Skin state analyzing method, skin state analyzing apparatus, and computer-readable medium storing skin state analyzing program

Abstract

A skin state analyzing method for analyzing the skin state of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee includes an analyzing step of analyzing at least one of texture/pores, spots, skin tone, and sebum of the skin from the image, a storing step of storing the image and an analysis result obtained from the analyzing step in association with skin examination date/time information and examinee information, a display screen generating step of generating a screen displaying the image and the analysis result of the examinee stored in the storing step, and an output step of outputting the information generated in the display screen generating step.

1 . A skin state analyzing method for analyzing a skin state of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the method comprising:
 an analyzing step of analyzing at least one of texture/pores, spots, skin tone, and sebum of the skin from the image;   a storing step of storing the image and an analysis result obtained from the analyzing step in association with skin examination date/time information and examinee information;   a display screen generating step of generating a screen displaying the image and the analysis result of the examinee stored in the storing step; and   an output step of outputting the information generated in the display screen generating step.   
   
   
       2 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display screen generating step comprises:
 displaying the analysis result of the examinee in association with an evaluation relative to age distribution that is stored beforehand.   
   
   
       3 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the display screen generating step comprises:
 defining at least one evaluation range for classifying the skin state within the age distribution and displaying the defined evaluation range in association with the analysis result.   
   
   
       4 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display screen generating step comprises:
 displaying a progressive skin state analysis by displaying a plurality of analysis results including a latest analysis result of the examinee and one or more past analysis results of the examinee stored in the storing step.   
   
   
       5 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the display screen generating step comprises:
 displaying time intervals of a time axis in proportion to time length or a number of analysis results displayed.   
   
   
       6 . A skin state analyzing method for analyzing skin texture or pores of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the method comprising:
 a parameter generating step of generating at least one parameter pertaining to at least one of a pore size, furrow width, ridge fineness, and ridge shape obtained from the image; and   a parameter analyzing step of analyzing the skin texture or pores based on the parameter generated in the parameter generating step.   
   
   
       7 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the parameter generating step comprises:
 using a pore area obtained from the image in generating the parameter pertaining to the pore size, using a furrow width obtained from the image in generating the parameter pertaining to the furrow width, using a number of ridges or an average area of ridges obtained from the image in generating the parameter pertaining to the ridge fineness, and using a roundness of ridges obtained from the image in generating the parameter pertaining to the ridge shape.   
   
   
       8 . A skin state analyzing method for analyzing skin texture or pores of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the method comprising:
 an RGB component extracting step of extracting R components, G components, and B components from the image;   a pore image extracting step of extracting a pore image from the R components and the B components or G components obtained in the RGB component extracting step;   a pore parameter generating step of generating a parameter pertaining to pore size from the pore image;   a furrow image extracting step of extracting a furrow image from the G components obtained in the RGB component extracting step;   a furrow parameter generating step of generating a parameter pertaining to furrow width from the furrow image;   a ridge image extracting step of extracting a ridge image from the pore image and the furrow image;   a ridge parameter generating step of generating a parameter pertaining to ridge fineness and/or ridge shape from the ridge image; and   a parameter analyzing step of analyzing the skin texture or pores using at least one of the parameters generated in the pore parameter generating step, the furrow parameter generating step, and the ridge parameter generating step.   
   
   
       9 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the pore image extracting step comprises:
 generating a difference image from the R components and the B components or G components and removing furrows from the generated difference image to extract the pore image.   
   
   
       10 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the pore parameter generating step comprises:
 calculating an average area and/or a total area of pores of the pore image and generating the pore parameter based on the calculated area.   
   
   
       11 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the furrow image extracting step comprises:
 performing a filtering process on an image of the G components using a differential filter for emphasizing the furrow shape to extract the furrow image.   
   
   
       12 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the furrow parameter generating step comprises:
 generating the furrow parameter based on a furrow width obtained from the furrow image.   
   
   
       13 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the ridge image extracting step comprises:
 obtaining ridge portions from the furrow image, scaling down peripheries of the ridge portions by a predetermined number of pixels to generate a ridge separated image, and removing pores from the ridge separated image based on the pore image to extract the ridge image.   
   
   
       14 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the ridge parameter generating step comprises:
 generating the ridge parameter based on an average area or a number of ridges within a predetermined image region of the ridge image, an average area or a number of ridges with respect to a face surface area of the examinee, and/or a ridge roundness.   
   
   
       15 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the parameter analyzing step comprises:
 displaying at least one of the pore parameter, the furrow parameter, the ridge parameter, the pore image, the furrow image, and the ridge image in a distinguishing color, and displaying adjacent pores, furrows, and ridges using different colors.   
   
   
       16 . A skin state analyzing apparatus that analyzes a skin state of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the apparatus comprising:
 analyzing means for analyzing at least one of skin texture/pores, spots, skin tone, and sebum from the image;   storage means for storing the image and an analysis result obtained by the analyzing means in association with a date/time of examination of the skin of the examinee and examinee information;   display screen generating means for generating a screen displaying the image and the analysis result of the examinee stored by the storage means; and   output means for outputting information generated by the display screen generating means.   
   
   
       17 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein
 the display screen generating means displays the analysis result of the examinee in association with an evaluation relative to age distribution that is stored beforehand.   
   
   
       18 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein
 the display screen generating means defines at least one evaluation range for classifying the skin state within the age distribution and displays the defined evaluation range in association with the analysis result.   
   
   
       19 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein
 the display screen generating means displays a progressive skin state analysis by displaying a plurality of analysis results including a latest analysis result of the examinee and one or more past analysis results of the examinee stored by the storage means.   
   
   
       20 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein
 the display screen generating means displays time intervals of a time axis in proportion to time length or a number of analysis results displayed.   
   
   
       21 . A skin state analyzing apparatus for analyzing skin texture or pores of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the apparatus comprising:
 RGB component extracting means for extracting R components, G components, and B components from the image;   pore image extracting means for extracting a pore image from the R components and the B components or G components obtained by the RGB component extracting means;   pore parameter generating means for generating a parameter pertaining to pore size from the pore image;   furrow image extracting means for extracting a furrow image from the G components obtained by the RGB component extracting means;   furrow parameter generating means for generating a parameter pertaining to furrow width from the furrow image;   ridge image extracting means for extracting a ridge image from the pore image and the furrow image;   ridge parameter generating means for generating a parameter pertaining to ridge fineness and/or ridge shape from the ridge image; and   parameter analyzing means for analyzing the skin texture or pores using at least one of the parameters generated by the pore parameter generating means, the furrow parameter generating means, and the ridge parameter generating means.   
   
   
       22 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the pore image extracting means generates a difference image from the R components and the B components or G components and removes furrows from the generated difference image to extract the pore image.   
   
   
       23 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the pore parameter generating means calculates an average area and/or a total area of pores of the pore image and generates the pore parameter based on the calculated area.   
   
   
       24 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the furrow image extracting means performs a filtering process on an image of the G components using a differential filter for emphasizing the furrow shape to extract the furrow image.   
   
   
       25 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the furrow parameter generating means generates the furrow parameter based on a furrow width obtained from the furrow image.   
   
   
       26 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the ridge image extracting means obtains ridge portions from the furrow image, scales down peripheries of the ridge portions by a predetermined number of pixels to generate a ridge separated image, and removes pores from the ridge separated image based on the pore image to extract the ridge image.   
   
   
       27 . The skin state analyzing method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein
 the ridge parameter generating means generates the ridge parameter based on an average area or a number of ridges within a predetermined image region of the ridge image, an average area or a number of ridges with respect to a face surface area of the examinee, and/or a ridge roundness.   
   
   
       28 . The skin state analyzing apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein
 the parameter analyzing means displays at least one of the pore parameter, the furrow parameter, the ridge parameter, the pore image, the furrow image, and the ridge image in a distinguishing color, and displays adjacent pores, furrows, and ridges using different colors.   
   
   
       29 . A computer-readable medium storing a skin state analyzing program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a skin state analyzing process for analyzing a skin state of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the skin state analyzing process comprising:
 an analyzing process for analyzing at least one of skin texture/pores, spots, skin tone, and sebum from the image;   a storage process for storing the image and an analysis result obtained by the analyzing process in association with a date/time of examination of the skin of the examinee and examinee information;   a display screen generating process for generating a screen displaying the image and the analysis result of the examinee stored by the storage process; and   an output process for outputting information generated by the display screen generating process.   
   
   
       30 . A computer-readable medium storing a skin state analyzing program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a skin state analyzing process for analyzing skin texture or pores of an examinee using an image of the skin of the examinee, the skin state analyzing process comprising:
 an RGB component extracting process for extracting R components, G components, and B components from the image;   a pore image extracting process for extracting a pore image from the R components and the B components or G components obtained by the RGB component extracting process;   a pore parameter generating process for generating a parameter pertaining to pore size from the pore image;   a furrow image extracting process for extracting a furrow image from the G components obtained by the RGB component extracting process;   a furrow parameter generating process for generating a parameter pertaining to furrow width from the furrow image;   a ridge image extracting process for extracting a ridge image from the pore image and the furrow image;   a ridge parameter generating process for generating a parameter pertaining to ridge fineness and/or ridge shape from the ridge image; and   a parameter analyzing process for analyzing the skin texture or pores using at least one of the parameters generated by the pore parameter generating process, the furrow parameter generating process, and the ridge parameter generating process.