Patent Publication Number: US-2018028107-A1

Title: Skin diagnosis device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a skin diagnosis device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In a skin diagnosis device that diagnoses a skin condition such as a spot, dullness, or a wrinkle of a face, there are a contact type and a non-contact type. A sensor and a lighting are placed in the contact type skin diagnosis device, and the contact type skin diagnosis device photographs the skin condition by directly being into contact with the skin. Therefore, in the contact type skin diagnosis device, there is a need to perform measurements as many as the number of diagnosis positions, and the number of operations by an operator are large. 
     On the contrary, the non-contact type skin diagnosis device irradiates a whole of the face with light, and photographs the whole of the face at one time (for example, see PTL 1). Therefore, in the non-contact type skin diagnosis device, it is possible to analyze each diagnosis position by the photographing of one time, and the number of operations by the operator become small. 
     However, in the non-contact type skin diagnosis device, since the irradiation is performed with the lighting having high illuminance, it is not desirable to photograph a person who is subjected in a diagnosis in a state where the person who is subjected to the diagnosis opens eyes. Moreover, the person who is subjected to the diagnosis feels dazzling even if the eyes are closed, and feels stress that the eyes be necessarily closed. 
     Objects of the present disclosure are to protect the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and to relieve the stress of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PTL 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2004-105748 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a skin diagnosis device including an imaging unit that images a face of a person who is subjected to a diagnosis, a facial part analyzer that analyzes a facial part, based on a facial image of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, an irradiation management unit that specifies positions of eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis from an analysis result of the facial part, and determines a whole of a facial region except for the eye positions as an irradiation region, an irradiation unit that irradiates the determined irradiation region with light, and a skin diagnosis analyzer that performs a skin diagnosis, based on the facial image, which is imaged by being irradiated with the light, of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to protect the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and to relieve stress of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a skin diagnosis device according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a management table which is provided with an irradiation management unit. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where an irradiation unit performs irradiation with respect to a face of a person who is subjected to a diagnosis. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a display example of a course selection screen. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a display example of an analysis part selection screen. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the skin diagnosis device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where the irradiation unit performs the irradiation partially with respect to the face of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail, with reference to the drawings. 
     Exemplary Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of skin diagnosis device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, the configuration of skin diagnosis device  10  will be described, by using  FIG. 1 . 
     Input unit  11  is an interface that receives an input of operation information by an operator, and for example, input unit  11  is at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a touch panel, and the like. Specifically, input unit  11  outputs an analysis item (such as a pore, a spot, a wrinkle, moisture content, a nasolabial fold, or a texture) and an analysis part (such as a nose, a cheek, or an eye area) of a skin which are input by the operator to irradiation management unit  13 . 
     Controller  12  includes irradiation management unit  13 , irradiation instructing unit  14 , imaging instructing unit  16 , facial part analyzer  18 , and skin diagnosis analyzer  19 . 
     Irradiation management unit  13  determines appropriate irradiation light from visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared light, and the like, depending on the analysis item which is input from input unit  11 , and notifies irradiation instructing unit  14  of the determined irradiation light. Irradiation management unit  13  specifies positions of eyes of a person who is subjected to a diagnosis, by an analysis result which is output from facial part analyzer  18 , and determines a whole of a facial region except for the eye positions as an irradiation region, and notifies irradiation instructing unit  14  of the determined irradiation region. Irradiation management unit  13  notifies imaging instructing unit  16  of photographing timing which is input from input unit  11 . Irradiation management unit  13  includes a management table as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , and manages whether or not a skin diagnosis analysis is completed per combination of the analysis item, the analysis part, and the irradiation light by a completion flag. In the combination in which the analysis can be performed at one time, all analyses are performed at one time, but in a case where all analyses are not performed at one time such that the analysis parts are overlapped with respect to the analysis items which are different from each other, irradiation management unit  13  does not set up the completion flag with respect to the combination corresponding thereto. Irradiation management unit  13  instructs such that the skin diagnosis analyses are repeatedly performed until the completion flags are set up with respect to all combinations which are input by the operator. Irradiation management unit  13  outputs a selection screen onto monitor  20 . 
     Irradiation instructing unit  14  instructs irradiation unit  15  to obtain the irradiation region and the irradiation light which are notified from the irradiation management unit  13 . 
     For example, irradiation unit  15  is a projector, and irradiates the irradiation region which is instructed in the same manner, with the irradiation light which is instructed by irradiation instructing unit  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , irradiation unit  15  performs the irradiation of the whole of the facial region except for the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis.  FIG. 3  illustrates that the irradiation is not performed in a half-tone dot meshing region including the eyes. Thereby, it is possible to protect the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     Imaging instructing unit  16  instructs imaging unit  17  to perform imaging at imaging timing which is notified from irradiation management unit  13 . 
     Imaging unit  17  performs the imaging at the timing which is instructed by imaging instructing unit  16 , and outputs the imaged image to facial part analyzer  18  or skin diagnosis analyzer  19 . 
     Facial part analyzer  18  analyzes the facial part such as the eye, the nose, a mouth, a forehead, or the cheek, based on the facial image which is output from imaging unit  17 , and outputs the analysis result to irradiation management unit  13 . 
     Skin diagnosis analyzer  19  performs a skin diagnosis, based on the image which is output from imaging unit  17 , and outputs a skin diagnosis result to monitor  20 . 
     Monitor  20  displays character information and image information. Specifically, monitor  20  displays the selection screen, the skin diagnosis result which is output from skin diagnosis analyzer  19 , and the like. 
     Here, examples of the selection screens which are displayed on monitor  20  are illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  illustrates that it is possible to select a recommendation course and a selection course. The recommendation course is a course in which the analysis item and the analysis part are automatically determined, and the selection course is a course in which the analysis item and the analysis part are designated by the operator.  FIG. 5  illustrates a state where the operator selects the cheek of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, among the selectable analysis parts. Regions R 1  and R 2  which are indicated by frames of dotted lines in  FIG. 5  illustrate a case where the cheeks are selected. 
     Next, a processing procedure of skin diagnosis device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  will be described by using  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of skin diagnosis device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     In step S 01 , skin diagnosis device  10  performs imaging preparation such that software is activated, by the operation of the operator, and in step S 02 , imaging unit  17  images the whole of the face of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis without the irradiation from the irradiation unit  15 . 
     In step S 03 , facial part analyzer  18  analyzes the facial part from the facial image which is imaged in step S 02 , and in step S 04 , irradiation management unit  13  determines the whole of the facial region except for the positions of the eyes as an irradiation region, based on the facial part which is analyzed in step S 03 . 
     In step S 05 , irradiation management unit  13  determines the appropriate irradiation light, depending on the analysis item, and in step S 06 , irradiation unit  15  irradiates the irradiation region which is determined in step S 04  with the irradiation light which is determined in step S 05 . 
     In step S 07 , imaging unit  17  images the face, on which the irradiation is performed from irradiation unit  15 , of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and in step S 08 , skin diagnosis analyzer  19  analyzes the facial image which is imaged in step S 07 . 
     In step S 09 , in a case where the analysis may not be performed at one time such that the analysis parts are overlapped with respect to the analysis items which are different from each other, or the irradiation lights are different from each other depending on the analysis items, imaging unit  17  determines whether or not to image the face of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis again. In a case where the imaging is performed again (step S 09 : YES), the processing proceeds to step S 10 , and in a case where the imaging is not performed again (step S 09 : NO), the processing proceeds to step S 11 . 
     In step S 10 , facial part analyzer  18  determines whether or not a position of the face is shifted from a predetermined position due to lapse of a predetermined time or the like, and in a case where the position is shifted (step S 10 : YES), the processing returns to step S 02 , and in a case where the position is not shifted (step S 10 : NO), the processing returns to step S 05 . 
     In step S 11 , monitor  20  displays the analysis result which is obtained in step S 08 , and in step S 12 , irradiation management unit  13  determines whether or not a finish instruction is received from input unit  11 , and in a case where the finish instruction is received (step S 12 : YES), the processing of skin diagnosis device  10  is finished, and in a case where the finish instruction is not received (step S 12 : NO), the processing returns to step S 02 . 
     In this manner, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the skin diagnosis analyzer specifies the positions of the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, based on the facial image, which is imaged without performing the irradiation with the light, of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and determines the whole of the facial region except for the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis as an irradiation region, and determines the irradiation light depending on the analysis item, and irradiates the determined irradiation region with the determined irradiation light, and thereby, it is possible to protect the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and to relieve stress of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     Modification Example 
     In the exemplary embodiment described above, it is described that irradiation management unit  13  determines the whole of the facial region except for the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis as an irradiation region, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , irradiation management unit  13  may determine a fixed area including the analysis part as irradiation region R 3 . This is because a feature within the fixed area, for example, pore density or the like is used as an index, in the skin diagnosis. As a fixed area, it is desirable that a region where unevenness of the face is relatively small, such as the cheek or the forehead, is used. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The skin diagnosis device according to the present disclosure is useful to protect the eyes of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis, and to relieve the stress of the person who is subjected to the diagnosis. 
     REFERENCE MARKS IN THE DRAWINGS 
     
         
           10  skin diagnosis device 
           11  input unit 
           12  controller 
           13  irradiation management unit 
           14  irradiation instructing unit 
           15  irradiation unit 
           16  imaging instructing unit 
           17  imaging unit 
           18  facial part analyzer 
           19  skin diagnosis analyzer 
           20  monitor