Method of extracting feature image data and method of extracting person's face data

Claim 1

A method of extracting feature image data, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a color original image into many picture elements and resolving each picture element into three colors of red, green, and blue lights to photometrically measure them; (b) obtaining a histogram of hue values in accordance with the data obtained through photometry; (c) dividing the obtained histogram into mountains; (d) judging which mountain each picture element of the color original image belongs to, classifying picture elements into groups corresponding to the divided mountains, and dividing the color original image for each group; and (e) selecting at least one of the divided regions and extracting data for the selected region as feature image data.

Claim 5

A method of extracting feature image data, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a color original image into many picture elements and resolving each picture element into three colors of red, green, and blue lights to photometrically measure them; (b) obtaining a two-dimensional histogram of hue and saturation values in accordance with the data obtained through photometry; (c) cutting the two-dimensional histogram by a feature plane parallel with a coordinate plane including a cross section corresponding to the crest of a certain mountain of the obtained two-dimensional histogram and also including hue- and saturation-value axes of the two-dimensional histogram to obtain the cross sections of the two-dimensional histogram; (d) expanding each cross section until the interval between boundaries of adjacent cross sections on the feature plane decreases to a predetermined value or less or performing exclusive expansion for expanding cross sections until the frequency of cross-sectional boundaries decreases to the minimum value or a predetermined value close to the minimum value or less to divide the two-dimensional histogram every mountain at cross-sectional boundaries after exclusive expansion; (e) judging which divided mountain each picture element of the color original image belongs to in order to divide picture elements into groups corresponding to the divided mountains and divide the color original image every group; and (f) selecting at least one of the divided regions to extract the data for the selected region as feature image data.

Claim 7

A method of extracting feature image data, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a color original image into many picture elements and resolving each picture element into three colors of red, green, and blue lights to photometrically measure them; (b) obtaining a two-dimensional histogram of hue and saturation values in accordance with the data obtained through photometry; (c) dividing each mountain of the obtained two-dimensional histogram into small mountains with one crest respectively by a feature plane which is parallel with a coordinate plane including hue- and saturation-value axes of the two-dimensional histogram and includes the largest cross section corresponding to only the crest of one mountain; (d) judging which said small mountain each picture element of the color original image is included in to classify the picture elements into groups corresponding to each small mountain; (e) obtaining degree of similarity between at least one picture element included in each small mountain and picture elements excluded from said small mountain for each small mountain in accordance with hue and saturation values; (f) unifying the picture elements excluded from said small mountain to groups corresponding to each small mountain with a high degree of similarity of obtained similarity degree; (g) dividing the color original image for each unified group; and (h) selecting at least one of the divided regions to extract the data for the selected region as feature image data.

Claim 10

A method of extracting person's face data, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a color original image into many picture elements and resolving each picture element into three colors of red, green, and blue lights to photometrically measure them; (b) obtaining color regions with the same or similar hue on said color original image in accordance with the data obtained through photometry; (c) assuming circles or ellipses inscribed to the boundary portions of the obtained color regions and dividing the color regions obtained by circular or elliptic regions from the largest circle or ellipse in order; and (d) selecting at least one of the divided regions to extract the data for the selected region as person's face data.

Claim 11

A method of extracting person's face data, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a color original image into many picture elements and resolving each picture element into three colors of red, green, and blue lights to photometrically measure them; (b) obtaining color regions with the same or similar hue on said color original image in accordance with the data obtained through photometry; (c) assuming circles or ellipses inscribed to the boundary portions of the obtained color regions to obtain the largest circular or elliptic region; (d) obtaining a convex region having a predetermined area or more protruded outward from the circumference of a circle or ellipse and contacted to said obtained region to divide said color region by the circular region inscribed to the boundary portion of the color regions included in said convex portion; and (e) selecting at least one of the divided regions to extract the data for the selected region as person's face data.