JP2003287784A - Photographing device and photographing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing device and a photographing method for reducing the burden of a photographing operator and shortening a photographing time. <P>SOLUTION: When power is supplied to the photographing device 100, the photographing device 100 calculates the moving amount of a camera position so as to place the face position of a person 30 to be photographed within a prescribed photographing region by an AF (auto framing) calculation and adjusts the camera position according to the moving amount. When photographing is instructed by pressing down a photographing button, the photographing device 100 reperforms an AF calculation, and immediately starts performing four-frame photographing if the face position of the person 30 to be photographed does not shift from the face position before the photographing button is pressed on the basis of the calculation results of the AF calculation. The photographing device 100 determines whether the eyes are closed about the four face images, selects the image with the eyes opened widest as an output image and displays the image on the display part 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographing device and a photographing method for photographing face images for various identification photographs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, licenses such as car licenses, identification cards, passports, alien registration cards, library cards, cash cards, credit cards, employee ID cards,
In many cases, ID cards such as employee ID cards, membership cards, medical cards, and student ID cards, as well as ID photos, which have been converted into image information, are provided on application forms for granting such ID cards. An image capturing apparatus that captures this type of identification photograph performs an AF (auto framing) process that adjusts the position of the camera so that the face position of the person being photographed falls within a predetermined image capturing area, and then executes the image capturing operation. The operator who operates the image capturing device checks the captured face image on the monitor and determines whether or not the photographed person is not squinting, laughing, etc., and is suitable as a certification photograph.
If the image was inappropriate as an ID photo, retakes were taken.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional photographing apparatus, the operator himself who operates the photographing apparatus judges whether or not the photograph is appropriate as an identification photograph. There was a problem that was large. In order to reduce the burden on the operator, an automatic eyelidness determination function can be added to the conventional photographing device. In such a photographing device with a blinking determination function, the AF operation is performed in response to the pressing of the photographing button for instructing the start of photographing.
The photographing operation is performed in a step in which the photographed image is displayed on the monitor after the processing is performed and the blinking determination is performed.
However, compared with the conventional shooting operation, the shooting device with such a blinking determination function,
The time until the captured image is displayed on the monitor is increased by the blinking determination time, which gives an uncomfortable feeling to the operator who is accustomed to the operation of the conventional image capturing apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the photographing operator and to shorten the photographing time.
And to provide a photographing method.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
Position adjustment means for adjusting the camera position so that the face image of the person to be photographed is positioned within a predetermined photographing area, photographing instruction means for instructing photographing of the face image of the person to be photographed, and photographing by the photographing instruction means When an instruction is given, a blinking eye is detected from the photographing means for photographing the face image of the photographed person positioned in the photographing area by adjusting the camera position, and the face image of the photographed person photographed by the photographing means. It is characterized by further comprising: an eye-blinking determination means for determining a degree, and an output means for outputting a face image captured by the image-capturing means based on a determination result by the eye-blinking determination means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image pickup apparatus according to the first aspect, there is further provided position determination means for determining whether or not the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located within the image pickup area. The position adjusting means adjusts the camera position based on the determination result of the position determining means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image taking apparatus according to the second aspect, when the position determining means determines that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located within the photographing area, It is characterized by further comprising display control means for displaying on the display means that the position of the face of the photographed person is good.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the photographing apparatus according to the second aspect, the position determination means further determines the position of the face of the person to be photographed when the photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction means. When it is determined whether the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located in the photographing region, the position determining means determines whether or not the face is located in the photographing region.
The photographing means is characterized by starting photographing a face image of the subject.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the photographing apparatus according to any of the second to fourth aspects, when the photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction means, the position determining means causes the position determining means to:
When it is determined that the position of the photographed person's face does not fall within the photographing area, the position adjusting means sets the camera position in order to position the photographed person's face within the photographing area. It is characterized in that the photographing means starts photographing the face image of the subject when the camera position is adjusted by the position adjusting means.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the photographing means continuously photographs a plurality of frames of the face image of the person to be photographed, and judges the blinking. The means determines the degree of eye-blinking of each face image captured by the image-capturing means, and extracts an output image from the plurality of face images based on the determination result by the eye-blinking determination means. Further comprising, the output means is
It is characterized in that the face image extracted by the extracting means is output.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a position adjusting step of adjusting a camera position so as to position the face image of the person to be photographed within a predetermined photographing region, and instructing photographing of the face image of the person to be photographed. When a photographing instruction step and a photographing instruction by the photographing instruction step are given, a photographing step of photographing a face image of the photographed person positioned in the photographing area by adjusting the camera position, and a photographing step by the photographing step From the face image of the person to be photographed, based on the result of the eye-blinking determination step of determining the degree of eye-blinking and the eye-blinking determination step,
An output step of outputting the face image photographed in the photographing step.

The invention according to claim 8 is the image capturing method according to claim 7, further comprising a position determining step of determining whether or not the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located within the image capturing area. The position adjustment step is characterized in that the camera position is adjusted based on the determination result of the position determination step.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the photographing method according to the eighth aspect, when the position determining step determines that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located within the photographing region, It is characterized by further including a display control step of displaying on the display means that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is good.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the photographing method according to the eighth aspect, the position determining step further determines the position of the face of the person to be photographed when the photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction step. If it is determined that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located in the photographing region by the position determining step, it is determined whether the photographing process is in the photographing region. It is characterized in that the capturing of the face image of the subject is started.

The invention according to claim 11 is the invention according to claims 8 to 10.
In any one of the image capturing methods, when the image capturing instruction by the image capturing instruction step is given, it is determined by the position determining step that the position of the face of the subject is not within the image capturing area. In this case, the position adjusting step moves the camera position so as to position the face of the person to be photographed within the photographing area, and the photographing step adjusts the camera position by the position adjusting step, It is characterized in that the photographing of the face image of the photographed person is started.

The invention according to claim 12 is the invention according to claims 7 to 11.
In the photographing method according to any one of 1,
A plurality of frames of the face image of the person to be photographed are consecutively photographed, and the eye blinking determination step determines the degree of eye blinking of each face image captured in the image capturing step, and the determination result by the eye blinking determination step. The method further includes an extraction step of extracting an output image from the plurality of face images based on the above, and the output step outputs the face image extracted by the extraction step.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the camera position can be adjusted so that the face position of the person to be photographed is within a predetermined photographing area before the photographing instruction, thereby shortening the photographing time. You can Further, by automatically determining whether the captured face image is blinking, it is possible to output an image suitable as an identification photograph and reduce the burden on the operator who operates the image capturing apparatus. Further, when the face position of the person to be photographed is located within a predetermined photographing region, by displaying on the display means that the face position of the person to be photographed is good, the burden on the operator who operates the photographing apparatus is reduced. Can be reduced.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration will be described.

FIG. 1 shows a photographing apparatus 100 to which the present invention is applied.
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an image capturing system S including the above and an image capturing apparatus 100. The photographing system S includes a photographing device 100, a background board 10, a chair 20, and an illuminator.

The photographing device 100 is a photographing device installed in a photo studio or the like, and as shown in FIG. 1, a camera unit 1, a camera platform 2, a CPU 3, a display unit 4, an operation unit 5, a memory 6, and a printing unit. It is composed of 7.

The camera unit 1 is composed of an optical lens made of glass or plastic and an optical sensor such as CCD or CMOS, and is a still image input through the optical lens (the person to be photographed 30 sitting on the chair 20). (Face image) is converted into an electric signal by an optical sensor to generate an image. The camera unit 1 is supported by a platform 2. The camera unit 1 has a function as a photographing unit in the claims.

The platform 2 is an instrument for supporting the camera unit 1, and according to a control signal output from the CPU 3,
Moves vertically (vertically). The platform 2 has a function as position adjusting means in the claims.

CPU (Central Processing Unit) 3
Performs various control operations according to the control program for the image capturing device stored in the memory 6. Specifically, in the AF process, when one image of the image of the person to be photographed 30 is taken, the CPU 3 causes the face image of the person to be photographed 30 to be a predetermined area (described later) in the frame based on the taken image. ), The AF calculation for calculating the movement amount of the camera of the camera unit 1 is performed. Further, when the face image of the person to be photographed 30 is photographed in a plurality of frames (for example, 4 frames), the CPU 3 performs the blink determination for each of the plurality of captured face images to determine the degree of blinking. The CPU 3 has a function as a determination unit, a position determination unit, a display control unit, and an extraction unit in the claims.

The display unit 4 is a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).
Or equipped with LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), CP
Required display is performed according to the display control signal output from U3. The display unit 4 has a function as an output unit and a display unit in the claims.

The operation unit 5 is provided with various keys and buttons such as a photographing button for instructing photographing and a confirmation key for confirming an image displayed on the display unit 4, and the CPU 3 receives a key or button pressing signal. Output. The operation unit 5 has a function as a photographing instruction unit in the claims.

The memory 6 stores in advance various control programs executed by the CPU 3 and data used for various operations. Further, the memory 6 temporarily stores the image data taken in from the camera unit 1 and the calculation result by the CPU 3.

The printing unit 7 includes a paper feeding unit (not shown) mounted on printing paper and a paper discharging unit (not shown), and a face image is formed by a sublimation method according to a control signal output from the CPU 3. Print out on the printing paper. In addition, as a printing method, an inkjet method, infrared laser light or LED
You may use the electrophotographic system etc. which used the projection light by (Light-Emitting Diode).

In FIG. 1, the background plate 10 is a photographing device 1
This is a plate that becomes the background of the person to be photographed 30 when photographing with 00, and has a constant reflectance with a single color. The chair 20 is a chair on which the person to be photographed 30 sits when taking a face image of the person to be photographed 30. The illuminator illuminates the person to be photographed 30 seated on the chair 20 at the time of photographing.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. An image capturing process executed in the image capturing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

When the power of the photographing apparatus 100 is turned on and the person image of the person to be photographed 30 enters the photographing area, the camera unit 1
Takes one frame of the image of the person to be photographed 30 (step S
1). The photographed image captured from the camera unit 1 by the photographing in step S1 is stored in the memory 6 as image data.

The CPU 3 performs AF (auto framing) calculation based on the photographed image data stored in the memory 6 (step S2). Specifically, the CPU 3 detects the contour position of the face of the person to be photographed 30 including the hairstyle from the image data, and from the detected face position, the camera unit 1
Calculate the amount of movement of the camera position of. This amount of movement is, for example, the amount of camera movement required to position the face position of the person to be photographed 30 in the center of the frame.

In step S2, the face position of the person to be photographed 30 is detected, for example, by detecting the presence or absence of a change in luminance from the image data of the person to be photographed 30. Background plate 1
The brightness of the image data corresponding to 0 is constant, whereas the brightness of the image data corresponding to a person is different from that of the image data of the background board 10, so that the outline of the person image can be detected. .

Next, the CPU 3 determines whether or not the face contour detected as described above is located in the specified area in the frame (step S3), and the current camera position is the face image of the identification photograph. It is determined whether or not it is suitable for shooting. The defined area is an area defined in advance as a shooting area for face image shooting, and for example, a space of a predetermined range (for example, 4 mm to 6 mm) is secured between the crown position and the upper part of the frame, and both sides of the face are secured. It is an area that can secure a space almost equal to.

When it is determined in step S3 that the current camera position is not suitable for capturing the face image of the ID photograph (step S3; NG), the CPU 3 calculates the platform 2 in step S2. A control signal for instructing the movement of the camera by the amount of movement is output to move the platform 2 itself (step S4), and the depression of the photographing button of the operation unit 5 is waited (step S5).

When it is determined in step S3 that the face contour detected as described above is located in the specified area in the frame and the current camera position is suitable for capturing the face image of the ID photograph (step S3; OK). ), The CPU 3 has a display unit 4
On the other hand, a display control signal for displaying that the position of the face image is good is output, and the process proceeds to step S5 to wait for the operator to press the photographing button of the operation unit 5. The display unit 4 displays the frame (dotted line) of the prescribed area together with the face image, as shown in FIG. 3, in accordance with the display control signal output from the CPU 3. In step S5,
When the shooting button is not pressed (step S5; N
O), the image capturing apparatus 100 has steps S1 to S4.
The process of is repeated.

In step S5, when the operator confirms that the position of the face image displayed on the display unit 4 is good, and the photographing button is pressed, the camera unit 1
Takes one frame of the image of the person to be photographed 30 (step S
6). The photographed image captured from the camera unit 1 by the photographing in step S1 is stored in the memory 6 as image data.

The CPU 3 performs AF calculation again based on the photographed image data stored in the memory 6 (step S
7). Then, the CPU 3 performs the AF in step S2.
By comparing the calculation result of the calculation and the result of the AF calculation in step S7, the face position of the person to be photographed 30 immediately before pressing the photographing button and the face position of the person to be photographed 30 after pressing the photographing button are compared. Then, it is determined whether or not the displacement of the face position is within a predetermined allowable range (step S8). Here, the predetermined permissible range is a range that does not exceed the above defined area due to the displacement of the face position.

When it is determined in step S8 that the deviation of the face position of the person to be photographed 30 exceeds the predetermined allowable range (step S8; NO), the CPU 3 instructs the platform 2 to
The camera platform 2 is moved by outputting the control signal for instructing the camera movement by the movement amount calculated in step S2 (step S
9) and shifts to step S10.

When it is determined in step S8 that the deviation of the face position of the person to be photographed 30 is within the predetermined allowable range (step S8; YES), the CPU 3 instructs the camera unit 1 to move four frames of the person to be photographed 30. Outputs an instruction signal to instruct shooting,
The camera unit 1 starts four-frame photography of the person to be photographed 30 according to the instruction signal input from the CPU 3 (step S
10). Each captured image captured from the camera unit 1 by the four-frame shooting in step S10 is image data.
It is stored in the memory 6.

When the four-frame image is captured from the camera unit 1, the CPU 3 determines the degree of blinking for each of the four-frame image data stored in the memory 6 (step S
11). Specifically, the CPU 3 first detects, from the grayscale of each image, the location of the eye feature point (center of the eye, outer corner of the eye, inner corner of the eye, etc.) and performs a predetermined conversion on the image information of these eye feature points. Apply and input to the neural network.

The neural network comprehensively analyzes the information obtained by subjecting the image information of the feature points of the eyes of each image to a predetermined conversion, and outputs the state of the eyes. The CPU 3 extracts the face image with the most open eyes from the eye state of each image output from the neural network, and sends a display control signal for instructing the display unit 4 to display the extracted face image. Output. The display unit 4 displays the face image (still image) according to the display control signal output from the CPU 3 (step S12).

The method for determining the blinking in step S11 is not limited to the above-mentioned contents. For example, the pupil area is detected from the image data stored in the memory 6, and the area of the pupil area is used to detect the eye area. A method such as determining the degree of clogging may be used.

When the operator of the photographing apparatus 100 presses the confirmation key of the operation unit 5 (step S13) and the face image displayed on the display unit 4 is confirmed as the face image to be printed out, the CPU 3 causes the printing to be performed. An instruction signal for instructing printing of the face image is output to the printing unit 7, and the printing unit 7 prints C
The face image is printed according to the instruction signal output from the PU 3 (step S14), and the main photographing process ends.

As described above, the photographing apparatus 1 of this embodiment
According to 00, AF processing is performed in advance before a shooting instruction is given by pressing the shooting button, and when the shooting instruction is given, the face image of the person to be photographed 30 is located in a prescribed area within the frame. Since the movement of the camera position is unnecessary, the shooting time is shortened.

Further, even if the face image of the person to be photographed is located outside the photographing region when the photographing instruction is issued, the camera position is adjusted again, so that it is always suitable for photographing the face image. It is possible to shoot at the camera position.

Further, by automatically performing the eye-blinking determination of the photographed face image and selecting the face image with the most open eyes as the output image as a result of the eye-blinking determination, an image suitable as a certification photograph is obtained. Output is possible, and the shooting device 1
The burden on the operator who operates 00 can be reduced.

When the face position of the person to be photographed 30 is located within a predetermined photographing area, the display unit 4 displays that the face position of the person to be photographed 30 is good, as shown in FIG. By doing so, the burden on the operator who operates the image capturing apparatus 100 can be reduced.

The contents described in the present embodiment are not limited to the contents described above, and can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0049]

According to the present invention, the camera position can be adjusted so that the face position of the person to be photographed is within a predetermined photographing area before the photographing instruction, thereby shortening the photographing time. You can Further, by automatically determining whether the captured face image is blinking, it is possible to output an image suitable as an identification photograph and reduce the burden on the operator who operates the image capturing apparatus. Further, when the face position of the person to be photographed is located within a predetermined photographing region, by displaying on the display means that the face position of the person to be photographed is good, the burden on the operator who operates the photographing apparatus is reduced. Can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a photographing system S including a photographing apparatus 100 to which the present invention is applied, and a main configuration of the photographing apparatus 100.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a photographing process executed in the photographing device 100.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a face image on a display unit 4.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 camera section 2 pan head 3 CPU 4 Display 5 Operation part 6 memory 7 Printing department 10 background boards 20 chairs 30 Photographer 100 photographic device S shooting system

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI theme code (reference) G03B 17/56 G03B 17/56 B 5B057 G06T 1/00 340 G06T 1/00 340A 5C022 2 430 430H 5C054 7/00 300 7 / 00 300F 5L096 H04N 5/232 H04N 5/232 Z 7/18 7/18 K F term (reference) 2H020 FC12 2H102 AA45 2H104 BC07 BC31 BC48 2H105 AA06 AA08 AA12 AA17 5B047 AA07 BA02 BB04 BC05 BC16 CA12 B57 A22B07 DC22 A09 507 DA08 DB02 DB05 DB09 DC04 DC16 DC22 5C022 AA13 AB62 AC01 AC27 5C054 AA02 AA05 CA04 CC03 CD03 CE16 CF05 CG02 EA01 FC12 GA05 HA00 5L096 BA02 CA02 FA14 HA11 JA11

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A position adjusting means for adjusting a camera position to position a face image of a person to be photographed within a predetermined photographing area; a photographing instructing means for instructing photographing of a face image of the person to be photographed; When a photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction means, a photographing means for photographing a face image of the subject located in the photographing area by adjusting the camera position, and a face image of the subject photographed by the photographing means From
An image capturing apparatus comprising: an eye blink determining unit that determines a degree of eye blinking; and an output unit that outputs a face image captured by the image capturing unit based on a determination result by the eye blink determining unit. . 2. A position determination means for determining whether or not the position of the face of the person to be photographed is positioned within the photographing area, wherein the position adjustment means determines the determination result by the position determination means. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the camera position is adjusted based on the camera position. 3. If the position determination means determines that the position of the face of the photographed person is located within the photographing region, then it is displayed that the position of the face of the photographed person is good. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising display control means for displaying on the means. 4. The position determining means further determines whether or not the position of the face of the person to be photographed is within the photographing area when the photographing instruction is given by the photographing instructing means. When the position determining unit determines that the position of the face of the photographed person is located in the photographing region, the photographing unit starts photographing the face image of the photographed person. The photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the photographing apparatus is characterized in that: 5. The position adjustment, when the position determining unit determines that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is not within the photographing region when a photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction unit. The means moves the camera position in order to position the position of the face of the photographed person within the photographing area, and the photographing means, when the camera position is adjusted by the position adjusting means, the photographing person The photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein photographing of a face image is started. 6. The photographing means continuously photographs a plurality of frames of the face image of the person to be photographed, and the eye blink determination means determines the degree of eye blinking of each face image photographed by the image capturing means. However, based on the determination result by the eye-blinking determination means, further comprises an extraction means for extracting an output image from the plurality of face images, wherein the output means outputs the face image extracted by the extraction means. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is performed. 7. A position adjusting step of adjusting a camera position to position a face image of the person to be photographed within a predetermined photographing area, a photographing instruction step of instructing photographing of the face image of the person to be photographed, When there is a shooting instruction in the shooting instruction step, a shooting step of shooting a face image of the subject located in the shooting area by adjusting the camera position, and a face image of the subject shot in the shooting step From
An image capturing method comprising: a blinking determining step of determining a degree of blinking; and an output step of outputting a face image captured by the capturing step based on a determination result of the eyelid determining step. . 8. The method further comprises a position determining step of determining whether or not the position of the face of the photographed person is located within the photographing area, and the position adjusting step includes a determination result of the position determining step. The photographing method according to claim 7, wherein the camera position is adjusted based on the above. 9. If the position determination step determines that the position of the photographed person's face is located within the photographing area, it indicates that the position of the photographed person's face is good. 9. The photographing method according to claim 8, further comprising a display control step of causing the means to display. 10. The position determining step further determines whether or not the position of the face of the person to be photographed is located within the photographing region when a photographing instruction is given by the photographing instruction step. When the position determining step determines that the position of the face of the photographed person is located within the photographing region, the photographing step may start photographing a face image of the photographed person. The imaging method according to claim 8, which is characterized in that. 11. The position adjustment, when the position determining step determines that the position of the face of the person to be photographed is not within the photographing region when there is a photographing instruction in the photographing instruction step. The step moves a camera position to position the face of the photographed person within the photographing area, and the photographing step, when the camera position is adjusted by the position adjusting step, The imaging method according to claim 8, wherein the imaging of the face image is started. 12. The photographing step continuously photographs a plurality of frames of the face image of the person to be photographed, and the eye-blinking determination step determines a degree of eye-blinking of each face image photographed by the photographing means. The method further includes an extraction step of extracting an output image from the plurality of face images based on the determination result of the eye-blinking determination step, and the output step outputs the face image extracted by the extraction step means. The imaging method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, which is performed.