US7953250B2
Active / In Force
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Method and apparatus for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image
Assignee: Fotonation Ltd
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Filing: 2009-08-18
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Granted: 2011-05-31
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Expires: 2029-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image comprises acquiring a first image and analyzing the first acquired image to provide a plurality of characteristics indicative of image quality. The process then determines if one or more corrective processes can be beneficially applied to the first acquired image according to the characteristics. Any such corrective processes are then applied to the first acquired image. Red-eye defects are then detected in a second acquired image using the corrected first acquired image. Defect detection can comprise applying a chain of one or more red-eye filters to the first acquired image. In this case, prior to the detecting step, it is determined if the red-eye filter chain can be adapted in accordance with the plurality of characteristics; and the red-eye filter is adapted accordingly.
Inventors
- 👤 Eran Steinberg
- 👤 Yury Prilutsky
- 👤 Petronel Bigioi
- 👤 Florin Nanu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/90; G06T5/94; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/18; G06V40/193; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/20; G06T2207/20004; G06T2207/20008; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30216
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
One or more processor-readable storage media having embedded therein processor-readable code for programming a processor to perform a method of detecting one or more flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect one or more flash-induced eye defects in a second acquired image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
One or more processor-readable storage media having embedded therein processor-readable code for programming a processor to perform a method of detecting one or more flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect one or more flash-induced eye defects in a second acquired image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: f) determining if one or more corrective processes can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions; and g) applying one or more of such corrective processes to said first acquired image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 2 , wherein said corrective processes comprise one or more of: (i) contrast normalization and image sharpening; (ii) image color adjustment and tone scaling; (iii) exposure adjustment and digital fill flash; (iv) brightness adjustment with color space matching; (v) image auto-gamma determination with image enhancement; (v) image enhancement; and (vi) face based image enhancement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises, responsive to determining that corrective processing is necessary but cannot be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions, disabling the corrective processing and providing an indication of such to a user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 2 , wherein the applying a corrective process includes performing a color or luminance space transformation, or both.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises determining a sequence in which more than one corrective process can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , in which said adapting comprises providing an altered set of parameters for one or more filters of said filter chain.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , in which said adapting comprises re-ordering a sequence in which said filters are applied to said first acquired image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , in which said adapting comprises determining which filters are to be applied in said chain.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprises recognizing one or more faces in the first acquired image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein said filter chain comprises: (i) a pixel locator and segmentor; (ii) a shape analyser; (iii) a falsing analyser; and (iv) a pixel modifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 11 , wherein said pixel locator and segmentor includes a pixel transformer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing comprises recognizing one or more types of faces in the first acquired image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises recognizing a same type of face in a second acquired image as in said first acquired image, and applying one or more same corrective processes to said second image as said first image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
116 words
A digital image acquisition and processing device comprising a lens, an image sensor, a processor and a processor-readable storage medium having embedded therein processor-readable code for programming the processor to perform a method for detecting flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect a flash-induced eye defect in a second acquired image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
116 words
A digital image acquisition and processing device comprising a lens, an image sensor, a processor and a processor-readable storage medium having embedded therein processor-readable code for programming the processor to perform a method for detecting flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect a flash-induced eye defect in a second acquired image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises: f) determining if one or more corrective processes can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions; and g) applying one or more of such corrective processes to said first acquired image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein said corrective processes comprise one or more of: (i) contrast normalization and image sharpening; (ii) image color adjustment and tone scaling; (iii) exposure adjustment and digital fill flash; (iv) brightness adjustment with color space matching; (v) image auto-gamma determination with image enhancement; (v) image enhancement; and (vi) face based image enhancement.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises, responsive to determining that corrective processing is necessary but cannot be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions, disabling the corrective processing and providing an indication of such to a user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein the applying a corrective process includes performing a color or luminance space transformation, or both.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises determining a sequence in which more than one corrective process can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 15 , in which said adapting comprises providing an altered set of parameters for one or more filters of said filter chain.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 15 , in which said adapting comprises re-ordering a sequence in which said filters are applied to said first acquired image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 15 , in which said adapting comprises determining which filters are to be applied in said chain.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein said analyzing comprises recognizing one or more faces in the first acquired image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein said filter chain comprises: (i) a pixel locator and segmentor; (ii) a shape analyzer; (iii) a falsing analyzer; and (iv) a pixel modifier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 25 , wherein said pixel locator and segmentor includes a pixel transformer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 15 , wherein the analyzing comprises recognizing one or more types of faces in the first acquired image.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 27 , wherein the method further comprises recognizing a same type of face in a second acquired image as in said first acquired image, and applying one or more same corrective processes to said second image as said first image.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of detecting flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises using a processor in: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect a flash-induced eye defect in a second acquired image.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of detecting flash-induced eye defects in an acquired digital image, wherein the method comprises using a processor in: a) acquiring a first image; b) analyzing the first acquired image to detect one or more image acquisition conditions of the image; c) determining if a chain of one or more defect filters can be adapted in accordance with said one or more image acquisition conditions; d) adapting said defect filter chain; and e) applying said filter chain to detect a flash-induced eye defect in a second acquired image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method device of claim 29 , further comprising: f) determining if one or more corrective processes can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions; and g) applying one or more of such corrective processes to said first acquired image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 30 , further comprising, responsive to determining that corrective processing is necessary but cannot be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions, disabling the corrective processing and providing an indication of such to a user.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the applying one or more corrective processes includes performing a color or luminance space transformation, or both.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises determining a sequence in which more than one corrective process can be beneficially applied to said first acquired image according to said one or more conditions.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein said adapting comprises providing an altered set of parameters for one or more filters of said filter chain.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein said adapting comprises re-ordering a sequence in which said filters are applied to said first acquired image.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein said adapting comprises determining which filters are to be applied in said chain.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2014-05-30 | 2014-11-29 | 2015-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2018-05-30 | 2018-11-29 | 2019-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2022-05-30 | 2022-11-29 | 2023-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |