Detecting red eye filter and apparatus using meta-data

1 . A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from a digitized image comprising a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes within the image, the method comprising:

(a) analyzing meta-data information including digitized-meta-data information describing one or more conditions under which the image was digitized or film information or a combination thereof; and

(b) determining, based at least in part on said meta-data analysis, whether one or more regions within said digital image are suspected as including red eye artifact.

2 . The method of claim 1 , said digitized image having been captured on negative color film.

3 . The method of claim 1 , said digitized image having been captured on color reversal film.

4 . The method of claim 1 , the film information including film brand, film type or emulsion batch, or combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 1 , the film information dictating color sensitivity curves of film upon which said digitized image was captured.

6 . The method of claim 1 , the digitized meta data comprising a spectral response function of a digitizer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , the digitized meta data comprising post-scanning tone reproduction or color transformation or a combination thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 , the meta-data information analyzing including analyzing both the conditions under which the image was digitized and film information.

9 . The method of claim 1 , said image having been digitized by scanning.

10 . The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising adjusting a pixel color within any of said regions wherein red eye artifact is determined and outputting an adjusted image.

11 . The method of claim 1 , said meta-data comprising image acquisition device-specific information.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising analyzing pixel information within one or more regions suspected as including red eye artifact based on said meta-data analysis, and determining whether any of said one or more suspected regions continue to be suspected as including red eye artifact based on said pixel analysis, said pixel analysis being performed after said meta-data analysis.

13 . The method of claim 11 , said meta-data information comprising information describing conditions under which the image was acquired.

14 . The method of claim 1 , said meta-data information comprising a spectral response curve of a sensor of an acquisition device with which the image was acquired.

15 . The method of claim 1 , said meta-data information comprising information describing conditions under which the image was acquired.

16 . The method of claim 15 , said meta-data information comprising an indication of whether a flash was used when the image was acquired.

17 . The method of claim 15 , said image having been digitized by scanning, the method further comprising adjusting a pixel color within any of said regions wherein red eye artifact is determined and outputting an adjusted image.

18 . A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from a digitized image comprising a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes within the image, the method comprising:

analyzing meta-data information including capture-meta-data information describing conditions under which the image was captured, as well as digitized-meta-data information describing the conditions under which the image was digitized or film information or a combination thereof; and

determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are suspected red eye artifact.

19 . The method of claim 18 , said digitized image having been captured on negative color film.

20 . The method of claim 18 , said digitized image having been captured on color reversal film.