Patent Publication Number: US-2013235227-A1

Title: Image capturing device and method thereof and human recognition photograph system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 101107642, filed on Mar. 7, 2012, in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image capturing device, an image capturing method, and a human recognition photography system, and more particularly to the image capturing device, the image capturing method and the human recognition photography system that combine a human detecting module and a face recognition module to detect a number of at least one person or a face condition to capture the best image. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As science and technology advance and people pay more attention on recreation in recent years, during a holiday trip, most people would like to take photos with their camera regardless of scenic photos and portraits by camera. Therefore, the cameras available in the market having the automatic shooting function facilitates automatic photographic for the user by setting the photographing time, so that the users may complete the automatic photographing process independently. 
     Present existing cameras generally come with the automatic photographing function which is implemented by a time countdown method to control the photographing time and take photos automatically, since a photographic procedure can be completed as soon as the time countdown ends. However, when the camera is used outdoors including a scenic area, pedestrians or other tourists are walking around, and these pedestrians or tourists may be easily included in the photo taken by the time countdown method and ruin the overall aesthetics of the photo. Therefore, the photos taken by the conventional cameras with the automatic photographic function may have flaws easily due to the difficulty in controlling the timing of the photo being taken, and fails to provide users with a way to take perfect photos. 
     Therefore, the present invention can improve the drawbacks of the conventional cameras with the automatic photographic function, to improve the timing of the automatic photographic function to take photos at the best time and overcome the problem of easily having flaws in the photos taken. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it is a primary objective of the invention to provide an image capturing device, an image capturing method and a human recognition photography system to overcome the problems of the users having a difficulty in controlling the automatic photographic function of conventional cameras and taking desired quality photos. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides an image capturing device comprising a capturing module, a human detecting module, a face recognition module and a processing module. The capturing module sensing an image. The human detecting module is provided for detecting a number of at least one person in the image to generate a detecting signal. The face recognition module, recognizing a face condition of at least one person in the image to generate a recognition signal. The processing module is coupled to the capturing module, the human detecting module and the face recognition module and the processing module receiving the detecting signal and the recognition signal, calculating a number of at least one person according to the detecting signal, and calculating a face condition value according to the recognition signal, and the processing module further determines whether the number of at least one person and the face condition value match to a predetermined number and a predetermined face condition value respectively; wherein if the number of at least one person and the face condition value match the predetermined number and the predetermined face condition value respectively, the processing module generates an image capturing signal to control the capturing module to capture the image, and generate image data. 
     Preferably, the face condition includes a proportion or size of the human face in the image, an angle of facing the capturing module, a facial expression characteristic, or a covered range. 
     Preferably, the predetermined face condition value is a proportion range value of the human face in the image, an angle of facing the capturing module range, a figure of a facial expression characteristic, and a covered range value of a covered face. 
     Preferably, the image capturing device of the present invention further comprises a setting module provided for setting the predetermined number and the predetermined face condition value. 
     Preferably, the image capturing device of the present invention further comprises a reminding module provided for receiving the image capturing signal to issue a reminding signal. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention further provides an image capturing method, comprising the steps of: sensing an image by a capturing module; detecting a number of at least one person in the image by a human detecting module to generate a detecting signal; recognizing a face condition of the at least one person in the image by a face recognition module to generate a recognition signal; using a processing module to receive the detecting signal and the recognition signal, calculate a number of at least one person according to the detecting signal, and calculate a face condition value according to the recognition signal; and using the processing module to determine whether the number of at least one person and the face condition value match a predetermined number and a predetermined face condition value respectively; wherein if the number of at least one person and the face condition value match the predetermined number and the predetermined face condition value respectively, the processing module generates an image capturing signal to control the capturing module to capture the image, and generate image data. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention further provides a human recognition photography system, applicable for an image capturing device, comprising: a human detecting module, provided to detect a number of at least one person in the image to generate a detecting signal, after a capturing module of the image capturing device senses an image; a face recognition module, recognizing a face condition of the at least one person in the image to generate a recognition signal; and a processing module, coupled to the human detecting module and the face recognition module, and the processing module receiving the detecting signal and the recognition signal, calculating a number of at least one person according to the detecting signal, and calculating a face condition value according to the recognition signal and the processing module further determining whether the number of at least one person and the face condition value match to a predetermined number and a predetermined face condition value respectively; wherein if the number of at least one person and the face condition value match the predetermined number and the predetermined face condition value respectively, the processing module generates an image capturing signal to control the capturing module to capture the image, and generate image data. 
     In summation, the image capturing device, the image capturing method and the human recognition photography system in accordance with the present invention can use a human detecting module and a face recognition module to detect the number of at least one person and the human face characteristics when taking a photo by the automatic photographic function, so as to obtain the best photographic timing to capture an image and achieve a better photographic effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image capturing device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of an image capturing method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a human recognition photography system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a first schematic view of an image capturing device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4B  is a second schematic view of an image capturing device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical contents and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent with the detailed description of a preferred embodiment accompanied with related drawings as follows. For simplicity, same numerals are used in the following preferred embodiment to represent respective same elements. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  for a block diagram of an image capturing device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image capturing device  1  comprises a capturing module  11 , a human detecting module  12 , a face recognition module  13 , a processing module  14 , a setting module  15  and a reminding module  16 . The processing module  14  is coupled to the capturing module  11 , the human detecting module  12 , the face recognition module  13 , the setting module  15  and the reminding module  16 , and the capturing module  11  is coupled to the human detecting module  12  and the face recognition module  13 . The image capturing device  1  can be a digital camera, a Smartphone or any other device with a photographic function of any type or model. The capturing module  11  can be a camera lens, or an image sensing component. The processing module  14  can be a processor installed in the image capturing device  1  and used for computing different algorithms to process different image information. The reminding module  16  can be a light emitting diode (LED) lamp or a buzzer. However, the aforementioned devices and components are used for illustrating the present invention only, but not intended for limiting the present invention, and equivalents with the same effects can be used instead. 
     In the description above, when a user uses the image capturing device  1  to take a picture automatically, the capturing module  11  senses an image  3 , and then the human detecting module  12  detects the number of at least one person in the image  3  to generate a detecting signal  121 , and then the face recognition module  13  recognizes a face condition of the at least one person in the image  3  to generate a recognition signal  131 . After the processing module  14  receives the detecting signal  121  and the recognition signal  131 , the detecting signal  121  and the recognition signal  131  are computed to generate a number of at least one person  1411  and a face condition value  1412  respectively. The processing module  14  executes a determination procedure to determine whether the number of at least one person  1411  and the face condition value  1412  correspond to a predetermined number  1511  and a predetermined face condition value  1512  respectively; if yes, the processing module  14  will generate and transmit an image capturing signal  111  to the capturing module  11  and the reminding module  16 . The reminding module  16  will generate a reminding signal  161  according to the image capturing signal  111  to inform the user that the image capturing device  1  is going to take a photo, and the capturing module  11  will capture an image  3  according to the image capturing signal  111  to generate image data. Wherein, if the number of at least one person  1411  and the face condition value  1412  correspond to the predetermined number  1511  and the predetermined face condition value  1512 , the processing module  14  will generate the image capturing signal  111  to control the capturing module  11  to capture the image  3 . In another embodiment, if either the number of at least one person  1411  or the face condition value  1412  corresponds to the predetermined number  1511  or the predetermined face condition value  1512 , the processing module  14  will generate the image capturing signal  111 . 
     In the description above, the user can preset the predetermined number  1511  and the predetermined face condition value  1512  by the setting module  15 , wherein the aforementioned method of calculating the number of at least one person can include a calculation of the proportion or size of the at least one person in the image  3  or a determination whether or not to include the current position in the calculation of the quantity. The face condition can include a proportion or size of the human face in the image  3 , an angle of facing the capturing module  11 , a facial expression characteristic or a covered range. Therefore, the user can preset a predetermined face condition value  1512  such as a proportion range of the human face in the image  3 , an angle range facing the capturing module  11  a facial expression characteristic figure, or a covered range of a covered face. For example, the user can set the predetermined face condition value  1512  such as setting the human face to a size of 1/12 of the image  3 , the difference between the angles of the human face and the capturing module  11  within 30 degrees, the facial expression characteristic figure to a smile figure, or the covered portion of the covered human face to less than ¼ of the human face, and the face condition value  1412  produced by the processing module  14  must satisfy all of the aforementioned conditions before the capturing module  11  starts the photographic function. The aforementioned examples are used for illustrating the invention only, but the invention is not limited to these examples. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2  for a flow chart of an image capturing method of the present invention, the image capturing method comprises the following steps: 
     S 21 : Detecting an image by a capturing module. 
     S 22 : Using a human detecting module to detect a number of at least one person in an image to generate a detecting signal 
     S 23 : Using a face recognition module to recognize a face condition of the at least one person in the image to generate a recognition signal. 
     S 24 : Using a processing module to receive the detecting signal and the recognition signal and calculating a number of at least one person according to the detecting signal, and calculating a face condition value according to the recognition signal. 
     S 25 : Using the processing module to determine whether the number of the at least one person and the face condition value correspond to a predetermined number and a predetermined face condition value respectively; wherein if the number of at least one person and the face condition value match the predetermined number and the predetermined face condition value respectively, the processing module generates an image capturing signal to control the capturing module to capture the image, and generate image data. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3  for a block diagram of a human recognition photography system of the present invention, the human recognition photography system  100  is applicable to an image capturing device  200 . The human recognition photography system  100  comprises a human detecting module  101 , a face recognition module  102 , a processing module  103 , a setting module  104  and a reminding module  105 . The human recognition photography system  100  can be an image processing software or system. The processing module  103  can be coupled to the human detecting module  101 , the face recognition module  102 , the setting module  104  and the reminding module  105 . The image capturing device  200  can be a digital camera, a Smartphone, or a device with an image capturing function of any type or model and includes a capturing module  201 . The capturing module  201  can be a camera lens or an image sensing component. The aforementioned examples are used for illustrating the invention only, but the invention is not limited to these examples. 
     In the description above, if a user uses the image capturing device  200  and turns on the automatic photographing function, the capturing module  201  will sense the image  4 , and then the human detecting module  101  will detect the number of at least one person in the image  4  to generate a detecting signal  1011 . The face recognition module  102  recognizes a face condition of the at least one person in the image  4  to generate a recognition signal  1021 . After the processing module  103  receives the detecting signal  1011  and the recognition signal  1021 , a number of at least one person  1031  can be calculated according to the detecting signal  1011 , and a face condition value  1032  can be calculated according to the recognition signal  1021 . The processing module  103  further performs a determination procedure according to a predetermined number  1041  and a predetermined face condition value  1042  preset into the setting module  104  by the user to determine whether the number of at least one person  1031  and the face condition value  1032  correspond to a predetermined number  1041  and a predetermined face condition value  1042 ; if yes, the processing module  103  will generate an image capturing signal  1033 , and the reminding module  105  will generate a reminding signal  1051  according to the image capturing signal  1033  to inform the user capturing module  201  will take a photo, and finally the capturing module  201  can capture an image  4  according to the image capturing signal  1033  to generate image data. Compared with the conventional automatic photographic system that cannot detect a human or recognize a face before capturing the image, the present invention allows a user to enable the automatic photographing function first and then use the determination mechanism to detect the number of at least one person and recognize a face to determine the photographic timing, so as to take a picture automatically after obtaining the best photographic timing. Wherein, the user can set the predetermined number  1041  and the predetermined face condition value  1042  through the setting module  104 . The predetermined number  1041  is the quantity of people. For example, if the number of people in the image  4  is equal to 4, the capturing module  201  will take the picture. The predetermined face condition value  1042  is a proportion range of a screen of a human face sensed by the capturing module  201 , an angle range of the human face facing the capturing module  201 , a facial expression characteristic figure or a covered range of a covered human face. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B  for the first and second schematic views of an image capturing device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention respectively, if a user wants to turn on the automatic photographic function to capture an image  5  outdoors and there is a crowd or a non-theme object appears in the shooting screen, the image capturing device  300  is provided for setting the photographic conditions in advance, and the photographic condition includes a predetermined number, etc. In this preferred embodiment, the predetermined number is set to 4, and then the automatic photographing function of the image capturing device  300  is turned on to sense an image  5 , and the image capturing device  300  starts detecting the number of at least one person in the image  5  for the computation of quantity, and then the image capturing device  300  compares the detected number of at least one person and predetermined number. If the detected number of at least one person match the predetermined number set by the user, an image capturing signal is generated to capture the image  5  as shown in  FIG. 4A . In  FIG. 4A , the image capturing device  300  senses the image  5  and computes that the number of at least one person is equal to 6 which does not match with the predetermined number, so that the image capturing device  300  will not capture the image  5 . After the number of at least one person in the image  5  is detected to be 4, and the number match with the predetermined number, so that the image capturing device  300  will capture the image  5  and generate image data. 
     In the description above, if the user executes the automatic photographing by using the timer method, the photographic procedure ends as soon as the countdown completes and the user can control the photographing timing more easily. However, if there are people walking around outdoors, the photo taken after the countdown completes may include non-theme objects, or the theme object is covered, so that the photo taken may have flaws to ruin the overall aesthetics. The users can use the image capturing device  300  to detect the number of at least one person to obtain a better automatic photographic timing, or the users can use the image capturing device  300  to set additional further photographic condition such as setting the predetermined face condition value of the at least one person, the proportion or size of a human face, and an angle or a position, etc. Therefore, after the image capturing device  300  senses an image  5 , the number of at least one person is detected, and the human face condition is also detected. After the human face condition in the image  5  is recognized by the image capturing device  300 , the image capturing device  300  calculates the face condition value of the at least one person according to the recognized result. If the human face in the image  5  occupies 1/12 of the image  5 , the angle difference of the human face facing the camera lens of the image capturing device  300  falls within 30 degrees, or less than ¼ of the human face is covered, then the predetermined face condition value set before taking the photo is satisfied, so that an image capturing signal will be generated to capture the image  5  automatically as shown in  FIG. 4B . Wherein, the users can set the facial expression characteristic of a face of the people into the predetermined face condition value, such as setting the predetermined face condition value to have a smile expression figure. However, this arrangement is provided as an example only, but the invention is not limited to this example. 
     In the description above, the image capturing device  300  further comprises an online threshold learning mechanism. If the image capturing device  300  performs recognitions according to the default value, and the result recognized by the image capturing device  300  may not match with the default value due to the photographic environment, this online threshold learning mechanism can be used to eliminate the too-narrow range of the photographic condition set by the user and overcome the problem of failing to capture the image  5  automatically, and the invention can make adjustments automatically after a predetermined time, and broaden the photographic conditions to facilitate users to capture the image automatically. 
     In summation of the description above, the image capturing device, the image capturing method and the human recognition photography system in accordance with of the present invention can detect the number of at least one person and the human face characteristic by the human detecting module and the face recognition module before using the image capturing device to capture images automatically, so as to obtain the best photographic timing to capture the images. Therefore, the present invention can overcome the drawbacks of photos taken by the conventional image capturing device with the automatic photographing function.