Patents by Inventor Kazuki Aisaka

Kazuki Aisaka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8611615
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that are capable of more appropriately evaluating the image-capture state of an image. A blur degree score calculation unit 23 through to a chroma score calculation unit 27 extract a feature quantity of a pre-specified feature from an input image, and calculate a feature-by-feature score indicating an evaluation for the input image on the basis of the feature. For example, the luminance score calculation unit 24 extracts, as a feature quantity, a luminance value from the input image, and calculates a luminance score indicating an evaluation based on the distribution of the luminance values in the subject portion of the input image. The overall score calculation unit 28 calculates an overall score indicating the evaluation of the image-capture state of the input image from each feature-by-feature score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Kazuki Aisaka, Jun Murayama
  • Patent number: 8577137
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that are capable of more easily identifying an area of a subject in an image. A luminance information extraction unit 21 through to a motion information extraction unit 25 extract predetermined information from an input image and create an information map indicating feature quantities of features possessed by an area of a subject of the input image. Furthermore, the luminance information extraction unit 21 through to the motion information extraction unit 25 subtract an average value of the pixel values of the pixels of the entire information map from the pixel value of each pixel of the created information map so as to normalize the information map. As a result, the information map can be normalized, and noise can be removed with a simple process when compared to a case in which the information map is normalized using a DOG filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masaya Kinoshita, Takashi Kameya, Jun Murayama, Masatoshi Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 8548247
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that make it possible to more accurately specify a photographic subject in an image. A photographic subject map generating unit 21 generates, based on an input image, a photographic subject map indicating the likeliness of each region of the input image being a region of a photographic subject. A gradient map generating unit 22 generates a gradient map indicating the degree of change of the likeliness of the photographic subject map being a photographic subject. A threshold processing unit 23 and a threshold processing unit 24 binarize the gradient map using a high threshold THh and a low threshold TH1, and obtain threshold maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masaya Kinoshita, Takashi Kameya, Jun Murayama, Masatoshi Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 8494256
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, a learning apparatus and method, and a program which allow reliable evaluation of whether or not the subject appears sharp. A subject extraction unit 21 uses an input image to generate a subject map representing a region including the subject in the input image, and supplies the subject map to a determination unit 22. The determination unit 22 uses the input image and the subject map from the subject extraction unit 21 to determine the blur extent of the region of the subject on the input image, and calculates the score of the input image on the basis of the blur extent. This score is regarded as an index for evaluating the degree to which the subject appears sharp in the input image. The present invention can be applied to an image capture apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama
  • Patent number: 8478072
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a subject region detector that detects a subject region from an input image; a cutting unit that cuts an image of the subject region from the input image; a priority calculator that calculates a priority of each of predetermined regions on a boundary with respect to the subject region, for the input image; a retrieval unit that retrieves a region similar to an image of a predetermined region with a top priority from among the priorities, from the input image after the image of the subject region is cut; a recovery unit that recovers the subject region by copying an image of an adjacent region that is adjacent to the region similar to the predetermined region retrieved by the retrieval unit and includes a region corresponding to a region cut as the subject region, and by pasting the image obtained by copying onto the region that is adjacent to the predetermined region with the top priority and cut as the subject region; and a composition unit that combines the image of the s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Nodoka Tokunaga, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20130148872
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of suppressing an increase in a load on a subject and obtaining a captured image of the subject with higher image quality. An imaging unit reduces a light amount and performs a plurality of imagings of the fundus of the eye so as to generate a plurality of fundus images. A biological information alignment processing unit aligns the fundus images by using biological information of a subject. A super-resolution processing unit superimposes an aligned input image on a previous super-resolution result image so as to generate a new super-resolution result image. The super-resolution processing unit stores or outputs the super-resolution result image in a storage unit or from an output unit, and supplies the super-resolution result image to a super-resolution result image buffer so as to be stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Seiji Kobayashi, Takuya Kishimoto, Tomoyuki Otsuki
  • Publication number: 20130108129
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including a motion vector detection portion that performs comparison of a substantially spherical photographic subject such that, among a plurality of captured images including the photographic subject, an image as a processing target and another image as a comparison target are compared using each of the plurality of captured images as the processing target, and which detects a motion vector of a whole three-dimensional spherical model with respect to the processing target, a motion compensation portion that performs motion compensation on the processing target, based on the motion vector of each of the plurality of captured images that is detected by the motion vector detection portion, and a synthesis portion that synthesizes each of the captured images that are obtained as a result of the motion compensation performed by the motion compensation portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Tomoyuki Ootsuki, Seiji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8396262
    Abstract: Disclosed is a face recognition apparatus for previously registering a face image of a person, receiving a moving image in which face identification is intended to be performed, and performing face recognition in the received moving image. The apparatus includes the following elements. A face registration unit registers the face of a person as an image. A face detection unit detects a face in a frame of an input moving image. A face tracking unit tracks the detected face in frames of the input moving image. A face identification unit compares the detected face, which is being tracked by the face tracking unit, with the registered face registered in the face registration unit to identify the face. A stabilization unit stabilizes the result of face identification by the face identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Yoshihiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8326082
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a subject region detection unit detecting regions of subjects included in an input image; a cropped region setting unit setting a region including all of the regions of the detected subjects as a cropped region; an expansion region addition unit adding an expansion region to expand an end of the cropped region only by a predetermined width; a cutting unit cutting a cut image formed from a cut region including the cropped region and the expansion region from the input image; a subject adaptation size change unit changing a size of an image formed from the cut region by deleting a region where an influence on the subjects is small in the cut image; and an entire image size changing unit changing the size of the entire image changed in size by the subject adaptation size change unit at a predetermined ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nodoka Tokunaga, Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20120288835
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a detecting unit that detects behavior information and biological information of a user as a target; a biological information estimating unit that calculates estimated biological information by applying, to a metabolism model, the behavior information and the biological information detected by the detecting unit; and a suggesting unit that suggests, to the user, a recommended behavior calculated based on the estimated biological information calculated by the biological information estimating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo HAYASHI, Koji KASHIMA, Kazuki AISAKA, Masahito YAMANE, Tatsumi SAKAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8300969
    Abstract: An edge map creation unit detects an edge intensity of an input image in units of three types of blocks having different sizes. An operation parameter adjustment unit sets initial values of an edge reference value and an extraction reference value on the basis of a dynamic range which is a difference between the maximum and minimum values of the edge intensity. An edge point extraction unit extracts an edge point from the input image on the basis of the edge reference value. Until an extraction amount determination unit determines that the edge point extraction amount is appropriate on the basis of the extraction reference value, the operation parameter adjustment unit repeatedly performs a processing of adjusting the edge reference value, and the edge point extraction unit repeatedly performs a processing of extracting the edge point from the input image on the basis of the adjusted edge reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama, Kazuki Aisaka
  • Patent number: 8253826
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus is provided, which includes: a correction data acquiring section that acquires correction data for image correction; a recording section that records the correction data acquired by the correction data acquiring section; a photographing condition acquiring section that acquires image photographing conditions; a retrieving section that retrieves the correction data, corresponding to the photographing conditions acquired by the photographing condition acquiring section, from the correction data recorded in the recording section; and a photographing section that photographs an image on the basis of the correction data retrieved by the retrieving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama, Takefumi Nagumo, Ken Tamayama, Tatsuo Fujiwara, Tamaki Eyama
  • Publication number: 20120121173
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that are capable of more easily identifying an area of a subject in an image. A luminance information extraction unit 21 through to a motion information extraction unit 25 extract predetermined information from an input image and create an information map indicating feature quantities of features possessed by an area of a subject of the input image. Furthermore, the luminance information extraction unit 21 through to the motion information extraction unit 25 subtract an average value of the pixel values of the pixels of the entire information map from the pixel value of each pixel of the created information map so as to normalize the information map. As a result, the information map can be normalized, and noise can be removed with a simple process when compared to a case in which the information map is normalized using a DOG filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masaya Kinoshita, Takashi Kameya, Jun Murayama, Masatoshi Yokokawa
  • Publication number: 20120070102
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that are capable of more appropriately evaluating the image-capture state of an image. A blur degree score calculation unit 23 through to a chroma score calculation unit 27 extract a feature quantity of a pre-specified feature from an input image, and calculate a feature-by-feature score indicating an evaluation for the input image on the basis of the feature. For example, the luminance score calculation unit 24 extracts, as a feature quantity, a luminance value from the input image, and calculates a luminance score indicating an evaluation based on the distribution of the luminance values in the subject portion of the input image. The overall score calculation unit 28 calculates an overall score indicating the evaluation of the image-capture state of the input image from each feature-by-feature score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Kazuki Aisaka, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20120051650
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and a program that make it possible to more accurately specify a photographic subject in an image. A photographic subject map generating unit 21 generates, based on an input image, a photographic subject map indicating the likeliness of each region of the input image being a region of a photographic subject. A gradient map generating unit 22 generates a gradient map indicating the degree of change of the likeliness of the photographic subject map being a photographic subject. A threshold processing unit 23 and a threshold processing unit 24 binarize the gradient map using a high threshold THh and a low threshold TH1, and obtain threshold maps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masaya Kinoshita, Takashi Kameya, Jun Murayama, Masatoshi Yokokawa
  • Publication number: 20110206282
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a subject region detector that detects a subject region from an input image; a cutting unit that cuts an image of the subject region from the input image; a priority calculator that calculates a priority of each of predetermined regions on a boundary with respect to the subject region, for the input image; a retrieval unit that retrieves a region similar to an image of a predetermined region with a top priority from among the priorities, from the input image after the image of the subject region is cut; a recovery unit that recovers the subject region by copying an image of an adjacent region that is adjacent to the region similar to the predetermined region retrieved by the retrieval unit and includes a region corresponding to a region cut as the subject region, and by pasting the image obtained by copying onto the region that is adjacent to the predetermined region with the top priority and cut as the subject region; and a composition unit that combines the image of the s
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuki AISAKA, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Nodoka Tokunaga, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20110206295
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a subject region detection unit detecting regions of subjects included in an input image; a cropped region setting unit setting a region including all of the regions of the detected subjects as a cropped region; an expansion region addition unit adding an expansion region to expand an end of the cropped region only by a predetermined width; a cutting unit cutting a cut image formed from a cut region including the cropped region and the expansion region from the input image; a subject adaptation size change unit changing a size of an image formed from the cut region by deleting a region where an influence on the subjects is small in the cut image; and an entire image size changing unit changing the size of the entire image changed in size by the subject adaptation size change unit at a predetermined ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nodoka TOKUNAGA, Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20110206294
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an input image energy map generation unit generating an input image energy map from an input image; a reduced energy map generation unit generating a reduced energy map; a reduction seam search unit searching a reduction seam formed by binding pixels of a path along which a cumulative energy value of energies of pixels is minimum; a partial seam search unit searching a partial seam formed by binding pixels with a minimum cumulative value; an input image energy map update unit updating the input image energy map by inserting and replacing a maximum energy value into the energies corresponding to all of the pixels of the input image on the input image energy map; and a reduction expansion unit reducing or expanding the input image by deleting the pixels forming the partial seam from the input image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Masatoshi YOKOKAWA, Kazuki Aisaka, Nodoka Tokunaga, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20110013039
    Abstract: An apparatus for improving the quality of a captured image may include a first computing unit, a second computing unit, and an advice generating unit. The first computing unit may be configured to compute a first value representing a first aspect of the quality of a first image. The second computing unit may be configured to compute a second value representing a second aspect of the quality of the first image. The advice generating unit may be configured to generate advice for capturing a second image based on at least one of the first and second computed values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama
  • Publication number: 20100259649
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus is provided, which includes: a correction data acquiring section that acquires correction data for image correction; a recording section that records the correction data acquired by the correction data acquiring section; a photographing condition acquiring section that acquires image photographing conditions; a retrieving section that retrieves the correction data, corresponding to the photographing conditions acquired by the photographing condition acquiring section, from the correction data recorded in the recording section; and a photographing section that photographs an image on the basis of the correction data retrieved by the retrieving section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuki Aisaka, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Jun Murayama, Takefumi Nagumo, Ken Tamayama, Tatsuo Fujiwara, Tamaki Eyama