Method of detecting redeye in a digital image

1. A method for detecting redeye in a digital image, comprising:

a) examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects using first search criteria;

b) examining the image for detected face regions;

c) from the results of steps a) and b), identifying those detected face regions each having only one detected redeye defect; and

d) examining at least a portion of the face regions identified in c), using second search criteria to determine if a second redeye defect is present in one or more of said face regions, and

wherein the first search criteria and the second search criteria each comprise a corresponding filter set; and

wherein the filter set corresponding to the second search criteria comprises less filters than the filter set corresponding to the first search criteria.

2. A method for detecting redeye in a digital image, comprising:

a) examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects using first search criteria;

b) examining the image for detected face regions;

c) from the results of steps a) and b), identifying those detected face regions each having only one detected redeye defect; and

d) examining at least a portion of the face regions identified in c), using second search criteria to determine if a second redeye defect is present in one or more of said face regions, and

wherein the first search criteria and the second search criteria each comprise a corresponding filter set, wherein said image comprises an image within a stream of images and

wherein said face regions are detected in one or more images of said stream, said face regions being extrapolated from said one or more images to said image.

3. A method for detecting redeye in a digital image, comprising:

a) examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects using a first search criteria;

b) examining the image for detected face regions;

c) from the results of a) and b), identifying each of those detected face regions having no detected redeye defects;

d) examining at least a portion of the face regions identified in c), using second search criteria to detect additional redeye defects in said face regions; and

e) combining the results from a) and d), and

wherein the first search criteria and the second search criteria each comprise a corresponding filter set; and

wherein the filter set corresponding to the second search criteria comprises less filters than the filter set corresponding to the first search criteria.

4. A method for detecting pairs of redeye in a digital image, comprising:

a) examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects using a first search criteria;

b) examining the image for detected face regions whereby said detected redeye defects are enclosed within the periphery of said detected face regions;

c) identifying said detected face regions each having only one detected redeye defect;

d) examining at least a portion of the face regions identified in c), using second search criteria, to detect a second redeye defect in one or more said face regions; and

e) combining the results from a) and d); and

determining the orientation of said detected face regions; and

wherein said second search criteria includes a search based on said determined orientation of said detected face regions.

5. A method for detecting pairs of redeye in a digital image, comprising:

a) examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects using a first search criteria;

b) examining the image for detected face regions whereby said detected redeye defects are enclosed within the periphery of said detected face regions;

c) identifying said detected face regions each having only one detected redeye defect;

d) examining at least a portion of the face regions identified in c), using second search criteria, to detect a second redeye defect in one or more said face regions; and

e) combining the results from a) and d); and

wherein said second search criteria includes anthropometric data relevant to said detected face regions and a determined location of a second eye based on a known location of said one detected redeye defect; and

wherein said second search criteria includes a search based on said determined orientation of said detected face regions.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects comprises examining said detected face regions for redeyes.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

e) combining the results of step a) and step d).

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of examining at least a portion of the image to detect redeye defects comprises examining substantially said complete image for redeye defects and wherein the examining at least a portion of the face regions comprises examining substantially said face region to determine if a second redeye defect is present.

9. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein c) further comprises identifying those detected face regions each having no detected redeye defects.

10. The method claimed in claim 1 wherein the second search criteria are less stringent than the first search criteria.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 wherein filter parameters of the filter set corresponding to the second search criteria are set broader than filter parameters of the filter set corresponding to the first search criteria.

12. The method claimed in claim 1 or claim 3 , wherein the filter set corresponding to the second search criteria comprises less filters than the filter set corresponding to the first search criteria.

13. The method claimed in claim 12 wherein the filter set corresponding to the second search criteria include filters arranged to detect non-redeye defects.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

detecting non-redeye defect pixels; and

correcting said non-redeye defect pixels by utilizing texture information derived from pixels of a detected redeye defect.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein said texture information is derived from un-corrected pixels of said redeye defect.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein said texture information is derived from corrected pixels of said redeye defect.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein said texture information is derived from corrected pixels of a redeye defect located within the same face region as said second redeye defect.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said texture information comprises color information.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the identified portion of the face region includes a combined redeye and non-redeye defect, and wherein said texture information is derived from redeye pixels of said combined eye defect.

20. The method claimed in claim 3 , wherein c) further comprises identifying each of those detected face regions having only one detected redeye defect.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer program code which when executed on a digital image acquisition apparatus is arranged to perform the method of claim 1 or claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5 .

22. A digital image processing device operable to perform the method of claim 1 or claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5 .

23. A method as recited in 4 ,

wherein said second search criteria includes a search based on said determined orientation of said detected face regions.

24. A digital image acquisition device configured to acquire a digital image and to perform the method of claim 1 or claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5 .