Image processing method and apparatus for face image

1. An image processing method of image processing of a face image, comprising steps of:

processing said face image monochromatically by gray scale processing;

segmenting a first image area inclusive of a skin area of a face from said face image after said gray scale processing;

specifying a second image area inclusive of said first image area and also a hair area of said face in said face image;

generating a brightness histogram of said first image area;

extracting a shadow point and an eyeball point of said face from said first image area, said shadow point having a lowest brightness in said skin area;

generating a modified histogram by modifying said brightness histogram so as to correct a specific area having a lower brightness level than said eyeball point at a brightness level of said eyeball point, and to correct a specific portion in said skin area having a higher brightness level than said shadow point at a brightness level of said shadow point;

determining one to three thresholds from said modified histogram;

thresholding said second image area by use of said one to three thresholds to produce an N-level encoded image, where N is an integer of 2 or more.

2. An image processing method as defined in claim 1 , wherein information of N is input by external operation.

3. An image processing method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a step of detecting an eye shape by retrieving coordinates of eyes from said face image, and of enhancing an edge of said eye shape for correction.

4. An image processing method as defined in claim 2 , further comprising a step of converting said N-level encoded image into vector data.

5. An image processing apparatus for image processing of a face image, comprising:

a gray scale processing device for processing said face image monochromatically by gray scale processing;

an image segmentation device for segmenting a first image area inclusive of a skin area of a face from said face image after said gray scale processing;

an area specifying device for specifying a second image area inclusive of said first image area and also a hair area of said face in said face image;

a histogram generator for generating a brightness histogram of said first image area;

a feature point extracting device for extracting a shadow point and an eyeball point of said face from said first image area, said shadow point having a lowest brightness in said skin area;

a modified histogram generator for generating a modified histogram by modifying said brightness histogram so as to correct a specific area having a lower brightness level than said eyeball point at a brightness level of said eyeball point, and to correct a specific portion in said skin area having a higher brightness level than said shadow point at a brightness level of said shadow point;

a threshold generator for determining one to three thresholds from said modified histogram;

an image thresholding device for thresholding said second image area by use of said one to three thresholds to produce an N-level encoded image, where N is an integer of 2 or more.

6. An image processing apparatus as defined in claim 5 , further comprising an output interface for outputting said N-level encoded image from said image thresholding device.

7. An image processing apparatus as defined in claim 5 , further comprising an input interface for inputting information of N.

8. An image processing apparatus as defined in claim 7 , further comprising an eye shape correction device for detecting an eye shape by retrieving coordinates of eyes from said face image, and for enhancing an edge of said eye shape for correction.

9. An image processing apparatus as defined in claim 5 , further comprising a vector data converter for converting said N-level encoded image into vector data.