Detecting Red Eye Filter and Apparatus Using Meta-Data

Abstract

A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and/film information.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image comprising a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes within the image, the method comprising:
 using a portable digital camera device including a red eye filter;   acquiring a digital image of a scene that includes a real face;   programming the portable digital camera device using firmware for automatically performing image processing based on one or more image characteristics;   analyzing meta-data information including image acquisition device-specific information, including distance information as recorded by an auto-focus mechanism of the portable digital camera; and   determining, based at least in part on said meta-data analysis, whether one or more regions within said digital image are suspected as including red eye artifact.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising programming the portable digital camera using firmware for automatically detecting a red-eye image using one or more image characteristics. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more image characteristics include image brightness, contrast, or the presence of human skin or related colors, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising analyzing pixel information within one or more regions suspected as including red eye artifact based on said meta-data analysis, and determining whether any of said one or more suspected regions continue to be suspected as including red eye artifact based on said pixel analysis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , said filtering being executed at least partially within a portable image acquisition device, having no photographic film. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , said filtering being executed at least in part as a post-processing operation on an external computation device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , said determining operation including a probability determination process based upon a plurality of criteria. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising adjusting a pixel color within regions wherein red eye artifact is suspected, and outputting an adjusted image to a printer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , said meta-data information further comprising an indication of whether a flash was used when the image was acquired. 
     
     
         11 . A portable digital camera, comprising:
 (a) a camera housing,   (b) one or more optics and a sensor disposed within said camera housing for acquiring digital images of scenes that include real faces, and   (c) a red eye filter within said camera housing, to perform a method of filtering within said camera a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image that comprises a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes within the image, the image being acquired of a scene that includes a real face;   (d) firmware for programming the portable digital camera to automatically perform image processing based on one or more image characteristics;   (e) wherein the method of filtering within said camera a red eye phenomenon comprising:
 analyzing meta-data information including image acquisition device-specific information, including distance information as recorded by an auto-focus mechanism of the portable digital camera; and 
 determining, based at least in part on said meta-data analysis, whether one or more regions within said digital image are suspected as including red eye artifact. 
   
     
     
         12 . The camera of  claim 11 , wherein the filtering further comprises programming the portable digital camera using firmware for automatically detecting a red-eye image using one or more image characteristics. 
     
     
         13 . The camera of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more image characteristics include image brightness, contrast, or the presence of human skin or related colors, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The camera of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises analyzing pixel information within one or more regions suspected as including red eye artifact based on said meta-data analysis, and determining whether any of said one or more suspected regions continue to be suspected as including red eye artifact based on said pixel analysis. 
     
     
         15 . The camera of  claim 11 , said filtering being executed at least partially within a portable image acquisition device, having no photographic film. 
     
     
         16 . The camera of  claim 11 , said filtering being executed at least in part as a post-processing operation on an external computation device. 
     
     
         17 . The camera of  claim 11 , said determining operation including a probability determination process based upon a plurality of criteria. 
     
     
         18 . The camera of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting a pixel color within regions wherein red eye artifact is suspected, and outputting an adjusted image to a printer. 
     
     
         19 . The camera of  claim 11 , said meta-data information further comprising an indication of whether a flash was used when the image was acquired. 
     
     
         20 . A processor readable storage device having embedded therein a red eye filter stored as firmware within a portable digital camera device that is configured to acquire digital images of scenes that include real faces, i.e., not just images of faces, the red eye filter being configured within said firmware to perform a method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image that comprises a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes within the digital image, the digital image being acquired of a scene that includes a real face, the device being configured to program the portable digital camera device using code stored as firmware for automatically performing image processing based on one or more image characteristics, and to analyze meta-data information including image acquisition device-specific information, including distance information as recorded by an auto-focus mechanism of the portable digital camera, and to determine, based at least in part on said meta-data analysis, whether one or more regions within said digital image are suspected as including red eye artifact. 
     
     
         21 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , wherein the filtering further comprises programming the portable digital camera using firmware for automatically detecting a red-eye image using one or more image characteristics including image brightness, contrast, or the presence of human skin or related colors, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises analyzing pixel information within one or more regions suspected as including red eye artifact based on said meta-data analysis, and determining whether any of said one or more suspected regions continue to be suspected as including red eye artifact based on said pixel analysis. 
     
     
         23 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , said filtering being executed at least partially within a portable image acquisition device, having no photographic film. 
     
     
         24 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , said filtering being executed at least in part as a post-processing operation on an external computation device. 
     
     
         25 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , said determining operation including a probability determination process based upon a plurality of criteria. 
     
     
         26 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting a pixel color within regions wherein red eye artifact is suspected, and outputting an adjusted image to a printer. 
     
     
         27 . The processor readable storage device of  claim 20 , said meta-data information further comprising an indication of whether a flash was used when the image was acquired.