IP Library Granted Patent US 7,898,592
Granted Patent B2
US 7,898,592 · App. 12/203,792 · Granted Mar 1, 2011

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing system

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,898,592
App. No.
12/203,792
Granted
Mar 1, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a face detecting unit that detects a face included in image data generated by a photographing operation, a face transforming and correcting unit that performs a face correcting process for shrinking a width of a detected face in a case where the face is detected by the face detecting unit, and a shading processing unit that performs a process for increasing sharpness of an in-focus area of the image data and performs a shading process for an out-of-focus area of the image data, in a case where a face has not been detected by the face detecting unit.

Claims (21)

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a face detecting unit that detects a face included in image data generated by a photographing operation;

a face transforming and correcting unit that performs a face correcting process for shrinking a width of a detected face in a case where the face is detected by the face detecting unit; and

a shading processing unit that performs a process for increasing sharpness of an in-focus area of the image data and performs a shading process for an out-of-focus area of the image data, in a case where a face has not been detected by the face detecting unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a position relationship estimating unit that estimates a position relationship between photographing targets included in the image data,

wherein the shading processing unit changes a degree of the shading process in accordance with the estimated position relationship.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the position relationship estimating unit acquires a plurality of types of image data with different focal distances in photographing a subject and estimates a relative position relationship between the photographing targets included in the subject based on degrees of sharpness between the acquired plurality of types of image data.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image processing apparatus can perform a plurality of types of image processes for the image data, and

wherein the image processing apparatus accepts a request for performing the plurality of types of image processes and performs the received image process.

5. An image processing method for performing a predetermined image process for image data acquired from photographing a subject, the image processing method comprising:

detecting a face in the image data;

performing a face correcting process for shrinking a width of a detected face in a case where the face is detected; and

performing a process for increasing sharpness of an in-focus area of the image data and performing a shading process for an out-of-focus area of the image data, in a case where a face has not been detected.

6. An image processing system comprising:

an image data acquiring device that acquires image data by photographing a subject and

an output device that performs an image process for the acquired image data and outputs the image data,

wherein the image data acquiring device includes a face detecting unit that detects a face in the image data, and

wherein the output device includes:

a face correcting unit that performs a face correcting process for shrinking a width of a detected face in a case where the face is detected by the face detecting unit; and

a shading processing unit that performs a process for increasing sharpness of an in-focus area of the image data and performs a shading process for an out-of-focus area of the image data, in a case where a face has not been detected by the face detecting unit.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2019
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: 138 EAST LCD ADVANCEMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050710/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2008
From: HOSHII, JUN
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021476/0975 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-230660 · Sep 5, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090059030A1 · Mar 5, 2009