Electronic device providing avatar and method of operating the same

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes an avatar and a method of operating the same. The electronic device includes a display, and at least one processor operatively coupled with the display, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: detect a face in at least one image; determine a user avatar corresponding to the detected face; determine regions of both the face and at least one object related to the face; determine a size of the user avatar based on the determined regions; and control the display to display the user avatar on the display by presenting the user avatar based on the determined size of the user avatar.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The disclosure relates to an electronic device providing an avatar and an operating method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] An electronic device (e.g., a mobile terminal, a smart phone, a wearable electronic device, etc.) can provide various functions. For example, in addition to a basic voice communication function, the electronic device can provide a short distance wireless communication function, a mobile communication (3rd generation (3G), 4th generation (4G), or 5th generation (5G)) function, a music playback function, a video playback function, an image acquisition function, a navigation function, or an object recognition function.

[0003] Such an electronic device provides various functions through object recognition. For example, the electronic device recognizes an object in an image acquired through a camera and provides a function capable of interacting with a user by providing an avatar corresponding to the recognized object.

[0004] Such an electronic device can also select an avatar through a user input and can display the selected avatar on a face region of a person included in an image. However, a method of displaying the selected avatar on the face region of the person has limitations in satisfying a user's need for diversified expression to the user while hiding the user's face through the avatar.

[0005] The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure. SUMMARY

[0006] TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0007] Aspects of the disclosure will at least partially solve the problems and / or disadvantages of the prior art described above and provide advantages that can be described as follows. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for providing an avatar in an electronic device by using a face included in an image and at least one object related to the face.

[0008] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and / or can be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

[0009] The technical problems to be achieved in the disclosure are not limited to what have been described above, and other technical problems not mentioned herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0010] SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0011] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display and at least one processor operatively coupled with the display. The at least one processor can be configured to: detect a face in at least one image; determine a user avatar corresponding to the detected face; determine areas of both the face and at least one object related to the face; determine a size of the user avatar based on the determined areas; and control the display to display the user avatar on the display by presenting the user avatar based on the determined size of the user avatar.

[0012] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of operating an electronic device is provided. The method includes: detecting a face in at least one image; determining a user avatar corresponding to the detected face; determining areas of both the face and at least one object related to the face; determining a size of the user avatar based on the determined areas; and controlling the display to display the user avatar on the display by presenting the user avatar based on the determined size of the user avatar.

[0013] According to another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device provides an avatar by using a face of a person included in an image and at least one object related to the face, thereby increasing a satisfaction level of a user who wants to express the user diversely while hiding the user by the avatar.

[0014] According to another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device determines an avatar of a person among a plurality of avatars based on features of a face of the person included in an image and at least one object related to the face, to provide an avatar suitable for a hairstyle, a beard style, or a accessory of the person, thereby increasing a satisfaction level of a user.

[0015] According to another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device adjusts a size of an avatar based on a user input, thereby increasing convenience of a user.

[0016] According to another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device determines whether to continuously display an avatar based on a body of a person in a case where a face of the person is not detected in an image, thereby enhancing usability of the avatar.

[0017] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating at least some components included in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0021] Figure 3 is a flowchart of presenting an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0022] Figure 4 is a flowchart of determining an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0023] Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating a reference model for determining an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0024] Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating an avatar based on feature information of a face and an object related to the face in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5C is a diagram illustrating a list including a plurality of avatars in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5D is another diagram illustrating a list including a plurality of avatars in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 is a flowchart of determining a size of an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7A is a diagram for determining a size of an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0029] Figure 7B is another diagram for determining a size of an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0030] Figure 8 is a flowchart of controlling a size of an avatar based on a user input in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0031] Figure 9 is a diagram of controlling a size of an avatar based on a user input in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0032] Figure 10 is a flowchart of providing an avatar by using a body in an image in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0033] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating a method of continuously providing an avatar by using a body in an image in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

[0034] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating a method of controlling an overall size of a user avatar based on a user input in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0035] Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components, and structures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. The description includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions can be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0037] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the disclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0038] It is to be understood that the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a component surface" includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.

[0039] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100 according to various embodiments.

[0040] Referring to Figure 1The electronic device 101 in the network environment 100 can communicate with an electronic device 102 via a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or an electronic device 104 or a server 108 via a second network 199 (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 can communicate with the electronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 can include a processor 120, a memory 130, an input device 150, a sound output device 155, a display device 160, an audio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a haptic module 179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189, a communication module 190, a subscriber identification module (SIM) 196, or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., the display device 160 or the camera module 180) of the components can be omitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other components can be added in the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, the components in the electronic device 101 can be implemented as one or more integrated circuits. For example, the sensor module 176 (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, an iris sensor, or an illuminance sensor) can be implemented as embedded in the display device 160 (e.g., a display).

[0041] The processor 120 can execute, for example, software (e.g., a program 140) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 coupled with the processor 120 and can perform various data processing or computation. According to an embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or computation, the processor 120 can load a command or data received from another component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communication module 190) to a volatile memory 132, process the command or the data stored in the volatile memory 132, and store resulting data in a non-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or an application processor (AP)), and an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that is operable independently from, or in conjunction with, the main processor 121. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 123 can be adapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or to be specific to a particular function. The auxiliary processor 123 can be implemented as a separate processor, or as part of the main processor 121.

[0042] The auxiliary processor 123 can control at least some of the functions or states related to at least one component (e.g., the display device 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) among the components of the electronic device 101, instead of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an active state (e.g., executing an application), for example. According to an embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) can be implemented as a part of another component functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190).

[0043] The memory 130 can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. The various data can include, for example, software (e.g., the program 140) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory 130 can include the volatile memory 132 or the non-volatile memory 134.

[0044] The program 140 can be stored in the memory 130 as software, and can include, for example, the operating system (OS) 142, the middleware 144, or the applications 146.

[0045] The input device 150 can receive a command or data, which is used for at least one component (e.g., the processor 120) of the electronic device 101, from the outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The input device 150 can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, or a keyboard.

[0046] The sound output device 155 can output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output device 155 can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as playing multimedia or playing record, and the receiver can be used for incoming calls. According to an embodiment, the receiver can be implemented as separate from the speaker, or as a part of the speaker.

[0047] The display device 160 can visually provide information to the outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The display device 160 can include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling a corresponding one of the display, the hologram device, and the projector. According to an embodiment, the display device 160 can include a touch circuit adapted to detect a touch or a sensor circuit (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the intensity of force incurred by the touch.

[0048] The audio module 170 can convert a sound into an electrical signal and vice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 can obtain the sound via, for example, a microphone in the input device 150, or output the sound via, for example, a speaker in the sound output device 155 or an external electronic device (e.g., an electronic device 102) e.g., a speaker of an external electronic device) directly (e.g., wirelessly) connected with the electronic device 101.

[0049] The sensor module 176 can detect an operational state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0050] The interface 177 can support one or more specified protocols to be used for the electronic device 101 to be coupled with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly. According to an embodiment, the interface 177 can include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or an audio interface.

[0051] The connection terminal 178 can include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected with the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to an embodiment, the connection terminal 178 can include, for example, a HDMI connector, a USB connector, a SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0052] The haptic module 179 can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., a vibration or a movement) that can be felt by a user or an electrical stimulus that can be felt by a user. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric, or an electric stimulator.

[0053] The camera module 180 can capture a still image or moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 can include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0054] The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the power management module 188 can be implemented as at least part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0055] The battery 189 can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 can include, for example, a primary cell which is not rechargeable, a secondary cell which is rechargeable, or a fuel cell.

[0056] The communication module 190 can support establishing a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) and performing communication between the established communication channel. The communication module 190 can include one or more communication processors that are operable independently from the processor 120 (e.g., an application processor (AP)) and supports a direct (e.g., wired) communication or a wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 can include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules can communicate with the external electronic device via the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or wide area network (WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip) or can be implemented as separate components (e.g., separate chips) from each other. The wireless communication module 192 can identify and authenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196.

[0057] The antenna module 197 can transmit or receive a signal or power to or from an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device) of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the antenna module 197 can include one or more antennas, and, accordingly, at least one antenna appropriate for a communication scheme used in a communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, can be selected and used by, for example, the communication module 190 (e.g., the wireless communication module 192). Then, the signal or the power can be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and the external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna.

[0058] At least some of the above-described components can be configured as one or more processors by, for example, operating system or application programs, such as the programs 130.

[0059] According to an embodiment, commands or data can be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 via the server 108 coupled with the second network 199. Each of the electronic devices 102 and 104 can be the same type as or a different type from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, some or all of the operations to be executed by the electronic device 101 can be executed by one or more of the external electronic devices 102, 104, or 108. For example, if the electronic device 101 is to automatically perform a function or a service or is to perform a function or a service in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101, instead of, or in addition to, executing the function or the service, can request the one or more external electronic devices to execute at least a part of the function or the service. The one or more external electronic devices receiving the request can execute the at least part of the function or the service requested or perform another function or another service related to the request, and transfer an execution result to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 can provide the execution result, with or without further processing of the execution result, as at least part of a reply to the request. To that end, a cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technology can be used, for example.

[0060] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating at least some of the components included in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 can be Figure 1 The electronic device 101 of FIG. 1.

[0061] Referring to Figure 2 The electronic device 101 can include a camera module 180, a display device 160, a processor 120, and a memory 130. According to various embodiments, the object detection unit 210, the feature extraction unit 220, the avatar determination unit 230, and the presentation unit 240 can be software usable by the processor 120, hardware included in the processor 120, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, an avatar database (DB) 260 can be stored in the memory 130.

[0062] According to various embodiments, the object detection unit 210 can detect an object in the camera module 180, the memory 130, and an external device (e.g., the display device 160). Figure 1The object detection unit 210 can detect at least one object in at least one image acquired in at least one of the electronic device 102 or 104 and the server 108. For example, the object detection unit 210 can detect a face of a person and at least one object related to the face in at least one image acquired by using the camera module 180, at least one image of a video file pre-stored in the storage 130, or at least one image received from the external device 102, 104, or 108. The at least one object related to the face can include at least one of an object included in the face, an object located in a region adjacent to the face, an object connected to the face, and an object worn on the face. For example, the at least one object related to the face can include at least one of an ear, hair, a beard, a hair accessory, an earring, and a hat. According to an embodiment, the object detection unit 210 can detect the face and the at least one object related to the face in the at least one image, and can determine a region including the detected at least one object.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the object detection unit 210 can detect a body corresponding to a face of a person in the at least one image. If the face corresponding to the avatar being displayed on the display device 160 is not detected, the object detection unit 210 can determine whether a body corresponding to the face is detected in the at least one image. The object detection unit 210 can provide the presentation unit 240 with a determination of whether the face of the person is detected and / or whether the body corresponding to the face is detected. If the body is detected, the object detection unit 210 can provide the presentation unit 240 with body information including at least one of a position, an angle, a size, and a shape of at least a portion of the detected body. According to an embodiment, when a plurality of persons are detected in the at least one image, the object detection unit 210 can assign an identifier (ID) (e.g., a face ID) to each person, and can manage various information related to the person based on the assigned identifier. The various information related to the person can include at least one of information indicating whether the face is detected, information indicating whether the body is detected, and the body information.

[0064] According to various embodiments, the feature extraction unit 220 can extract feature information from the object detected in the object detection unit 210. For example, the feature extraction unit 220 can extract feature information indicating a feature point of the face and the at least one object related to the face detected in the object detection unit 210. The feature extraction unit 220 can extract feature information of each person included in the at least one image. For example, the feature extraction unit 220 can analyze the at least one image in order to acquire pattern information indicating at least one of an eye, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hair style, a beard style, an eyebrow, a skin, a gender, and an age of each person included in the at least one image as the feature information of each person. The pattern information can be acquired based on a comparison with a reference model pre-stored in the storage 130.

[0065] According to various embodiments, the avatar determining unit 230 can determine a user avatar corresponding to the person among a plurality of avatars stored in the avatar DB 260 based on the feature information of the person extracted in the feature extracting unit 220. For example, the avatar determining unit 230 can compare the feature information of the person with the feature information of each of a plurality of avatars stored in the avatar database 260 to determine an avatar having the highest similarity as a user avatar corresponding to the person.

[0066] According to various embodiments, the presenting unit 240 can determine the size of the avatar based on the region determined in the object detecting unit 210, and can present the avatar based on the determined size. The presenting unit 240 can determine the size of the avatar based on the size and / or shape of the region determined in the object detecting unit 210 and / or the shape of the avatar determined in the avatar determining unit 230. For example, the size of the avatar can be determined as the smallest size among the sizes of the entire region determined in the object determining unit 210. The presenting unit 240 can display the avatar through the display unit 160 by presenting the avatar with the determined size. Since the avatar is presented based on the region determined in the object detecting unit 210, the presenting unit 240 can display the avatar such that the face of the person and at least one object related to the face are hidden.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the presenting unit 240 can control the size of the avatar based on a user input. For example, the presenting unit 240 can enlarge or reduce at least a portion of the avatar based on a touch input. For example, according to the type of touch input, the presenting unit 240 can enlarge or reduce the entire avatar, or can enlarge or reduce the avatar in a specific direction, or can enlarge or reduce a portion of the avatar.

[0068] According to an embodiment, when receiving information indicating that a face and a body of a person corresponding to an avatar being displayed on the display device 160 are not detected from the object detection unit 210, the presentation unit 240 can remove the avatar being displayed on the display device 160. When the avatar is removed, the presentation unit 240 can apply at least one graphic effect. For example, when the avatar is removed, the presentation unit 240 can apply an alpha blending effect to exhibit an effect that the avatar is gradually removed. According to an embodiment, when receiving information indicating that a face of a person corresponding to an avatar being displayed on the display device 160 is not detected but a body corresponding to the face is detected from the object detection unit 210, the presentation unit 240 can provide control so that the avatar is continuously displayed. When the body is detected in at least one image, even though the face of the person corresponding to the avatar is not detected, the presentation unit 240 can control at least one of a size, a display position, and a display angle of the corresponding avatar based on body information and / or information indicating a position where the avatar is displayed.

[0069] In various embodiments, the avatar database 260 can include a plurality of avatars and feature information of each of the plurality of avatars. The plurality of avatars can include avatars (e.g., My Emoji) generated by recognizing facial features of a user and / or avatars indicating various characters. The avatars indicating various characters can include avatars indicating at least one of a character, an animal character, a plant character, an object character, and a cartoon character. The feature information of each of the plurality of avatars can include information indicating feature points of each avatar with respect to a reference model. For example, the feature information of a first avatar can include pattern information indicating at least one of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hairstyle, a beard style, eyebrows, a gender, and an age of the first avatar. The feature information of each of the plurality of avatars can be generated based on a difference between components included in the reference model and components of the corresponding avatar. According to an embodiment, the avatar database 260 can be updated by an external device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104 and the server 108 and / or a wireless network database (DB) (e.g., a cloud)) of the electronic device 102 or 104. Figure 1 According to an embodiment, the avatar database (DB) 260 can be shared with the external device.

[0070] According to various embodiments, the memory 130 can store a reference model. The reference model can be used to generate at least one of pattern information indicating features of a person included in at least one image and pattern information indicating features of each of a plurality of avatars. The reference model can be configured and modified by a designer. The reference model can be updated by an external device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 105, the server 108, and / or a wireless network database (DB) (e.g., a cloud)).

[0071] According to various embodiments, electronic device 101 may include a display (e.g., Figure 1 The display device 160) and the processor operatively coupled to the display 160 (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 can detect faces in at least one image and determine a user avatar corresponding to the detected face. The processor 120 can determine the region of both the face and at least one object associated with the face. The processor 120 can determine the size of the user avatar based on the determined region and can control the display 160 to display the user avatar on the display 160 by rendering the user avatar based on the determined size.

[0072] According to an embodiment, at least one object associated with the face may include at least one of hair, ears, beard, hair accessories, earrings, and hat.

[0073] According to an embodiment, processor 120 can determine a protected area that includes the entire area of ​​both the face and at least one object associated with the face. Processor 120 can be configured to determine the size of the user's avatar based on at least one of the size and shape of the determined protected area.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can be configured to determine the size of the user avatar by further considering the shape of the user avatar.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can adjust the size of the user avatar based on a determined size, and can control the display 160 such that the area of ​​the face and at least one object associated with the face in the image is covered by the resized user avatar.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the electronic device 101 may further include a memory (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 stores multiple avatars and feature information about the multiple avatars. The processor 120 can extract feature information about a face identified in at least one image and at least one object associated with the face. The processor 120 can determine similarity by comparing the extracted feature information with the feature information of each of the multiple avatars. The processor 120 can identify the avatar with the highest similarity among the multiple avatars as the user avatar corresponding to the face.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the extracted feature information may include pattern information indicating at least one of the following features: eyes, nose, mouth, face shape, hairstyle, beard style, eyebrows, skin, gender, and age. The pattern information may be generated based on differences relative to a reference model.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can provide a list including a plurality of avatars through the display 160. The processor 120 can detect a user input for selecting one avatar from the list, and can determine the avatar selected based on the user input as a user avatar corresponding to the face.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can detect a user input with respect to the user avatar displayed on the display 160. The processor 120 can adjust a size of the user avatar based on the user input.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine a protection area including a region of the face and at least one object related to the face in at least one different image. The processor 120 can update the determined protection area based on the adjusted size of the user avatar. The processor 120 can re-determine a size of the user avatar based on at least one of a size and a shape of the updated protection area. The processor 120 can control the display 160 so that the user avatar is displayed on the display 160 by being presented based on the re-determined size.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine whether the face is continuously detected in at least one different image. If the face is not continuously detected, the processor 120 can determine whether at least a part of a body corresponding to the face is detected in at least one different image. If at least a part of the body is detected, the processor 120 can control the display 160 so that the user avatar corresponding to the face is continuously displayed on the display 160.

[0082] According to an embodiment, at least a part of the body can include at least a part of a neck or a shoulder.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can control at least one of a display size, a display position, and a display angle of the user avatar based on at least one of body information of the user avatar and last display information. The body information can include at least one of a position, an angle, a size, and a shape of at least a part of the body. The last display information of the user can include at least one of a display position, a display angle, and a display size of the user avatar corresponding to a time at which the face was last detected.

[0084] According to an embodiment, if at least a part of the body is not detected, the processor 120 can control the display 160 so that the user avatar corresponding to the face is removed in the display 160.

[0085] Figure 3 is a flowchart for presenting an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Here, the electronic device can be Figure 1 the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1.

[0086] Referring to Figure 3 In operation 301 of the flowchart 300, an electronic device (e.g., the processor 120 of the electronic device 101 or 104) according to various embodiments can detect a face in at least one image. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can acquire at least one image in at least one of a camera (e.g., the camera module 180 of the electronic device 101), a memory (e.g., the memory 130 of the electronic device 101), and an external device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104 and the server 108 of FIG. 1), and can detect a face in the acquired image. Figure 1 Figure 1 Figure 1 Figure 1

[0087] According to various embodiments, in operation 303, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can detect a profile corresponding to the detected face. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine a user profile by using features of the face detected in the at least one image. For example, the processor 120 can extract a face and feature information indicating at least one feature point related to the face from the at least one image, and can compare the extracted feature information with feature information of each of a plurality of profiles stored in the memory 130. The processor 120 can determine, as a result of the comparison, a profile having the highest degree of similarity as a user profile corresponding to the detected face. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine a user profile corresponding to the detected face based on a user input. For example, the processor 120 can detect a user input for selecting one profile from among a plurality of profiles stored in the memory 130, and can determine a profile selected by the user input as a user profile corresponding to the detected face.

[0088] According to various embodiments, in operation 305, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine a region of the face detected in the at least one image and at least one object related to the face. For example, the processor 120 can detect at least one object of a face, an ear, hair, a beard, a hair accessory, an earring, and a hat, and can determine a region including the at least one object as a protection region hidden by the user profile. For example, if a face, an ear, hair, and an earring are detected in the at least one image, the processor 120 can determine a face region, an ear region, a hair region, and an earring region, respectively, and can determine a protection region including the entire region of each detected object. The protection region can be determined as, for example, a region having a minimum size satisfying a specified condition. The specified condition can be, for example, a condition of including the entire region of each detected object.

[0089] ​​​​According to various embodiments, in operation 307, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine a size of the user avatar based on the determined area. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine the size of the user avatar based on the size and shape of the protection area determined in operation 305 and / or the shape of the user avatar determined in operation 303. The processor 120 can determine the head size of the corresponding avatar so that the user avatar corresponding to the face covers the protection area including the entire area of the face and at least one object related to the face. For example, if the protection area in the image is the first area and the user avatar corresponding to the face is the first avatar, the processor 120 can determine the size of the first avatar as a default size x N. As another example, if the protection area in the image is the second area and the user avatar corresponding to the face is the first avatar, the processor 120 can determine the size of the first avatar as a default size x M. As another example, if the protection area is the second area and the determined user avatar is the second avatar, the processor 120 can determine the size of the second avatar as a default size x L.

[0090] According to various embodiments, in operation 309, the electronic device (e.g., Figure 1 the processor 120 and / or the display device 160) can present the user avatar based on the determined size. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can present the user avatar by adjusting the size of the user avatar based on the size of the user avatar determined in operation 207, and thus can display the avatar through the display (e.g., the display device 160). For example, the processor 120 can present the user avatar by adjusting the size of the user avatar, such that the user avatar is displayed on the protection area of at least one image provided through the display. The protection area can be an area including the face and at least one object related to the face.

[0091] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for determining an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0092] The operations described below Figure 4 may be at least a part of Figure 3 the detailed operations described in operation 303. Figure 4 At least some operations of Figures 5A to 5D are described below.

[0093] Figure 5A is a diagram illustrating a reference model for determining an avatar in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0094] Figure 5B is a diagram illustrating an avatar based on feature information of a face and an object related to the face in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0095] Figure 5C and Figure 5D is a diagram illustrating a list of a plurality of avatars included in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0096] Referring to Figure 4 , in operation 401 of the flowchart 400, an electronic device (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1) according to various embodiments can determine whether an automatic avatar determination mode is in an enabled state. The automatic avatar determination mode can be a mode for automatically determining an avatar by using features of a face included in at least one image. The automatic avatar determination mode can be enabled or disabled based on a user input. The user input can include at least one of a touch input and a designated gesture. Figure 1 According to various embodiments, in operation 403, when the automatic avatar determination mode is enabled, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can extract feature information of a face included in at least one image and at least one object related to the face. For example, the processor 120 can analyze at least one image to acquire pattern information indicating features of at least one of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hairstyle, a beard style, eyebrows, skin, and gender of a person included in at least one image. The pattern information can be generated based on a comparison with a reference model pre-stored in the memory 130. For example, the processor 120 can compare a face shape of the reference model 501 of FIG. 1A and a face shape included in at least one image to acquire pattern information indicating features of the face shape included in at least one image. The pattern information can include information on at least one of a size, a shape, a length, a width, or a thickness of a corresponding object.

[0097] Figure 5A According to various embodiments, in operation 403, when the automatic avatar determination mode is enabled, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can extract feature information of a face included in at least one image and at least one object related to the face. For example, the processor 120 can analyze at least one image to acquire pattern information indicating features of at least one of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hairstyle, a beard style, eyebrows, skin, and gender of a person included in at least one image. The pattern information can be generated based on a comparison with a reference model pre-stored in the memory 130. For example, the processor 120 can compare a face shape of the reference model 501 of FIG. 1A and a face shape included in at least one image to acquire pattern information indicating features of the face shape included in at least one image. The pattern information can include information on at least one of a size, a shape, a length, a width, or a thickness of a corresponding object. Figure 5A The reference model of FIG. 1A is a diagram for facilitating understanding of the disclosure, and the reference model according to various embodiments of the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0098] According to various embodiments, in operation 405, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine a user avatar corresponding to the face among a plurality of candidate avatars based on the feature information. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can compare the feature information of the person (or face) extracted from at least one image and the feature information of each of a plurality of avatars stored in the avatar database 260 to determine a similarity. The processor 120 can determine an avatar having the highest similarity as a user avatar corresponding to the person. According to an embodiment, when a plurality of persons are included in at least one image, the processor 120 can determine a user avatar corresponding to each of the plurality of persons based on the feature information of each of the plurality of persons. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, when a plurality of persons are included in at least one image, the processor 120 can determine a user avatar corresponding to each of the plurality of persons based on the feature information of each of the plurality of persons. Figure 5B ​As shown, processor 120 can determine different avatars 511, 513, and 515 for each person based on the feature information of each person's face and related objects. Processor 120 can control the display (e.g., Figure 1 The display device 160) causes the determined different head images 511, 513 and 515 to be displayed on the area of ​​the face of the corresponding person and the area of ​​the object related to the face.

[0099] According to various embodiments, in operation 407, when the automatic avatar determination mode is disabled, the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine the user's avatar based on user input. For example, the processor 120 can determine the avatar on the display (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The display device 160) displays a list including multiple selectable avatars on at least some areas, and can detect user input for selecting an avatar from the provided list. The list including multiple avatars may include multiple sub-lists divided according to avatar type. Avatar type may include types generated by recognizing user characteristics, animal types, plant types, and cartoon types. The list including multiple avatars may, for example, include... Figure 5C The first sublist 521 shown includes multiple avatars generated by recognizing the user's facial features, and others. Figure 5D The second sublist 523 shown includes multiple avatars indicating animal characters. The processor 120 can display it semi-transparently. Figure 5C The first sublist 521 shown or as follows Figure 5DThe second sub-list 523 is displayed, and the user input for selecting an avatar from the first sub-list 521 or the second sub-list 523 can be detected. The processor 120 can determine the avatar selected by the user input as a user avatar corresponding to the face included in the at least one image. According to an embodiment, when a plurality of persons are included in the at least one image, the processor 120 can provide a user interface requesting selection of a plurality of user avatars corresponding to the plurality of persons, respectively. For example, the processor 120 can display a sequence of the plurality of persons included in the at least one image, and can provide a user interface requesting selection of an avatar according to the displayed sequence. The processor 120 can determine a plurality of user avatars corresponding to the plurality of persons, respectively, based on the sequence of selecting a plurality of avatars and the sequence of the plurality of persons displayed on the screen. As another example, the processor 120 can display one person in a highlighted manner among the plurality of persons included in the at least one image, can assign an avatar selected by the user input to the person in the highlighted manner at a corresponding time, and can perform these operations a plurality of times to determine a plurality of user avatars corresponding to the plurality of persons. As another example, the processor 120 can determine a person to be assigned to a corresponding avatar based on an area to be dragged after selecting one avatar from a list indicating a plurality of avatars, and can repeat these operations a plurality of times to determine a plurality of user avatars corresponding to the plurality of persons, respectively.

[0100] Figure 6 is a flow diagram for determining a size of an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0101] The operations of Figure 6 may be at least a part of the detailed operations described in operations 305 and 307 of Figure 3 will be described below with reference to Figure 7A and 7B at least some operations of Figure 6 .

[0102] Figure 7A and Figure 7B are diagrams for determining a size of an avatar in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0103] Referring to Figure 6 , in operation 601 of the flow diagram 600, the electronic device according to various embodiments can determine a region of both a face and at least one object related to the face in the at least one image. The region of both the face and the at least one object related to the face can be determined as a square region including the object or a region having a shape close to the object.

[0104] Referring to Figure 7AThe processor 120 can detect objects corresponding to a face, ears, a beard, and hair in the image, and thereafter can determine square regions 701, 702, 703, 704, and 705 including the detected objects.

[0105] Referring to Figure 7B , the processor 120 can detect objects corresponding to a face, ears, earrings, a beard, and hair in the image, and thereafter can determine regions 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, and 727 having shapes corresponding to the detected objects. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine the regions of each object by using values (x, y, z) indicating coordinates at which each object is detected.

[0106] According to various embodiments, in operation 603, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine a protection region based on the detected regions. The protection region can refer to a region to be hidden by the avatar. For example, the processor 120 can determine a region including the entire region of each detected object as the protection region. For example, as shown in Figure 7A , a square region 706 including all of the face region 701, the ear regions 702 and 703, the beard region 704, and the hair region 705 can be determined as the protection region, which is a region to be hidden by the avatar. As another example, as shown in Figure 7B , a region 728 including all of the face region 721, the ear regions 722 and 723, the earring regions 724 and 725, the beard region 726, and the hair region 727 can be determined as the protection region to be hidden by the avatar. According to an embodiment, the protection region can be determined by using coordinate values of the regions of each object.

[0107] According to various embodiments, in operation 605, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine the size of the user avatar based on the determined protection region and the avatar shape. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can determine the size of the user avatar based on the size and / or shape of the protection region determined in Figure 4 , and the determined shape of the user avatar. The processor 120 can determine the head size of the user avatar such that the head of the user avatar corresponding to the face can completely cover the determined protection region. For example, as shown in each of Figure 7A and Figure 7B , the head size of the user avatar that can hide the protection region 706 and 728 including the entire region of each detected object can be calculated and determined.

[0108] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a process for controlling the size of an avatar based on a user input in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0109] The detailed operations described below Figure 8 The operations of the Figure 3 The detailed operations described in operation 309 of the Figure 8 The operations 805, 807, and 809 in Figure 9 will be described below with reference to Figure 8 at least some operations of the

[0110] Figure 9 is a diagram for controlling a size of an avatar based on a user input in an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0111] Referring to Figure 8 , in operation 801 of the flowchart 800, an electronic device (e.g., the processor 120 of the Figure 1 ) according to various embodiments can determine whether a user input is detected. The user input can be a user input for adjusting a size of an avatar being displayed. For example, the user input can include at least one of a single-point touch input, a multi-point touch input, a drag input, a press touch input, a double touch input, or a designated gesture input. For example, the processor 120 can determine whether a user input is detected in a state in which a user avatar is being displayed by rendering the user avatar on a region of at least one image of a face and at least one object related to the face.

[0112] According to various embodiments, in operation 803, when the user input is detected, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can adjust a size of the user avatar based on the user input. For example, the processor 120 can provide control such that the size of the user avatar displayed on the display (e.g., the display device 160 of the Figure 1 ) is enlarged or reduced based on the user input.

[0113] Referring to Figure 9 , the processor 120 can display the user avatars 901, 903, and 905 by gradually reducing the size of the user avatars based on the touch input. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can enlarge or reduce all of the user avatars, enlarge or reduce the user avatars in a specific direction, or enlarge or reduce a portion of the user avatars according to a touch input type. For example, when a multi-point touch input is detected, the processor 120 can enlarge or reduce all of the user avatars. As another example, when a single-point touch on a user avatar and a drag in a first direction are detected, the processor 120 can control the user avatar to be enlarged or reduced in the first direction. As another example, when a double touch on a user avatar and a drag in a second direction are detected, control can be made such that a portion of the user avatar where the double touch is detected is enlarged or reduced in the second direction.

[0114] According to various embodiments, in operation 805, an electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine protected area update information based on the adjusted size of the user avatar. Processor 120 can determine, based on user input, that the adjusted size of the user avatar is a preferred avatar size for the user, and can determine protected area update information based on the user's preferred avatar size. The protected area update information may include the amount of size adjustment of the user avatar based on user input (e.g., magnification or reduction), or may include information about objects excluded from the protected area based on user input, or information about objects added to the protected area based on user input. For example, when the size of the displayed user avatar is magnified by A times, the protected area update information may include information indicating "existing protected area × A times magnification". The existing protected area may be, for example, as... Figure 6 The protected area is defined as described in [the document]. As another example, when the displayed user avatar is resized, the protected area update information may include information indicating areas that were hidden by the user avatar before the user resized it, but are now exposed due to the resizing. For example, as [example information would be inserted here]. Figure 9 As shown, after the size of the user's avatar is adjusted by the user's input, when the person's ears 911, part of the hair 912, and part of the face 913 are not hidden by the user's avatar, it is possible to determine the update information of the protected areas indicating the ears 911, part of the hair 912, and part of the face 913 that are not hidden by the user's avatar.

[0115] According to various embodiments, in operation 807, the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine the size of the user's avatar by taking into account the protection area update information. For example, after the size of the user's avatar has been adjusted, such as... Figure 6 As shown in operation 603, the processor 120 can be in the camera (e.g., Figure 1 Camera module 180), memory (e.g., Figure 1 The memory 130) and external devices (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 determines a protected region from at least one different image acquired by at least one of the electronic devices 102 or 104 and server 108; the processor 120 can update the protected region based on protected region update information; and the processor 120 can determine the size of the user's avatar based on the updated protected region. For example, the processor 120 can determine a protected region including the face, ears, hair, beard, and hair accessories from at least one different image acquired after adjusting the size of the user's avatar, and can determine the size of the user's avatar based on the remaining area excluding the ear area from the protected region by using protected region update information.

[0116] According to various embodiments, in operation 809, an electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can display a user's avatar based on a defined size. According to embodiments, operation 809 can be... Figure 3 The operation is the same as 309.

[0117] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating how to provide an avatar in an electronic device using a body in an image, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0118] The following will refer to Figure 11 describe Figure 10 At least some of the operations.

[0119] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the continuous provision of a head image in an electronic device using a body in an image, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0120] Reference Figure 10 In operation 1001 of flowchart 1000, electronic devices (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 can determine whether a face is detected in an image. The processor 120 can be located in memory 130 and external devices (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 detects faces in images acquired from at least one of the electronic devices 102 or 104 and the server 108. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can detect multiple faces in at least one image.

[0121] According to various embodiments, in operation 1003, if a face is detected in an image, an electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can render a user avatar on the face region. According to embodiments, processor 120 can determine a user avatar corresponding to a face detected in the image and can adjust the size of the user avatar corresponding to the face based on the size of the face in the image and the size of the region containing at least one object associated with the face. Processor 120 can render the user avatar based on the adjusted size. According to embodiments, operation 1003 can be the same as operations 303 to 309. For example, as... Figure 11 As shown, if a human face 1101 is detected in an image, a user avatar 1103 can be presented and displayed on an area covering both the human face and objects associated with the face. According to an embodiment, when multiple faces are detected in an image, multiple user avatars corresponding to the multiple faces can be displayed on a display (e.g., display device 160) by performing operations as described in operations 303 to 309 on the multiple faces. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can assign an identifier (e.g., a face ID) to at least one face present in the image.

[0122] According to various embodiments, in operation 1005, an electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine (or confirm) whether faces are continuously detected in an image. For example, processor 120 can determine whether faces are detected in camera module 180, memory 130, or external devices (e.g., Figure 1 The processor 120 determines whether previously detected faces are continuously detected in at least one image acquired by electronic device 102 or 104 (or server 108), or whether previously detected faces are not detected. According to an embodiment, if at least one of a facial contour, eyes, nose, and mouth is not detected in at least one image, the processor 120 can determine that no face has been detected. According to an embodiment, in operation 1001, if multiple faces are detected, the processor 120 can determine whether the corresponding face is continuously detected for each of the multiple faces. For example, if at least a portion of a facial contour with a first identifier is not detected in at least one image, then the processor 120 can determine that no face with the first identifier has been detected. As another example, if a facial contour with a second identifier is not detected in at least one image, then the processor 120 can determine that the face with the second identifier has been continuously detected.

[0123] According to various embodiments, if faces are continuously detected in images, then returning to operation 1003, the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can continuously perform operations of presenting a user avatar on the face region and displaying the user avatar on the display. For example, if a facial contour with a second identifier is detected in at least one image, processor 120 can continuously present and display a second user avatar, such that the second user avatar corresponding to the face with the second identifier covers the face and at least one object associated with the face.

[0124] According to various embodiments, if no face is continuously detected in an image, in operation 1007, an electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine whether a body corresponding to a face exists in the image. The body may include at least a portion of a person's neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. For example, if at least a portion of the facial contour of a face with a first identifier is not detected in at least one image, processor 120 can determine whether at least one of a neck and shoulders corresponding to a face with the first identifier exists in at least one image.

[0125] According to various embodiments, if the body corresponding to the face does not exist, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can remove the user avatar in operation 1015. According to an embodiment, if the face is not detected in at least one image and the body corresponding to the face is not detected, the processor 120 can remove the user avatar being presented on the corresponding face region. For example, if the face having the first identifier and its corresponding body are not detected, the processor 120 can remove the first user avatar corresponding to the face having the first identifier in the display device 160. According to an embodiment, when the first user avatar is removed, the processor 120 can perform an alpha blending process to exhibit an effect that the first user avatar is gradually removed.

[0126] According to various embodiments, if the body corresponding to the face exists, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can determine a region for presenting the user avatar based on the body in operation 1009. According to an embodiment, if the face is not detected in at least one image but the body corresponding to the face is detected, the processor 120 can determine a region for presenting the user avatar by using at least one of information related to the detected body and last display information of the user avatar. The information related to the detected body can include at least one of a position, an angle, a size, and a shape of at least a portion of the body. For example, the information related to the detected body can include at least one of angle information indicating a degree of inclination of the neck, a position of the neck, and a size of the neck. The list display information of the user avatar can include information indicating at least one of a display position, a display size, a display region, and a display angle of the corresponding user avatar at a time when the corresponding face was last detected. For example, the processor 120 can adjust the display angle in the last display information of the user avatar using the angle information of the neck, and thus can determine a region for presenting the user avatar.

[0127] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (e.g., the processor 120) can present the user avatar on the determined presentation region in operation 1011. According to an embodiment, the processor 120 can present the user avatar on the determined presentation region, and thus can continuously display the user avatar through the display 160. For example, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the body 1115 exists in the image, even though the face 1113 of the person is located in a boundary region of the image and thus the face 1113 is not detected, the processor 120 can determine a display region of the user avatar 1121 by using an angle of the neck that is a part of the body 1105. The processor 120 can control the display 160 so that the user avatar 112 is continuously displayed on the determined display region. Figure 11

[0128] ​According to various embodiments, in operation 1013, the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can determine whether a face corresponding to a body has been re-detected in the image. For example, processor 120 can determine in operation 1005 whether a face has not been detected, but in operation 1007, the face of the person whose body was detected is re-detected.

[0129] According to various embodiments, if a face corresponding to the body is detected again in the image, the process returns to operation 1003, and the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can perform subsequent operations. According to various embodiments, if a face corresponding to the body is not detected again in the image, the process returns to operation 1007, and the electronic device (e.g., processor 120) can perform subsequent operations.

[0130] In the above embodiments, a method for displaying a user avatar on an area of ​​both a person's face and at least one object associated with the face is described. In the above embodiments, the user avatar displayed on the area of ​​both a person's face and at least one object associated with the face can be an avatar mask. An avatar mask can, for example, refer to the head portion of an avatar generated by recognizing the user's facial features or the head portion of various characters. However, this is merely for illustrative purposes, and the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, an avatar mask may include at least a portion of a body.

[0131] According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 can support a mask mode and a basic mode, in which the face of a person included in the image is replaced with an avatar, and in the basic mode, all people included in the image are replaced with avatars. Figures 1 to 11 At least some of the above embodiments can be applied to mask mode and / or basic mode. For example, in mask mode, electronic device 101 can adjust the size of the user's avatar according to user input, such as... Figure 8 As shown. As another example, in the basic mode, electronic device 101 can be based on... Figure 8 The user input shown is used to adjust the overall size of the user's avatar.

[0132] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the control of the overall size of a user avatar in an electronic device based on user input, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] Reference Figure 12 Electronic device 101 can be used in, for example Figure 12 A portion 1201 of the user's avatar shown is displayed on the monitor (e.g., Figure 1 The electronic device 101 detects user input for shrinking the user avatar in the status of the display device 160. The electronic device 101 can display the entire portion 1203 of the user avatar by shrinking the user avatar based on the user input for shrinking the user avatar.

[0134] In Figures 3 to 12 the above-described embodiments, each operation can be performed in sequence, but not necessarily in sequence. For example, the order of each operation can be changed, and at least two operations can be performed in parallel.

[0135] According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device 101 can include detecting a face in at least one image, determining a user avatar corresponding to the detected face, determining a region of both the face and at least one object related to the face, determining a size of the user avatar based on the determined region, and controlling the display 160 to display the user avatar on the display (e.g., the display apparatus 160 of Figure 1 ).

[0136] According to an embodiment, the at least one object related to the face can include at least one of hair, ears, a beard, a hair accessory, earrings, and a hat.

[0137] According to an embodiment, determining the size of the user avatar can include determining a guard region including an entire region of both the face and the at least one object related to the face, and determining the size of the user avatar based on at least one of a size and a shape of the determined guard region.

[0138] According to an embodiment, determining the user avatar corresponding to the detected face can include extracting feature information of the face and the at least one object related to the face determined in the at least one image, determining a similarity by comparing the extracted feature information and feature information of each of a plurality of avatars, and determining an avatar corresponding to the highest similarity among the plurality of avatars as the user avatar corresponding to the face.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the extracted feature information can include pattern information indicating at least one feature of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hair style, a beard style, eyebrows, skin, gender, and age.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the pattern information can be generated based on a difference with respect to a reference model.

[0141] According to an embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device can further include detecting a user input with respect to the user avatar displayed on the display, and adjusting the size of the user avatar based on the user input.

[0142] According to an embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device can further include determining whether the face is continuously detected in the at least one different image, if the face is not continuously detected, determining whether at least a portion of a body corresponding to the face is detected in the at least one different image, and if at least a portion of the body is detected, controlling the display such that the user avatar corresponding to the face is continuously displayed on the display.

[0143] The electronic device according to various embodiments can be one of various types of electronic devices. The electronic devices can include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the electronic devices are not limited to those described above.

[0144] It should be understood that various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technological features set forth herein to the embodiments and should be interpreted as including all alterations, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In describing the drawings, similar reference numerals can be used to refer to similar or related elements. It is to be understood that a singular form of a noun corresponding to a item can include one or more of the things as well as the singular form unless the relevant context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C," can include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as "first" and "second" can be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or sequence). It is to be understood that if an element (for example, a first element) is referred to as "including" or "comprising" another element (for example, a second element), the element can further include or comprise other elements (for example, a third element or a fourth element) unless otherwise noted or unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will be understood that the term "comprises or includes" or "comprising or including" when used in this specification, specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or groups thereof.

[0145] As used herein, the term "module" can include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and can interchangeably be used with other terms, for example, "logic", "logic block", "part", or "circuitry". A module can be a single integral component, or a minimum unit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, a module can be implemented in a form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0146] Various embodiments as set forth herein can be implemented as software (e.g., the program 140) including one or more instructions that are stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory 138) that are readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of the machine (e.g., electronic device 101) can invoke at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium, and execute it, with or without using one or more other components under the control of the processor. This allows the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction invoked. The one or more instructions can include a code generated by a complier or a code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium can be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein the term "non-transitory" simply means that the storage medium is tangible, and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but this term does not differentiate between where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data is temporarily stored in the storage medium.

[0147] According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments of the disclosure can be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product can be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or be distributed online via an application store (e.g., Play StoreTM). If distributed online, at least part of the computer program product can be temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory of a manufacturer's server or a server of an application store, and then be received by a user apparatus (e.g., smart phone). In the case of online distribution, at least a part of the computer program product can be temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory of a manufacturer's server or a server of an application store, and then be received by a user apparatus (e.g., smart phone). In addition, at least a part of the computer program product can be temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory of a server of an application store, and then be distributed to a server of a manufacturer or a server of the application store. If the distribution is online, at least a part of the computer program product can be temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory of a server of an application store, and then be distributed to a server of a manufacturer or a server of the application store.

[0148] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components can include a single entity or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above-described components can be omitted, or one or more other components can be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., modules or programs) can be integrated into a single component. In such a case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component can still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, the program, or another component can be carried out sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations can be executed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations can be added.

[0149] While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood that those skilled in the art will be able to make various changes and modifications thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, which are to be interpreted as being limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a display; at least one processor; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: detect a face in at least one image, determine a user avatar corresponding to the detected face, determine a protection area including an entirety of areas of both the face and at least one object related to the face, determine a size of the user avatar based on at least one of a size or a shape of the determined protection area, and control the display to display the user avatar on the display based on the determined size of the user avatar by presenting the user avatar such that the protection area is hidden by the user avatar. 2.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, The at least one object related to the face includes at least one of hair, an ear, a beard, a hair accessory, an earring, or a hat. 3.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to determine the size of the user avatar based on a shape of the user avatar. 4.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein The memory stores a plurality of avatars and feature information about the plurality of avatars, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: extract feature information of the face detected in the at least one image and the at least one object related to the face, determine a similarity by comparing the extracted feature information with feature information about each of the plurality of avatars, and determine an avatar including a highest similarity among the plurality of avatars as the user avatar corresponding to the face. 5.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: provide a list including a plurality of avatars through the display; detect a user input for selecting one avatar from the list; and determine an avatar selected based on the user input as the user avatar corresponding to the face. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: 6.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, detect a user input with respect to the user avatar displayed on the display; and adjust a size of the user avatar based on the user input. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: 7.The electronic device of claim 6, wherein determine that the protection area further includes areas of both the face and the at least one object related to the face in at least one different image; update the determined protection area based on the adjusted size of the user avatar; redetermine the size of the user avatar based on at least one of a size or a shape of the updated protection area; and control the display to display the user avatar on the display by presenting the user avatar based on the redetermined size of the user avatar. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: 8.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein determine whether the face is continuously detected in at least one different image; if the face is not continuously detected, determine whether at least a part of a body corresponding to the face is detected in the at least one different image; ​ and if at least a part of a body corresponding to the face is detected, controlling the display to continuously display the user avatar corresponding to the face on the display. 9.A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising: detecting a face in at least one image; determining a user avatar corresponding to the detected face; determining a protection area including an entirety of areas of both the face and at least one object related to the face; determining a size of the user avatar based on at least one of a size or a shape of the determined protection area; and controlling a display to display the user avatar on the display based on the determined size of the user avatar by presenting the user avatar such that the protection area is hidden by the user avatar.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The at least one object related to the face includes at least one of hair, an ear, a beard, a hair accessory, an earring, or a hat.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, Determining the user avatar corresponding to the detected face includes: extracting feature information of the face determined in the at least one image and the at least one object related to the face; determining a similarity by comparing the extracted feature information with feature information about each of a plurality of avatars; and determining an avatar including a highest similarity among the plurality of avatars as the user avatar corresponding to the face, wherein the extracted feature information includes pattern information of features of at least one of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a face shape, a hair style, a beard style, eyebrows, skin, gender, or age, and wherein the pattern information is generated based on a difference with respect to a reference model.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting a user input for the user avatar displayed on the display; and adjusting the size of the user avatar based on the user input.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining whether the face is continuously detected in at least one different image; if the face is not continuously detected, determining whether at least a part of a body corresponding to the face is detected in the at least one different image; and if at least a part of the body is detected, controlling the display to continuously display the user avatar corresponding to the face on the display. ​ ​

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