# US 8,570,429 B2 · Image processing method and apparatus and digital photographing apparatus using the same

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,570,429 B2
- Document ID: US8570429B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/713,450
- Filed: 2010-02-26
- Published: 2010-09-02
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-02-27
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Su-jung Park; Soon-ea Kim; Seung-yun Lee; I-saac Lee; Byoung-kwon Lee
- Inventors: Su-jung Park; Soon-ea Kim; Seung-yun Lee; I-saac Lee; Byoung-kwon Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570429B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/611: where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
- G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems
- G06T 5/20: using local operators
- G06T 5/70: Denoising; Smoothing
- H04N 1/00336: {with an apparatus performing pattern recognition, e.g. of a face or a geographic feature (image or video recognition or understanding of scenes G06V20/00)}
- G06T 2207/20012: Locally adaptive
- G06T 2207/30201: Face
- H04N 1/00326: {with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus (arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00)}
- H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Provided are a digital photographing apparatus and method of performing different degrees of image processing on one or more faces in an image according to the distances of faces from the digital photographing apparatus or whether auto-focusing has been performed on the faces. Also provided are a digital photographing apparatus and method of performing different degrees of image processing which assist in preventing faces at farther distances from appearing more processed, for example, more blurred, than faces at closer distances and which assist in preventing faces that have not been auto-focused from appearing more processed, for example, more blurred, than faces that have been auto-focused.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image processing method comprising: selecting an image processing mode and an image processing degree for an input image; detecting at least two face areas in the input image; calculating distances to each of the at least two face areas; performing auto-focusing on one of the at least two face areas; and performing, using an image processor, image processing on each of the at least two face areas at different degrees based on whether auto-focusing has been performed on each of the at least two face areas and the calculated distance to each of the at least two face areas.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image processing method of claim 1, wherein the image processing performed is blurring.

### Claim 3

An image processing apparatus comprising: an image processing mode selector selecting an image processing mode and an image processing degree for an input image; a face region detector for detecting a first face area and a second face area in the input image; a distance calculator for calculating a first distance from the image processing apparatus to the first face area and a second distance from the image processing apparatus to the second face area; an auto-focusing performing unit performing auto-focusing on one of the first face area and the second face area; an image processor performing image processing on the first face area and the second face area at different image processing degrees; and a controller controlling the image processor to process the first face area according to the first calculated distance and whether auto-focusing has been performed on the first face area and to process the second face area according to the second calculated distance and whether auto-focusing has been performed on the second face area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The image processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the image processing performed is blurring.