, a cutout area is calculated. For example, when an image is cut out with the size of the detected face, there is a case in which only the face portion is seen and the actual image is not known. Therefore, by determining an area that is a fixed multiple of the detected face area as a cut-out area, information about the face periphery can be seen, and it is easy to understand what kind of image it is.

  In FIG. 4A, a frame 401 indicates a detected face area, and a frame 402 indicates an area having a size obtained by multiplying the frame 401 by a certain number. The area calculated in S305 is this frame 402. A frame 403 indicates a range of the entire image read in S202 (an area of the image itself). Next, in S306, it is determined whether or not the cutout area calculated in S305 protrudes from the area of the image itself. If the result of this determination is that it is protruding, the process proceeds to S307, and if it is not protruding, the cutout area is determined and the process proceeds to S313.

  In S307, the cutout area that has protruded is corrected by the calculation of the cutout area performed in S305. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the cutout area calculated in S305 protrudes from the image area, like a frame 402 when the face is at the edge of the image. In such a case, region correction is performed to move the cutout region to the inside of the image as in the frame 404. Here, as a correction method, there is a method of reducing the cutout area so that it fits in the image area, but to determine the cutout area so that information around the face can be seen, move to the inside of the image. An area correction method is useful.

  Next, in S308, it is determined whether or not the face protrudes from the cutout area corrected in S307. If the face protrudes, the process proceeds to S309. If the face does not protrude, the cutout area is determined and the process proceeds to S313. For example, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the shape to be cut out is a circle, a part of the face protrudes from the frame 405 that is a cut-out area, and a part of the face is missing at the time of display. In such a case, it is determined whether there is a face with the next priority in S309. As a result of the determination, if it exists, the process proceeds to S310, and if not, the process proceeds to S311. Note that the frame 405 in FIG. 4C is corrected within the region of the image itself because the cut-out determination region having a size multiplied by a certain number of the detected face region protrudes from the region of the image itself. The circle is inscribed in the frame 404 (the same as the frame 404 in FIG. 4B).

  In S310, the face with the next priority is set as the face to be cut out, and then the processing from S305 is repeated, so that display in a state where a part of the face is cut can be avoided. If there is no face of the next priority as a result of the determination in S309, the central part of the image is determined as a cutout area in S311 so that a part of the face is cut off. To avoid. In the first place, when no face is included in the image, it is determined in S301 that no face has been detected, and the process proceeds to S312 and the central portion of the image is determined as a cutout region.

  After the process of S311 or S312, the process proceeds to S313. In S313, an image is actually cut out in the cutout area determined by the process in S311 or S312. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S314 to complete the image cutout process, and the area cut out in S204 of FIG. 2 is displayed.

  Here, when determining whether or not the face protrudes from the cutout region in S308, if the cutout shape is circular as shown in FIG. 4C, the following determination criteria may be provided. That is, as shown in FIG. 4D, an area obtained by multiplying a frame 404 of the cutout determination area corrected in S307 by a certain ratio is set as a cutout valid determination area 406. Whether or not the face protrudes from the cutout area is determined based on whether or not the detected center point 407 of the face is in the cutout validity determination area 406. In the example of FIG. 4C, since the detected face center point 407 is included in the cutout validity determination area 406, the frame 404 for the cutout determination area is valid, and the frame 404 for the cutout determination area is displayed. An inscribed circle is cut out. On the other hand, if the detected center point 407 of the face is not within the cutout valid determination area 406, the process proceeds to S309 to determine whether there is a face with the next priority.

  Note that the area to be cut out is not limited to a face, and other subjects may be used as a reference. In addition, the reference of the area to be cut out is a face detected by performing face detection processing. However, if face information is recorded in advance as image attribute information, face detection processing is not performed as the reference of the area to be cut out. Also good.

(Second Embodiment)
In the case of the first embodiment, if a face is detected in the image, the cutout area is determined based on the face. Therefore, even if the focus is intentionally set to something other than the face at the time of shooting, the face is Since it was reflected, the inconvenience that the periphery of the face is cut out and displayed occurs. In the present embodiment, in order to prevent such an inconvenience, processing as described below is added to a part of the flowchart of FIG. 2 as shown in FIG.

  If the initial display image to be displayed first is set in step S201, then the face image AF, in which the display image is read in step S501, and the image read in step S502 is focused on the face detected at the time of shooting. Determine if the function was taken. If the result of this determination is that the image was shot with the face AF function, the process proceeds to S503, otherwise the process proceeds to S504. In step S503, the reference frame used as a reference in the cutout process in step S505 is set as a face. In S504, the reference frame is set to the AF frame (focus frame). When these settings are completed, the process proceeds to S505 to execute image cutout processing.

  The image cutout process here is as shown in S601 to S614 of the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, in the image cutout process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the cutout area is determined based on the reference frame set in S503 and S504, which is determined based on the face. By processing in this way, when performing a slideshow of images that are shot to focus on other than the face at the time of shooting, it is prevented from being cut out based on the unintentionally moved face Can do.

  Regardless of the embodiment described above, control can be performed according to various conditions. For example, the first condition is that a part of the face is not cut when an area based on the face in the image is cut out and displayed. The second condition is to determine the cutout determination area based on another subject or to determine the cutout determination area based on the center of the image. As the third condition, it can be considered to determine the cutout determination area with reference to the focus frame for detecting the focus state.

The control of the CPU 101 may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or the entire apparatus may be controlled by a plurality of pieces of hardware sharing the processing.
In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a personal computer has been described as an example. However, this is not limited to this example. That is, the present invention may be applied to an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera. That is, the present invention is also applicable when a captured image stored in a storage medium such as a memory card that can be read by a digital camera is displayed on a display such as a rear liquid crystal device of the digital camera. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to any device capable of displaying an image, such as a mobile phone terminal, a portable image viewer, a display for selecting and confirming a print image provided in a printer device, and a digital photo frame. .

In addition, a storage medium in which a program code of software that embodies each function of each of the above-described embodiments may be provided to the system or apparatus. The functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying such a program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, a magnetic tape, or the like can be used.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments by executing program code read by a computer. For example, when the OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Can also be included.

Furthermore, the program code read from the computer-readable storage medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Can also be included.
Moreover, each embodiment mentioned above only shows one Embodiment of this invention, It is also possible to combine each embodiment suitably.

Claims (11)

  When executing a slide show that automatically reproduces images sequentially, a cutout determination area is determined in the image, and it is determined whether or not the cutout determination area falls within a preset first condition. A control unit that controls the cutout determination area to be determined according to the first condition if the cutout area is determined; and to perform the image cutout process according to the second condition or the third condition if the cutout area does not fall within the first condition. A display control device.   The first condition is that a part of the face is not cut out when the region based on the face in the image is cut out and displayed, and the second condition is cut out based on another subject. Determining a determination region or determining a cut-out determination region based on the center of the image, and the third condition is that the cut-out determination region is determined based on a focus frame for detecting a focus state. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display control device is determined. Reading means to read the image,
Subject detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a specific subject in the image read by the reading means and the position of the specific subject;
Area determining means for determining a cutout determination area based on a specific subject in the image detected by the subject detecting means;
An area correction unit that corrects the cut-out determination area determined by the area determination unit to be included in the image when the area is not included in the image;
Control means for comparing the cutout determination area corrected by the area correction means with the position of a specific subject and determining whether or not the corrected cutout determination area is set as a cutout area based on the comparison result And a display control device.   4. The area determination unit compares the corrected cutout determination area with the position of the specific subject, and as a result, determines the cutout determination area based on another subject. The display control apparatus according to 1.   The area determination unit compares the corrected cutout determination area with the position of the specific subject, and as a result, determines the cutout determination area based on the center of the image. The display control apparatus according to 1.   The area determination unit cuts out a focus frame for detecting a focus state as a reference without executing the processing of the subject detection unit, when the shooting setting included in the attribute information satisfies a specific condition. The display control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a determination area is determined.   When executing a slide show that automatically reproduces images sequentially, a cutout determination area is determined in the image, and it is determined whether or not the cutout determination area falls within a preset first condition. A cut-out determination area is determined based on the first condition if it is present, and a control step is performed to control the image cut-out process according to the second condition or the third condition if it is not within the first condition. Display control method. A loading process for loading images,
A subject detection step for detecting the presence or absence of a specific subject in the image read in the reading step, and a position of the specific subject;
An area determination step for determining a cutout determination area based on a specific subject in the image detected in the subject detection step;
An area correction step for correcting the area to be included in the image when the area for cutout determination determined in the area determination step does not fit in the image;
A control step of comparing the cutout determination region corrected in the region correction step with the position of a specific subject and determining whether the corrected cutout determination region is set as a cutout region based on the comparison result A display control method comprising:   When executing a slide show that automatically reproduces images sequentially, a cutout determination area is determined in the image, and it is determined whether or not the cutout determination area falls within a preset first condition. If there is, the computer determines a cutout determination area under the first condition, and if not, causes the computer to execute a control process for controlling to perform the image cutout process according to the second condition or the third condition. A program characterized by that. A loading process for loading images,
A subject detection step for detecting the presence or absence of a specific subject in the image read in the reading step, and a position of the specific subject;
An area determination step for determining a cutout determination area based on a specific subject in the image detected in the subject detection step;
An area correction step for correcting the area to be included in the image when the area for cutout determination determined in the area determination step does not fit in the image;
A control step of comparing the cutout determination region corrected in the region correction step with the position of a specific subject and determining whether the corrected cutout determination region is set as a cutout region based on the comparison result A program characterized by causing a computer to execute.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 9 or 10 is recorded.

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