Image Recomposition From Face Detection And Facial Features

1 . A computer implemented method for modifying a digital image comprising:

loading the digital image into an electronic memory accessible by the computer;

identifying two or more individual regions in the digital image that each include a human face;

padding each of the two or more individual regions;

digitally defining at least one combined padded region that includes the two or more individual padded regions, wherein at least one border of the at least one combined padded region is collinear with a border of one of the individual padded regions; and

digitally defining an expanded combined padded region by extending the at least one border of the at least one combined padded region by a predetermined distance.

2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a size of a dimension of a largest one of the combined padded regions in the digital image, wherein the predetermined distance is a function of the size of the dimension.

3 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the function of the size of the dimension is based upon a landscape or portrait format of the modified digital image.

4 . The computer implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the function of the size of the dimension depends upon a ratio of an input digital image aspect ratio to an output digital image aspect ratio.

5 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically cropping the digital image such that the expanded combined padded region is preserved.

6 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically deleting one of the at least one combined padded regions if the computer determines that automatically cropping the digital image cannot be completed together with preserving the expanded combined padded region.

7 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically digitally extending opposing borders of the expanded combined padded region until at least one of the opposing borders reaches a border of the digital image.

8 . The computer implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising automatically digitally extending opposing borders of the expanded combined padded region until a predetermined aspect ratio is reached, including padding the opposing borders of the digitally extended expanded combined padded region with non-content borders.

9 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a centroid of the expanded combined padded region and forming a modified image at a preselected aspect ratio, wherein the centroid of the expanded combined padded region is also the centroid of the modified image, and wherein the modified image includes only content from the digital image without non-content padding;

determining whether the modified image includes all of the expanded combined padded region.

10 . The computer implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

if the computer determines that the modified image does not include all of the expanded combined padded region, then: identifying a centroid of the combined padded region and forming a second modified image at the preselected aspect ratio, wherein the centroid of the combined padded region is also a centroid of the second modified image, and wherein the second modified image includes only content from the digital image without non-content padding; and

determining whether the second modified image includes all of the combined padded region.

11 . The computer implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:

if the computer determines that the modified image does not include all of the combined padded region, then:

identifying a centroid of one of the at least one combined face box and forming a third modified image at the preselected aspect ratio, wherein the centroid of the one of the at least one combined face box is also a centroid of the third modified image, and wherein the third modified image includes only content from the digital image without non-content padding; and

determining whether the third modified image includes all of the one of the at least one combined face box.

12 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

if the computer determines that the third modified image does not include all of the one of the at least one combined face box, then:

forming a fourth modified image at the preselected aspect ratio, wherein the centroid of the one of the at least one combined face box is also a centroid of the fourth modified image, the fourth modified image includes all of the one of the at least one combined face box, and wherein the fourth modified image includes non-content border padding.

13 . The computer implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

if the computer determines that the third modified image does not include all of the one of the at least one combined face box, then:

identifying a virtual centroid of the one of the at least one combined face box and forming a fourth modified image at the preselected aspect ratio, wherein the virtual centroid of the one of the at least one combined face box is positioned in a predetermined location of the third modified image relative to a centroid of the fourth modified image, and wherein the fourth modified image includes only content from the digital image without non-content padding.

14 . The computer implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined location is at a point from a top border of the fourth modified image that is between about 20% to 45% of the height of the fourth modified image.

15 . The computer implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined location is at a point from a top border of the fourth modified image that is about 40% of the height of the fourth modified image.

16 . A computer implemented method for modifying a digital image comprising:

loading the digital image into an electronic memory accessible by the computer;

identifying an individual region in the digital image that includes a human face;

digitally defining a face box that includes the individual region;

padding the individual region;

digitally defining at least one padded face box region that includes the padded individual region;

digitally defining an extended padded face box region by extending at least one border of the at least one padded face box region by a predetermined distance; and

automatically modifying an aspect ratio of the digital image such that, if possible, the extended padded face box region is preserved without removing any of its pixels.

17 . The computer implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising automatically modifying an aspect ratio of the digital image such that equal amounts of the extended padded face box region are cropped from opposing sides of the extended padded face box region if the computer determines that said automatically modifying the aspect ratio of the digital image cannot be completed together with preserving the extended padded face box region without removing any of its pixels.

18 . The computer implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising determining a width of said at least one individual region including determining a size of a padding for the step of padding based on the width.

19 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising storing in association with the digital image data for identifying said expanded combined padded region.

20 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically modifying an aspect ratio of the digital image such that equal amounts of the expanded combined padded region are cropped from opposing sides of the expanded combined padded region if the computer determines that said automatically modifying the aspect ratio of the digital image cannot be completed together with preserving the expanded combined padded region without removing any of its pixels.