JP6047919B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

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

  In recent years, image processing by an image processing apparatus having a photographing function is performed in a mobile terminal device (a mobile phone device, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer with a camera, or the like). In particular, in the case of an apparatus of a type in which at least one of the display screens of the display device is installed in the same direction as the camera, an image processing method that inverts the left and right of the image captured by the camera and displays the image on the display screen is generally Has been done. This image processing method assumes that the subject is the person himself / herself and sees the image taken by the person himself / herself, by inverting the left and right of the image and making it the same image as when using a mirror, This is to obtain a familiar image with no sense of incongruity for the photographer.

  As a well-known example technique in this field, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a portable terminal device equipped with a camera that includes a lens that captures a subject to be imaged and an image sensor. In other words, when the other party is photographed with the mobile terminal, an image is displayed on the first screen seen from the other party or a status representing the photographing state is displayed as if it was reflected in the mirror, and the image is displayed on the second screen seen by the photographer. Is displayed. In addition, it is possible to check an image taken by the subject at the time of shooting and a shooting state. Specifically, the first screen provided on the same side as the lens is provided, the second screen provided on a different side from the lens provided, and the lens directed toward the subject It is assumed that there is provided means for displaying the processed image on the first screen and the second screen.

  For example, Patent Document 2 switches between a normal display mode for displaying a stored image and a mirror image display mode for displaying a captured image as a mirror image without requiring a troublesome operation in a digital photo frame equipped with a camera. Technology is disclosed. Specifically, when a proximity object is not detected by the proximity sensor, a normal display mode for displaying an image file stored in the built-in memory or the memory card on the display panel is executed. However, when the proximity sensor senses the proximity of a nearby object and the face of the person is recognized by the face recognition process from the image captured by the camera, the captured image is displayed in a mirror-reversed manner like a mirror. The mirror image display mode is executed.

  Further, for example, in Patent Document 3, the visibility of a display or the like is ensured without the user's awareness and troublesome operations, and the continuous face detection operation including the illumination off state is unnecessary. An illumination control device for an information terminal capable of realizing further power saving is disclosed. Specifically, it is an illumination control device for an information terminal equipped with a front camera unit, and lighting of a certain time is started by operation of the operation unit. If a face image is detected in the captured image of the front camera unit at the end of the fixed time, the lighting control for restarting the lighting for a fixed time and continuing the lighting is performed.

  Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 4 discloses a technique for improving the image quality when observing a person's own face or the like using a display screen of a camera-equipped mobile phone instead of a mirror. This is an imaging apparatus that obtains an image signal representing a subject image by causing the subject image to enter a solid-state imaging device through a photographing lens. As a specific structure, a focusing unit that changes the focal position of the taking lens so as to focus on the subject, and a display screen that displays an image based on the image signal are provided. In addition, a display screen is provided in which the display surface can be directed in a direction in which the photographer can visually recognize his / her face image when photographing a subject image including the photographer's own face. Further, when the ratio of the size of the face image to the imaging region of the solid-state imaging device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the focusing means is switched from the mode for focusing on the subject in the middle or the background to the mode for focusing on the subject in the foreground. A control unit that automatically switches is provided.

Japanese Patent No. 400005119 JP 2009-204817 A JP 2009-252650 A JP 2010-161702 A

  By the way, the conventional image processing apparatus described in the background art is applied to a mobile terminal device (a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer with a camera, etc.) as described above. In this case, in particular, in the case where at least one of the display screens of the display device is installed in the same direction as the camera, as described above, the left and right sides of the image captured by the camera are reversed and the display screen is displayed. It is often displayed on. This assumes that the person himself / herself is the subject of shooting and sees the image taken by the person himself / herself, and by displaying the same image as when using a mirror, the sense of incongruity felt by the photographer is eliminated, This is to obtain a familiar image.

  However, the above image processing method has a problem in that only the mirror image of the captured image is fixedly displayed, so that characters cannot be identified. In addition, when a person's face is detected, there is a problem in that it does not verify who confirms the captured image, and the left and right sides are unilaterally inverted, giving a sense of incongruity to those other than the person to be photographed. . That is, when always displaying a mirror image, there is a problem that the characters cannot be read if the characters are included in the image, and when the object other than the photographer is photographed, the display image and the actual image are different. There was a problem that the photographer felt uncomfortable when comparing both images.

The objective of this invention is providing the image processing apparatus , the image processing method, and program which solve the subject mentioned above.

In order to solve the above problems, the Ru good to the first aspect of the present invention, incorporated into an electronic device including the image and the image display unit capable of displaying, and an imaging section provided in the same direction as the image display unit An image processing apparatus that performs image processing and an image generation unit that generates an image corresponding to the subject imaged by the imaging unit, and a face detection unit that detects a human face from the image generated by the image generation unit If, when the face detection unit has detected a face, and detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, and a distance detection unit which distance is determined whether it is within the predetermined range, the distance distance when the distance detection unit is determined to be within a predetermined range, and a mirror image generator for generating a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right images image generating unit has generated, the distance is within the predetermined range If the detection unit determines, the mirror image generated by the mirror image generation unit It was displayed on the image display unit, the distance when it is determined that the distance detection unit when not within the predetermined range, displays an image by the image generating unit has generated to the image display unit.

When Ru good to a second embodiment of the present invention, an image processing method in an image processing device incorporated in an electronic device including the image and the image display unit capable of displaying, and an imaging section provided in the same direction as the image display unit An image generation stage for generating an image corresponding to the subject imaged by the imaging unit, a face detection stage for detecting a human face from the image generated in the image generation stage, and a face detection stage If the face of a person is detected, and detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, and a distance detection step of distance to determine whether it is within a predetermined range, when the distance is within a predetermined range A mirror image generation step for generating a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right of the image generated in the image generation step when determined in the distance detection step, and the distance detection step if the distance is within a predetermined range Mirror image generation if The mirror image generated at the floor is displayed on the image display unit, and if it is determined at the distance detection step that the distance is not within the predetermined range, the image generated at the image generation step is displayed on the image display unit. Display .

When Ru good to a third embodiment of the present invention, image processing performed and an image display unit capable of displaying an image, built into an electronic device including an imaging section provided in the same direction as the image display unit an image processing A program that causes a computer to function as an apparatus, an image generation unit that generates an image corresponding to a subject imaged by an imaging unit , and a face detection unit that detects a human face from an image generated by the image generation unit , when the face detection unit has detected a face, and detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, a distance detection unit distance is determined whether it is within the predetermined range, the distance is a predetermined range When the distance detection unit determines that the distance is within the range, the image generation unit functions as a mirror image generation unit that generates a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right of the image. If Display mirror image image image generating unit has generated to the image display unit, the distance when it is determined that not the distance detector is within a predetermined range, displays an image by the image generating unit has generated to the image display unit.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the case of a device of a type in which the camera attached to the image photographing unit and at least one display screen attached to the image display unit are installed in the same direction, photographing is performed. Natural image display without a sense of incongruity can be performed without the user being aware of it.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image of the image processing method of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the process sequence of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer program according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an image photographing unit 100, a face detection unit 110, a distance detection unit 120, a mirror image generation unit 130, and an image display unit 140.

  Although the external view of the image processing apparatus of this embodiment is omitted, the display device attached to the image display unit 140 has at least one display screen installed in the same orientation as the camera attached to the image photographing unit 100. One shall be an existing type of device. In addition, the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment can be incorporated in a portable terminal device having a transmission function of photographed image data, and can also be incorporated in a digital device that does not have a transmission function of photographed image data. is there. Here, the portable terminal device having a transmission function of photographed image data is, for example, a digital camera, a mobile phone device, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a game device, a personal computer with a camera, or the like. The digital device that does not have a transmission function of photographed image data is, for example, a digital camera or a game device.

  Hereinafter, each component of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. The image capturing unit 100 is a device such as a digital camera that can generate image data. The face detection unit 110 detects a person's face from the image data generated by the image photographing hand unit 00. The face detection unit 110 may be hardware or software. The distance detection unit 120 detects the distance between the object to be photographed and the camera. The distance detector 120 detects the distance to the object to be photographed by a method for detecting the focal length determined by the image photographing unit 100, or detects the distance to the object to be photographed by a method for analyzing image data. To do. The mirror image generation unit 130 generates a mirror image obtained by horizontally inverting the image data generated by the image photographing unit 100. The image display unit 140 is a device such as an LCD that can display image data.

  In the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the camera of the image capturing unit 100 and the display of the image display unit 140 are installed in the same direction. In this case, the display image is controlled by the cooperation processing of the face detection unit 110, the distance detection unit 120, and the mirror image generation unit 130, so that an image display without a sense of incongruity is performed without the photographer being conscious. For this reason, first, the face detection unit 110 confirms whether the captured image data includes a human face. Next, the distance detection unit 120 confirms the distance to the shooting target, thereby determining whether the person who is the shooting target and the person whose image is to be checked are the same person.

  Hereinafter, this determination method will be described more specifically. If the distance between the face of the person detected in the captured image data and the present apparatus is within a predetermined distance range, the person to be imaged and the person who confirms the image are the same person to decide. If the distance between the face of the person detected in the captured image data and the present apparatus is within a predetermined distance range, the person who is the subject of the photographing and the person who confirms the image (generally, the photographer) Are not the same person. On the other hand, when it is determined that the person to be imaged and the person whose image is to be confirmed are the same person, the mirror image generation unit 130 inverts the left and right of the received image data to obtain a mirror image. Generate. If it is determined that the person to be imaged and the person confirming the image are not the same person, the received image data is left as it is.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an image of the image processing method of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a captured image of a subject to be photographed (here, a person) photographed by a camera (camera attached to the image photographing unit 100) is inverted by a mirror image generating unit 130 and attached to a display (attached to the image display unit 140). Display on the display device). If limited to this image, it is the same as the conventional image processing method, and therefore there is no substantial difference in the photographing method.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. (Step S300): First, in step S300, the activated image photographing unit 100 generates image data to be photographed and sends it to the face detecting unit 110. (Step S301): Next, in step S301, the face detection unit 110 detects a human face included in the transmitted image data. If a human face is detected, the image data is sent to the distance detector 120, and the process proceeds to step S303. If no human face is detected, the image data is sent to the image display unit 140, and the process proceeds to step S306.

  (Step S303): In step S303, the distance detector 120 detects the distance between the camera attached to the image photographing unit 100 and the photographing object in the transmitted image data. (Step S304): In step S304, the distance detection unit 120 verifies whether or not the detected distance is equal to or less than a preset threshold value. When the detected distance is equal to or smaller than a preset threshold value (that is, when it is determined that the person to be imaged and the person confirming the image are the same person), the image data Is sent to the mirror image generation unit 130, and the process proceeds to step S305. If the detected distance is not less than or equal to the preset threshold value, the process proceeds to step S306 as it is. (Step S <b> 305): In step S <b> 305, the mirror image generation unit 130 generates a mirror image by inverting the left and right of the received image data, and sends the mirror image to the image display unit 140. (Step S306): In step S306, the image display unit 140 displays the received image data.

  As described above, in the type of apparatus in which the camera attached to the image capturing unit 100 and at least one display screen attached to the image display unit 140 are installed in the same orientation, the face detection unit 110, the distance detection unit 120, The display image is controlled by the cooperation processing with the mirror image generation unit 130. Thereby, there is an effect that it is possible to perform natural image display without a sense of incongruity without the photographer being conscious. In other words, the face detection unit 110 confirms whether the captured image data includes a human face. Further, the distance detection unit 120 confirms the distance to the shooting target, thereby determining whether or not the person who is the shooting target and the person who checks the image (generally, the shooting person) are the same person. To do. If the person to be imaged and the person confirming the image are the same person, the mirror image generation unit 130 inverts the left and right of the received image data to generate a mirror image.

  Note that at least a part of the processing of each component of the image processing apparatus according to the present invention is executed by computer control. In addition, a program that causes a computer to execute the above processing according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 may be distributed after being stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a CD-ROM, or a magnetic tape. . A computer including at least a microcomputer, a personal computer, and a general-purpose computer may read and execute the program from the recording medium.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image pick-up part 110 Face detection part 120 Distance detection part 130 Mirror image generation part 140 Image display part

Claims (8)

An image processing apparatus that performs image processing by being incorporated in an electronic device including an image display unit capable of displaying an image and an imaging unit provided in the same direction as the image display unit,
An image generation unit that generates an image corresponding to the subject imaged by the imaging unit ;
A face detection unit for detecting a human face from the image generated by the image generation unit ;
When the face detection unit has detected a face, and detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, and a distance detection unit that the distance is determined whether it is within the predetermined range,
When the distance is determined said distance detector to be within a predetermined range, and a mirror image generator for generating a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right images by the image generating unit has generated,
When the distance detection unit determines that the distance is within a predetermined range, the mirror image generated by the mirror image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit, and the distance is not within the predetermined range. When the detection unit determines, the image generated by the image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit.
An image processing apparatus. The distance detection unit detects the distance based on a focal length determined by the image generation unit.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The distance detection unit detects the distance by analyzing an image generated by the image generation unit.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. When the face detection unit detects a person's face, the mirror image generated by the mirror image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit, and when the face detection unit does not detect a person's face The image generated by the image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. Built in a portable terminal device having an image transmission function as the electronic device
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. The electronic device is incorporated in a digital device that does not have an image transmission function.
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus incorporated in an electronic apparatus comprising an image display unit capable of displaying an image and an imaging unit provided in the same direction as the image display unit,
An image generation step of generating an image corresponding to the subject imaged by the imaging unit ;
A face detection step of detecting a human face from the image generated in the image generation step ;
If the face of a person in the face detecting step is detected, it detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, and a distance detection step of said distance to determine whether it is within a predetermined range ,
When the distance is determined by the distance detecting step to be within a predetermined range, and a mirror image generating step of generating a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right image generated by the image generation step,
When it is determined in the distance detection step that the distance is within a predetermined range, the mirror image generated in the mirror image generation step is displayed on the image display unit, and the distance is within the predetermined range. If it is determined in the distance detection step, the image generated in the image generation step is displayed on the image display unit.
An image processing method. A program that causes a computer to function as an image processing apparatus that performs image processing by being incorporated in an electronic device that includes an image display unit capable of displaying an image and an imaging unit provided in the same orientation as the image display unit,
The computer,
An image generation unit that generates an image corresponding to the subject imaged by the imaging unit ;
A face detection unit for detecting a human face from the image generated by the image generation unit ;
When the face detection unit has detected a face, and detects the distance between the object and the imaging unit, a distance detecting unit which the distance is determined whether it is within the predetermined range,
If the distance is the distance detector determines to be within the predetermined range, mirror image generator for generating a mirror image obtained by inverting the left and right images by the image generating unit has generated
Function as
When the distance detection unit determines that the distance is within a predetermined range, the mirror image generated by the mirror image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit, and the distance is not within the predetermined range. When the detection unit determines, the image generated by the image generation unit is displayed on the image display unit.
A program characterized by that .

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