Image-processing method and apparatus, and printer

Abstract

An image processing method, comprising the steps of: extracting an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face;extracting an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair; andapplying image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the extracted area of a head-top portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart representing the flow of the head-hair processing in the image processing unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3D are views illustrating imaginary images for an input image, an output image, and respective images at processing stages;

FIGS. 4A to 4B are a chart and a graph, respectively, for explaining a method of obtaining the head top and the boundary between the head hair and the forehead from a binary image in a head-hair area;

FIGS. 5A to 5E are charts for explaining a method of obtaining the range, of the head-top portion, to which the head-hair processing is applied;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart representing a method of obtaining the longitudinal range of the head-top portion; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representing a method of obtaining the lateral range of the head-top portion.

Claims

1. An image processing method, comprising the steps of: extracting an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face;extracting an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair; andapplying image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the extracted area of a head-top portion.

2. An image processing method, comprising the steps of: extracting an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face;extracting an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair;creating a blurred image, based on an image in the extracted area of a head-top portion; andapplying image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the created blurred image.

3. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the step of applying image processing includes: applying at least one image processing item among image processing items including color conversion, contrast enhancement, and edge enhancement, to a digital image in the area of the created blurred image, with a gradation value of the created blurred image utilized as a parameter.

4. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of extracting an area of head hair includes: the step of creating a blurred image based on the digital image;the step of creating a binary image by binarizing the created blurred image; andthe step of extracting an area, having a characteristic parameter for head hair, which is a black-pixel area in the created binary image.

5. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the step of extracting an area of head hair includes: the step of creating a blurred image based on the digital image;the step of creating a binary image by binarizing the created blurred image; andthe step of extracting an area, having a characteristic parameter for head hair, which is a black-pixel area in the created binary image.

6. The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein the step of extracting an area of head hair includes: the step of creating a blurred image based on the digital image;the step of creating a binary image by binarizing the created blurred image; andthe step of extracting an area, having a characteristic parameter for head hair, which is a black-pixel area in the created binary image.

7. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively; andthe step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead.

8. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively; andthe step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead.

9. The image processing method according to claim 6, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively; andthe step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead.

10. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively;the step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead;the step of obtaining, in the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, the gravity center of black pixels in each line in the binary image; andthe step of obtaining, as a lateral range of the area of the head-top portion, the length, with respect to the gravity center of each line, whose ratio to the length of black pixels in the line is constant.

11. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively;the step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead;the step of obtaining, in the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, the gravity center of black pixels in each line in the binary image; andthe step of obtaining, as a lateral range of the area of the head-top portion, the length, with respect to the gravity center of each line, whose ratio to the length of black pixels in the line is constant.

12. The image processing method according to claim 6, wherein the step of extracting an area of a head-top portion includes: the step of obtaining the sum of black pixels, in a binary image that has black pixels only in the area of head hair, in each horizontal line in the vertical direction;the step of determining that a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically increases and a line position where the sum of black pixels drastically decreases are the position of the top of the head and the position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead, respectively;the step of obtaining the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, based on the determined position of the top of the head and the determined position of the boundary between the head hair and the forehead;the step of obtaining, in the longitudinal range of the area of a head-top portion, the gravity center of black pixels in each line in the binary image; andthe step of obtaining, as a lateral range of the area of the head-top portion, the length, with respect to the gravity center of each line, whose ratio to the length of black pixels in the line is constant.

13. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a head-hair area extracting device which extracts an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face;a head-top-portion area extracting device which extracts an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair; andan image processing device which applies image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the extracted area of a head-top portion.

14. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a head-hair area extracting device which extracts an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face;a head-top-portion area extracting device which extracts an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair;a blurred image creation device which creates a blurred image, based on an image in the extracted area of a head-top portion; andan image processing device which applies image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the created blurred image.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, the image processing device applies at least one image processing item among image processing items including color conversion, contrast enhancement, and edge enhancement to a digital image in the area of the created blurred image, with a gradation value of the created blurred image utilized as a parameter.

16. A printer comprising: an image processing apparatus according to claim 13; anda printing device which prints on a printing paper sheet an image to which the image processing apparatus has applied image processing.

17. A printer comprising: an image processing apparatus according to claim 14; anda printing device which prints on a printing paper sheet an image to which the image processing apparatus has applied image processing.

18. A printer comprising: an image processing apparatus according to claim 15; anda printing device which prints on a printing paper sheet an image to which the image processing apparatus has applied image processing.

19. The printer according to claim 16, further comprising: a camera which obtains a digital image by shooting a person.

20. The printer according to claim 17, further comprising: a camera which obtains a digital image by shooting a person.

21. The printer according to claim 18, further comprising: a camera which obtains a digital image by shooting a person.