US6407777B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Red-eye filter method and apparatus
Assignee: Fotonation Ltd
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Filing: 1997-10-09
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Granted: 2002-06-18
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Expires: 2017-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. The digital camera has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Joseph DeLuca
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:20
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/18; G06V40/193; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/62; H04N1/624; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N23/74
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
Within a portable digital camera having no photographic film, a method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from a digital image comprising a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, the method comprising the steps of: locating pixels having a color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; determining if a grouping of at least a portion of the pixels of said step locating comprise a shape indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; modifying the color of the grouping in response to said step of determining; and analyzing if conditions of recording of the image are indicative of the red-eye phenomenon, wherein said step of modifying is selectively performed in response thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
Within a portable digital camera having no photographic film, a method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from a digital image comprising a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, the method comprising the steps of: locating pixels having a color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; determining if a grouping of at least a portion of the pixels of said step locating comprise a shape indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; modifying the color of the grouping in response to said step of determining; and analyzing if conditions of recording of the image are indicative of the red-eye phenomenon, wherein said step of modifying is selectively performed in response thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon corresponds to a substantially red color, and the shape indicative of the red-eye phenomenon corresponds to a substantially round, semi-circular or oval shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing includes determining if a flash was used in conjunction with the recording of the image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing includes determining if a flash was used in conjunction with the recording of the image, the distance between a subject of the image and a camera for recording the image and an ambient light level during the recording of the image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of modifying changes the color of the grouping to black.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of determining further comprises the steps of: determining if pixels in a vicinity of the grouping have a feature indicative an eye; and inhibiting said step of modifying in response to an absence of the feature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the feature includes an absence of additional pixels having a color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon within the vicinity of the grouping.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the feature includes a substantially white area within the vicinity of the grouping.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the portable digital camera includes an integral flash and an electronic display, said method further comprising the steps of: initiating a photographic flash by the flash; digitally recording the image in response to said step of initiating; performing said steps of locating, determining and modifying in response to said step of recording; and displaying the image in response to said step of modifying on the electronic display.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A portable digital camera having no photographic film comprising: an integral flash for providing illumination during image recording; a digital image capturing apparatus for recording an image; and a red-eye filter for modifying an area within the image indicative of a red-eye phenomenon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A portable digital camera having no photographic film comprising: an integral flash for providing illumination during image recording; a digital image capturing apparatus for recording an image; and a red-eye filter for modifying an area within the image indicative of a red-eye phenomenon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The camera according to claim 10 further comprising an integral image display for displaying the modified image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The camera according to claim 10 wherein the area has a color and shape indicative of the red-eye phenomenon and the image is modified to change the color to a black color and further wherein: said integral flash selectively provides illumination during image recording; and said red-eye filter is enabled to modify the image in response to said integral flash providing illumination during image recording.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The camera according to claim 12 further comprising an exposure control means for determining if the image was recorded in a condition conducive to the red-eye phenomenon and for generating a red-eye signal in response thereto, wherein said red-eye filter is further enabled in response to the red-eye signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device according to claim 10 wherein said red-eye filter further includes a falsing avoidance apparatus which enables modification of the area in response to an absence of color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon with in a vicinity of and exclusive to the area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device according to claim 10 wherein said red-eye filter further includes a falsing avoidance apparatus which enables modification of the area in response a substantially white colored region within a vicinity of the area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
The device according to claim 10 wherein said red-eye filter comprises: a pixel locator for locating pixels having a color indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; a shape analyzer for determining if a grouping of at least a portion of the pixels located by said pixel locator comprise a shape indicative of the red-eye phenomenon; and a pixel modifier for modifying the color of the pixels within the grouping.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The red-eye filter according to claim 16 further comprising a falsing analyzer for further processing the image in a vicinity of the grouping for details indicative of an eye, and for enabling said pixel modifier in response thereto.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The red-eye filter according to claim 16 further comprising an exposure analyzer for determining if the image was recorded in a condition indicative of the red-eye phenomenon.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-06-17 | 2005-12-17 | 2006-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-06-17 | 2009-12-17 | 2010-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-06-17 | 2013-12-17 | 2014-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |