IP Library Granted Patent US 8,488,840
Granted Patent B2
US 8,488,840 · App. 12/606,411 · Granted Jul 16, 2013

Image processing device, image processing method and electronic apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,488,840
App. No.
12/606,411
Granted
Jul 16, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clipping processing portion is provided with: a subject detection portion that detects a main subject and a sub-subject from an input image; a degree-of-relationship calculation portion that calculates the degree of relationship between the main subject and the sub-subject; a clip region setting portion that sets a clip region based on the positions of the main subject and the sub-subject in the input image and the degree of relationship; a clipping portion that clips the clip region from the input image. The clip region setting portion sets the clip region so as to include the main subject and the sub-subject having the high degree of relationship thereof.

Claims (40)

1. An image processing device comprising:

a subject detection portion that detects predetermined subjects from an input image and that sets one of the detected subjects as a main subject and another of the detected subjects as a sub-subject;

a determination portion that determines a degree of relationship between the main subject and the sub-subject based on degree-of-relationship information, wherein the degree-of-relationship information indicates strength of relationship between the main subject and the sub-subject;

a clip region setting portion that sets a clip region in the input image based on positions of the main subject and the sub-subject in the input image and the degree of relationship; and

a clipping portion that clips the clip region from the input image to generate a clipped image

wherein the degree-of-relationship includes at least one of (a) to (d) below:

(a) orientations of faces of the main subject and the sub-subject;

(b) a degree of similarity of face between the main subject and the sub-subject;

(c) a degree of similarity of color between the main subject and the sub-subject; and

(d) a ratio between a number of images that are sequentially input as the input image and a number of input images including the sub-subject.

2. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the clip region setting portion sets the clip region including: the main subject; and the sub-subject having, with the main subject, the degree of relationship that is determined by the determination portion to be close.

3. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein

the subject detection portion detects the subjects by detecting faces, and

one of the subjects that has a face corresponding to at least one of:

a largest face in the input image,

a face closest to a center of the input image,

a face recognized as a specific fac; and

a face specified by a selection signal input from outside is set as the main subject.

4. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the degree-of-relationship information includes at least one of:

a distance between the main subject and the sub-subject;

orientations of faces of the main subject and the sub-subject;

sounds emitted by the main subject and the sub-subject;

a degree of similarity of face between the main subject and the sub-subject;

a degree of similarity of color between the main subject and the sub-subject;

a degree to which the face of the sub-subject is recognized as a specific face;

a ratio between a number of images that are sequentially input as the input image and a number of input images including the sub-subject.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising: the image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the clipped image output from the image processing device is recorded or displayed.

6. An image processing method comprising, performing the following steps via a processor:

detecting predetermined subjects from an input image and setting one of the detected subjects as a main subject and another of the detected subjects as a sub-subject;

determining a degree of relationship between the main subject and the sub-subject based on degree of information, wherein the degree-of-relationship information indicates strength of relationship between the main subject and the sub-subject;

setting a clip region in the input image based on positions of the main subject and the sub-subject in the input image and the degree of relationship; and

clipping, from the input image, the clip region to generate a clipped image

wherein the degree-of-relationship includes at least one of (a) to (d) below:

(a) orientations of faces of the main subject and the sub-subject;

(b) a degree of similarity of face between the main subject and the sub-subject;

(c) a degree of similarity of color between the main subject and the sub-subject; and

(d) a ratio between a number of images that are sequentially input as the input image and a number of input images including the sub-subject.

7. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the degree-of-relationship information includes a distance between the main subject and the sub-subject.

8. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the degree-of-relationship information includes sounds emitted by the main subject and the sub-subject.

9. The image processing device of claim 1 , wherein the degree-of-relationship information includes a degree to which the face of the sub-subject is recognized as a specific face.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 13/446,454, AND REPLACE WITH 13/466,454 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032467 FRAME 0095. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Apr 3, 2014
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: XACTI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032601/0646 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2014
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: XACTI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032467/0095 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2009
From: FUKUMOTO, SHINPEI; TAKEUCHI, SATORU; KOJIMA, KAZUHIRO; TSUNEKAWA, NORIKAZU
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 023430/0319 →