Patent ID: 8103061
Filing Date: 2012-01-24
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method for identifying a facial region of a person in a digital image having a set of pixels, comprising the steps of: (A) testing a plurality of the pixels of the image to identify those pixels associated with the imaging of pupils of the person by quantitatively comparing a value associated with the pixels tested which is indicative of intensity to an intensity criteria value indicative of pupil imaging to identify qualifying pixels, which are potentially predictive of pupil imaging pixels, the intensity criteria value determined by selecting a first intensity criteria value most closely predictive of pupil imaging followed by testing against the first intensity criteria value to ascertain if pupils have been identified in the digital image and if not, then conducting thresholdinq by iteratively incrementally adjusting the first intensity criteria value such that it is progressively less indicative of pupil imaging, testing the pixels and repeating until qualifying pixels are identified or a terminal intensity criteria value is reached: (B) grouping qualifying pixels into objects based upon a spatial relationship between qualifying pixels and counting the number of objects to ascertain if at least two objects have been identified and if not, adjusting the intensity criteria value and testing pixels to identify additional qualifying pixels: (C) testing the objects to ascertain that the objects have a size predictive of pupil imaging and if not, adjusting the intensity criteria value and testing pixels to identify additional qualifying pixels: (D) calculating a location of the facial region in the image based upon the location of the pupils identified in step (A).