Perfecting of Digital Image Capture Parameters Within Acquisition Devices Using Face Detection

Abstract

Within a digital acquisition device, acquisition parameters of a digital image are perfected as part of an image capture process using face detection within said captured image to achieve one or more desired image acquisition parameters. Default values are determined of one or more image attributes of at least some portion of the digital image. Values of one or more camera acquisition parameters are determined. Groups of pixels are identified that correspond to an image of a face within the digitally-captured image. Corresponding image attributes to the groups of pixels are determined. One or more default image attribute values are compared with one or more captured image attribute values based upon analysis of the image of the face. Camera acquisition parameters are then adjusted corresponding to adjusting the image attribute values.

1 . Within a processor-based digital image acquisition device, a method of enhancing acquisition parameters of a digital image as part of an image capture process using face detection within said captured image to achieve one or more desired image acquisition parameters, the method comprising using a processor to perform the following:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired reference image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values with one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its gender based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   adjusting a display based on the classifying of the face according to its gender.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tracking the face over a sequence of images. 
     
     
         4 . A processor-based digital image acquisition device, comprising a processor and a memory having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a method of enhancing a digital image including a face using face detection to achieve one or more desired image parameters, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-captured main image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values with one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its gender based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   based on the classifying of the face according to its gender, generating a new image comprising certain selected pixels; and   displaying, transmitting, or storing the new image, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises tracking the face over a sequence of images. 
     
     
         7 . One or more processor-readable storage media having code embedded therein for programming one or more processors to perform a method of enhancing a digital image including a face using face detection to achieve one or more desired image parameters, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-captured main image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values with one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its gender based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   based on the classifying of the face according to its gender, generating a new image comprising certain selected pixels; and   displaying, transmitting, or storing the new image, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 generating in-camera, capturing or otherwise obtaining in-camera a collection of low resolution images including the face; and   tracking said face within said collection of low resolution images.   
     
     
         9 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 7 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises tracking the face over a sequence of images. 
     
     
         11 . Within a processor-based digital image acquisition device, a method of enhancing acquisition parameters of a digital image as part of an image capture process using face detection within said captured image to achieve one or more desired image acquisition parameters, the method comprising using a processor to perform the following:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-acquired reference image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values with one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its age based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   adjusting a display based on the classifying of the face according to its age.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising tracking the face over a sequence of images. 
     
     
         14 . A processor-based digital image acquisition device, comprising a processor and a memory having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a method of enhancing a digital image including a face using face detection to achieve one or more desired image parameters, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-captured main image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values with one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its age based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   based on the classifying of the face according to its age, generating a new image comprising certain selected pixels; and   displaying, transmitting, or storing the new image, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises tracking the face over a sequence of images. 
     
     
         17 . One or more processor-readable storage media having code embedded therein for programming one or more processors to perform a method of enhancing a digital image including a face using face detection to achieve one or more desired image parameters, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of groups of pixels that correspond to a face within a digitally-captured main image;   determining values of one or more attributes of the face;   comparing one or more default image attribute values With one or more of the determined values;   classifying the face according to its age based on the comparing of the image attribute values;   based on the classifying of the face according to its age, generating a new image comprising certain selected pixels; and   displaying, transmitting, or storing the new image, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 17 , the method further comprising:
 generating in-camera, capturing or otherwise obtaining in-camera a collection of low resolution images including the face; and   tracking said face within said collection of low resolution images.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the identifying of face pixels is automatically performed by an image processing apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises tracking the face over a sequence of images.