IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,463,825
Granted Patent B2
US 12,463,825 · App. 18/257,559 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Image processing apparatus and method

Inventor: Yosuke Hiratsuka (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
H04L9/3247G06T7/55G06V20/95
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,463,825
App. No.
18/257,559
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and method capable of more accurately determining authenticity of an image. An image of a subject is acquired by capturing an optical image from the subject, 3D information is acquired from the optical image on the same optical axis as the image, and a signature of the image and the 3D information is generated. Furthermore, by comparing the image with the 3D information acquired on the same optical axis as the image, authenticity of the image is confirmed. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, or the like.

Claims (81)

1 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

a 3D information acquisition unit that acquires 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image; and

a signature generation unit that generates a signature of the image and the 3D information, wherein

the image acquisition unit includes a pixel array in which pixels that photoelectrically convert light from the subject are arranged in a matrix, and

the 3D information acquisition unit includes a plurality of image plane phase difference detection pixels formed in the pixel array, and uses the image plane phase difference detection pixels to obtain information about a plurality of locations in the image acquired by the pixel array.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information using a phase difference.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information in a predetermined range corresponding to an angle of view of the image.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signature generation unit encrypts a hash value of information including the image and the 3D information to generate the signature.

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the image acquisition unit acquires a moving image of the subject, and

the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information from the optical image on the same optical axis as the moving image.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the image acquisition unit acquires the image from one of the optical images split by a beam splitter, and

the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information from an other of the optical images split by the beam splitter.

7 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information at a main exposure start timing when the main exposure is started in the imaging by the image acquisition unit.

8 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the 3D information acquisition unit acquires the 3D information multiple times in one imaging by the image acquisition unit.

9 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an image file generation unit that generates an image file in which the image, the 3D information, and the signature are stored.

10 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability of the 3D information based on the image and the 3D information.

11 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a display unit that displays a reliability of the image and the 3D information.

12 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an image file generation unit that generates an image file containing the image, the 3D information, metadata including information indicating a reliability of the 3D information, and the signature.

13 . An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the 3D information is acquired on a same optical axis as the image.

14 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

if a validity of the signature cannot be confirmed, a signature verification unit updates metadata of the image and reconfirms the validity of the signature.

15 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

a 3D information acquisition unit that acquires 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image; and

a signature generation unit that generates a signature of the image and the 3D information; and

a plane determination unit that determines whether a shape of the subject is a plane based on the 3D information, wherein

the signature generation unit generates the signature when the plane determination unit determines that the shape of the subject is not a plane.

16 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

a 3D information acquisition unit that acquires 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image;

a signature generation unit that generates a signature of the image and the 3D information; and

an image processing and editing unit that processes and edits the image; and

a 3D information processing and editing unit that performs the same processing and editing as that performed on the image on the 3D information, wherein

the signature generation unit generates a signature of the processed and edited image and the 3D information.

17 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising:

an image file generation unit that generates an image file that stores the processed and edited image, the 3D information, the signature, and metadata indicating the processed and edited image.

18 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

a 3D information acquisition unit that acquires 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image;

a signature generation unit that generates a signature of the image and the 3D information; and

a signature verification unit that verifies a validity of a signature of information containing an image of a subject and 3D information indicating a state of the unevenness of the subject, wherein

when the validity of the signature is confirmed, an authenticity of the image is verified by comparing the state of the unevenness of the subject estimated from the image with the state of the unevenness of the subject indicated by the 3D information.

19 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

a 3D information acquisition unit that acquires 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image;

a signature generation unit that generates a signature of the image and the 3D information; and

an optical axis determination unit that determines whether the 3D information was acquired on the same optical axis as the image; and

an image confirmation processing unit that determines that the image is not authentic when the 3D information is not acquired on the same optical axis as the image.

20 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein image confirmation processing unit performs display control to display a result of a comparison on the display unit.

21 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 19 , further comprising:

a reliability determination unit that determines whether the 3D information is reliable based on reliability information indicating the reliability of the 3D information stored in an image file that stores the image and the 3D information, wherein

the image confirmation processing unit determines that the image is not authentic when the 3D information is unreliable.

22 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 19 , further comprising:

a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability of the 3D information based on camera parameters related to the image, stored in an image file that stores the image and the 3D information, wherein

the image confirmation processing unit confirms an authenticity of the image based on the reliability of the 3D information.

23 . An image processing method comprising:

acquiring, by an image acquisition unit, an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

acquiring, by a 3D information acquisition unit, 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image; and

generating a signature of the image and the 3D information, wherein

the image acquisition unit includes a pixel array in which pixels that photoelectrically convert light from the subject are arranged in a matrix, and

the 3D information acquisition unit includes a plurality of image plane phase difference detection pixels formed in the pixel array, and uses the image plane phase difference detection pixels to obtain information about a plurality of locations in the image acquired by the pixel array.

24 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for image processing, the program code being executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

acquiring, by an image acquisition unit, an image of a subject by capturing an optical image from the subject;

acquiring, by a 3D information acquisition unit, 3D information showing an unevenness of the subject from the optical image on a same optical axis as the image; and

generating a signature of the image and the 3D information, wherein

the image acquisition unit includes a pixel array in which pixels that photoelectrically convert light from the subject are arranged in a matrix, and

the 3D information acquisition unit includes a plurality of image plane phase difference detection pixels formed in the pixel array, and uses the image plane phase difference detection pixels to obtain information about a plurality of locations in the image acquired by the pixel array.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: HIRATSUKA, YOSUKE
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065556/0358 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63128260 · Dec 21, 2020
Related Publication 20240113891A1 · Apr 4, 2024
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