Target-image detecting apparatus and method of controlling same

Abstract

In the detection of face images, features for the purpose of detecting face images can be added on to supplement existing features. A face detecting apparatus includes a ROM, which stores data representing features for detecting face images having inclination angles at increments of 90° in the image of a subject. The face detecting apparatus is further provided with a connection terminal to which a flash ROM can be removably connected. The flash ROM stores data representing features for detecting face images having inclination angles finer than those of the images of the faces having inclination angles capable of being detected by the data representing the features that have been stored in the ROM. Face images can be detected more accurately by connecting the flash ROM to the face detecting apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the relationship between the image of a subject and a detection frame;

FIG. 2 illustrates feature data;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of a face detecting apparatus;

FIG. 4 illustrates examples of face images;

FIG. 5 illustrates examples of face images;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate examples of face images;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing for detecting a face image;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating processing for detecting a face image;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of a face detecting apparatus;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of feature data of a human face stored in a ROM;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of feature data of a human face stored in a flash ROM;

FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate examples of feature data stored in a flash ROM;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating processing for writing feature data;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating processing for detecting a face image;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of a digital still camera;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating processing for storing feature data;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating processing for storing feature data;

FIG. 18 illustrates digital still cameras connected by a USB cable;

FIG. 19 illustrates an example of a display screen of the digital still camera;

FIG. 20 illustrates a digital still camera and a personal computer connected by a USB cable; and

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating processing for sensing an image.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a target image, comprising: a first memory for storing data representing a first feature utilized in order to detect a target image from within the image of a subject;a reading device for reading data representing a second feature, which is utilized in order to detect the target image, from a second memory that stores the data representing the second feature;a first target-image detecting circuit for detecting the target image from within the image of the subject, which is applied thereto, using the data representing the first feature that has been stored in said first memory; anda second target-image detecting circuit for detecting the target image from within the image of the subject, which is applied thereto, using the data representing the second feature that has been read by said reading device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first memory is a non-rewritable memory.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second memory is a rewritable memory; and said apparatus further comprises a write control device for writing the data representing the second feature to said second memory.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a write mode setting device capable of setting a first write mode in which data representing a feature of an image of a human face is written to said second memory as data representing the second feature, and a second write mode in which data representing a feature of an image of a specific target other than a human being is written to said second memory as data representing the second feature; anda feature-data input device for inputting data representing the feature of the image of a human face and data representing the feature of the image of the specific target;wherein said write control device, in response to setting of the first write mode by said write mode setting device, writes the data representing the feature of the image of a human face, which has been input from said feature-data input device, to said second memory, and in response to setting of the second write mode by said write mode setting device, writes the data representing the feature of the image of the specific target, which has been input from said feature-data input device, to said second memory.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second memory is connected to said reading device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first memory stores, as the first feature, data representing the features of images that include an upright image among images of faces from the front of a human being; and said second memory stores, as the second feature, data representing a feature of at least one image of an inclined image other than an upright image among images of faces from the front of a human being, and an image of a specific target other than a human being.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image sensing device for sensing the image of a subject and outputting image data representing the image of the subject; wherein said first target-image detecting circuit and said second target-image detecting circuit detect the target image from within the image of a subject represented by image data that has been output from said image sensing device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second memory, which is rewritable, is connected to said reading device; and said apparatus further comprises:a feature extracting device for extracting a feature of the target image from the target image detected by said target-image detecting circuit; anda write control device for writing data, which represents the feature extracted by said feature extracting device, to said second memory as data representing the second feature.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second memory, which is rewritable, is connected to said reading device; and said apparatus further comprises:a reproducing circuit for reproducing the image of a subject;a feature extracting device for extracting a feature of the target image from the target image contained in the image of the subject reproduced by said reproducing circuit; anda write control device for writing data, which represents the feature extracted by said feature extracting device, to said second memory as data representing the second feature.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second memory, which is rewritable, is connected to said reading device; and said apparatus further comprises:a feature-data input device for inputting data representing the second feature; anda write control device for writing data, which represents the second feature that has been input from said feature-data input device, to said second memory.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein data representing the first feature utilized in order to detect the image of a human face as the target image is stored in said first memory; said second memory, which has stored data representing the second feature utilized in order to detect the image of a specific target other than a human being as the target image, is connected to said reading device; andsaid apparatus further comprises a detection mode setting device for setting a mode in which the image of a human face is detected or a mode in which the image of a specific target other than a human being is detected;in response to setting by said detection mode setting device of the mode in which the image of a human face is detected, said first target-image detecting circuit detecting the image of human face from within the applied image of the subject using the data representing the first feature that has been stored in said first memory;in response to setting by said detection mode setting device of the detection mode in which the image of a specific target other than a person is detected, said second target-image detecting circuit detecting the image of the specific target from within the applied image of the subject using the data representing the second feature that has been stored in said second memory.

12. A method of controlling an apparatus for detecting a target image, comprising the steps of: storing data, which represents a first feature utilized in order to detect a target image from within the image of a subject, in a first memory;reading data representing a second feature, which is utilized in order to detect the target image, from a second memory that stores the data representing the second feature;detecting the target image from within the applied image of the subject using the data representing the first feature that has been stored in the first memory; anddetecting the target image from within the applied image of the subject using the data representing the second feature that has been read.