JP2017169131A - Image processing apparatus and image processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable extracting image data in which image data of a particular person is included.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus comprises a receiving unit that receives a first image imaged by an imaging device, identification information of a first person, and storage destination information indicating storage destination of the first image, a judgement unit that judges whether image data of the first person is included in the first image or not based on the image of the first person stored in a storage unit being associated with the identification information, and a storage processing unit that stores the first image in the storage destination indicated by the storage destination information if the image data of the first person is included in the first image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method.

  In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras, camera-equipped mobile phones, and the like, users can easily record various events of their daily lives as image data. In addition, a service called a life log is also used that collects such image data and the like recorded in daily life as a personal activity record so that the past activity of the individual can be tracked.

  Even if the person himself / herself has a camera or the like, there are few opportunities for photographing the person's own image data, and it is often difficult to photograph the user's own figure. Therefore, in many cases, image data of the person recorded by another person such as a friend or an acquaintance is obtained.

  For example, a method has been proposed in which a user (self) obtains an image of the person himself / herself taken by another person's photographing apparatus such as a photographing apparatus carried by another person such as a friend or acquaintance or a street surveillance camera (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-114579 A

  However, in the above-described prior art, it is not confirmed whether or not the person is actually shown, and therefore an image unnecessary for the person may be obtained.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that image data including a specific person can be extracted.

  In order to solve the above problem, the image processing apparatus receives the first image captured by the imaging apparatus, the identification information of the first person, and the storage destination information indicating the storage destination of the first image. And determining whether or not the first person is included in the first image based on an image of the first person stored in the storage unit in association with the identification information And a storage processing unit that stores the first image in a storage destination indicated by the storage destination information when the first person is included in the first image.

  Image data including a specific person can be extracted.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the image collection system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the image management apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structural example of the image management apparatus and reference image management apparatus in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure of reference image registration processing. It is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure at the time of shooting of user A.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, the image collection system 1 includes a camera 30a and a camera 30b, a display terminal 40a and a display terminal 40b, an image management apparatus 10a and an image management apparatus 10b, a reference image management apparatus 20, and the like.

  The camera 30a is a wearable digital camera (photographing device) that is worn on the head, shoulder, etc. of the user A, and performs image capturing from the viewpoint of the user A to generate still image data. The camera 30a transmits the generated image data to the image management apparatus 10a corresponding to the user A. The display terminal 40a is a terminal used for displaying image data generated by the camera 30a. For example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a PC (Personal Computer), or the like may be used as the display terminal 40a. The camera 30a and the display terminal 40a can communicate with each other by, for example, near field communication. The camera 30a and the image management apparatus 10a can communicate via a network including a wireless section.

  Note that the camera 30a is not necessarily wearable. Further, the camera 30a and the display terminal 40a may be configured integrally.

  The image management apparatus 10a is one or more computers that store and disclose user A's image data. For example, the image management apparatus 10a may be an apparatus (system) that provides a life log service.

  On the other hand, the camera 30b, the display terminal 40b, and the image management apparatus 10b have the same functions as the camera 30a, the display terminal 40a, and the image management apparatus 10a except for the point corresponding to the user B. Note that the suffix “a” or “b” is omitted when the cameras 30a and 30b, the display terminal 40a and the display terminal 40b, and the image management apparatus 10a and the image management apparatus 10b are not distinguished from each other.

  The reference image management apparatus 20 is one or more computers that manage the face images of each user. The face image means, for example, image data obtained by photographing the front face. As long as the image includes a face, an image including a part other than the face (for example, the whole body) may be used as the face image. Each image management apparatus 10 can communicate with the reference image management apparatus 20 via a network. Hereinafter, the face image managed by the reference image management apparatus 20 is referred to as a “reference image”.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, an image Ga including the user A as a subject is captured by the camera 30b of the user B. The camera 30b transmits the image Ga to the image management device 10b. The image management apparatus 10b determines whether or not the user A is included in the image Ga based on the reference image of the user A registered in the reference image management apparatus 20 in advance. If the user A is included in the image Ga, the image management apparatus 10b executes image processing for reducing (blurring) the sharpness of a person range different from the user A in the image Ga. For example, a mosaic process may be executed. As a result, the image Ga is processed as shown in the image Ga ′. Thereafter, the image management apparatus 10b transfers the image Ga ′ to the image management apparatus 10a. As a result, the user A can obtain the image Ga ′ taken by himself / herself. Further, in the image Ga ′, persons other than the user A are unclear, so that personal information, privacy, and the like of persons other than the user A can be protected.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the image management apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image management apparatus 10 in FIG. 3 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, a CPU 104, an interface device 105, and the like that are mutually connected by a bus B.

  A program for realizing processing in the image management apparatus 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 storing the program is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed from the recording medium 101 to the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. However, the program need not be installed from the recording medium 101 and may be downloaded from another computer via a network. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 103 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it when there is an instruction to start the program. The CPU 104 executes functions related to the image management apparatus 10 in accordance with a program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to a network.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the image management apparatus and the reference image management apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4, the image management apparatus 10 includes an image receiving unit 11, an image processing unit 12, an image transfer unit 13, and the like. Each of these units is realized by processing executed by the CPU 104 by one or more programs installed in the image management apparatus 10. The image management apparatus 10 also uses the life log storage unit 131. The life log storage unit 131 can be realized by using, for example, a storage device that can be connected to the auxiliary storage device 102 or the image management device 10 via a network.

  The image receiving unit 11 receives one or more image data (hereinafter referred to as “captured image”) captured by the camera 30 and transmitted from the camera 30. A shooting time and shooting position information (hereinafter referred to as “image attribute information”) may be received together with the shot image. In addition, for a captured image for which a use permission request (provision request) has been received from another user, the identification information of the other user (hereinafter referred to as “user ID”) and information indicating the transfer destination of the captured image. Etc. (hereinafter referred to as “image transfer information”) may be received.

  The image receiving unit 11 stores the received captured image and image attribute information in the life log storage unit 131. The image receiving unit 11 also requests the image processing unit 12 to process the captured image received together with the image transfer information.

  The image processing unit 12 performs processing on a captured image for which image transfer information has been received together. 4, the image processing unit 12 includes a reference image acquisition unit 121, a person extraction unit 122, an image processing unit 123, and the like.

  The reference image acquisition unit 121 acquires a reference image corresponding to the user ID included in the image transfer information from the reference image management apparatus 20.

  The person extraction unit 122 determines whether a person (hereinafter referred to as “target person”) related to the acquired reference image is included for each captured image. Determination of the identity of a person based on an image can be performed based on a known image processing technique.

  The image processing unit 123 performs image processing for reducing the sharpness in a range related to a person different from the target person in the captured image including the target person.

  The image transfer unit 13 includes, in the image transfer information, a captured image that is determined to include the target person by the person extraction unit 122 and processed by the image processing unit 123 as necessary. To the image management apparatus 10 related to the address information. That is, the image transfer unit 13 stores the captured image, which is the storage destination of the other image management apparatus 10, in the other image management apparatus 10.

  The reference image management apparatus 20 includes a reference image registration unit 21, a reference image search unit 22, a reference image storage unit 23, and the like. The reference image registration unit 21 registers the reference image of each user in the reference image storage unit 23 in association with each user ID. In response to the reference image acquisition request from the reference image acquisition unit 121, the reference image search unit 22 searches the reference image storage unit 23 for a reference image corresponding to the user ID included in the acquisition request.

  The reference image storage unit 23 stores a reference image of each user in association with each user ID. Each reference image may store a certificate or the like corresponding to each user.

  Hereinafter, a processing procedure executed in the image collection system 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure of reference image registration processing.

  For example, when the user A turns on the camera 30a (S101) and inputs a self-shooting instruction to the camera 30a (S102), the camera 30a captures the face of the user A from the front (S103). As a result, an image in which the face of the user A is photographed from the front (hereinafter referred to as “self-portrait image”) is generated.

  Subsequently, when the user A inputs a self-portrait image confirmation instruction to the camera 30a (S104), the camera 30a transmits the self-portrait image to the display terminal 40a (S105). The display terminal 40a displays the self-portrait image (S106).

  When the user A confirms the self-portrait image and inputs an instruction to register the self-portrait image as a reference image to the camera 30a (S107), the camera 30a displays the self-portrait image, the user ID of the user A, and User A's certificate or the like is transmitted to the reference image management apparatus 20 (S108). The certificate is data required when accessing the image management apparatus 10a.

  The reference image registration unit 21 of the reference image management apparatus 20 registers the received self-portrait image as the reference image of the user A in the reference image storage unit 23 in association with the received information (user ID, certificate, etc.). (S109). Subsequently, the reference image registration unit 21 returns a response indicating completion of registration of the reference image to the camera 30a (S110).

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure during shooting by user A. In FIG. 6, a situation is assumed in which user A and user B are approaching and user B is shooting user A (or a situation where the other is shooting the other). In the description of FIG. 6, “a” is added to the end of the reference numeral of the component of the image management apparatus 10 a, and “b” is added to the end of the reference numeral of the constituent element of the image management apparatus 10 b.

  For example, when the camera 30a and the camera 30b approach each other, the camera 30b captures the user A automatically or in response to an operation instruction from the user B (S201). Imaging may be performed multiple times. On the other hand, the camera 30a automatically recognizes the camera 30b by the scan function (S202). Subsequently, the camera 30a transmits a use permission request for the captured image to the camera 30b (S203). The use permission request includes the user ID of the user A, the current time, and transfer destination information of the captured image (that is, address information of the image management apparatus 10a).

  For example, when the user B inputs that the use of the photographed image is permitted, the camera 30b returns a response indicating the use permission to the camera 30a (S204). Subsequently, the camera 30b sets the user ID of the user A, the current time, transfer destination information, and the like to one or more captured images (S205). Each captured image is uploaded to the image management apparatus 10b corresponding to the user B (S206). If a plurality of images are captured in step S201, a plurality of captured images are uploaded in step S206.

  The image receiving unit 11b of the image management apparatus 10b recognizes that each captured image is image data to be transferred to another image management apparatus 10 based on the fact that transfer destination information is set for each captured image. . Therefore, the image receiving unit 11b inputs the captured image to the image processing unit 12b.

  Subsequently, the reference image acquisition unit 121b of the image processing unit 12b transmits a reference image acquisition request of the user A to the reference image management apparatus 20 (S207). The acquisition request includes the user ID of user A set in the captured image. The reference image search unit 22 of the reference image management device 20 searches the reference image storage unit 23 for a reference image, a certificate, and the like associated with the user ID, and the searched reference image is the reference image acquisition unit 121b. Reply to (S208).

  When the reference image is received by the reference image acquisition unit 121b, the person extraction unit 122b determines, for each captured image, whether or not the user A is included in the captured image based on the reference image. (S209). Step S210 and subsequent steps are not executed for captured images that do not include user A.

  For each captured image including user A, the image processing unit 123b specifies a range including a person different from the user A based on the reference image, and reduces the sharpness of the specified range. The process is executed (S210). Note that the identification (recognition) of a person's range in an image can be performed using a known image processing technique.

  Subsequently, the image transfer unit 13b transfers each captured image to the image management apparatus 10a that is the transfer destination indicated by the transfer destination information set for each captured image (S211). At this time, a certificate or the like acquired together with the reference image may be transferred to the image management apparatus 10a.

  Upon receiving each captured image, the image receiving unit 11a of the image management apparatus 10a stores each captured image in the life log storage unit 131a (S212). At this time, each photographed image may be stored after the validity of the certificate received together with each photographed image is confirmed.

  Note that steps S203 and S204 may be executed between the camera 30a and the image management apparatus 10b.

  Moreover, although the example in which the user B photographs the user A has been described in FIG. 5, the same processing procedure is executed when the user A photographs the user B.

  In FIG. 6, processes other than steps S207 to S210 may be performed in the same manner as the process disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, based on the reference image corresponding to the user ID associated with the use permission request for the captured image, whether or not the user associated with the user ID is included as a subject in the captured image. Is determined. Therefore, image data including a specific person can be extracted.

  In addition, blurring or the like is applied to a person other than the user related to the user ID related to the use permission request for the photographed image among the photographed images and provided to the user. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the protection of personal information and privacy due to the distribution of image data.

  In the present embodiment, the image management apparatus 10 is an example of an image processing apparatus. The image receiving unit 11 is an example of a receiving unit. The person extraction unit 122 is an example of a determination unit. The image transfer unit 13 is an example of a storage processing unit. The image processing unit 123 is an example of a processing unit. The transfer destination information is an example of storage destination information.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image collection system 10a Image management apparatus 10b Image management apparatus 11 Image receiving part 12 Image processing part 13 Image transfer part 20 Reference image management apparatus 21 Reference image registration part 22 Reference image search part 23 Reference image storage part 30a Camera 30b Camera 40a Display Terminal 40b Display terminal 100 Drive device 101 Recording medium 102 Auxiliary storage device 103 Memory device 104 CPU
105 interface device 121 reference image acquisition unit 122 person extraction unit 123 image processing unit 131 life log storage unit B bus

Claims (4)

A receiving unit that receives a first image captured by the imaging device, identification information of the first person, and storage destination information indicating a storage destination of the first image;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the first person is included in the first image based on an image of the first person that is associated with the identification information and stored in a storage unit;
A storage processing unit that stores the first image in a storage destination indicated by the storage destination information when the first person is included in the first image;
An image processing apparatus comprising: A range including a person different from the first person in the first image is specified based on the image of the first person, and image processing is performed to reduce the sharpness of the specified range. Has a processing part,
The storage processing unit stores the first image on which the image processing has been executed.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Computer
A receiving procedure for receiving a first image photographed by the photographing device, identification information of the first person, and storage destination information indicating a storage destination of the first image;
A determination procedure for determining whether or not the first person is included in the first image, based on the image of the first person associated with the identification information and stored in the storage unit;
A storage procedure for storing the first image in a storage destination indicated by the storage destination information when the first person is included in the first image;
The image processing method characterized by performing. A range including a person different from the first person in the first image is specified based on the image of the first person, and image processing is performed to reduce the sharpness of the specified range. The computer executes the processing procedure,
The storing procedure stores the first image on which the image processing has been executed.
The image processing method according to claim 3.