Abstract

Disclosed is a two step process for automatically finding a human face in an electronically digitized image (for example, taken by handheld digital cameras and digital video-cameras such as cam-corders), and for confirming the existence of the face by examining facial features. Step 1 is to detect the human face and is accomplished in stages that include enhancing the digital image with a blurring filter and edge enhancer in order to better set forth the unique facial features such as wrinkles, and curved shapes of a facial image. After prefiltering, preselected curves sometimes referred to as snakelets are dropped on the image where they become aligned to the natural wrinkles and curves of a facial image. Step 2 is to confirm the existence of the human face in seven stages by finding facial features of the digital image encompassing the chin, sides of the face, virtual top of the head, eyes, mouth and nose of the image. Ratios of the distances between these found facial features can b

Document Type

Patent

Patent Number

US 5,835,616

Application Serial Number

08/261,947

Issue Date

11-10-1998

Current Assignee

UCFRF

Assignee at Issuance

UCFRF

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS)

Department

Computer Science

Allowance Date

6-4-1996

Filing Date

6-17-1994

Assignee at Filing

UCFRF

Filing Type

Nonprovisional Application Record

Donated

no

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