Specifying flesh area on image

Abstract

A CPU divides image data into a plurality of areas (pixel data groups), analyzes the data in image data area units, and determines the color value and dispersion value of the image data areas. When the determined color value is within a flesh toned color area and the dispersion value is at or below a reference dispersion value, the CPU determines the target image data area to be a flesh area. The CPU carries out a smoothing process on the image data area determined to be a flesh area.

1 . An image processing apparatus that specifies flesh area on an image, the image processing apparatus comprising:
 image data acquiring module that acquires image data that is data of the target image;   image data dividing module that divides the image data into a plurality of image data areas according to the plurality of areas into which the image is divided;   color area property acquiring module that analyzes the image data in image data area units and acquires color area properties exhibited by the image data areas;   texture property acquiring module that analyzes the image data in image data area units and acquires texture properties exhibited by the image data areas; and   flesh area specifying module that specifies image data areas corresponding to flesh areas among the image data areas using the acquired color area properties and texture properties.   
   
   
       2 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flesh area specifying module specifies, as image data areas corresponding to flesh areas, image data areas exhibiting flesh tone color area properties and smooth texture properties. 
   
   
       3 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flesh area specifying module further comprises:
 photographed subject area forming module that forms photographed subject areas by associating adjacent image data areas exhibiting the same color area properties and texture properties, and   the flesh area specifying module specifies image data areas corresponding to flesh areas by specifying photographed subject areas that exhibit flesh tone color area properties and smooth texture properties.   
   
   
       4 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the color area properties include hue, saturation, and brightness as parameters,   the texture properties include dispersion as a parameter,   the image data areas are composed of a plurality of pixel data, and   the flesh area specifying module determines that the color area properties of the image data areas are flesh toned when the proportion of the number of pixel data exhibiting flesh tone color areas relative to the total number of pixel data in the image data areas is at or over the color area reference value, and determines that the texture properties of the image data areas are smooth when the dispersion value in the image data areas is lower than the dispersion reference value.   
   
   
       5 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 smoothing process module that implements a smoothing process on image data areas corresponding to the determined flesh areas.   
   
   
       6 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the areas are composed of one pixel, and the plurality of image data areas corresponding to the areas are composed of one pixel datum.   
   
   
       7 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the areas are composed of a plurality of pixels, and the plurality of image data areas corresponding to the areas are composed of a plurality of pixel data.   
   
   
       8 . An image processing apparatus that specifies flesh areas, the image processing apparatus comprising:
 image data acquiring module that acquires image data composed of a plurality of pixel data;   image data dividing module that divides the image data into a plurality of pixel data groups;   color value acquiring module that analyzes the image data in pixel data group units and acquires, as the color value, the proportion of the number of pixel data exhibiting flesh tone color areas relative to the total number of pixel data in the pixel data groups;   dispersion value acquiring module that analyzes the image data in pixel data group units and acquires the dispersion value exhibited by the pixel data groups; and   flesh tone area specifying module that specifies pixel data groups corresponding to flesh areas among the pixel data groups using the acquired color value and dispersion value.   
   
   
       9 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 pixel data groups with a color value at or over the color area reference value and a dispersion value lower than the dispersion reference value are specified as flesh areas by the flesh area specifying module.   
   
   
       10 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the flesh area specifying module further comprises   photographed subject area forming module that forms photographed subject areas by associating adjacent pixel data groups exhibiting the same color value and dispersion value, and   the flesh area specifying module specifies pixel data groups corresponding to flesh areas by specifying photographed subject areas in which the dispersion value is lower than the dispersion reference value and the proportion of the number of pixel data included in flesh toned color areas in the photographed subject areas, among the formed photographed areas, is at or over the color area reference value.   
   
   
       11 . An image processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 smoothing process module that implements a smoothing process on pixel data groups corresponding to the determined flesh areas.   
   
   
       12 . An image processing method that specifies flesh area on an image, the image processing method comprising:
 acquiring image data that is data of the target image;   dividing the image data into a plurality of image data areas according to the plurality of areas into which the image is divided;   analyzing the image data in image data area units and acquiring color area properties exhibited by the image data areas;   analyzing the image data in image data area units and acquiring texture properties exhibited by the image data areas; and   specifying image data areas corresponding to flesh areas among the image data areas using the acquired color area properties and texture properties.   
   
   
       13 . An image processing method that specifies flesh area, the image processing method comprising:
 acquiring image data composed of a plurality of pixel data;   dividing the image data into a plurality of pixel data groups;   analyzing the image data in pixel data group units and acquiring, as the color value, the proportion of the number of pixel data exhibiting flesh tone color areas relative to the total number of pixel data in the pixel data groups;   analyzing the image data in pixel data group units and acquiring the dispersion value exhibited by the pixel data groups; and   specifying pixel data groups corresponding to flesh areas among the pixel data groups using the acquired color value and dispersion value.