Patent Publication Number: US-2023162418-A1

Title: Image creating apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-190746 filed in Japan on Nov. 25, 2021. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image creating apparatus that creates a stamp on the basis of a digital image captured with an image capturing function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Since the physique of a human irreversibly changes with growth, there is the need to record a state of a sole or a palm for memory at a certain point of time. For this reason, it has been common to record a state of a sole or a palm by applying a paint to a sole or a palm of an infant and transferring the footprint or the handprint onto a sheet-like medium such as a square-shaped paper sheet for an autograph. 
     With the spread of digital cameras, an image of a foot sole or a palm is captured for recording a state of a foot sole or a palm. For this reason, it has also been attempted to extract the contour of a sole or a palm from a digital image, and create footprint or handprint data. Hereinafter, an image of a sole or a palm drawn by extracting its contour from a digital image will be referred to as a “stamp”. 
     JP 2009-21958 A discloses that an image of a palm is captured with a digital camera, and a handprint extracted along the contour of the hand from the digital image is converted into a black-and-white image to be printed out. 
     When an image of a sole or a palm is captured with a digital camera as in the invention disclosed in JP 2009-21958 A, it is necessary to capture an image of the sole or the palm at a distance at which the sole or the palm is captured in a specific size. If the distance between the sole or palm, which is the object, and the digital camera is too long, the sole or the palm in a digital image is small, and it is difficult to identify the contour of the sole or the palm. If the distance between the sole or the palm and the digital camera is too short, on the other hand, the sole or the palm is not captured within the frame. In this manner, it is difficult to capture a digital image of a sole or a palm so that the sole or the palm has a specific size in the digital image. Unless a sole or a palm is captured in an appropriate size in an image, a stamp in an appropriate shape cannot be created. 
     The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to obtain an image creating apparatus that enables a user to capture a digital image of a sole or a palm so that the sole or the palm has a specific size in the digital image, and create a stamp from the digital image. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to solve the above-described problem and achieve the object, an image creating apparatus according to the present invention includes a guide display processing unit that displays a positioning guide for a portion of a hand or a foot on an imaging screen of a terminal having an image capturing function; an extraction processing unit that extracts the portion of the hand or the foot from a digital image captured by the image capturing function; and a first image creating unit that creates a stamp by converting the extracted image of the portion of the hand or the foot into a silhouette image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a flowchart illustrating a flow of operation of the image creating apparatus according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating an example imaging screen on which a positioning guide of the image creating apparatus according to the first embodiment is displayed; 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the second embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram illustrating another example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the second embodiment; 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the third embodiment; 
         FIG.  9    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen on which a stamp and a part are being laid out with a template of the image creating apparatus according to the third embodiment; 
         FIG.  10    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  11    is a diagram illustrating an example of a practical image created by a third image creating unit of the image creating apparatus according to the fourth embodiment; and 
         FIG.  12    is a diagram illustrating an example hardware configuration of the image creating apparatuses according to the first to fourth embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following is a detailed description of embodiments of image creating apparatuses according to the present invention, with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments. In the embodiments described below, the same or common portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and explanation of them will not be repeated. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. An image creating apparatus  10 A includes: an imaging unit  11  that has a digital image capturing function; a display unit  12  that displays an imaging screen for displaying a preview of an imaging range of the imaging unit  11 ; a guide display processing unit  13  that displays a positioning guide for a portion of a hand or a foot on the imaging screen; an extraction processing unit  14  that extracts a portion of the hand or the foot from the digital image captured by the imaging unit  11 ; a first image creating unit  15  that creates a stamp by transforming an image of the portion of the hand or the foot extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  into a silhouette image; and an image storage unit  20  that stores the image. An information terminal such as a smartphone terminal or a tablet terminal can be used as the image creating apparatus  10 A, but some other apparatus may be used. 
       FIG.  2    is a flowchart illustrating a flow of operation of the image creating apparatus according to the first embodiment. In step S 11 , the guide display processing unit  13  displays a positioning guide on the imaging screen that displays a preview of an imaging range of the imaging unit  11 . 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating an example imaging screen on which a positioning guide of the image creating apparatus according to the first embodiment is displayed. On an imaging screen  200 , a positioning guide  201  and an image capture guide message  202  are displayed. The image capture guide message  202  is a message for prompting the user to capture an image of the sole displayed on the imaging screen while keeping the sole within the positioning guide  201 . As the positioning guide  201  is displayed on the imaging screen  200 , the user can capture an image of the sole so that the sole has a specific size in the captured image, by releasing the shutter while maintaining the contour of the sole within the positioning guide  201 . Also, the user can capture an image of the sole while maintaining the longitudinal direction of the foot in line with the vertical direction of the imaging screen  200 , by releasing the shutter while keeping the contour of the sole within the positioning guide  201 . The user can adjust the size of the sole in the imaging screen  200  by moving the image creating apparatus  10 A toward or away from the foot. The user can adjust the longitudinal direction of the foot in the imaging screen  200  by changing the posture of the image creating apparatus  10 A. In the example described herein, the positioning guide  201  for capturing an image of a sole is displayed on the imaging screen  200 . However, by displaying a positioning guide  201  for capturing an image of a palm on the imaging screen  200 , it becomes possible for the user to capture an image of a palm so that the palm has a specific size in the captured image. Further, a positioning guide  201  may be designed for positioning a portion of a foot or a hand, other than the sole of a foot or a palm. 
     In step S 12 , the imaging unit  11  captures a digital image of a sole or a palm. In step S 13 , the extraction processing unit  14  extracts the sole or the palm from the captured digital image. In a digital image obtained by imaging a sole, differences in brightness are small between inside portions of the sole and between background portions, and a difference in brightness is large between an inside portion of the sole and a background portion. Thus, the extraction processing unit  14  can detect the contour of a sole or a palm and extract the portion inside the contour as the sole or the palm, by identifying the portions where the brightness of the digital image discontinuously changes. However, the process of extracting a sole or a palm may be performed by a method different from the exemplified process. Note that, in a case where the size of the sole or the palm extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  significantly differs from the size of the positioning guide  201 , the image creating apparatus  10 A may prompt the user to recapture of an image of the sole or the palm. In step S 14 , the first image creating unit  15  creates a stamp by converting the silhouette of the sole or palm extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  into a black-and-white image. The stamp created by the first image creating unit  15  is stored into the image storage unit  20 . Note that the stamp to be created by the first image creating unit  15  is not necessarily a black-and-white image, and may be a gradation image or an image in two or more colors. Alternatively, the stamp to be created by the first image creating unit  15  may be a line drawing. 
     When creating a stamp, the first image creating unit  15  may perform at least one of correction to widen the MP joint portion in the foot width direction or correction to narrow the arch of the foot, on the sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14 . In a case where a paint is applied to a sole, and a footprint is transferred onto a sheet-like medium, the shape of the sole changes due to the weight of the footprint creator. Therefore, the state of the sole in an image captured by the digital camera is slightly different from the footprint created by applying a paint to the sole. In a case where the first image creating unit  15  subjects the sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  to correction to widen the MP joint portion in the foot width direction and narrow the arch portion, it is possible to create a stamp closest to the footprint created by applying a paint to the sole. When creating a stamp, the first image creating unit  15  may also perform correction to form gaps between the tips of the toes and the balls of the foot, on the sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14 . Note that the balls of the foot are the portions at the roots of the toes, including the hypothenar and the thenar. In a case where a paint is applied to a sole, and a footprint is transferred to a sheet-like medium, the joint portions of the toes are unlikely to be in contact with the sheet-like medium, and therefore, gaps are normally formed between the tips of the toes and the balls of the foot. As the first image creating unit  15  subjects the sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  to the correction to form gaps between the tips of the toes and the balls of the foot, a stamp close to the footprint created by applying a paint to the sole can be created. Such correction can also be applied to a palm. 
     Note that the first image creating unit  15  may receive a contrast adjustment operation by the user, so that the user can adjust the contrast of a stamp. 
     As the image creating apparatus  10 A according to the first embodiment displays the positioning guide  201  on the imaging screen  200 , the user can record a state of a sole or a palm by capturing a digital image of the sole or the palm so that the sole or the palm has a specific size in the digital image. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. An image creating apparatus  10 B according to the second embodiment differs from the image creating apparatus  10 A according to the first embodiment in including a layout screen display unit  16  that displays a layout screen for receiving an operation of laying out a stamp and a part registered in advance, and a second image creating unit  17  that creates an art image including the stamp and the parts laid out with the use of the layout screen. An art image is an illustration or an image intended by the user using one or more stamps. An art image is not necessarily an image indicating the shape of an existing organism or article. 
       FIG.  5    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the second embodiment.  FIG.  6    is a diagram illustrating another example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the second embodiment. On a layout screen  300 , type selection buttons  301 , object selection buttons  302 , color selection buttons  303 , an editing area  304 , and a save button  305  are displayed. The type selection buttons  301  are buttons for selecting whether to place a stamp  306  or to place a part  307 . As illustrated in  FIG.  5   , when a “FOOT” button is pressed, the target to be placed in the editing area  304  is a stamp  306 . As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , when one of “PART 1”, “PART 2”, and “PART 3” is pressed, the target to be placed in the editing area  304  is a part  307  registered in advance. 
     The object selection buttons  302  are buttons for selecting an object to be placed in the editing area  304 . In the example illustrated in  FIG.  5   , four object selection buttons  302  for stamps  306  are displayed. The stamps  306  to be selected by the respective object selection buttons  302  are the same images but are distinguished from one another. The stamps  306  to be selected by the respective object selection buttons  302  cannot be used in an overlapping manner. Therefore, in the example illustrated in  FIG.  5   , the upper limit number of the stamps  306  that can be placed in the editing area  304  is four. 
     The layout screen display unit  16  displays a layer number  311  indicating the overlap relationship on the layout screen  300 , together with a stamp  306  and a part  307  being laid out on the layout screen  300 . As a layer number  311  is displayed together with a stamp  306  and a part  307 , the user can easily understand the overlapping order of the stamp  306  and the part  307 . 
     In a case where the object to be placed in the editing area  304  is a part  307 , the object to be placed in the editing area  304  is selected from among the parts  307  registered beforehand in association with the respective parts of “PART 1”, “PART 2”, and “PART 3”. It is also possible to select the same part  307  for “PART 1”, “PART 2”, and “PART 3” in an overlapping manner. 
     An object transformation tool  308  is displayed around the stamp  306  or the part  307  placed in the editing area  304 . The object transformation tool  308  includes a rotation button  308 A, a reverse button  308 B, and a zoom button  308 C, and a user can perform a transformation operation such as rotation, reversal, and scaling of an object. The object transformation tool  308  also includes a transformation end button  308 D. After an object transformation operation is completed, the object transformation tool  308  can be deleted from the editing area  304 . 
     After the placement and the transformation of the stamp  306  and the part  307  are completed, the save button  305  is pressed, so that the second image creating unit  17  combines the stamp  306  and the part  307 , to create an art image. The art image created by the second image creating unit  17  is stored into the image storage unit  20 . 
     As the image creating apparatus  10 B according to the second embodiment creates an art image using a stamp  306  in which a state of a sole or a palm is recorded, it is possible to enhance the user&#39;s motivation to capture an image of a sole or a palm and record a state of the sole or the palm. Also, by disclosing a created art image on the Internet using a social networking service, it is possible to share an image captured for recording a sole or a palm with a large number of unspecified people. Further, unlike a footprint or a handprint created by applying a paint to a sole or a palm of a user, a stamp  306  is created by the image creating apparatus  10 B according to the second embodiment without any paint applied to a sole or a palm of a user. Thus, it is possible to create an art image without smearing clothes and the like. 
     Third Embodiment 
       FIG.  7    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. An image creating apparatus  10 C according to the third embodiment differs from the image creating apparatus  10 B according to the second embodiment in including a template display unit  18  that displays a template on the layout screen  300 . 
       FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen of the image creating apparatus according to the third embodiment. On the layout screen  300 , type selection buttons  301 , object selection buttons  302 , color selection buttons  303 , an editing area  304 , a save button  305 , and a template display button  309  are displayed. The template display button  309  is a button for selecting a template  310  as the object to be placed in the editing area  304 . In the example illustrated in  FIG.  8   , the “TEMPLATE” button is pressed, and accordingly, the object to be placed in the editing area  304  is a template  310 . The template  310  is an object that indicates the sizes, the orientations, and the placement order of a stamp  306  and a part  307 . The template  310  includes a layout frame  310 A and a placement order number  310 B. The sizes and the orientations of the stamp  306  and the part  307  are adjusted to those of the layout frame  310 A, and superimposition is performed in accordance with the order indicated by the placement order number  310 B. Thus, an art image using the stamp  306  can be easily created.  FIG.  9    is a diagram illustrating an example of the layout screen on which a stamp and a part are being laid out with the template of the image creating apparatus according to the third embodiment. In  FIG.  9   , an apple template  310  is selected, and a stamp  306  and a part  307  having sizes and orientations adjusted to the template  310  are placed in the order according to the template  310 . Thus, an art image of an apple can be easily created. 
     As the image creating apparatus  10 C according to the third embodiment displays a template  310  in the editing area  304  of the layout screen  300 , the user can easily perform the operation of combining a stamp  306  and a part  307  by referring to the template  310 . 
     Fourth Embodiment 
       FIG.  10    is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image creating apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. An image creating apparatus  10 D according to the fourth embodiment differs from the image creating apparatus  10 C according to the third embodiment in including a third image creating unit  19 . The third image creating unit  19  combines an art image created by the second image creating unit  17  with a pre-registered frame, to create a practical image that is an art image accompanied by a frame. Examples of such frames include, but are not limited to, calendars and message cards. The practical image created by the third image creating unit  19  is stored into the image storage unit  20 . 
       FIG.  11    is a diagram illustrating an example of a practical image created by the third image creating unit of the image creating apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. In a practical image  400 , an art image  401  and a calendar frame  402  are combined. In the practical image  400 , the portion of the calendar frame  402  has a calendar function. Accordingly, the user can use the practical image  400  daily, including the art image  401  created on the basis of an image in which a state of a sole or a palm is recorded. For example, the user can use the practical image  400  daily, by printing out and posting the practical image  400 , or by using the practical image  400  as a wallpaper image on a smartphone terminal or a personal computer. 
     Next, a hardware configuration of the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D according to the respective embodiments described above is described.  FIG.  12    is a diagram illustrating an example hardware configuration of the image creating apparatuses according to the first to fourth embodiments.  FIG.  12    illustrates a hardware configuration in a case where hardware for executing a program is used to achieve the functions of the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D. 
     The image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D each include: a processor  81  that executes various kinds of processing; a memory  82  that is a built-in memory; a storage device  83  that stores information; an imaging device  84  that captures a digital image; and a display device  85 . The processor  81  reads a program stored in the storage device  83  into the memory  82 , and executes the program. The image storage unit  20  is formed with the storage device  83 . The imaging unit  11  is formed with the imaging device  84 . The display unit  12  is formed with the display device  85 . 
     As described above, the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D according to the present invention each include: a guide display processing unit  13  that displays a positioning guide  201  for a portion of a hand or a foot on an imaging screen  200  of a terminal having an image capturing function; an extraction processing unit  14  that extracts the portion of the hand or the foot from a digital image captured by the image capturing function; and a first image creating unit  15  that creates a stamp  306  by converting the extracted image of the portion of the hand or the foot into a silhouette image. Thus, the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D according to the present invention enables a user to capture a digital image of a sole or a palm so that the sole or the palm has a specific size in the digital image, and create a stamp  306  from the digital image. 
     An image creating apparatus according to the present invention may also include: a layout screen display unit  16  that displays a layout screen  300  for receiving an operation of laying out a stamp  306  and a pre-registered part  307 , and a second image creating unit  17  that creates an art image  401  including the stamp  306  and the part  307  laid out with the use of the layout screen. Thus, the user can easily create an art image  401  including a footprint or a handprint. 
     Further, the second image creating unit  17  creates an art image  401  including stamps  306  and parts  307  equal to or less than a preset upper limit number. Thus, it is possible to prevent the art image  401  from becoming a complicated image from which the original shape of a stamp  306  cannot be recognized. 
     A template display unit  18  that displays a template  310  showing a sample layout of stamps  306  and parts  307  is also provided on the layout screen  300 . Thus, even a user who is unfamiliar with image creation can easily create an art image  401 . 
     The layout screen display unit  16  also displays a layer number  311  indicating the overlap relationship on the layout screen  300 , together with the stamps  306  and the parts  307  being laid out on the layout screen  300 . Thus, the user can easily understand the order of overlapping of the stamps  306  and the parts  307 . 
     The first image creating unit  15  creates a stamp  306  by subjecting a sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  to at least one of correction to widen the MP joint portion in the foot width direction or correction to narrow the arch of the foot. Thus, it is possible to create a stamp  306  close to a footprint or a handprint created by applying a paint to a sole or a palm. 
     Alternatively, the first image creating unit  15  creates a stamp  306  by subjecting a sole extracted by the extraction processing unit  14  to correction to form gaps between the tips of the toes and the balls of the foot. Thus, it is possible to create a stamp  306  close to a footprint or a handprint created by applying a paint to a sole or a palm. 
     An image creating apparatus according to the present invention may further include a third image creating unit  19  that combines an art image  401  with a pre-registered frame, to create an art image accompanied with a frame. Thus, a user can combine an art image  401  including a stamp  306  with a practical frame such as a calendar, to create a framed art image with which the user can appreciate the art image  401  on a daily basis in real life. 
     The configuration described in the above embodiment is merely an example of the content of the present invention, and can be combined with another known technique. Also, part of the configuration can be omitted or modified, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, in the respective embodiments described above, the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D each including the imaging unit  11  and the display unit  12  have been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D may have a configuration that excludes the imaging unit  11  and the display unit  12 . In this case, by connecting a terminal including an imaging device and a display device to any of the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D, the user can easily capture a digital image so that a sole or a palm has a specific size in the digital image. Examples of the terminal including an imaging device and a display device include a digital camera, a smartphone terminal, and a tablet terminal. The mode of communication between the terminal including an imaging device and a display device, and the image creating apparatuses  10 A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D may be wireless communication, or may be cable communication. 
     An image creating apparatus according to the present invention effectively enables a user to capture a digital image of a sole or a palm so that the sole or the palm has a specific size in the digital image, and create a stamp from the digital image.