Method and apparatus for guiding user with suitable composition, and digital photographing apparatus

A method for guiding a user with a suitable composition includes detecting scene information from an input image, recognizing a scene of the input image by using the detected scene information, extracting composition information corresponding to the recognized scene, and displaying the extracted composition information. Accordingly, an apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition and a digital photographing apparatus using the method displays a composition suitable for a current scene by automatically recognizing the current scene, so that the user photographs the current scene quickly and easily.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0056532, filed on Jun. 24, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

One or more embodiments relate to controlling photographing, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition of an image to be captured, and a digital photographing apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

A photographer may choose a composition, i.e., how to organize compositions on a screen. In order to form a suitable composition, a screen organization may be synthetically considered, such as a line, a shape, a hue, brightness, texture, weight on a main subject and peripheral elements, a distance, a direction, and a motion status.

As disclosed in JP 2007-174548, when a user selects a scene to be photographed in a scene mode, a main subject is determined according to the selected scene. An outline of the determined main subject is extracted and compared with data stored in a composition database, thereby guiding the user via a display device on a location to change the main subject based on information in the composition database.

In such a technology of guiding a user with a suitable composition, the user selects a scene, and thus changes a mode. Specifically, when the user immediately captures an image without changing a current mode that is different from a current photographing circumstance, a wrong subject may be recognized as a main subject. In this case, the user has to change the current mode, and thus may miss a photographing moment. Also, since a composition is set only based on the main subject, a suitable composition may be difficult to be set when there are a plurality of subjects.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments include a method and apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition of an image to be captured, wherein analysis information is extracted from received image data and a composition most suitable for scene recognition information and subject information is automatically suggested so as to overlap and display a received scene and the composition on a screen, so that a user effectively expresses the intention and elements to be photographed by applying the suggested composition to an arrangement of subjects to be photographed.

One or more embodiments include a digital photographing apparatus including a composition guiding function.

According to one or more embodiments, a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition includes: detecting scene information from an input image; recognizing a scene of the input image by using the detected scene information; extracting composition information corresponding to the recognized scene; and displaying the extracted composition information.

In the extracting, at least one piece of composition information suitable for the recognized scene may be extracted from compositions stored in a predetermined composition database.

The method may further include analyzing feature information of the input image, wherein, in the extracting, composition information according to the recognized scene may be extracted based on the analyzed feature information.

The method may further include displaying a composition menu corresponding to the extracted at least one piece of composition information, wherein, in the displaying of the composition menu, a composition selected by the user from the displayed composition menu may be displayed with the input image.

In the displaying of the composition menu, a description about the selected composition may be also displayed.

The method may further include providing to the user composition guide information for capturing the input image.

At least one selected from the group consisting of a composition according to the recognized scene and a grid may be displayed with the input image, according to a selection of the user.

The method may further include displaying a scene icon corresponding to the recognized scene.

When the input image is captured and recorded, corresponding composition information may be added to an exchangeable image file (Exif) of the input image as metadata.

When the recorded input image is reproduced, the composition information may be displayed with the input image.

The feature information may include at least one selected from the group consisting of brightness, exposure, auto focus (AF) focus distance, histograms, color information according to time, subject information, and scene recognizing information.

According to one or more embodiments, an apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition includes: a scene information detector that detects scene information from an input image; a scene recognizer that recognizes a scene of the input image by using the detected scene information; and a controller that extracts composition information according to the recognized scene and displays the extracted composition information.

The controller may extract at least one piece of composition information suitable for the recognized scene from compositions stored in a predetermined composition database.

The apparatus may further include an image information analyzer that analyzes feature information of the input image, wherein the controller may extract composition information according to the recognized scene based on the feature information.

The controller may display a composition menu corresponding to the extracted at least one piece of composition information, and display a composition selected by the user by using the composition menu with the input image.

The controller may provide composition guide information for capturing the input image to the user, and display at least one selected from the group consisting of a composition according to the recognized scene and a grid with the input image, according to a selection of the user.

The controller may add corresponding composition information to an exchangeable image file (Exif) of the input image as metadata, when the input image is captured and recorded, and display the composition information with the input image, when the recorded input image is reproduced.

The feature information may include at least one selected from the group consisting of brightness, exposure, auto focus (AF) focus distance, histograms, color information according to time, subject information, and scene recognizing information.

According to one or more embodiments, a digital photographing apparatus includes the apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition.

According to one or more embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon a program executable by a processor for performing the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Also, while describing the embodiments, detailed descriptions about related well-known functions or configurations that may diminish the clarity of the points of the embodiments are omitted.

Terms or words used herein shall not be limited to having common or dictionary meanings, and have the meanings corresponding to technical aspects of the embodiments so as to most suitably express the embodiments.

FIG. 1is a block diagram schematically illustrating a digital camera100, as an example of a digital photographing apparatus, according to an embodiment, andFIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating in detail a digital signal processor (DSP)70ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIG. 1, the digital camera100includes an optical unit10, an optical driver11, an image pickup unit15, an image pickup unit controller16, a manipulator20, a program storage unit30, a buffer storage unit40, a data storage unit50, a display controller60, a data driver61, a scanning driver63, a displayer65, and the DSP70.

The optical unit10receives an optical signal from a subject, and transmits the optical signal to the image pickup unit15. The optical unit10may include at least one lens, such as a zoom lens for narrowing or widening a viewing angle according to a focal length, or a focus lens for adjusting a focus on the subject. The optical unit10may further include an iris for adjusting light intensity.

The optical driver11adjusts a location of the at least one lens or the opening and closing of the iris. A focus may be adjusted by moving the location of the at least one lens, and light intensity may be adjusted by opening and closing the iris. The optical driver11controls the optical unit10according to a control signal that is automatically generated by an image signal input in real time or that is manually input by a user.

The optical signal transmitted from the optical unit10to the image pickup unit15forms an image of the subject on a light-receiving surface of the image pickup unit15. The image pickup unit15may include a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor (CIS) that converts the optical signal into an electric signal. The image pickup unit controller16may adjust sensitivity or the like of the image pickup unit15. The image pickup unit controller16may control the image pickup unit15according to a control signal that is automatically generated by an image signal input in real time or that is manually input by the user.

The manipulator20may receive a control signal from the outside of the digital camera100, such as from the user. The manipulator20may include a shutter-release button that can be pressed to generate a shutter-release signal to capture an image by exposing the image pickup unit15to light for a predetermined time, a power supply button that can be pressed to supply power to the digital camera100, a pantoscopic-zoom button and a telescopic-zoom button that can be pressed to widen or narrow a viewing angle, and other buttons that can be pressed to perform various functions, such as selecting a mode like a character inputting mode, a photographing mode, a reproduction mode, selecting a white balance setting function, and selecting an exposure setting function. The manipulator20may include various buttons as described above, but is not limited thereto, and may be realized in various forms that can be manipulated by the user, such as a keyboard, a touch pad, a touch screen, or a remote controller.

Also, the digital camera100further includes the program storage unit30for storing a program such as an operating system for operating the digital camera100or an application system, the buffer storage unit40for temporarily storing data used during operation or result data of the operation, and the data storage unit50for storing various types of information required for a program, including an image file and an image signal.

Moreover, the digital camera100includes the display controller60for displaying an operating status of the digital camera100or an image captured by the digital camera100, the data driver61and the scanning driver63for transmitting display data received from the display controller60, and the displayer65for displaying a predetermined image according to a signal received from the data driver61and the scanning driver63. The displayer65may be formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an organic light emitting display (OLED) panel, or an electrophoresis display (EPD) panel.

Also, the displayer65displays a scene to which an input image, such as a preview image, corresponds using a certain scene icon, according to the control of the DSP70. The displayer65also displays composition icons corresponding to compositions suitable for the input image. Also, the displayer65displays a representative composition, a lattice, or both of the representative composition and the lattice with the input image so as to guide the user with a suitable composition.

The digital camera100includes the DSP70for processing a received image signal, and controlling each element according to the received image signal or an external input signal.

The DSP70will now be described in detail with reference toFIG. 2.

Referring toFIG. 2, the DSP70includes a controller71, an image signal processor72, a scene information detector73, a scene recognizer74, an image information analyzer75, and a composition database76. Here, the DSP70may include an apparatus for guiding a user with a suitable composition.

The controller71controls overall operations of the DSP70.

The image signal processor72converts an image signal received from the image pickup unit15into a digital signal, and performs an image signal process, such as gamma correction, color filter array interpolation, color matrix, color correction, or color enhancement, so that the image signal is converted according to the visual angle to a person. Also, the image signal processor72may perform an auto white balance algorithm or an auto exposure algorithm, when an auto white balance function or auto exposure function is set. The image signal processor72generates an image file having a predetermined format by adjusting and compressing a size of image data with a scaler. Alternatively, the image signal processor72decompresses a compressed image file. The image signal processor72may perform the image signal process as above on an image signal received in real time in a live-view mode before photographing, or an image signal received by a shutter-release signal. Here, a different image signal process may be performed on each image signal.

The scene information detector73detects scene information of an input image. Here, the input image denotes an image received through the digital camera100, and a preview image before taking a photograph. Also, the scene information denotes information indicating features of a corresponding scene. For example, the scene information may include a face of a person in the input image, the brightness of the input image, the illuminance of a subject, or a distance of the subject. The scene information detector73detects the face using a face detecting module (not shown) or detects the scene information by measuring the illuminance of the subject. Also, the scene information detector73may also detect the scene information by using a related scene detecting or analyzing method.

The scene recognizer74determines the scene of the input image by using the detected scene information. By determining the scene, the scene recognizer74determines whether the input image is an image of a person or scenery, an image of a person or scenery taken at night, an image taken against the light, or the like. In other words, the scene recognizer74determines the input image as an image of a person when scene information including a face of a person is detected, determines whether the input image has been taken against the light based on an illuminance value of a subject, and determines whether the input image has been taken at night based on a brightness value of the input image. Also, the scene recognizer74may also recognize the scene information by using a related scene detecting or analyzing method.

The controller71extracts composition information according to a scene, such as a scenery, a night view, or a backlight, recognized by the scene recognizer74, from the composition database76. Here, the composition information generally denotes an arrangement of subjects, and includes a circular composition, a triangular composition, a diagonal composition, a golden sectional composition, a radial composition, an S-shaped composition, a parallel lined composition, a tri-sectional composition, a checker composition, a horizontal and perpendicular composition, and other compositions set by the user.

Also, the controller71extracts at least one composition suitable for a scene of the input image from among the compositions stored in the composition database76, and displays the extracted composition on the displayer65via the display controller60. Here, when a plurality of compositions are displayed, the compositions may be displayed according to a preference of the user. Accordingly, the user may select the composition to be photographed.

The image information analyzer75analyzes feature information of the input image. Here, the feature information includes brightness, exposure, AF focus distance, histograms, color information according to time, subject information, and scene recognizing information.

Based on the feature information received from the image information analyzer75, the controller71extracts an optimum composition for the scene from the composition database76, and displays the optimum composition.

The composition database76stores compositions used while capturing an image, such as a circular composition, a triangular composition, a diagonal composition, a golden sectional composition, a radial composition, an S-shaped composition, a parallel lined composition, a tri-sectional composition, a checker composition, a horizontal and perpendicular composition, and other compositions set by the user.

FIG. 3is a diagram for describing composition information stored in the composition database76ofFIG. 2. The composition database76stores compositions according to a scene, such as a scenery composition, a night composition, and a backlight composition. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the scenery composition includes a diagonal composition, a triangular composition, and a parallel lined composition, the night composition includes an inverted triangular composition and a circular composition, and the backlight composition includes a parallel lined composition and a backlight composition. The composition database76stores compositions suitable for each scene, and may store a brief description about each composition, for example, the feeling of a composition using text.

In the current embodiment, the composition database76is included in the DSP70; however the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and the composition database76may be included in the data storage unit50ofFIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A through 4Dare diagrams for describing a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 4A, the scene recognizer74recognizes a current input image as a scenery, and the controller71displays a scene icon including scenery on the upper left of the screen.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4B, the controller71extracts scenery compositions stored in the composition database76by using feature information of the current input image received from the image information analyzer75and scene information received from the scene recognizer74. Here, a diagonal composition, a triangular composition and a parallel lined composition are extracted from several of the scenery compositions, and are displayed in a particular order. Alternatively, the optimum composition, such as the diagonal composition, for the current condition, i.e., the feature information and the scene information, may be selectively displayed on the screen.

Referring toFIGS. 4C and 4D, the controller71may display the scenery compositions in certain composition icons. When the user selects a composition, such as the diagonal composition, from among the displayed scenery compositions, the selected composition (e.g., the diagonal composition) is displayed with the input image. Also, as shown inFIG. 4D, a brief description about the selected composition may be displayed with text, such as “Diagonal composition: Shows dynamic effect”. The text automatically disappears after a predetermined time, and only the diagonal composition and the input image are displayed on the screen.

According to an embodiment, only one optimum composition may be displayed according to the feature information and scene information, or several compositions suitable for the feature information and scene information may be displayed for the user to select one composition.

FIGS. 5A through 5Care diagrams for describing a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, according to another embodiment.

Referring toFIGS. 5A through 5C, a menu for selecting a guiding method is provided. Here, in the guiding method, guide1displays a representative composition, i.e., a composition that is selected by a user from among extracted or recommended optimum compositions, with an input image, guide2displays a lattice or a grid, and guide3displays the representative composition with a lattice.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bare diagrams for describing a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, according to another embodiment. When an image is captured according to a displayed composition, the controller71adds information about the displayed composition as metadata, in an exchangeable image file (Exif) of the image. In other words, a status of the composition of the image that is captured is stored in the Exif, and when the image is reproduced in a playback mode later, the composition stored in the Exif may be used to display the image, as shown inFIG. 6Aor6B. In other words, when the image captured using a composition is displayed in a playback mode, the composition stored in the Exif is added to the displayed image, so that the composition used by the user is immediately determined. Also, an order of displaying image editing functions may be determined according to a composition, and image editing functions that are mainly used may be preferentially displayed according to a used composition, as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B, so that the user may use the image editing functions quickly and easily.

Accordingly, a beginner may easily and clearly photograph a subject and show intention of photographing the subject in a standard mode, i.e., by using a recommended composition, and an expert may capture an image in detail by selecting an expansion mode so as to select one of a plurality of recommended compositions. Also, the user may selectively register a new composition so as to improve an intention of an image captured by the user, and information about a composition used while capturing an image may be recorded. Accordingly, a photographing pattern of the user may be analyzed and the result of photographing an image may be improved.

FIG. 7is a flowchart illustrating a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, according to an embodiment.

In operation700, scene information is detected from an input image. In operation702, a scene is recognized by using the scene information. In other words, whether the input image is an image of a scenery, a person, or a night view is determined. In operation704, a composition corresponding to the recognized scene is extracted. Here, only one composition corresponding to the scene may be extracted, or several compositions corresponding to the scene may be extracted according to a particular order, such as preference or photographing frequency. In operation706, the input image is displayed with the extracted composition.

FIGS. 8A and 8Bare a flowchart illustrating a method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, according to another embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 8A, a composition guide is set in operation800. In operation802, scene information is extracted from an input image. In operation804, a scene of the input image is recognized using the scene information. In operation806, a scene icon is displayed.

In operation808, feature information of the input image is analyzed, and in operation810, a composition corresponding to the recognized scene is extracted based on the feature information. In operation812, a composition menu including the extracted composition is displayed. In operation814, whether there is a user selection is determined. If it is determined that the user selected a certain composition in operation814, the input image is displayed with the selected composition in operation816.

Referring toFIG. 8B, in operation818, information about a composition guide is provided. In operation820, whether there is a user selection is determined. If it is determined that a user selected a certain composition guide in operation820, information about the selected composition guide is displayed in operation822.

When the input image is captured in operation824, the composition selected by the user is added to an Exif of the input image in operation826. In operation828, the captured input image is recorded.

According to the method of guiding a user with a suitable composition, analysis information is extracted from received image data, and a composition most suitable for a scene recognizing information and subject information is automatically suggested, so as to overlap and display a received scene and the composition. Accordingly, a user can effectively represent a photographing intention and subjects by applying the composition on an arrangement of the subjects.

Also, a digital photographing apparatus using the method automatically recognizes a scene and displays a suitable composition corresponding to the scene, and thus a user can quickly and easily capture an image.

The above embodiments are described with respect to a digital camera, which is an example of a photographing apparatus, but the embodiments also apply to a camera phone having a camera function, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a portable multimedia player (PMP).

Embodiments may include software modules which may be recorded and stored as program instructions or computer readable codes executable by a processor on non-transitory computer readable storage media such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable storage medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. This media can be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed by the processor.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by this specific language, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments.