[TYPE OF THE DOCUMENT] Specification
[TITLE OF THE INVENTION] IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, IMAGE
CAPTURING METHOD, AND PROGRAM
[TECHNICAL FIELD]
[0001]
The present invention relates to an image capturing
apparatus, an image capturing method, and a program that
create a photograph in which a part of a newly captured
photograph is replaced with a part'of a photograph captured
in the past.
/I
f
J ' [BACKGROUND ART]
[00021
In recent years, it has become easier to capture a
~hotograph with the spread of a digital camera or a mobile
terminal having a camera function such as a cellular phone or
a smart phone. For example, by means of the so-called self
photographing in which a photographer trains a camera on
himself (or herself) or persons including himself (or
herself) to capture a photograph, the photographer can
capture photographs of his (or her) own face over several
years. However, in this case, as the photographer gets
older, skin condition declines to increase fine wrinkles,
flabbiness, swellings, and the like, and as a result, facial
expression slightly changes.
[00031
In order to solve this problem, in the prior art, an
image capturing apparatus in which a captured photograph is
subjected to image correction processing such as skinglamorizing
processing (see Patent Literature 1) or smoothing
processing (see Patent Literature 2), thereby hiding a
decline of skin condition or blurring wrinkles, has been
proposed. In contrast, as represented by a print sealing
machine that creates a photograph printed in a seal, an
apparatus in which decoration processing of deforming the
eyes to become extremely large regardless of age or putting a
glitter on a.photograph is performed has also been proposed.
[00041
As described above, a person who is an object of a
captured photograph has.a wish to make his (or her) face in
the photograph look much younger than the person really is by ' hiding a decline of skin condition or blurring wrinkles, and
thus, it is desired for the image capturing apparatus to be
p provided with a function that satisfies such a wish.of the . .
1.:' person who is the object of the photograph.
[PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS]
[PATENT LITERATURES]
[PATENT LITERATURE 11 JP 2010-244239 A
[PATENT LITERATURE 21 JP 2004-246456 A
[DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION]
[PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION]
An object of the invention is to solve the problems in
the prior art and to provide an image capturing apparatus, an
image capturing method, and a program capable of capturing a
photograph in which an object looks younger than the actual
age of the object.
[MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS]
[0007]
In order to attain the object described above, the
present invention p,rovides an image capturing apparatus
comprising:
a photograph capturing section that captures a
photograph to acquire image data;
a database in which a predetermined frequency component
of at least one photograph captured in a past by the
photograph capturing section is stored;
a frequency component extracting section that extracts
the predetermined frequency component from image da,ta of a
photograph that is newly captured by the photograph capturing
section;
a region dividing section that divides a frequency
component of the newly captured photograph into two or more
divided regions;
a maximum neighboring region calculating section that
collates a frequency component in each divided region of the
riewly captured photograph and a frequency component in each
corresponding divided region in the database, and calculates
a maximum neighboring region where a total number of
c:oincidences of components included in respective frequency
c:omponents is a maximum; and
a component replacing section that replaces a partial
first extraction component extracted from a frequency
c:omponent outside the maximum neighboring region of each
divided region of the newly captured photograph with a
! partial second extraction component extracted from a
frequency component outside the maximum neighboring region of
each corresponding divided region in the database, at a
position of a frequency component in the newly captured
photograph corresponding to a position of the second
extraction component.
[0008]
Also, it is preferred that the maximum neighboring
region calculating section collates a third extraction
component extracted by predetermined extraction processing
from the frequency component in each divided region of the
newly captured photograph and a fourth extraction component
DELH.I, Q 4 - Q L - 2Q15 17 : ? Q
3
extracted by the predetermined extraction processing from the
frequency component in each corresponding divided region in
the database, and calculates the maximum neighboring region
where the total number of coincidences of the components
included in the respective extraction components is the
maximum.
[00091
Also, it is preferred that the component replacing
section replaces the first extraction component extracted by
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
component outside the maximum neighboring region of each
divided region of the newly captured photograph with the
second extraction component extracted by the predetermined
extraction processing from the frequency component outside
the maximum neighboring region of each corresponding divided
region in the. database.
[OOlOI
Also, it is preferred that the component replacing
section.replaces a(n-1) (a is a factor, n is an integer of
1-21 indicating a number of times of photographing, and n-1
represents a number of updates of the frequency component of
the photograph stored in the database) first extraction
components that are extracted by the predetermined extraction
processing from the frequency component outside the maximum
neighboring region of each divided region of the newly ,
captured photograph with a(n-1) second extraction components
that are extracted by the predetermined extraction processing
from the frequency component outside the maximum neighboring
region of each corresponding divided region in the database.
[00111
Also, it is preferred that the image capturing apparatus
further comprises a database updating section that replaces
"the second extraction component with'the first extraction
component at a position of the frequency component in the
database corresponding to the position of the first
extraction component.
[0012]
Also, it is preferred that the database updating section
replaces the second extraction component that is extracted by
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
component. outside the maximum neighboring region of each
d.ivided region in the database with the first extraction
component that is extracted by the predetermined extraction
processing from the frequency component outside the maximum
neighboring region of each corresponding divided region of
the newly captured photograph.
[00131
Also, it is preferred that the database updating section
replaces a(n-1) (a is a factor, n is an integer of n2l
indicating a number of times of photographing, and n-1
represents a number of updates of the frequency component of
t.he photograph stored in the database) second extraction
c:omponents that are extracted by the predetermined extraction
processing from the frequency component outside the maximum
neighboring region of each divided region in the database
with a(n-1) first extraction components that are extracted by
the predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
c:omponent outside the maximum neighboring region of each
c:orresponding divided region of the newly captured
photograph.
[0014]
Also, it is preferred that the predetermined extraction
processing is to extract the component by collating all
components or components in an arbitrary place with a
reference value.
[OOlS]
LPQ DELH.I Q4-OL - 2 0 1 5 17 : LO 5
Also, it is preferred that the predetermined extraction
processing is to extract the component by using a random
function.
[0016]
Also, it is preferred that the frequency component
extracting section extracts a first frequency component and a
second frequency component having a lower frequency than-that
of the first frequency component as the predetermined
frequency component, and
wherein the region dividing section, the maximum
neighboring .region calculating section, and the component
replacing.,sectionpe rform processing with respect.to each of
the f ir.st and second' frequency components.
[0017]
Also, it is preferred that the image-capturing apparatus
further .comprises a component standardizing section that
standardizes the number of components included in the
frequency component of the newly captured photograph,
wherein the 'region dividing section divides the
standardized frequency component into divided regions.
[0018]
Also, it is preferred that the frequency component
extracting section extracts a first frequency component and a
second frequency component having a lower frequency than that
of the first frequency component as the predetermined
frequency component, and
wherein the region dividing section, the maximum
neighboring region calculating section, the component
replacing section, and the component standardizing section
perform processing with respect to each of the first and
second frequency components.
[0019]
Also, it is preferred that the image capturing apparatus
further comprises a focus region detecting section that
detects a focus region of the newly captured photograph,
wherein the frequency component extracting section
extracts the frequency component from image data of the focus
region.
[0020]
I -
Also, it is preferred that the image capturing apparatus *.
further comprises an image generating section that generates
an image after replacement, from the frequency component of
the newly captured photograph in which the first extraction
component is replaced with the second extraction component.
[0021]
Also, it is preferred that the image capturing apparatus
furthey comprises an image data storage section that stores
image data of the image after replacement.
[0022]
Also, the present invention provides an image capturing
method comprising the steps of:
capturing a photograph to' acquire image data;
extracting a predetermined frequency component from
image 'data of a photograph newly captured in the photograph
capturing step;
dividing a ..frequency component of the newly captured
photograph into two or more divided regions;
collating a frequency component of each divided region
of the newly captured photograph and a frequency component of
each corresponding divided region in a database in which the
frequency component of at least one photograph captured in a
past is stored and calculating a maximum neighboring region
where a total number of coincidences of components included
in respective frequency components is a maximum; and
replacing a partial first extraction component extracted
from a frequency component outside the maximum neighboring
region of each divided region of the newly captured
photograph with a partial second extraction component
extracted from a frequency conlponent outside the maximum
neighboring region of each corresponding divided region in
the database, at a position of a frequency component of the
newly captured photograph corresponding to a position of the
second extraction component.
[0023]
Also, the present invention provihes a program that
causes a computer to execute the respective steps of the
image capturing method accordi-ng to above.
[PO241
Also, the present invention provides a computer-readable
recording medium on which a program that causes a computer to
execute the respective steps of the image capturing method
according to above has been recorded.
[EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION]
[00251
According to the present invention, a partial extraction
component of a frequency companent of a newly captured
@ photograph is replaced with a partial extraction component of
the frequency component of a photograph captured in the past,
at a position in the newly captured photograph corresponding
to the position of the extractlion component in the photograph
captured in the past. Thus, according to the present
invention, it is possible to go back in time to a state
before skin condition declines; and fine wrinkles,
flabbiness, swellings, and the like are increased, and to
capture a photograph in which an object looks younger than
the actual age of the object.
[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAVJINGS]
[ 0 0 2 6 ]
[ F I G . 1 1 F I G . 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment
illustrating a configuration of an image capturing apparatus
of the invention.
[ F I G . 21 F I G . 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation
o'f the image capturing apparatus shown in FIG.. 1.
[ F I G S . 31 F I G S . 3 (A) and 3 (B) are. conceptual diagrams
illustrating images of a high frequency component and an
intermediate frequency component extracted from image data in
a focus region of a photograph that is newly captured.
[ F I G S . 41 F I G S . 4 (A) and 4 (B) are conceptual diagrams
illustrating the states where standardized frequency
component in the focus region of the photograph that is newly
captured and frequency component stored in a database are
divided into divided regions. .
[FIGS. 51 F I G S . 5 (A) and 5 (B) are conceptual diagrams
illustrating respective maximum neighboring regions of the .
high frequency component and !:he intermediate frequency
component.
[ F I G . 61 F I G . 6 is a conc:eptual diagram illustrating the
state where a first extraction component of.the standardized.
high.frequency component of the photograph that is newly
captured and a second extraction component of the high
frequency component in the database are .replaced with each
.other with respect to the high frequency component shown in
F I G . 5 (A) .
[BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION]
[ 0 0 2 7 1
Hereinafter, an image capturing apparatus, an image
capturing method and a program of the'invention will be
described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in
the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment illustrating
a configuration of an image capturing apparatus of the
invention. The image capturing apparatus 10,shown in FIG. 1
is an apparatus that creates a photograph in which a part of
a photograph that is newly captured is replaced with a part
of aphotograph that was captured in the past, and includes a
photograph capturing section 1.2, a database 14, a focus
region detecting section 16, a frequency component extracting
section 18, a component standardizing section 20, a region
:dividing section 22, a maximum neighboring region calculating
section 24, a component replacing section 26, a database
updating section 28, an image generating section 30, and an
image data storage section 32.
[0029]
The photograph capturing section 12 is, for example, a
digital camera, or a mobile terminal having a camera function
such as a cellular phone or a smart phone, and captures a
photograph to acquire image data (digital data) thereof.
[00301
The database (DB) 14 stores a predetermined frequency
component of at least one phot~ograph that was captured in the
past by the photograph capturing section 12.
In the present embodiment:, a high frequency component
(first frequency component), and an 1ntermediate.frequency
component (second frequency component) having a frequency
lower than a frequency of the high frequency comp'onent are
extracted as the predetermined frequency component. The
frequency of the high frequenc:~ component is determined
depending on the performance of the photograph capturing
section 12, and the frequency of the intermediate frequency
component is defined as a value obtained by dividing the
frequency of the high frequenc:~c omponent by 2d2, for
example
[0031]
The focus region detectirlg section 16 detects a focus
region of the photograph that is newly captured by the '
photograph capturing section 12.
In.the case of self photographing, it is considered that
a distance (image capturing distance) between an object
(photographer) and the photograph capturing section 12
corresponds to the length (reach) of an arm of the
.photographer, and a.focus position is a central part
(normally, position of a nose) of the face.
[0032]
In the case where the focus position is the position of
the nose as described'.above, it is not essential to detect
the focus region.
to0331
The frequency component extracting section 18 extracts
the predetermined frequency component from the image data of
the focus region of the newly captured photograph, and in the
present embodiment, as described above, the frequency
component extracting section 18 extracts the high frequency
component and the intermediate frequency component therefrom.
[00341
The component standardizing section 20 standardizes the
number of components included in the frequency component in
the focus region of the newly captured photograph.
In the case of self photographing, the size of the face
of the object is changed depeiading on the image capturing
distance, and thus, the number of pixels per unit area of the
captured photograph is changed depending on the image
capturing distance. Therefore, the component standardizing
section 20 standardizes the number of components, included in
the frequency component per unit area:
In the case of self photographing, if the image
capturing distance is not changed; the size of the face of
the object is not changed, and accordingly, the
standardization of the frequency component is not essential.
[0036]
The region dividing section 22 divides the standardized
frequency component in the foc:us region of the newly captured
photograph into two or more small regions (divid.ed regions) .
The respective divided regions may be small divided
regions having approximately the'same area like a triangular
shape or a honeycomb shape, as well as a rectangular shape,
and the respective divided regions may not necessarily have
the same shapes or similar shapes.
In addition, the areas of! respective divided regions may
also be appropriately determined. When the areas of the
respective divided regions are different from each other, the
respective divided regions may be considered to be the same
by performing weighting based on the difference between the
areas. Further, adjacent divided regions may have an
overlapped part.
[00371
The maximum neighboring region calculating section 24
,.I L-' collates the frequency.component in each divided region of
the'newly captured photograph and the frequency component in
each corresponding divided region in the database 14, and
ca.lculates a maximum neighborj-ng region where the total
number of coincidences of the components included in the
respective frequency componentLs is the maximum.
The maximum neighboring region calculating section 24
may collate the divided region of the newly captured
photograph-and the divided recjion of the database 14
corresponding thereto on one t:o one basis, or may
respectively collate the divided region of the newly captured
1 photograph and plural 'divided regions around the
!
corresponding divided region in the database 14 to calculate
I
I a region where the maximum neighboring region is the maximum.
LO0381
The component replacing section 26 replaces a partial
1 extraction component (first extraction component) extracted
I
from the frequency component outside the maximum neighboring
region of each divided region of the newly captured
1 photograph with a partial extraction component (second
extraction component) extracted from the frequency component
outside the maximum neighboring region of each corresponding
0 divided region in the database 14, at a position of the
frequency component in the newly captured photograph
corresponding to the position of the second extraction
component.
[0039]
The database updating section 28 replaces the second
extraction component with the first extraction component at a
pos'ition of the frequency component in the database 14
corresponding to the position of the first extraction
component.
The image generating section 30 generates an image after
replacement from the frequency component of the newly
captured photograph of which' .the first extraction,component
is replaced with the second extraction component by the
component replacing section 25.
[0041]
The image data storage section 32 stores image data of
the image after replacement.
[0042] -
Next, a schematic operation of the image capturing'
apparatus 10 will be described according to the image
capturing method of the preserlt,invention and with reference
to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2.
[0043] ,
First, a photograph of an object. is captured by the
photograph capturing section 1.2, and image data thereof is
acquired (step S1) .
In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a
photographer captures face photographs of himself (or
herself) over several years by self photographing, and a high
frequency component and an intermediate frequency component .
of one or more photographs that were captured in the past are
stored in the database 14.
[00441
Subsequently, a focus region of the photograph that is
newly captured by the photograph capturing section 12 is
detected by the focus region detecting section 16 (step S2).
For example, regions indicated by circular frames in
FIGS. 3 and 4 are the focus regions.
[00451
.Then, the high frequency component is extracted from the
image data in the focus region oE the newly captured
.. photograph by the frequency c'omponent extracting section 18.
(step S3A)..
Similarly, the intermediate frequency component is
extracted (step S3B) .
[0046]
FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) are c!onceptual diagrams illustrating
images of the high frequency c:omponent and the intermediate
frequency component extracted 'from the image data of the
focus region of the newly captured photograph.
- The image-of the-high frequency component shown in FIG.
3(A) represents a portion of which the shape changes finely
like the eyes, nose, or mouth, fo; example, and thus, the
image is clear. In contrast, the image of the intermediate
frequency component shown in F I G . 3(B) represents a portion
of which the shape changes coarsely, and thus, the image 1s
obscure. The components included in the high frequency .
component and the intermediate ,frequency component have a
fine part and a coarse part corresponding to the shape of
each portion of the object.
coo471
Subsequently, the number of components included in the
high frequency component in the focus region is standardized
by the component standardizing section 20 (step S4A).
Similarly, the number of components included in the
intermediate frequency component is standardized (step S4B).
[0048]
Then, as shown in FIG. 4 (A) , the high frequency
component standardized in the focus region of the newly
captured-photograph is divided into divided regions by the
region dividing section 22 (step S5A).
Similarly, the intermediate frequency component
standardized is divided into divided regions (step S5B).
Although shown in brief in FIG. 2, similarly, as shown
3
in FIG. 4 (B) , the high frequency component and the
intermediate frequency component stored in the 'database 14
are respectively divided into divided regions (step S5C).
Alternatively, the frequency components of the database 14
may be divided into divided regions in advance.
[00491
' Subsequently, the maximum neighboring region calculating
section 24 collates an extraction component (third extraction
component) that is randomly extracted using, for example, a
random function from the high frequency component in each
divided region of the newly captured photograph and an
extraction component (fourth extraction component) that is
randomly extracted from the high frequency component in each
corresponding divided region in the database 14, and
calculates a maximum neighboring region where the total
number of coincidences of the components included in the
respective extraction components is the maximum (step S6A).
Similarly, a maximum neighboring region is also
calculated with respect to the intermediate frequency
component (step S6B) : .
[00501
FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) are conceptual diagrams illustrating
the respective maximum neighboring regions of the high
frequency component and the intermediate frequency component.
In FIGS. 5(A) and 5 (B) , tihe rectangular frame represents
one divided region shown in FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B) for each 'of
the'high frequency components and the intermediate frequency
components of the newly captured photograph (after
standardization) and the database 14, and the circular frame
represents the maximum neighboring region. Further,
components included in each of the high frequency components
and the intermediate frequency components are indicated by
the black spots.
[0051]
Since the maximum neighboring region is determined for
each divided region, the maximum neighboring region has a
size included in each divided region. Further, the maximum
neighboring region has the same position and the same size in
the divyded regions of the newly captured photograph and the
database 14.
[00521
Here, a 'large size of the maximum neighboring region
means that the degree of coincidence of the newly captured
photograph and the photograph captured in the past in the
divided region is large. That is, it means that the newly
captured photograph has little change from the photograph
captured in the past.
On the other hand, a small size of the maximum ,
neighboring region means that the degree of coincidence of
the newly captured photograph and the photograph captured in
the past in the divided regi0n.i~sm all. That is, it means
that the newly captured photograph has much change from the
photograph captured in the past.
[0053]
Subsequently, a(n-1) (a is a factor, n is an integer of
n2l indicating the number of times of photographing, and n-1
represents the number of updates of the frequency component *.
of the photograph stored in the database 14) first extraction
components that are randomly extracted from the high
frequency component outside the maximum neighboring region of
each divided region of the newly captured photograph are
replaced with a(n-1) second extraction components that are
randomly extracted from the frequency component outside the
maximum neighboring region of each corresponding divided
region in the database 14, at a position of the high
frequency component in the newly captured photograph
corresponding to the position of the second extraction
component, by the component replacing section 26 (step S~A.)
1
Similarly, the replacement is also performed 'for the
intermediate frequency component (step S7B).
[00541
On the other hand, the a(n-1) second extraction
components that are randomly extracted from the frequency
component outside the maximum neighboring region of each
divided region in the database 14 are replaced with the a(n-
1) first extraction components that are randomly extracted
from the frequency component outside the maximum neighboring
region of each corresponding.divided region of the newly
captured photograph, at.a position of the high frequency
component in the database 14 corresponding to the position of
the first extraction component, by the database updating
section 28, and thereby, the high frequency component stored
in the database 14 is updated (step S7C).
Similarly,,the replacement is also performed for the
intermediate frequency component.
[00551
Here, in the conventional image correction processing
such as skin-glamorizing processing or smoothing processing,
the size (the amount of information) of the image before and
after the processing is changed. In the conventional image
correction processing, generally, the image after the
processing becomes larger than the image before the
processing.
In contrast, the component replacing section 26 and the
database updating section 28 replace the first extraction
component and the second extraction component with each
other. Thus, the photograph after replacement and the size
(the amount of information) of the frequency components
stored in the database 14 do not change at all before and
after the replacement.
[00561
In steps S6A, S6B, S7A, S7B, and S7C, it is not
essential to randomly extract the components from respective
frequency components. As the component extraction
processing, for example, the components may be extracted by
collating all components or components in an arbitrary place
and a reference value. Further, the replacement of the (n-1)
components is not essential, and the (n-1) components may be
appropriately changed by the factor a.
In the present embodiment, the first extraction
component is replaced with the second..extractionc omponent by
the component replacing section 26, and the second extraction
component is replaced with the first extraction component by
the database updating section 28, but the first extraction
component and the second extraction component can be replaced
with each other at the same time by exchanging the first
extraction component and the second extraction component.
[00581
F I G . 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the state
where the first extraction component of the standardized high
frequency component of the photograph'that is newly captured
and the second extraction component of the high frequency
component in the database are replaced with each other with
respect to.the high frequency component shown in FIG. S ( A ) .
In F I G . 6, the first and second extraction components are
indicated by white spots.
As shown in FIG. 6, the first extraction components are
erased in the divided region of the newly captured
photograph, and the second extraction components are disposed
at positions in the newly captured photograph corresponding
to the positions of the second extraction component. On the
other hand, in t'he divided region of.the database 14, the
second extraction components are erased, and the first
extraction components are disposed at positions in the
database 14 corresponding to the positions of the first
extraction components.
[0059]
*
Subsequently, an image (photograph),a fter the
replacement is generated by the image generating section 30,
from the high frequency compongnt and the intermediate
frequency component of the newly captured photograph in which
the,first extraction component is replaced with the second
: extraction component (step S8).
[0060]
Then, finally, image data on the image after the
replacement is stored by.the image data storage section 32
(step S 9 ) .
[0061]
As described above, in the image capturing apparatus 10,
the partial extraction component of the frequency component
of the newly captured photograph is replaced with the partial
extraction component of the frequency component of the
photograph captured in the past at a position in the new
photograph corresponding to the position of the extraction
component in the photograph captured in the past. Thus, it
is possible to go back in time to a state before skin
condition declines, and fine wrinkles, flabbiness, swellings,
and the like are increased, and to capture a photograph in
which an object looks younger than the actual age of the
~ object.
[0062]
Hereinbefore, an example in which a photograph is
captured by self photographing is described, but the present
invention is not llmited thereto, and may be applied to
plural photographs captured over several years.
Further, in the above-described embodiment,.two
frequency components of the high frequency component and the
intermediate frequency component are extracted from the
photograph, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, only one frequency component may be extracted,
or three'or more frequency components may be extracted.
[0063]
The present invention i,s basically configured as above.
Hereinbefore, the present invention has been described
in detail, but needless to say, the present invention is not
limited to the above-described.embodiments and may be
improved or modified in various forms within the scope that
does not depart from the gist of the invention.
[LEGEND]
[0064]
10 IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS
12 PHOTOGRAPH CAPTURING SECTION
14 DATABASE
16 FOCUS REGION DETECTING SECTION
18 FREQUENCY COMPONENT EXTRACTING SECTION
20 COMPONENT STANDARDIZING SECTION
22 REGION DIVIDING SECTION < .
24 MAXIMUM NEIGHBORING REGION CALCULATING SECTION
26 COMPONENT REPLACING SECTION
28 DATABASE UPDATING SECTION
30 IMAGE GENERATING SECTION
32 IMAGE DATA STORAGE SECTION
[TYPE OF THE DOCUMENT] Claims
[Claim 11
An image capturing apparatus comprising:
a photograph capturing section that captures a
photograph to acquire image data;
a database in which a frequency component
of at least one photograph captured in a past by the
photograph capturing section is stored;
a frequency component .extracting section that extracts
the predetermined frequency component from image data of a
photograph that is newly captured by the photograph capturing
section;
a region dividing section that divides a frequency
component of the newly captured photograph into two or more
divided regions;
a maximum neighboring region calculating section that
collates a frequency component in each divided region of the
newly captured photograph and a frequency component in each
corresponding divided region in the database, and calculates
a maximum neighboring region.where a total number of
coincidences of components included in respective frequency
components is a maximum; and
a component replacing section that' replaces a partial
first extraction component extracted from a frequency
component outside the maximum neighboring region of each
divided -region of the newly captured photograph with a
partial second extraction component extracted from a
frequency component outside the maximum neighboring region of
each corresponding divided region in the database, at a
position of a frequency component in the newly captured
photograph corresponding to a position of the second
extraction component.
[Claim 21
[Claim 31
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2,
wherein the component replacing section replaces the
first extraction component extracted by predetermined
extraction processing from the frequency component outside
the maximum neighboring region of each divided region of the
newly captured photograph with the second extraction
component extracted by the predetermined extraction
processing from the frequency component outside the maximum. .
neighboring region of each corresponding divided region in
the database.
[Claim 41
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 3,
wherein the component replacing section replaces a(n-1)
(a is a factor, n is an integer of n2l indicating a number of
times of photographing, and n-1 represents a number of
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein the maximum neighboring region calculating
I
section collates a third extraction component extracted by
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
updates of the frequency component of the photograph stored
in the database) first extraction components that are
extracted by the predetermined extraction processing from the
frequency component outside the maximum neighboring region of
each divided region of the newly captured photograph with
a ( n - 1 ) second extraction components that are extracted by the
component in each divided region of the newly captured
photograph and a fourth extraction component extracted by the \ I
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency I
component in each corresponding divided region in the
database, and calculates the maximum neighboring region where
the total number of coincidences of the components included
in the respective extraction components is the maximum.
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
component outside the maximum neighboring region of each
corresponding divided region in fhe database.
[Claim 51
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 1 to 4, further comprising:
a database updating section that rep1ace.s the second
extraction component with the first extraction component at a
position of the frequency component in the database
corresponding to the position of the first extraction
component.
[Claim 61
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 5,
wherein the database updating section replaces the
second extraction component that is extracted by
predetermined extraction processing from the frequency
component outside the maximum neighboring region of each
divided-region in the database with the first extraction - - - - -
component that is extracted by the predetermined extraction
processing from the frequency component outside the maximum
neighboring region of each corresponding divided regi.on of
the newly captured photograph.
[Claim 71 . '
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 6,
wherein the database updating section replaces a(n-1) (a
is a factor, n is an integer of n2l indicating a number of
times of photographing, and n-1 represents a number of
updates of the frequency component of the photograph stored
in the database) second extraction components that are
extracted by the predetermined extraction processing from the
frequency component outside the maximum neighboring region of
each divided region in the database with a(n-1) first
extraction components that are extracted by the predetermined
extraction processing from the frequency component outside
the maximum neighboring region of each corresponding divided
region of the newly captured photograph.
[Claim 81
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 2 to 4, 6, and 7,
wherein the predetermined extraction processing is to
extract the component by collating all components or
components in an arbitrary place with a reference value.
[Claim 91
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 2 to 4, 6, and 7,
wherein the predetermined extraction processing is to
extract the component by using a random -function.
[Claim 101
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 1 to 9,
wherein the frequency component extracting section
extracts.a first frequency component and a second frequency
component having a lower frequency than that of the first
frequency component as the predetermined frequency component,
and
wherein the region dividing section, the maximum
neighboring region calculating section, and the component
replacing section perform processing with respect to each of
the first and second frequency components.
[Claim 111
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 1 to 10, further comprising:
a component standardizing section that standardizes the
number of components included in the frequency component of
the newly captured photograph,
wherein the region dividing se'ction divides the
standardized frequency component into divided regions.
[Claim 121
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 11,
wherein the frequency component extracting section
extracts a first frequency component and a second frequency
component having a lower frequency than that -of the first
frequency component as the predetermined frequency component,
and
wherein the region dividing section, the maximum
1 neighboring region calculating section, the component
I
replacing section, and the component standardizing section
perform processing with respect to each of the first and I
second frequency components. .
[Claim 131
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 1 to 12, further comprising:
a focus region detecting-section-that detects-a-focus - - - - -
region of the newly captured photograph,
wherein the frequency component extracting section
extracts the frequency component from image data of the focus
region.
[Claim 141
The image capturing apparatus according to any one of
Claims 1 to 13, further comprising:
an image generating section that generates an image
after replacement, from the frequency component of the newly
captured photograph in which the first extraction component
is replaced with the second extraction component.
[Claim 151
The image capturing apparatus according to Claim 14,
further comprising:
an image data storage 'section that stores image'data of
the image after replacement.
[Claim 161
An image capturing method, comprising the steps of:
capturing a photograph to acquire image data;
extracting a predetermined frequency component from
image data of a photograph newly captured in the photograph
capturing step;
dividing a frequency component of the newly captured
photograph into two or more divided regions;
: collating a frequency component of each divided region
of the newly captured photograph and a frequency component of
each corresponding divided region in a database in which the
frequency component of at least one photograph captured in a
past is stored and calculating a maximum neighboring region
where a total number of coincidences of components included
in respective frequency comp'onents is a maximum; and
replacing a partial first extraction component extracted
from a frequency component outside the maximum neighboring
region of each divided region of the newly captured
photograph with a parti.al second extraction component
extracted from a frequency component outside the maximum
ne'ighboring region of each corresponding divided region in
the database, at a position of a frequency component of the
newly captured photograph corresponding to a position of the
second extraction component.
[Claim 171
A program that causes a computer to execute the
respective steps of the image capturing method according to
Claim 16.
[Claim 181
A computer-readable recording medium on which a program
that causes a computer t~ execute the respective steps of the
image capturing method according to Claim 16 has been
recorded.