Image selecting apparatus, camera, and method of selecting image

Abstract

An image selecting apparatus comprises an input unit 20 , an A/D converter 30 , a memory 40 , a control unit 50 , a recording unit 90 , and an output unit 92 . The input unit 20 continuously photographs a subject and inputs the data of the images. The A/D converter 30 converts the analog signal of the images received from the input unit 20 to digital signals. The memory 40 stores a plurality of images output from the input unit 20 . The control unit 50 selects a desired image from the plurality of images stored in the memory 40 . The recording unit 90 records the selected desired image and the output unit 92 outputs the selected desired image.

1 . An image selecting apparatus for selecting a desired image from among a plurality of images obtained by continuously photographing a subject, comprising:
 an extractor extracting data of an aimed object from each of said plurality of images, said extractor detecting a judgment location from said data of said aimed object based on image information included in each of said images; and   a selecting unit selecting a desired image including a desired aimed object extracted from among said plurality of images by said extractor, said desired aimed object being the aimed object which satisfies a predetermined selection condition for the desired aimed object, said selection condition including a predetermined selection condition related to said judgment location, said selecting unit selecting said desired aimed object including said judgment location satisfying said selection condition related to said judgment location.   
     
     
         2 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said selection condition is whether a photographed person as said aimed object has a good appearance. 
     
     
         3 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said selection condition is whether a photographed person as said aimed object is not blinking. 
     
     
         4 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein
 said judgment location is an eye of said photographed person, and   said selection condition related to said judgment location is whether the white part of said photographed person's eye has the largest dimension.   
     
     
         5 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said selection condition is whether an eye of said photographed person as said aimed object is not red-eyed. 
     
     
         6 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein
 said judgment location is the eye of said photographed person, and   said selection condition related to said judgment location is whether the red part of said photographed person's iris has the smallest dimension.   
     
     
         7 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said selection condition is whether a photographed person as said aimed object is looking at the camera. 
     
     
         8 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein
 said judgment location is an eye of said photographed person, and   said selection condition related to said judgment location is whether the normal vector of a photographed person's iris is closest to the line between the camera and the iris.   
     
     
         9 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said selection condition is whether a photographed person as said aimed object is smiling. 
     
     
         10 . The image selecting apparatus as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein
 said judgment location is a mouse and an eye of said photographed person, and   said selection condition related to said judgment location includes the dimension of the white part of the eye, the width of the mouth, and the dimension of the white part of the mouth.