Image processing apparatus and method for controlling image processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11438498-B2
Application number	US-202017002138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2020
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

An image processing apparatus comprising a first detection unit configured to detect a first area in an image of an image signal output from an image pickup element, a second detection unit configured to detect one or more second areas each corresponding to an eye included in the first area in the image, a specification unit configured to receive an area specification instruction by a user operation and to specify one area in the image, and a setting unit configured to set an object corresponding to the area specified by the specification unit to be focused on, wherein, in a case where the first area is detected by the first detection unit, the specification unit receives specification of the eye in an area based on the first area regardless of a detection result of the second areas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing instructions which, while being executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to function as units comprising:
a first detection unit configured to detect a first area in an image of an image signal output from an image pickup element;
a second detection unit configured to detect one or more second areas each corresponding to an eye included in the first area in the image;
a specification unit configured to receive an area specification instruction by a user operation and to specify one area in the image; and
a setting unit configured to set an object corresponding to the area specified by the specification unit to be focused on,
wherein, in a case where the first area is detected by the first detection unit, the second area has not been detected by the second detection unit, and the specification unit receives the area specification instruction about the eye in an area based on the first area and in a case where the eye is detected in the first area, the setting unit sets the eye corresponding to the area specification instruction to be focused on.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first area is an area corresponding to a face.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a unit configured to estimate the second area corresponding to a yet-to-be detected eye based on an angle of the face.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the specification unit specifies the first area in a case where one of the second areas is specified but the specified one of the second areas is not detected, and the specification unit switches specification to the one of the second areas in a case where the one of the second areas specified prior to the first area is detected later.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit configured to display the image signal output from the image pickup element and to include a touch panel,
wherein the specification unit specifies one of the second areas based on a position at which a user touches the display unit.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the specification unit specifies the second area corresponding to an eye at a shorter distance to the position at which the user touches the display unit.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether to specify one of the second areas based on a state of at least one of the first and the second areas,
wherein, in a case where the determination unit determines to specify the specification unit specifies one of the second areas.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the state of the area is at least one of a size, a position, an angle, reliability, color, brightness, a blur amount, and a shake amount of the area.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a release unit configured to release specification of the specified area.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, in a case where the specified area is not detected after a predetermined time has elapsed from the specification, the release unit releases the specification of the area specified by the specification unit.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, in a case where the first area is no longer detected by the first detection unit, the release unit releases the specification of the area specified by the specification unit.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, in a case where the specification unit newly specifies an area other than the first area and the received area of the eye, the release unit releases specification of the first area or the second areas.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first detection unit detects the first area corresponding to a plurality of faces, and the second detection unit detects the second area corresponding to an eye included in each of the plurality of faces.

14. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting a first area in an image of an image signal output from an image pickup element as a first detecting;
detecting one or more second areas each corresponding to an eye included in the first area in the image as a second detecting;
receiving an area specification instruction by a user operation and specifying one area in the image; and
controlling driving of a focus lens based on an image signal corresponding to the specified one area,
wherein, in a case where the first area is detected, the second area has not been detected, and the area specification instruction about the eye is received in an area based on the first area and in a case where the eye is detected in the first area, setting the eye corresponding to the area specification instruction to be focused on.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ishii Takumi

Classifications

• H04N23/672 Primary

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N23/673

  based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/611 Primary

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title