Imaging method and imaging control apparatus

Abstract

An imaging method includes determining a target position in an imaging frame of an image capturing mechanism connected with a positioning mechanism; detecting a human face from a scene captured by the imaging capturing mechanism; determining a current position of the detected human face in the imaging frame; calculating a positional relationship between the current position and the target position; calculating motion parameters of the positioning mechanism according to the positional relationship; and outputting a control instruction to move the positioning mechanism to move the image capturing mechanism according to the motion parameters so as to position a facial feature of the detected human face at the target position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imaging method comprising:
 determining a target position in an imaging frame of an image capturing mechanism connected with a positioning mechanism;   detecting a human face from a scene captured by the imaging capturing mechanism;   determining a current position of the detected human face in the imaging frame;   calculating a positional relationship between the current position and the target position, including:
 calculating a first distance between the current position and the target position along a first direction of the imaging frame; and 
 calculating a second distance between the current position and the target position along a second direction of the imaging frame, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; 
   calculating motion parameters of the positioning mechanism according to the positional relationship, including:
 calculating a first rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a yaw axis according to the first distance; and 
 calculating a second rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a pitch axis according to the second distance; and 
   outputting a control instruction to move the positioning mechanism to move the image capturing mechanism according to the motion parameters so as to position a facial feature of the detected human face at the target position.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein the facial feature includes an eye, a nose, an ear, or a mouth of the detected human face 
     
     
         3 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 determining a preset default position in the imaging frame as the target position.   
     
     
         4 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 displaying the imaging frame on a screen and receiving an input indicating the target position in the imaging frame.   
     
     
         5 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 obtaining a sample image containing a sample face;   detecting a position of the sample face in the sample image; and   determining the target position according to the position of the sample face.   
     
     
         6 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 obtaining a plurality of sample images each containing a sample face;   detecting a position of the sample face in each of the sample images; and   calculating the target position according to the positions of the sample faces.   
     
     
         7 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 obtaining a composition template containing a face position; and   determining the face position as the target position.   
     
     
         8 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the target position includes:
 obtaining a plurality of composition templates each containing a face position;   receiving an input selecting one of the composition templates; and   determining the face position of the selected composition template as the target position.   
     
     
         9 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the human face includes:
 detecting a plurality of candidate faces; and   determining the detected human face from the candidate faces.   
     
     
         10 . The imaging method of  claim 9 , wherein determining the detected human face from the candidate faces includes:
 comparing the candidate faces with a stored user face; and   determining one of the candidate faces that matches the stored user face as the detected human face.   
     
     
         11 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 placing a face thumbnail at the target position;   determining whether a size of the detected human face matches a size of the face thumbnail; and   instructing, if the size of the detected human face does not match the size of the face thumbnail, to output an indication signal.   
     
     
         12 . The imaging method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 continuously instructing to output the indication signal until the size of the detected human face matches the size of the face thumbnail.   
     
     
         13 . The imaging method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording, after the detected human face is positioned at the target position, a picture or a video containing the detected human face.   
     
     
         14 . The imaging method of  claim 13 , wherein recording the picture or the video includes recording the picture or the video according to a voice instruction. 
     
     
         15 . The imaging method of  claim 13 , wherein recording the picture or the video includes recording the picture or the video when a target facial expression is detected on the detected human face. 
     
     
         16 . The imaging method of  claim 15 , wherein recording the picture or the video when the target facial expression is detected includes recording the picture or the video when a smile on the detected human face is detected. 
     
     
         17 . The imaging method of  claim 13 , wherein recording the picture or the video includes:
 detecting a degree of smile strength based on the detected human face;   determining whether the degree of smile strength is higher than a threshold value; and   triggering, if the degree of smile strength is higher than the threshold value, a shutter of the image capturing mechanism to record the picture or the video.   
     
     
         18 . An imaging method comprising:
 determining a target position in an imaging frame of an image capturing mechanism connected with a positioning mechanism;   detecting a human face from a scene captured by the imaging capturing mechanism;   determining a current position of the detected human face in the imaging frame;   calculating a positional relationship between the current position and the target position, including:
 determining a relative angle between an orientation of the detected human face and a target orientation; 
 determining first coordinate parameters of the current position in a coordinate system of the imaging frame; and 
 determining second coordinate parameters of the target position in the coordinate system, 
   calculating motion parameters of the positioning mechanism, including:
 calculating a first rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a yaw axis, a second rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a pitch axis, and a third rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a roll axis based on the relative angle, the first coordinate parameters, and the second coordinate parameters; and 
   outputting a control instruction to move the positioning mechanism to move the image capturing mechanism according to the motion parameters so as to position a facial feature of the detected human face at the target position.   
     
     
         19 . An imaging control apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing computer program codes that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to:
 determine a target position in an imaging frame of an image capturing mechanism connected with a positioning mechanism; 
 detect a human face from a scene captured by the imaging capturing mechanism; 
 determine a current position of the detected human face in the imaging frame; 
 calculate a positional relationship between the current position and the target position, including:
 calculating a first distance between the current position and the target position along a first direction of the imaging frame; and 
 calculating a second distance between the current position and the target position along a second direction of the imaging frame, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; 
 
 calculate motion parameters of the positioning mechanism according to the positional relationship, including:
 calculating a first rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a yaw axis according to the first distance; and 
 calculating a second rotation angle of the positioning mechanism around a pitch axis according to the second distance; and 
 
 output a control instruction to move the positioning mechanism according to the motion parameters so as to position a facial feature of the detected human face at the target position, the facial feature including an eye, a nose, an ear, or a mouth of the detected human face. 
   
     
     
         20 . The imaging control apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the computer program codes further control the process to:
 record, after the detected human face is positioned at the target position, a picture or a video containing the detected human face.