JP2007299339A - Image reproducing device, method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically reproduce an image more preferably by using information of the position of a face included in the image. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of images including a face image to which face position information representing the position of a face region and priority information representing face priorities are attached are sequentially reproduced. In this case, a reproducing part 82 detects face region images corresponding to the face region from the face image on the basis of the face position information about the face image. Then, the reproducing part 82 reproduces the detected face region images in order of priorities on the basis of the priority information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus and method for sequentially reproducing a plurality of images, particularly a face image including a face, and a program for causing a computer to execute the image reproducing method.

Various methods for extracting a face from an image have been proposed, but information for specifying the position of the extracted face in the image is stored, and the stored information when a predetermined face is specified in the image A method has been proposed in which an area including a face is extracted by using and the extracted area is enlarged or reduced and displayed (see Patent Document 1). As described above, according to the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to individually display faces designated in an image.
JP 2004-320286 A

  However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, an area including a face cannot be extracted and reproduced unless a desired face is designated. For this reason, especially when a plurality of images are automatically reproduced, it is not possible to reproduce only the region including the face.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to more preferably allow an image to be automatically reproduced by using information on a face position extracted from the image.

An image reproduction device according to the present invention sequentially reproduces a plurality of images including a face and face images to which face position information indicating the position of the face area including the face and priority information indicating the priority of the face are given. In the image reproducing apparatus to
For the face image, reproduction control means for detecting a face area image corresponding to the face area from the face image based on the face position information, and reproducing the face area image in order of priority based on the priority information. It is characterized by comprising.

  Here, when only one face is included in the face image, priority information indicating the highest priority is assigned to the one face area image.

  In the image reproduction apparatus according to the present invention, when the reproduction control unit reproduces the face area image, a navigation image representing a position of the face area image to be reproduced on the face image is used as the face area image. It is good also as a means to superimpose and display.

  Further, the image reproducing apparatus according to the present invention may be provided in a digital camera.

The image reproduction method according to the present invention sequentially reproduces a plurality of images including a face and face images to which face position information indicating the position of the face area including the face and priority information indicating the priority of the face are given. In the image playback method to
For the face image, a face area image corresponding to the face area is detected from the face image based on the face position information,
The face area images are reproduced in order of priority based on the priority information.

  The image reproduction method according to the present invention may be provided as a program for causing a computer to execute the image reproduction method.

  According to the present invention, for a face image, a face area image is extracted from the face image based on the assigned face position information, and the extracted face area images are displayed in order of priority based on the priority information. . For this reason, it is possible to sequentially reproduce a plurality of images so as to be enjoyed by a viewer, using information on the position of the face included in the images.

  In addition, when a face area image is reproduced, a navigation image representing the position of the face area image on the face image is superimposed and reproduced on the face area image, so that the position of the face area image being reproduced on the face image is determined. It can be easily confirmed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view centering on the back surface of a digital camera 1 to which an image reproducing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, an operation mode switch 11, a menu / OK button 12, a zoom / up / down arrow lever 13, a left / right arrow button 14, a back are provided on the back of the digital camera 1 as an interface for operations by a photographer. In addition to having a (return) button 15 and a display switching button 16, it has a finder 17 and a liquid crystal monitor 18. A release button 19 is provided on the upper surface. FIG. 2 is a perspective view centering on the front surface of the digital camera 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, a lens 20, a lens cover 21, a power switch 22, a finder window 23, a flash 24, and a self-timer lamp 25 are provided on the front surface.

  The operation mode switch 11 is a slide switch for switching operation modes of a still image shooting mode, a moving image shooting mode, and a playback mode.

  Pressing the menu / OK button 12 causes the liquid crystal monitor 18 to display various menus for setting the shooting mode, the flash emission mode, auto play, the number of recording pixels, the sensitivity, and the like. This is a button for confirming selection / setting based on the menu.

  The zoom / up / down arrow lever 13 is used to adjust the telephoto / wide angle during shooting by tilting the lever in the vertical direction, and to move the cursor in the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 18 up and down during various settings. The lever.

  The left and right arrow buttons 14 are buttons for moving the cursor in the menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 18 to the left and right at various settings.

  The Back button 15 is a button for stopping various setting operations when pressed and returning to the previous screen.

  The display switching button 16 is a button for switching ON / OFF of the display of the liquid crystal monitor 18, various guide displays, ON / OFF of character display, and the like when pressed.

  The contents set by the operation of each button and lever can be confirmed by the display on the liquid crystal monitor 18, the position of the lamp in the viewfinder, the slide lever, and the like.

  The liquid crystal monitor 18 displays a through image for confirming a subject at the time of shooting, thereby functioning as an electronic viewfinder, displaying a still image and a moving image after shooting, and displaying various setting menus.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the digital camera. The digital camera 1 shown in FIG. 3 converts image data acquired by shooting into an Exif format image file and records it on a recording medium 70 that can be attached to and detached from the main body.

  The operation system of this digital camera includes the above-described operation mode switch 11, menu / OK button 12, zoom / up / down arrow lever 13, left / right arrow button 14, Back button 15, display switch button 16, release button 19, The power switch 22 and an operation system control unit 74 which is an interface part for transmitting the operation contents of these switches to the CPU 75 are provided.

  The optical system includes a focus lens 20a and a zoom lens 20b. Each lens can be moved in the optical axis direction by a focus lens driving unit 51 and a zoom lens driving unit 52 including a motor and a motor driver. The focus lens driving unit 51 controls the movement of each lens based on the focus driving amount data output from the AF processing unit 62 and the zoom lens driving unit 52 based on the operation amount data of the zoom / up / down arrow lever 13. .

  The diaphragm 54 is driven by a diaphragm driving unit 55 including a motor and a motor driver. The aperture driver 55 adjusts the aperture diameter based on aperture value data output from the AE / AWB processor 63.

  The shutter 56 is a mechanical shutter and is driven by a shutter drive unit 57 including a motor and a motor driver. The shutter drive unit 57 controls the opening / closing of the shutter 56 in accordance with a signal generated by pressing the release button 19 and the shutter speed data output from the AE / AWB processing unit 63.

  A CCD 58, which is an image sensor, is provided behind the optical system. The CCD 58 has a photoelectric surface in which a large number of light receiving elements are two-dimensionally arranged, and subject light that has passed through the optical system forms an image on the photoelectric surface and is subjected to photoelectric conversion. In front of the photocathode, a microlens array for condensing light on each pixel and a color filter array in which filters of R, G, and B colors are regularly arranged are arranged. The CCD 58 outputs the charges accumulated for each pixel as a serial analog photographing signal line by line in synchronization with the vertical transfer clock and horizontal transfer clock supplied from the CCD controller 59. The time for accumulating charges in each pixel, that is, the exposure time is determined by an electronic shutter drive signal given from the CCD controller 59. The gain of the CCD 58 is adjusted by the CCD control unit 59 so that an analog imaging signal having a predetermined size can be obtained.

  The analog photographing signal captured from the CCD 58 is input to the analog signal processing unit 60. The analog signal processing unit 60 includes a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS) that removes noise from the analog signal, an auto gain controller (AGC) that adjusts the gain of the analog signal, and an A / D that converts the analog signal into a digital signal. It consists of a converter (ADC). The image data converted into the digital signal is CCD-RAW data having R, G, and B density values for each pixel.

  The timing generator 72 generates a timing signal. By supplying this timing signal to the shutter drive unit 57, the CCD control unit 59, and the analog signal processing unit 60, the operation of the release button 19, the opening and closing of the shutter 56, The charge taking of the CCD 58 and the processing of the analog signal processing unit 60 are synchronized.

  The flash control unit 73 causes the flash 24 to emit light during shooting. Specifically, when the flash emission mode is set to flash on, and when the flash emission mode is the auto mode, the flash 24 is turned on when a pre-image to be described later is not at a predetermined brightness, and the flash is set at the time of shooting. 24 is caused to emit light. On the other hand, when the flash emission mode is set to flash off, the flash 24 is prohibited from emitting light during shooting.

  The image input controller 61 writes the CCD-RAW data input from the analog signal processing unit 60 in the frame memory 66.

  The frame memory 66 is a working memory used when various digital image processing (signal processing) described later is performed on image data. For example, an SDRAM (data transfer device that performs data transfer in synchronization with a bus clock signal having a fixed period. Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) is used.

  The display control unit 71 displays the image data stored in the frame memory 66 on the liquid crystal monitor 18 as a through image, or displays the image data stored on the recording medium 70 in the playback mode on the liquid crystal monitor 18. belongs to. The through image is taken by the CCD 58 at a predetermined interval while the shooting mode is selected.

  The AF processing unit 62 and the AE / AWB processing unit 63 determine shooting conditions based on the pre-image. This pre-image is an image represented by image data stored in the frame memory 66 as a result of the CPU 75 having detected a half-press signal generated by half-pressing the release button 19 causing the CCD 58 to perform pre-photographing. It is.

  The AF processing unit 62 detects the focal position based on the pre-image and outputs focus drive amount data (AF processing). As a focus position detection method, for example, a passive method that detects a focus position using a feature that the contrast of an image increases in a focused state can be considered.

  The AE / AWB processing unit 63 measures subject brightness based on the pre-image, determines an aperture value, shutter speed, etc. based on the measured subject brightness, and determines aperture value data and shutter speed data as exposure setting values. At the same time (AE processing), white balance at the time of shooting is automatically adjusted (AWB). The exposure and white balance can be set manually by the user of the digital camera 1 when the shooting mode is set to the manual mode. Even when the exposure and white balance are set automatically, the user can manually adjust the exposure and white balance by giving an instruction from the operation system such as the menu / OK button 12.

  The image processing unit 64 performs image quality correction processing such as gamma correction, sharpness correction, and contrast correction on the image data of the main image, CCD-RAW data as Y data that is a luminance signal, Cb data that is a blue color difference signal, and YC processing is performed for conversion to YC data composed of Cr data which is a red color difference signal. The main image is an image based on image data that is captured from the CCD 58 in the main photographing executed when the release button 19 is fully pressed and stored in the frame memory 66 via the analog signal processing unit 60 and the image input controller 61. It is. The upper limit of the number of pixels of the main image is determined by the number of pixels of the CCD 58. For example, the number of recorded pixels can be changed by setting such as fine and normal. On the other hand, the number of images of the through image and the pre-image is smaller than that of the main image.

  The compression / decompression processing unit 65 performs compression processing on the image data of the main image that has been corrected and converted by the image processing unit 64 in a compression format such as JPEG, and generates an image file. A tag storing incidental information such as shooting date and time is added to the image file based on the Exif format or the like. In the playback mode, the compression / decompression processing unit 65 reads a compressed image file from the recording medium 70 and performs decompression processing. The decompressed image data is output to the liquid crystal monitor 18.

  The media control unit 67 accesses the recording medium 70 and controls writing and reading of the image file.

  The internal memory 68 stores various constants set in the digital camera 1, programs executed by the CPU 75, and the like.

  The face detection unit 80 detects a face area including a human face from the main image. Specifically, first, an area having facial features (for example, having a skin color, having eyes, or having a facial shape) included in the image is detected. The detection of the area having the facial features (hereinafter referred to as a face area) is not limited to these. Further, the face detection unit 80 detects an area including the detected face area and having the same aspect ratio as that of the main image as a face area image, and coordinates on the main image at the upper left corner of the detected face area image. The value and the image size of the face area image are calculated as face position information. Note that the face area image is detected such that the face area is located at the center thereof.

  Furthermore, when a plurality of faces are included in one main image, the face detection unit 80 detects a plurality of face area images, calculates face position information for each of them, and determines the size of the detected face area in descending order. Priority information representing priority is calculated. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, for an image 90 including three faces, three face area images 90A to 90C are detected, but the sizes of the included faces are in the order of 90C, 90C, and 90A. The priority information is calculated in order from the face area image 90C. Note that the priority order is not limited to the order of face sizes. As priority information, values 1, 2, 3,... Are used in descending order of priority. If only one face area image is detected, a value of 1 is used as priority information.

  Further, the face detection unit 80 gives the face position information and the priority information to the main image by describing the face position information and the priority information in the tag of the main image. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a file structure of a main image in which face position information and priority information are described in a tag. As shown in FIG. 5, the image file 100 of the main image includes a tag 101 and a data body 102. The tag 101 describes various information including a file name, shooting date / time, face position information, and priority information. Here, the face position information is a coordinate value and an image size on the main image at the upper left corner of the face area detected as described above. The priority information is a numerical value indicating the priority. When a plurality of faces are included, numbers are assigned to the face position information such as face position information 1 and 2.

  When an auto play instruction is given to a plurality of images recorded on the recording medium 70, the playback unit 82 uses the face position information and priority information described in the tag of each image to be described later. A plurality of images are reproduced in the order of file names.

  The CPU 75 controls each part of the main body of the digital camera 1 according to signals from the operation system such as the operation mode switch 11 and various processing units such as the AF processing unit 62.

  The data bus 76 is connected to the image input controller 61, various processing units 62 to 65, a frame memory 66, a media control unit 67, an internal memory 68, a display control unit 71, a face detection unit 80, a playback unit 82, and a CPU 75. And exchange digital image data.

  Next, a process performed when an auto play instruction is given in the digital camera 1 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing performed in the first embodiment. In the following description, since only the main image is recorded on the recording medium 70, the main image is simply referred to as an image. The CPU 75 starts processing by instructing auto play for a plurality of images recorded on the recording medium 70, and the playback unit 82 sets the image with the first file name among the plurality of images as a playback target image. (Step ST1), the reproduction target image is reproduced on the liquid crystal monitor 18 (step ST2). Furthermore, the playback unit 82 determines whether face position information and priority information are given to the playback target image (step ST3).

  If the determination in step ST3 is affirmative, the face area image to be trimmed is set to the face area image having the highest priority with reference to the priority information of the reproduction target image (step ST4), and the face position information of the set priority is set. Is trimmed (step ST5), and the size of the trimmed face area image is changed to match the size of the liquid crystal monitor 18 and reproduced (step ST6). If step ST3 is negative, the process proceeds to step ST9 described later.

  Then, it is determined whether other face position information and priority information is given to the reproduction target image (step ST7). If step ST7 is affirmed, the face area image to be trimmed has the next highest priority. The face area image is set (step ST8), the process returns to step ST5, and the processes after step ST5 are repeated.

  If step ST7 is negative, it is determined whether or not the reproduction of all the images recorded on the recording medium 70 has been completed (step ST9). If step ST8 is negative, the next image with the file name is reproduced. The target image is set (step ST10), the process returns to step ST2, and the processes after step ST2 are repeated. If step ST9 is affirmed, the process ends.

  As a result, all the images recorded on the recording medium 70 are sequentially reproduced on the liquid crystal monitor 18 in the order of the file names. However, with respect to the image in which the face area is detected, the entire image is reproduced, and then the priority information is used. When the detected face area images are reproduced in the order of priority expressed, and all the face area images are reproduced, the next image with the file name is reproduced. Specifically, in the case of the image 90 including the three faces shown in FIG. 4, the entire image 90 is first reproduced as shown in FIG. 7, and then the face area image 90C having the highest priority is reproduced. The face area images are reproduced in the order of the face area image 90B and the face area image 90A.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the face area image is trimmed based on the face position information given to the image, and the trimmed face area image is reproduced in order of priority based on the priority information. It is a thing. For this reason, it is possible to sequentially reproduce a plurality of images so as to be enjoyed by a viewer, using information on the position of the face included in the images.

  In the first embodiment, when the trimmed face area image is reproduced, the navigation image representing the position of the face area image on the reproduction target image is reproduced by superimposing the face area image to be reproduced. Also good. Hereinafter, this will be described as a second embodiment.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing performed in the second embodiment. The CPU 75 starts the process when an auto play instruction is given for a plurality of images recorded on the recording medium 70, and the playback unit 82 sets the image with the first file name among the plurality of images as a playback target image. Then, the reproduction target image is reproduced on the liquid crystal monitor 18 (step ST22). Furthermore, the playback unit 82 determines whether face position information and priority information are given to the playback target image (step ST23).

  When step ST23 is affirmed, the priority information of the reproduction target image is referred to, the face area image to be trimmed is set as the face area image with the highest priority (step ST24), and the face position information of the set priority is set. Is trimmed (step ST25), the size of the trimmed face area image is changed to match the size of the liquid crystal monitor 18, and the navigation image is superimposed on the face area image. Playback is performed (step ST26). In addition, when step ST23 is denied, it will progress to step ST29 mentioned later.

  Then, it is determined whether other face position information and priority information is given to the reproduction target image (step ST27). If step ST27 is affirmed, the face area image to be trimmed has the next highest priority. The face area image is set (step ST28), the process returns to step ST25, and the processes after step ST25 are repeated.

  If step ST27 is negative, it is determined whether or not the reproduction of all the images recorded on the recording medium 70 has been completed (step ST29). If step ST29 is negative, the next image with the file name is reproduced. It sets to a target image (step ST30), returns to step ST22, and repeats the process after step ST22. If step ST29 is affirmed, the process ends.

  As a result, the images recorded on the recording medium 70 are sequentially reproduced on the liquid crystal monitor 18 in the order of the file names. However, with respect to the image in which the face area is detected, the entire image is reproduced and then represented by the priority information. When the detected face area images are reproduced together with the navigation image in order of priority, and all the face area images are reproduced, the next image with the file name is reproduced. Specifically, in the case of the image 90 including three faces shown in FIG. 4, the entire image 90 is first reproduced as shown in FIG. 9, and then the face area image 90 </ b> C having the highest priority is displayed together with the navigation image 92. Thereafter, the face area image is reproduced together with the navigation image 92 in the order of the face area image 90B and the face area image 90A.

  Here, the navigation image 92 is a single color or transparent image having a shape corresponding to the reproduction target image, and a frame 92A displayed in the navigation image 92 represents the position of the currently reproduced face area in the image. Yes. The inside of the frame 92A may be different from the color of the entire navigation image.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the navigation image representing the position of the face area image on the image is reproduced while being superimposed on the face area image, so that the face area image being reproduced on the reproduction target image is reproduced. The position can be easily confirmed.

  In the second embodiment, a monochromatic image is used as the navigation image 92. However, an image obtained by reducing the reproduction target image may be used as the navigation image 92.

  In the above embodiment, the face position information and the priority information are given to the image by describing the face position information and the priority information in the tag of the image. In the recording medium 70, the face position information, the priority information, and the image are inseparable from each other, such as having the same file name that differs only in extension from the corresponding image file, or storing in the same folder. By recording, face position information and priority information may be added to the image.

  As described above, the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, the computer is caused to function as a unit corresponding to the face detection unit 80 and the reproduction unit 82, and the processes shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 are performed. A program is also one embodiment of the present invention. A computer-readable recording medium that records such a program is also one embodiment of the present invention.

The perspective view centering on the back surface of the digital camera to which the image reproducing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a perspective view centered on the front surface of a digital camera to which an image reproducing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera to which an image playback device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. A diagram showing an image containing three faces Diagram showing image file structure The flowchart which shows the process performed in 1st Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the state in which an image is reproduced | regenerated in 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the process performed in 2nd Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the state in which an image is reproduced | regenerated in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital camera 18 LCD monitor 58 CCD
59 CCD control unit 70 Recording medium 71 Display control unit 73 Flash control unit 75 CPU
80 Face detection unit 82 Playback unit

Claims (5)

In an image reproduction apparatus that sequentially reproduces a plurality of images including a face and face image information including face position information indicating the position of the face region including the face and priority information indicating priority of the face.
For the face image, reproduction control means for detecting a face area image corresponding to the face area from the face image based on the face position information, and reproducing the face area image in order of priority based on the priority information. An image reproducing apparatus comprising:   The reproduction control means is a means for displaying a navigation image representing a position of the face area image to be reproduced on the face image superimposed on the face area image when reproducing the face area image. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1.   3. The image reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reproducing apparatus is provided in a digital camera. In an image reproduction method for sequentially reproducing a plurality of images including a face and face image information including face position information indicating the position of the face area including the face and priority information indicating priority of the face,
For the face image, a face area image corresponding to the face area is detected from the face image based on the face position information,
An image reproduction method, wherein the face area images are reproduced in order of priority based on the priority information. A computer executes an image reproduction method for sequentially reproducing a plurality of images including a face and face image information including face position information indicating the position of the face area including the face and priority information indicating the priority of the face. In the program to let
For the face image, a procedure for detecting a face area image corresponding to the face area from the face image based on the face position information;
A program for reproducing the face area image in order of priority based on the priority information.

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