Abstract: A method and system for detecting facial expressions in digital images and applications therefore are disclosed. Analysis of a digital image determines whether or not a smile and/or blink is present on a person's face. Face recognition, and/or a pose or illumination condition determination, permits application of a specific, relatively small classifier cascade.

Abstract: Techniques for identifying a person in a target image are described. According to one of the techniques, identifying a person in a target image involves displaying, within a graphical user interface, an image that depicts one or more faces. One or more faces are automatically detected within the image. A user provides input that selects a face of the one or more faces to be a currently-selected face. A set of images are selected from a collection of images, where the set of images includes images that closely match the currently-selected face. Concurrently with display of the currently-selected face, each image in the set of images is displayed. Within the graphical user interface, a control is provided. The control enables a user to select a target image from the set of images. In response to detecting that the user has selected a target image using the control, the currently-selected face is associated with a person to which the target image corresponds.

Abstract: A method of generating one or more new digital images using an original digitally-acquired image including a selected image feature includes identifying within a digital image acquisition device one or more groups of pixels that correspond to the selected image feature based on information from one or more preview images. A portion of the original image is selected that includes the one or more groups of pixels. The technique includes automatically generating values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion in a manner which includes the selected image feature within the one or more new images.

Abstract: A hand-held or otherwise portable or spatial or temporal performance-based image capture device includes one or more lenses, an aperture and a main sensor for capturing an original main image. A secondary sensor and optical system are for capturing a reference image that has temporal and spatial overlap with the original image. The device performs an image processing method including capturing the main image with the main sensor and the reference image with the secondary sensor, and utilizing information from the reference image to enhance the main image. The main and secondary sensors are contained together within a housing.

Abstract: A technique for processing a digital image uses face detection to achieve one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that corresponds to a face image within the digital image. A skin tone is detected for the face image by determining one or more default color or tonal values, or combinations thereof, for the group of pixels. Values of one or more parameters are adjusted for the group of pixels that correspond to the face image based on the detected skin tone.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for viewing images on an interactive computing device comprises displaying an image from a stack comprising a display image and at least one compressed sub-image of nominally the same scene, each of the sub-images of the stack having been acquired at respective focal distances. Responsive to a user selecting a portion of the displayed image, the selected portion is mapped to a corresponding mapped portion of a sub-image within the stack according to the difference in focal distances between the displayed image and the sub-image. At least one row of compressed image blocks of the at least one sub-image extending across the mapped portion; and a reference value for a point in the compressed image stream of the sub-image preceding the row of compressed image blocks is determined.

Abstract: Techniques for identifying a person in a target image are described. According to one of the techniques, identifying a person in a target image involves displaying, within a graphical user interface, an image that depicts one or more faces. One or more faces are automatically detected within the image. A user provides input that selects a face of the one or more faces to be a currently-selected face. A set of images are selected from a collection of images, where the set of images includes images that closely match the currently-selected face. Concurrently with display of the currently-selected face, each image in the set of images is displayed. Within the graphical user interface, a control is provided. The control enables a user to select a target image from the set of images. In response to detecting that the user has selected a target image using the control, the currently-selected face is associated with a person to which the target image corresponds.

Abstract: A hand-held or otherwise portable or spatial or temporal performance-based image capture device includes one or more lenses, an aperture and a main sensor for capturing an original main image. A secondary sensor and optical system are for capturing a reference image that has temporal and spatial overlap with the original image. The device performs an image processing method including capturing the main image with the main sensor and the reference image with the secondary sensor, and utilizing information from the reference image to enhance the main image. The main and secondary sensors are contained together within a housing.

Abstract: An auto focus camera module includes a camera module housing defining an aperture and an internal cavity to accommodate camera module components, an image sensor coupled to or within the housing, a lens barrel within the housing that contains an optical train including at least one movable lens disposed relative to the aperture and image sensor to focus images of scenes onto the image sensor along an optical path, and a fast focus MEMS actuator coupled to one or more lenses of the optical train including the at least one movable lens and configured to rapidly move said at least one movable lens relative to the image sensor to provide autofocus for the camera module in each frame of a preview or video sequence or both.

Abstract: A dynamically reconfigurable heterogeneous systolic array is configured to process a first image frame, and to generate image processing primitives from the image frame, and to store the primitives and the corresponding image frame in a memory store. A characteristic of the image frame is determined. Based on the characteristic, the array is reconfigured to process a following image frame.

Abstract: A technique for processing a digital image uses face detection to achieve one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that corresponds to a face image within the digital image. A skin tone is detected for the face image by determining one or more default color or tonal values, or combinations thereof, for the group of pixels. Values of one or more parameters are adjusted for the group of pixels that correspond to the face image based on the detected skin tone.

Abstract: A method of generating one or more new digital images using an original digitally-acquired image including a selected image feature includes identifying within a digital image acquisition device one or more groups of pixels that correspond to the selected image feature based on information from one or more preview images. A portion of the original image is selected that includes the one or more groups of pixels. The technique includes automatically generating values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion in a manner which includes the selected image feature within the one or more new images.

Abstract: A method for providing improved foreground/background separation in a digital image of a scene is disclosed. The method comprises providing a first map comprising one or more regions provisionally defined as one of foreground or background within the digital image; and providing a subject profile corresponding to a region of interest of the digital image. The provisionally defined regions are compared with the subject profile to determine if any of the regions intersect with the profile region. The definition of one or more of the regions in the map is changed based on the comparison.

Abstract: An image acquisition system for acquiring iris images for use in biometric recognition of a subject includes an optical system comprising a cluster of at least 2 lenses arranged in front of a common image sensor with each lens optical axis in parallel spaced apart relationship. Each lens has a fixed focus and a different aperture to provide a respective angular field of view. The lens with the closest focus has the smallest aperture and the lens with the farthest focus has the largest aperture so that iris images can be acquired across a focal range of at least from 200 mm to 300 mm.

Abstract: A method of tracking faces in an image stream with a digital image acquisition device includes receiving images from an image stream including faces, calculating corresponding integral images, and applying different subsets of face detection rectangles to the integral images to provide sets of candidate regions. The different subsets include candidate face regions of different sizes and/or locations within the images. The different candidate face regions from different images of the image stream are each tracked.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an image capture device comprises mounting at least one sample device from a batch for movement through a plurality of orientations relative to a horizontal plane. For a given orientation, the sample device is focused at a sequence of positions, each position being at a respective focus distance from the device. A lens actuator setting is recorded for the sample device at each position. This is repeated at a plurality of distinct orientations of the sample device. Respective relationships are determined between lens actuator settings at any given position for distinct orientations from the plurality of distinct orientations and actuator settings at a selected orientation of the plurality of distinct orientations. Lens actuator settings for the image capture device to be calibrated are recorded at least at two points of interest (POI), each a specified focus distance from the device with the image capture device positioned at the selected orientation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for viewing images on an interactive computing device comprises displaying an image from a stack comprising a display image and at least one compressed sub-image of nominally the same scene, each of the sub-images of the stack having been acquired at respective focal distances. Responsive to a user selecting a portion of the displayed image, the selected portion is mapped to a corresponding mapped portion of a sub-image within the stack according to the difference in focal distances between the displayed image and the sub-image. At least one row of compressed image blocks of the at least one sub-image extending across the mapped portion; and a reference value for a point in the compressed image stream of the sub-image preceding the row of compressed image blocks is determined.

Abstract: A method operable by a computing device for configuring access for a limited user interface (UI) device to a network service via a local network access point is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining from the limited UI device a device identifier via a first out-of-band channel. The device identifier is provided to the network service via a secure network link. A zero knowledge proof (ZKP) challenge is received from the network service. Configuration information is provided to the limited-UI device via a second out-of-band channel, the configuration information including information sufficient to enable the limited-UI device to connect to the local network access point. The ZKP challenge is provided to the limited-UI device via the second out-of-band channel.

Abstract: A template matching module is configured to program a processor to apply multiple differently-tuned object detection classifier sets in parallel to a digital image to determine one or more of an object type, configuration, orientation, pose or illumination condition, and to dynamically switch between object detection templates to match a determined object type, configuration, orientation, pose, blur, exposure and/or directional illumination condition.

Abstract: A hand-held digital image capture device (digital camera) has a user-selectable mode in which upon engaging the mode the device detects a face in the field of view of the device and generates a face delimiter on a camera display screen, the delimiter surrounding the initial position of the image of a the face on the screen. The device is arranged to indicate thereafter to the user if the device departs from movement along a predetermined concave path P with the optical axis of the device pointing towards the face, such indication being made by movement of the image of the face relative to the delimiter. The camera captures and stores a plurality of images at successive positions along the concave path.