Patent Publication Number: US-2010123801-A1

Title: Digital image processing apparatus and method of controlling the digital image processing apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0115367, filed on Nov. 19, 2008 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the digital image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a digital image processing apparatus capable of processing an image based on different faces detected in the image, and a method of controlling the digital image processing apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Digital image processing apparatuses include all apparatuses which process images or use image recognition sensors, for example, digital cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), phone cameras, or PC cameras. 
     A digital image processing apparatus may perform image processing and compression on an image input through an imaging device by using a digital signal processor (DSP), so as to generate an image file, and may store the image file in memory. 
     Also, the digital image processing apparatus may display an image input through the imaging device or an image of an image file stored in a storing medium, on a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. 
     The quality of the captured images often determines the perceived quality of the digital image processing apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, the method including receiving an input image; detecting faces of people on the input image; detecting skin colors of the faces; setting shooting conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image; and capturing images based on the shooting conditions. 
     The setting of the shooting conditions and the capturing of the images may include setting the shooting conditions according to the skin colors; perform image capturing based on the shooting conditions; and determining whether image capturing is completed with respect to all of the faces detected on the input image. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the shooting conditions may be set according to each of the skin colors of all of the plurality of faces detected on the input image, and images separately corresponding to all of the shooting conditions may be captured. 
     The setting of the shooting conditions may include adjusting white balance gains according to the skin colors. 
     The setting of the shooting conditions may include adjusting exposure values according to the skin colors. 
     The method may further include grouping the faces into a plurality of face types according to the face colors, and the detecting of the skin colors may include recognizing each of the faces as one of the plurality of face types. 
     The setting of the shooting conditions may include setting the shooting conditions which are preset according to the face types. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, the method including receiving an input image; detecting faces of people on the input image; detecting skin colors of the faces; generating transformed images by performing image processing based on processing conditions according to different skin colors of the faces; and obtaining images by using the transformed images. 
     The method may further include setting a shooting condition of the input image; and generating a captured image by capturing the input image. 
     The detecting of the faces may include detecting the faces of the people on the captured image. 
     The input image may be read from a previously stored image file. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the processing conditions may be set according to each of the skin colors of all of the plurality of faces detected on the input image, and the transformed images may be generated by performing image processing based on each of the processing conditions. 
     The generating of the transformed images may include performing image processing based on the processing conditions according to the skin colors; and determining whether image processing is completed with respect to all of the faces detected on the input image. 
     The method may further include grouping the faces into a plurality of face types according to the face colors, and the detecting of the skin colors may include recognizing each of the faces as one of the plurality of face types. 
     The performing of image processing may include performing image processing based on the processing conditions which are preset according to the face types. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital image processing apparatus including an image input unit for receiving an input image; a storage for storing shooting conditions according to skin colors of faces of people; and a control unit for controlling the digital image processing apparatus to detect the faces on the input image, to detect the skin colors of the faces, to set the shooting conditions according to each of the skin colors of the faces detected on the input image, and to capture images based on the shooting conditions. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the shooting conditions may be set according to each of the skin colors of all of the plurality of faces detected on the input image, and images separately corresponding to all of the shooting conditions may be captured. 
     The shooting conditions may be white balance gains or exposure values. 
     The faces may be grouped into a plurality of face types according to the face colors, and the shooting conditions which are preset according to the face types may be stored in the storage. 
     Each of the faces may be recognized as one of the plurality of face types. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital image processing apparatus including an image input unit for receiving an input image; a storage for storing processing conditions according to skin colors of faces of people; and a control unit for controlling the digital image processing apparatus to detect the faces on the input image, to detect the skin colors of the faces, to generate transformed images by performing image processing based on the processing conditions according to each of the skin colors of the faces, and to obtain images by using the transformed images. 
     A captured image may be generated by capturing the input image, and the faces of the people are detected on the captured image. 
     The input image may be read from an image file which is previously stored in the storage. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the processing conditions may be set according to each of the skin colors of all of the plurality of faces detected on the input image, and the transformed images may be generated by performing image processing based on each of the processing conditions. 
     The faces may be grouped into a plurality of face types according to the face colors, the processing conditions which are preset according to the face types may be stored in the storage, and each of the faces may be recognized as one of the plurality of face types. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a rear view of an example of a digital camera as an example of a digital image processing apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example of a control apparatus included in the digital camera illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example of a digital image processing apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an example of a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an example of a method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  shows an example of an input image including faces of people. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail by explaining embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a rear view of an example of a digital camera  100  as an example of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a direction button  21 , a menu-OK button  22 , a wide-zoom button W, a tele-zoom button T, and a display panel  25  may be disposed on a rear surface of the digital camera  100 . 
     The direction button  21  may include four buttons such as an up button  21 A, a down button  21 B, a left button  21 C, and a right button  21 D. The direction button  21  and the menu-OK button  22  are input keys for executing a variety of menus regarding operations of the digital camera  100 . 
     As the wide-zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T is pressed, a view angle is widened or narrowed. In particular, the wide-zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T may be used to change the size of a selected exposed area. In this case, if the wide-zoom button W is pressed, the size of the selected exposed area may increase, and if the tele-zoom button T is pressed, the size of the selected exposed area may decrease. 
     Embodiments of the display panel  25  include, but are not limited to, image display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The display panel  25  may be included in a display unit (see  350  in  FIG. 3 ) for displaying a live view of an input image. 
     A shutter release button  26 , a flash (not shown), a power switch  28 , and a lens unit (not shown) may be disposed on a front surface or a top surface of the digital camera  100 . Also, a subject lens (not shown) and an ocular lens (not shown) of a viewfinder  27  may be disposed on the front and rear surfaces of the digital camera  100 . 
     The shutter release button  26  and the power switch  28  may be included in a user manipulation unit (see  360  in  FIG. 3 ) through which a user inputs a desired manipulation signal from outside the digital camera  100 . 
     The shutter release button  26  opens or shuts a shutter in order to expose a film or an imaging device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) to light for a predetermined period of time. Also, the shutter release button  26  may generate a signal for the digital camera to record an image on the imaging device by appropriately exposing a subject in cooperation with an iris (not shown). 
     The shutter release button  26  may be half-pressed or full-pressed. If the shutter release button  26  is half-pressed, a first signal S 1  may be generated, and if the shutter release button  26  is full-pressed, a second signal S 2  may be generated. Thus, image capturing is prepared by the first signal S 1  and is performed by the second signal S 2 . 
     An example of a digital camera is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040130650 entitled “Method of automatically focusing a quadratic function in camera”, filed by the present applicant, the entire contents of which are hereby included by reference. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control apparatus  200  of a digital image processing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control apparatus  200  may be included in the digital camera  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  and thus  FIG. 2  will be described in conjunction with  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an optical system OPS, including a lens unit and a filter unit, optically processes light from a subject. The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens. If a user presses the wide-zoom button W or the tele-zoom button T included in a user input unit INP, a corresponding signal is input to a microcontroller  212 . 
     Accordingly, the microcontroller  212  controls a lens driving unit  210  to drive a zoom motor M Z , thereby moving the zoom lens. If the wide-zoom button W is pressed, a focal length of the zoom lens is reduced and thus a view angle is widened, and if the tele-zoom button T is pressed, the focal length of the zoom lens is increased and thus the view angle is narrowed. 
     In an auto-focusing mode, a main controller included in a digital signal processor (DSP)  207  controls the lens driving unit  210  through the microcontroller  212  to drive a focus motor M F . The focus lens may be moved to a position where the clearest image can be obtained, by driving the focus motor M F . 
     The compensation lens compensates for an overall refractive index and thus is not separately driven. Also, an aperture motor M A  drives an aperture (not shown). 
     In the filter unit of the optical system OPS, an optical low pass filter removes optical noise of a high frequency component. An infrared cut filter cuts off an infrared component of incident light. 
     A photoelectric conversion unit OEC may include an imaging device such as a CCD and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device. The photoelectric conversion unit OEC converts light received from the optical system OPS into an analog electric signal. 
     An analog-digital conversion unit may include a correlation double sampler and analog-to-digital converter (CDS-ADC) device  201 . The analog-digital conversion unit processes an analog signal received from the photoelectric conversion unit OEC to remove high frequency noise from and to adjust the amplitude of the analog signal, and then, converts the analog signal into a digital signal. In this case, the DSP  207  controls a timing circuit  202  to control operations of the photoelectric conversion unit OEC and the analog-digital conversion unit. 
     The optical system OPS, the photoelectric conversion unit OEC, and the CDS-ADC device  201  may be included in an image input unit (see  310  in  FIG. 3 ). 
     A real-time clock (RTC)  203  provides time information to the DSP  207 . The DSP  207  processes the digital signal received from the CDS-ADC device  201  to generate a digital image signal defined by a luminance (Y) signal and chromaticity (R, G, B) signals. 
     A light emitting unit LAMP driven by the microcontroller  212  that controlled by the main controller included in the DSP  207  may include a self-timer lamp, an auto-focusing lamp, a mode indication lamp, and a flash standby lamp. The user input unit INP may include the direction button  21 , the wide-zoom button W, and the tele-zoom button T. Also, the user input unit INP may be included in a user manipulation unit (see  360  in  FIG. 3 ). 
     An electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM)  205  stores setting data and algorithms such as a booting program and a key input program which are required to operate the DSP  207 . The EEPROM  205  may store information required for face recognition, shooting information regarding detected faces, and shooting information regarding skin colors, as a database. 
     The DSP  207  and/or the microcontroller  212  may be included in a control unit (see  320  in  FIG. 3 ). Also, the DSP  207  and/or the microcontroller  212  may include a cache memory as a temporary storage. A dynamic random access memory (DRAM)  204  temporarily stores the digital image signal received from the DSP  207 . 
     In this case, the cache memory and the DRAM  204  may be included in a first storage (see  330  in  FIG. 3 ) for temporarily storing an input image. The cache memory may be included in the first storage instead of in the DSP  207  and/or the microcontroller  212 . 
     A memory card of the user may be attached to or detached from a memory card interface (MCI)  206 . The memory card, which is recognized with the MCI  206 , is a non-volatile memory for storing images captured based on different shooting conditions with respect to the same image, and may be included in a second storage (see  340  in  FIG. 3 ). 
     The digital image signal received from the DSP  207  is input to a display panel driving unit  214  that drives a display panel  215  to display an image on the display panel  215 . 
     The control apparatus  200  may further include a display unit including the display panel  215  and the display panel driving unit  214  for driving the display panel  215 . The display panel driving unit  214  and the display panel  215  may be included in a display unit (see  350  in  FIG. 3 ). 
     Meanwhile, the digital image signal received from the DSP  207  may be transmitted as a serial communication signal through a universal serial bus (USB) connection unit  31 A or an RS232C interface  208  and its connection unit  31 B, or may be transmitted as a video signal through a video filter  209  and a video output unit  31 C. Here, the DSP  207  may include the microcontroller  212 . 
     An audio processor  213  outputs a voice signal received from a microphone MIC to the DSP  207  or a speaker SP and an audio signal received from the DSP  207  to the speaker SP. 
     The control apparatus  200  may further include a flash  13  and a flash controller  211  for controlling the flash  13 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example of a digital image processing apparatus  300  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital image processing apparatus  300  may be controlled by a control method such as the example control methods of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the digital image processing apparatus  300  may include an image input unit  310 , a control unit  320 , first and second storages  330  and  340 , a display unit  350 , and a user manipulation unit  360 . 
     The image input unit  310  receives an input image. The first and second storages  330  and  340  store shooting conditions according to skin colors of faces of people. The control unit  320  controls the digital image processing apparatus  300  to detect faces on the input image, to detect skin colors of the faces, to set shooting conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image, and to capture images based on the shooting conditions. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may set the shooting conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image, and then capture images separately corresponding to the different shooting conditions. A composite image of the images can then be made. The digital image processing apparatus  300  may select which faces in the input image to set the shooting conditions for and capture an image based on the shooting conditions. For example, if five faces are detected in the image, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may select two faces based on the size of the faces and the proximity of the faces to a focus region. The digital image processing apparatus  300  may select which faces to capture separate images for based on different criteria, which may include, but is not limited to, the size of the faces, the proximity of the faces to a focus region, a number of faces set by a user settings, and the number of faces that need the same shooting conditions. In an embodiment, the digital image processing apparatus  300  will capture an image with the shooting conditions set for each of the faces. The faces may be grouped into a plurality of face types according to the skin colors, and the shooting conditions may be separately set according different face types. The shooting conditions for different face types according to the skin colors may be stored in the first and second storages  330  and  340  as a database, and a shooting condition based on a face type according to each of the skin colors may be retrieved from the database. 
     The shooting conditions, which are previously set according to the face types, may be set to the detected faces. The shooting conditions that may be set for the different skin colors include, but are not limited to, white balance gains, and exposure values. 
     Alternatively, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may perform image processing for a detected face rather than capturing an image with different shooting conditions for the face. The first and second storages  330  and  340  may store the shooting conditions according to the skin colors of the faces of the people, the control unit  320  may control the digital image processing apparatus  300  to detect faces in the input image, to detect skin colors of the faces, to generate transformed images by performing image processing based on processing conditions according to each of the skin colors of the faces, and to obtain images by using the transformed images. 
     The control unit  320  may capture the input image so as to obtain a captured image and may detect the faces on the captured image. Alternatively, the input image may be read from an image file that is previously stored in the first and second storages  330  and  340 . 
     In embodiments, instead of capturing a plurality of images according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image, only one image may be captured and image processing may be performed on the image based on the processing conditions according to different skin colors of faces detected in the image. In embodiments, the digital image processing device  300  may capture a separate image for some skin colors and may process the image for other skin colors. 
     The digital image processing apparatus  300  may set processing conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image, and generate the transformed images by performing image processing on portions of the image that contain the faces based on the different processing conditions. 
     The display unit  350  may display a live view of the input image. The image input unit  310  receives the input image from an external device. The image input unit  310  may include the optical system OPS, the photoelectric conversion unit OEC, and the CDS-ADC device  201  which are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The control unit  320  controls the image input unit  310 , the first and second storages  330  and  340 , the display unit  350 , and the user manipulation unit  360  to detect the faces on the input image, to set shooting conditions according to each of the skin colors of the faces detected on the input image, and to capture the images based on the shooting conditions. The control unit  320  may include the DSP  207  and/or the microcontroller  212  which are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The first and second storages  330  and  340  may store the shooting conditions according to different skin colors, the input image, and the captured images. The first storage  330  may temporarily store the input image. The second storage  340  may store the shooting conditions according to different skin colors, and the captured image as a non-volatile image. 
     The display unit  350  may include the display panel  25  illustrated in  FIG. 1  and/or the display panel driving unit  214  and the display panel  215  which are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . A user may input a desired instruction through the user manipulation unit  360  from outside the digital image processing apparatus  300 . The user manipulation unit  360  may include the shutter release button  26  and the power switch  28  which are illustrated in  FIG. 1  and/or the user input unit INP illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Images appropriate for each of a plurality of people may be obtained by detecting faces of the people in an input image and setting different shooting values for the faces. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an example of a method S 400  of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The method S 400  may be performed by the control apparatus  200  illustrated in  FIG. 2  and the digital image processing apparatus  300  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The method S 400  may be stored in the EEPROM  205  illustrated in  FIG. 2  as an algorithm or a program. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the method S 400  may include receiving an input image in operation S 410 ; detecting faces in operation S 420 ; detecting skin colors in operation S 440 ; and capturing images in operations S 450 , S 460 , and S 470 . 
     An input image is received in operation S 410 . Faces of people are separately detected on the input image in operation S 420 . Skin colors of the faces are separately detected in operation S 440 . Images are captured by setting different shooting conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected in the input image in operations S 450 , S 460 , and S 470 . 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, the shooting conditions may be set according to each of the skin colors of all of the faces detected in the input image and images separately corresponding to the different shooting conditions may be captured. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and as discussed above, the digital image processing device  300  may set different shooting conditions and capture images for some of the faces. Additionally as discussed above, the digital image processing device  300  may perform image processing on some of the faces and set shooting conditions and capture a new image for other faces. 
     When the new images are captured, the shooting conditions are set in operation S 450 , image capturing is performed in S 460 , and it is determined whether image capturing is completed in operation S 470 . 
     The shooting conditions are set according to the skin colors in operation S 450 . Image capturing is performed based on the shooting conditions in operation S 460 . It is determined whether image capturing is completed with respect to all of the faces detected in the input image, in operation S 470 . 
     The digital image processing apparatus  300  may combine the different images either before or after operation S 470 . In addition, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may perform image processing on the image based on the different faces. In addition, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may combine the different images based on a user selecting which images to combine. 
     New images may be captured for each of the different colors of faces detected in the input image. Operations S 450  and S 460  may be repeated based on a whether there are more images to capture, in operation S 470 . 
     The method S 400  may further include determining whether a face recognition function is activated, in operation S 405 . In an embodiment, only if it is determined that the face recognition function is activated in operation S 405 , will the method S 400  be performed. 
     The face recognition function may be executed by operations S 410 , S 420 , S 440 , S 450 , S 460 , and S 470 . 
     Also, the digital image processing device  300  determines whether a face of a person is detected in the input image in operation S 430 . In embodiments, only if a face of a person is detected in the input image in operation S 430 , are operations S 440 , S 450 , S 460 , and S 470  performed. 
     If a face of a person is not detected in the input image in operation S 430 , a typical shooting condition is set in operation S 480  and the input image is captured based on the typical shooting condition in operation S 490 . 
     The faces may be grouped into a plurality of face types according to the different skin colors and the shooting conditions may be separately set according to the different face types. Operation S 440  may include the digital image processing device  300  determining the type of a face, and retrieving shooting conditions based on the type of the face, which may be retrieved from a database. In operation  540  the digital image processing apparatus  300  may be set according to the retrieved shooting conditions. 
     For example, the shooting conditions set in operation S 450  may be white balance gains that are differently set according to different skin colors. 
     White balance adjustment is performed to correct color distortion caused by a light source due to characteristics of an image sensor in the digital image processing apparatus. For this, a white balance gain may be calculated according to the input image and may be multiplied by each of the gray-scale values of red, green, and blue colors of the input image. 
     A preferred skin color of a face of a person may vary according to races and regions. Thus, when people having different skin colors, i.e., Caucasian, African, and Asian are photographed together, if white balance is adjusted based on a skin color of a specific person, skin colors of other people may have non-preferable colors. 
     Also, since the white balance varies according to light sources, a problem may occur when people are photographed under multiple light sources and thus the people are photographed as if they have different skin colors. For example, when people are photographed under multiple light sources, and thus an incandescent lamp influences one person and a fluorescent lamp influences another person, if the white balance is adjusted based on a skin color of a specific person, skin colors of other people may have non-preferable colors. 
     Accordingly, white balance gains may be set according to the skin colors and the white balance may be adjusted based on the white balance gains. In this case, the shooting conditions such as the white balance gains may be set based on another reference such as hair colors as well as the skin colors. 
     In this case, if faces of people are detected in the input image, the skin colors of the faces may be separately detected and images may be captured based on the shooting conditions according to different skin colors. Image capturing may be performed based on optimal white balance gains according to the face with a single shot. Thus, the face may have their own optimal images. 
       FIG. 6  shows an example of an input image  60  including faces of people. 
     The method S 400  illustrated in  FIG. 4  will now be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the input image  60  may include, for example, three people. In this case, the input image  60  including three people is received in operation S  410 . 
     The three faces of the people may be detected in the input image  60  in operation S 420 . If it is determined that a face of a person is detected in operation S 430 , skin colors may be separately detected in face areas  61 ,  62 ,  63  of the three people in operation S 440 . 
     If it is determined that a face of a person is not detected in operation S 430 , a typical shooting condition may be set in operation S 480  and the input image may be captured based on the typical shooting condition in operation S 490 . 
     White balance adjustment is performed according to a skin color of one person in operation S 450 . Image capturing is performed according to a white balance gain set to the skin color of the person, in operation S 460 . 
     It is determined whether image capturing is completed with respect to all of the faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  detected on the input image  60 , in operation S 470 . In this case, if it is determined that image capturing is not yet completed with respect to all of the faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  detected on the input image  60 , operations S 450  and S 460  may be repeated for subsequent faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  of people. Thus, image capturing may be performed by varying the white balance gain with respect to the same image. 
     Operations S 450  and S 460  may be repeated until it is determined that image capturing is completed with respect to all of the faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  detected on the input image  60 , in operation S 470 . 
     Alternatively, instead of the white balance gain, an exposure value that varies according to a detected skin color may be set as a shooting condition in operation S 450 . Exposure adjustment may be performed by setting the shooting condition such that image capturing is performed based on the exposure value set to the skin color of the face  61 ,  62 ,  63 , in operation S 450 . 
     Exposure adjustment is performed to control elements regarding brightness in the digital image processing apparatus by determining an appropriate exposure value of a face. 
     The appropriate exposure value of a face  61 ,  62 ,  63  may vary according to races and regions. Thus, when subjects having different skin colors, i.e., Caucasian, African, and Asian races are photographed together, if exposure is adjusted based on a skin color of a specific person, skin colors of other people may have non-preferable brightness levels. 
     Also, the appropriate exposure value may vary according to positions of subjects, i.e., under sunlight, in a shade, or in a building. Thus, a similar problem may occur if a plurality of subjects are located in multiple brightness levels of light. Exposure adjustment may be performed to set the appropriate exposure value by setting an aperture, a shutter speed, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sensitivity, etc. 
     If the exposure value is set as the shooting condition to be determined according to a skin color in operation S 450 , the same method may be performed as a case when the white balance gain is set as the shooting condition. 
     Faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  of people may have their own optimal images by detecting faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  of the people in an input image, and obtaining images based on shooting conditions which are differently set according to skin colors of faces of the people. 
     The digital image processing apparatus  300  may group the faces  61 ,  62 ,  62  together in any combination and/or select only some of the faces  61 ,  62 ,  63  to capture new images for. For example, the digital image processing apparatus  300  may group faces  61  and  63  together and set different shooting conditions and then capture a new image for faces  61  and  63 , and then combine the new image with the original image. The digital image processing apparatus  300  may set new shooting conditions and then capture another image for face  62 , or it may perform digital image processing for the face  62 , or it may simply not perform any particular action for face  62 . The digital image processing apparatus  300  may combine the different images, and/or the digital image processing apparatus  300  may present to a user options for combining the different images. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an example of a method S 500  of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the method S 500  captures an input image and generates an image. The digital image processing apparatus may perform image processing on different face in the image based on the skin colors of the face. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the method S 500  may include receiving an input image in operation S 510 ; detecting faces in operation S 540 ; detecting skin colors in operation S 560 ; and generating images in operations S 570  and S 580 . 
     An input image is received in operation S 510 . Faces of people are separately detected in the input image in operation S 540 . Skin colors of the faces are separately detected in operation S 560 . 
     Transformed images are generated by performing image processing based on processing conditions according to different skin colors of the faces detected on the input image and images are obtained by using the transformed images, in operations S 570  and S 580 . Image processing is performed in operation S 570  and it is determined whether image processing is completed in operation S 580 . The digital image processing apparatus  300  combines the images. 
     If a plurality of faces are detected on the input image, processing conditions may be set according to different skin colors of faces detected in the input image, and the transformed images corresponding to each of the processing conditions may be generated by performing image processing based on each of the processing conditions. 
     A processing condition is set according to a skin color and image processing is performed based on the processing condition in operation S 570 . The digital image processing apparatus  300  determines whether image processing is completed with respect to all of the faces detected on the input image, in operation S 580 . 
     The method S 500  may further include determining whether a face recognition function is activated, in operation S 505 . If it is determined that the face recognition function is activated in operation S 505 , the method S 500  may be performed. The face recognition function may identify a region in the image where a face is detected. The region where the face is detected may be the region that is used to combine images and/or determine the area of the region to perform digital image processing on. 
     The face recognition function may be executed by operations S 510 , S 540 , S 560 , and S 570  and S 580 . 
     A captured image may be generated by capturing the input image received in operation S 510 . For this, the method S 500  may further include setting a shooting condition in operation S 520  and generating a captured image by capturing the input image based on the shooting condition. In this case, the shooting condition may be, for example, a white balance gain or an exposure value which is applied when an image is typically captured. In this case, the faces of the people may be detected from the captured image in operation S 540 . 
     Alternatively, the input image may be read from among a plurality of previously stored images. In more detail, the input image is not limited to a currently captured image, and may be a previously captured and stored image or an image that is generated by and received from another digital image processing apparatus. 
     Also, it is determined whether a face of a person is detected on the input image in operation S 550 . If a face of a person is detected on the input image in operation S 550 , operations S 560 , S 570 , and S 580  may be performed. 
     A transformed image may be generated by performing image processing based on the processing condition according to the skin color in operation S 570 . Operation S 570  may be repeated for different faces until it is determined that image processing is completed with respect to all of the faces for which image processing is to be performed. 
     The faces may be grouped into a plurality of face types according to the skin colors and the processing conditions may be separately set according to the face types. In this case, operation S 560  may include recognizing each of the faces as one of the face types, and image processing may be performed based on one of the processing conditions which are previously set according to the face types in operation S 570 . 
     For example, the processing conditions set in operation S 570  may be white balance gains or exposure values which are differently set according to the skin colors. 
     Faces may have their own optimal images by detecting faces of the people in an input image, and obtaining images based on shooting conditions which are differently set according to skin colors of faces of the people. 
     The digital image processing apparatus  300  may perform image processing on any face or group of faces in the image and/or may capture a separate image(s) for any face or group of faces in the image. The digital image processing apparatus  300  may combine different images and/or perform image processing for different faces based on selections from a user. 
     The various illustrative units, logics, logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but, in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. 
     Further, the steps and/or actions of a method or algorithm described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor, such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. Further, in some aspects, the processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. Additionally, the ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal. Additionally, in some aspects, the steps and/or actions of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of instructions on a machine readable medium and/or computer readable medium. 
     While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.