Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program, and recording medium with program stored therein

Abstract

To provide an image processing apparatus which can decide a commodity or a service of interest to a user on the basis of a plurality of images captured by the user, an image processing method, an image processing program, and a recording medium with the program stored therein.SOLUTION: An image processing apparatus reads an image from among a plurality of images captured by a first user. A CPU determines an object of interest to the first user from the read image (step 34). The CPU 11 determines, from the determined object, information on a commodity or a service different from a commodity of the object per se included in the read image or a service selling the object per se (step 35). The image processing apparatus transmits the determined information to a second user or a third user (step 38), and the determined information is transmitted from the second user or the third user to the first user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, an image processing program, and a recording medium storing the program. [Background technology]

[0002] When a user searches for or purchases a product using the Internet, the product name must be entered. Since a search cannot be performed if the user does not know the product name, some systems have been developed that search for the product or similar objects to be searched for (Patent Document 1). In addition, when purchasing a product using the Internet, some systems recognize the product category of an item contained in an image posted by the user, and determine recommended products from product categories other than the recognized product category (Patent Document 2). In addition, some systems obtain product names from posted information, identify the user's preferences, and generate recommended information (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-006660 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-141892 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2016-184369 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a user tries to find an object of interest using an image that the user has taken, the user may be interested in things that are not included in the image, in addition to the subject itself that is included in the image. In cited document 1, when a user searches for a product called shoes, clothes that go well with the shoes are suggested, and images taken by the user are not used. In cited document 2, an item category other than the item category included in the posted image is identified from the posted image, but since only one posted image is used, it is not necessarily clear whether the user has found an object of interest. In cited document 3, the user's preferences are identified based on text posted by the user on a social networking service (SNS) or the like, and are not related to the user's images.

[0005] The present invention has an object to determine products and services in which a user may potentially be interested, based on images read from a recording device in which multiple images taken by the user are recorded. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The image processing device of the present invention comprises a reading means for reading an image from a recording device which records a plurality of images taken by a first user, a subject detection means for detecting a subject contained in the image read by the reading means, and a first determination means for determining information about at least one of a product other than the subject itself detected by the subject detection means or a service other than a service selling the subject itself.

[0007] The present invention also provides an image processing method, in which a reading means reads an image from a recording device that records a plurality of images taken by a first user, a subject detection means detects a subject included in the image read by the reading means, and a determining means determines information about at least one of a product different from the subject itself detected by the subject detection means or a service different from a service selling the subject itself.

[0008] The present invention also provides a program for controlling a computer of an image processing device and a recording medium storing the program.

[0009] The image processing device may include a reading means for reading an image from a recording device that records a plurality of images taken by a first user, and a processor, and the processor may detect a subject contained in the image read by the reading means and determine information about at least one of a product other than the detected subject itself or a service other than a service selling the subject itself.

[0010] It is preferable that the first determination means determines information about a product or service related to the subject detected by the subject detection means, and information about a product other than the subject itself detected by the subject detection means or a service other than a service selling the subject itself.

[0011] The reading means, for example, reads two or more images from a recording device.

[0012] The subject detection means detects, for example, subjects that appear more than a threshold value among subjects obtained from two or more images read by the reading means.

[0013] The subject is, for example, the main subject.

[0014] The subject detection means may detect a first subject included in a first image and a second subject included in a second image from among the multiple images read by the reading means. In this case, the first determination means determines, for example, information on at least one of a product different from both the first subject and the second subject detected by the subject detection means or a service different from the service sold by both the first subject and the second subject.

[0015] The subject detection means detects, for example, at least two subjects included in the image read by the reading means. In this case, the first determination means determines information on at least one of a product or service related to a combination of at least two subjects, which is, for example, a product different from the subject itself detected by the subject detection means or a service different from a service selling the subject itself.

[0016] The information processing device may further comprise a notification means for notifying a second user who sells the product or a third user who provides the service of information about the product or service determined by the first determination means.

[0017] The system may further include a photography skill determination means for determining the photography skill of the first user based on the image read by the reading means, and a second determination means for determining information about products or services related to photography depending on the determination result by the photography skill determination means.

[0018] The image capturing device may further include an image capturing device information detection means for detecting information about a first image capturing device that captured the images based on the multiple images read by the reading means, and a third determination means for determining information about a second image capturing device based on the information about the first image capturing device.

[0019] The device may further comprise a display control means for causing a display device to display the information determined by the first determination means.

[0020] The first determination means may, for example, determine information about a product or service related to the subject itself detected by the subject detection means, but may also determine information about at least one of a product other than the subject itself detected by the subject detection means or a service other than a service selling the subject itself. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, products and services in which a user is interested can be determined based on a plurality of images taken by the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is an overview of an image processing system. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a storage server. FIG. [Diagram 3] It shows the user's image that is recorded on the hard disk. [Figure 4] 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a storage server. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a storage server. [Figure 6] 13 is an example of an image of a first user. [Figure 7] 13 is an example of management information regarding a product. [Figure 8] 13 is an example of management information regarding a service. [Figure 9] 13 is an example of an image of a second user. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for determining an object of interest to a first user. [Figure 11] 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a storage server. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a storage server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] [First Example] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, showing an overview of an image processing system.

[0024] The image processing system includes n (n is a positive integer) client computers 1-n, which are connected to the Internet. The image processing system also includes a storage server 10 and an information providing server 20, and each of the storage server 10 and the information providing server 20 can communicate with each of the n client computers 1-n via the Internet.

[0025] The client computers 1-n transmit image files representing images taken by users to the storage server 10, and the storage server 10 receives and stores the image files transmitted from the client computers 1-n. The information providing server 20 transmits information to users, but the storage server 10 may transmit information to users.

[0026] 1 shows n client computers 1-n, but only one client computer may be included in the image processing system. Regardless of the number of client computers, it is sufficient if multiple users can use the client computers to upload image data to the storage server 10. Also, communication devices such as smartphones may be used instead of the client computers 1-n.

[0027] Moreover, the image processing system may be configured without using the information providing server 20 .

[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the storage server 10. As shown in FIG.

[0029] The overall operation of a storage server 10 (an example of an image processing device) is controlled by a CPU (central processing unit) 11 .

[0030] Storage server 10 includes a communication device 12 for connecting to the Internet, a memory card reader / writer 13 for accessing a memory card 14, a compact disk drive 15 for reading data recorded on a compact disk 16, a hard disk 18 for recording image files and the like sent from users (client computers 1-n), and a hard disk drive 17 for writing image files to hard disk 18 and reading image files from hard disk 18. Storage server 10 also includes a memory 19 and a display device 19A.

[0031] A program that controls the operation of the storage server 10 is stored on a compact disc 16 (portable recording medium), and the program recorded on the compact disc 16 is read by a compact disc drive 15 and installed on the storage server 10. The program may not be read from the compact disc 16 and installed on the storage server 10, but may be received by the storage server 10 via a network such as the Internet, and the received program may be installed on the storage server 10.

[0032] The information providing server 20 has the same electrical configuration as the storage server 10, and includes a CPU, a communication device, a memory, and the like.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a number of images stored on the hard disk 18.

[0034] A hard disk 18 (an example of a recording device) stores a plurality of images taken by a plurality of users, such as images P1 to P100 taken by user U1, images P101 to P200 taken by user U2, and images P201 to P300 taken by user U3. Images of users other than users U1, U2, and U3 are also stored on the hard disk 18. By using a user ID and password, user U1 can access images P1 to P100 of user U1, but cannot access images of other users, such as images P101 to P200 of user U2 or images P201 to P300 of user U3. Other users are also managed so that they can access their own images but cannot access images of other users.

[0035] In this embodiment, a subject included in a plurality of images taken by a user (an example of a first user, hereinafter referred to as the first user) is detected, and information about at least one of a product other than the subject itself or a service other than a service selling the subject itself is determined. The determined information is transmitted to the first user.

[0036] 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the processing procedure of the storage server 10 (image processing device).

[0037] The processing procedures shown in Figures 4 and 5 may be started when the determined information is sent to the first user, or may be started at any timing, or may be started periodically, or may be started when an image is sent from a user to the storage server 10. It is possible to determine which of the multiple users is to be the first user in any way. The order may be simply based on the user ID, or on the number of images uploaded by the users who uploaded the images in order of oldest or newest, or on the frequency of uploads.

[0038] In any case, when it is time to determine the information about the first user, the CPU 11 of the storage server 10 judges whether it is set to read one image, or to read two or more images, of the multiple images taken by the first user, from the hard disk 18 of the storage server 10. This setting may be set, for example, for each user, or may be set uniformly regardless of the user.

[0039] When it is set to read one image (YES in step 31), any one of the multiple images taken by the first user and stored in the hard disk 18 is read by the hard disk drive 17 (one example of a reading means) (step 32). Any image of the multiple images taken by the first user may be read by the hard disk drive 17. For example, the last image taken or the last image sent to the storage server 10 may be read by the hard disk drive 17. An image taken at the time when the first user is notified of information may be read by the hard disk drive 17, or if there is an image taken of a special event, the image of the special event may be read by the hard disk drive 17. Data such as the time when the image was taken and the event represented by the image are recorded in the header of the image file representing the image, and can be known from the header. However, data such as the time when the image was taken and the event represented by the image may be recorded in the hard disk 18 as an image data table for each user in correspondence with the image (image file name). In this case, the data recorded in the image data table is updated by the CPU 11 every time an image is uploaded.

[0040] When the image is read, a subject (which may be a main subject) included in the read image is detected by the CPU 11 (which is an example of a subject detection means) (step 33).

[0041] FIG. 6 is an example of an image 50 read from the hard disk 18 .

[0042] Figure 6 is an image of a person riding a bicycle.

[0043] The image 50 includes a bicycle 51, a water bottle 52, cycling wear 53, sunglasses 54, a helmet 55, and the like as subjects. The bicycle 51, the water bottle 52, the cycling wear 53, the sunglasses 54, and the helmet 55 are detected by the CPU 11 as subjects included in the image 50. The subject detection is performed, for example, by performing edge detection on the image 50, and matching the shape, color distribution, and the like of the obtained area with product images previously stored in the hard disk 18 or a storage device provided outside the storage server 10. Through the subject detection, the CPU 11 recognizes the specific products, etc., of the subjects included in the image 50 (note that the terms "products" and "products, etc." may include services. The same applies below).

[0044] When the CPU 11 detects a main subject, for example, a bicycle 51 is detected as the main subject. Of the bicycle 51, water bottle 52, cycling wear 53, sunglasses 54, helmet 55, etc. detected as subjects in image 50, a subject that is located near the center of the image and has a size ratio to image 50 of at least a certain value is detected as the main subject, but the main subject may be determined by CPU 11 using other methods. The number of main subjects is not limited to one, and may be two or more.

[0045] When the CPU 11 detects a subject (main subject) from within the image 50, the CPU 11 determines an object that is likely to be of interest to the first user from the detected subjects (main subject) (step 34 in FIG. 5).

[0046] In the image 50, a bicycle 51, a water bottle 52, cycle wear 53, sunglasses 54, and a helmet 55 are detected as subjects, so that, for example, road racing, bicycle, etc. are determined by the CPU 11 from the subjects as the object of interest of the first user. For this determination, for example, AI (artificial intelligence) can be used, or a correspondence table between subjects and objects can be used. For example, the correspondence table can be stored in advance in the hard disk 18, the storage server 10, etc., and the CPU 11 can determine the object of interest of the first user from the correspondence between them. When the CPU 11 determines the object of interest of the first user using the bicycle 51 as the main subject, for example, road racing, cycling, bicycle, etc. are determined by the CPU 11. The object of interest of the first user may be the subject (main subject) itself detected from the image 50, or it may be something related to the subject (main subject) rather than the subject (main subject) itself. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the object of interest of the first user is determined to be a bicycle.

[0047] When the object of interest of the first user is determined by the CPU 11, the information to be notified to the first user is determined by the CPU 11 based on the determined object (step 35). In this way, the determined information is, for example, about the object of interest of the first user. However, the CPU 11 may determine the information to be notified to the first user by using the subject (main subject) detected from the image 50 as described above, without determining the object of interest of the first user. In either case, the CPU 11 determines the information to be notified to the first user so that it is a product different from the subject itself detected from the image 50 or a service different from the service selling the subject itself. In this embodiment, a case will be mainly described in which the object of interest of the first user is first determined from the detected subject (main subject), and then the management structure of the product information for the object of interest is referenced to determine the information about the product to be notified to the first user.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows an example of a management structure for product information.

[0049] The management structure is composed of multiple hierarchies. The first hierarchical level is "sports goods," and the second hierarchical level below the first hierarchical level manages products with concepts below the "sports goods" in the first hierarchical level. Although "bicycles" are exemplified in the second hierarchical level, other products (e.g., mountaineering equipment) also exist. The third hierarchical level below the second hierarchical level manages products with concepts below the products in the second hierarchical level. For example, "bicycle accessories," "maintenance products," and "wear / shoes," which are products with concepts below "bicycles," which is an example of a product in the second hierarchical level, are shown as examples of products in the third hierarchical level. Similarly, the fourth hierarchical level below the third hierarchical level manages products with concepts below the products in the third hierarchical level. For example, "smartphone folders," "cycle computers," and "locks," which are examples of products in the fourth hierarchical level, are managed as products with concepts below the product "bicycle accessories," which is an example of a product in the third hierarchical level. Similarly, products with concepts below those products are managed for "maintenance products" and "wear / shoes," which are examples of products in the third hierarchical level. Not all sports goods are prescribed to have the first to fourth hierarchical levels, and depending on the type of sports goods, the number of hierarchical levels may be less than or more than four.

[0050] Although the first level of the product information management structure shown in Figure 7 shows only "sports goods," other classifications are similarly defined, such as "music goods," "travel goods," "health goods," "animals," and "plants."

[0051] FIG. 8 shows an example of a management structure of service information.

[0052] In Figure 8, services related to events such as "bicycle tours," "bicycle maintenance," "road races," and "cycling competitions" are specified in the hierarchy below the product "bicycle." However, services for selling "bicycles" themselves are not specified, although they may be specified.

[0053] A management structure similar to that shown in FIG. 8 is defined for products other than the product "bicycle."

[0054] The product information management structure shown in FIG. 7 and the service information management structure shown in FIG. 8 are determined for various products, and data representing these management structures is stored in the hard disk 18 or an external storage device of the storage server 10.

[0055] The CPU 11 can determine information about a product to be notified to the first user by referring to the management structure of product information shown in Figure 7, and can determine information about a service to be notified to the first user by referring to the management structure of service information shown in Figure 8.

[0056] When the object of interest of the first user is determined to be "bicycle" (the same applies when the object of interest is not determined and the detected object or main object is determined to be "bicycle"), the "bicycle" defined in the second layer is read by the CPU 11 with reference to FIG. 7. Products defined in layers lower than the second layer and different from the object detected from the image 50 become the information about the product to be notified to the first user. For example, "smartphone folder" and "cycle computer" defined in the fourth layer below "bicycle accessories" in the third layer below the second layer where bicycles are defined, and "air pump" and "tools" defined in the fourth layer below "maintenance goods" in the third layer below the second layer where bicycles are defined become the information about the product to be notified to the first user.

[0057] Information on multiple products may be provided to the first user, or information on one product may be provided to the first user. Information on products that are selling well to a certain number of people or more may be provided to the first user. However, among the products defined in the fourth hierarchical level, which is below "Clothing / Shoes" in the third hierarchical level below the second hierarchical level in which bicycles are defined, "helmets" and "cycling wear" are detected as subjects from image 50, and therefore do not become information about products to be provided to the first user.

[0058] Similarly, referring to Fig. 8, services about events and the like defined in the hierarchy below the "Bicycle" hierarchy, such as "Bicycle Tours" and "Bicycle Maintenance", become information about services to be notified to the first user. Since services that sell "bicycles" themselves are not defined in the hierarchy below "Bicycles", services that sell bicycles themselves do not become information about services to be notified to the first user. Information about services with a certain number of users or more may be notified to the first user.

[0059] It is also possible that a plurality of subjects (main subjects) are detected from one image 50, and the CPU 11 determines at least one of information on a product or service to be notified to the first user using the plurality of subjects (main subjects). In such a case, information on products other than the products corresponding to the plurality of detected subjects is determined by the CPU 11 from the product management structure shown in Fig. 7. As for services, information on services defined in a hierarchy below the detected subjects as shown in Fig. 8 is also determined by the CPU 11.

[0060] Information about the products and services thus determined is displayed on the display screen of the display device 19A by the CPU 11 (an example of a display control means) (step 36).

[0061] If the information about the determined product or service is the subject itself included in the image 50 or the service itself that sells that subject (YES in step 37), the object in which the first user is interested is determined again by the CPU 11, and new information to be notified to the first user is determined by the CPU 11. If the information about the determined product or service is not the subject itself included in the image 50 or the service itself that sells that subject (NO in step 37), the information about the determined product is transmitted to the second user by the communication device 12, and the information about the determined service is transmitted to the third user by the communication device 12 (step 38).

[0062] Information about the determined product is transmitted from the second user to the first user, and the first user can purchase the product by knowing that information. Also, information about the determined product is transmitted from the third user to the first user, and the first user can purchase a service by knowing that information. Both information about the determined product and information about the determined service may be transmitted to the second user or the third user. Both information about the determined product and information about the determined service is transmitted to the first user from at least one of the second user and the third user.

[0063] When two or more images out of the multiple images taken by the first user are read by the hard disk drive 17 (an example of a reading means) (NO in step 31 of Figure 4, YES in step 42), a subject (main subject) is detected from each of the two or more images read by the CPU 11 (an example of a subject detection means) (step 43).

[0064] For example, assume that the image 50 shown in FIG. 6 and the image 70 shown in FIG. 9 are read by the hard disk drive 17. As described above, the bicycle 51, the water bottle 52, the cycle wear 53, the sunglasses 54, the helmet 55, etc. are detected as subjects from the image 50 shown in FIG. 6 (all or any one of the subjects of the bicycle 51, the water bottle 52, the cycle wear 53, the sunglasses 54, and the helmet 55 is an example of the first subject). The dog 71-75 is detected as a subject from the image 70 shown in FIG. 9 (all or any one of the dogs 71-75 is an example of the second subject). From the subjects of the bicycle 51, the water bottle 52, the cycle wear 53, the sunglasses 54, and the helmet 55 included in the image 50 shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 11 determines the "bicycle" as an object of interest to the first user, and from the dogs 71-75 included in the image 70 shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 11 determines the "dog" as an object of interest to the first user (step 34 in FIG. 5).

[0065] From these objects of interest, the information to be notified to the first user is determined by the CPU 11 (an example of a first determination means) (step 35 in FIG. 5). When a plurality of objects of interest are determined in this manner, at least one of a product and a service that are commonly used by the plurality of objects of interest and are a product other than the detected object itself or a service other than a service that sells the detected object itself is determined by the CPU 11. For example, when "bicycles" and "dogs" are determined as the objects of interest of the first user, first, all data in the management structure of product information and service information related to bicycles is read. Also, all data in the management structure of product information and service information related to dogs is read. Then, information about a product that appears in both the management structure of product information related to bicycles and the management structure of product information related to dogs, in this case "bicycle pet carrier case" used when carrying a dog on a bicycle, is determined by the CPU 11 as information about a product to be notified to the first user. Furthermore, information about a service that appears in both the management structure of service information about bicycles and the management structure of service information about dogs, in this case "hotels where you can cycle with your pet", is determined by the CPU 11 as information about a service to be notified to the first user. Of course, other products and services may be determined by the CPU 11 as information to be notified to the first user.

[0066] AI may be used to determine related products and services from among multiple objects of interest, and information about the products and services may be provided to the first user. For example, CPU 11 may find images (not limited to images taken by the first user in this case) that contain multiple objects of interest in hard disk 18, determine the shooting conditions represented by the found images (for example, travel for an image of travel, pet meet for an image of a pet meet), and set the shooting conditions as the object of interest to the user. From the objects thus determined, CPU 11 may determine at least one piece of information about the products and services to be provided to the first user.

[0067] If the determined information is neither the subject itself detected from the image read from the hard disk 18 nor the service selling the detected subject itself (NO in step 37), the information about the determined product is transmitted by the communication device 12 (one example of a notification means) to, for example, a second user who sells the determined product, and the information about the determined service is transmitted by the communication device 12 to, for example, a third user who provides the determined service (step 38). It may also be transmitted to the first user. Both the information about the product and the information about the service may be transmitted by the communication device 12 to the second user or the third user, or may be transmitted by the communication device 12 to the first user.

[0068] According to the above-described embodiment, products and services in which a user is interested can be determined based on a plurality of images taken by the user.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure for determining an object of interest to the first user (the processing procedure of step 34 in FIG. 5).

[0070] When a subject (main subject) is detected from each of two or more images, the CPU 11 calculates the number of detections (number of occurrences) for each type of detected subject (main subject) (step 61).The CPU 11 determines an object of interest to the first user from among the subjects (main subjects) whose number of detections is equal to or exceeds a threshold value (first threshold value) (step 62).

[0071] The more frequently a subject (main subject) is detected, the more the subject (main subject) is considered to be of interest to the first user. From the subjects (subjects) of interest to the first user, the CPU 11 can determine the target of interest to the first user.

[0072] [Second Example] 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the storage server 10 according to the second embodiment. The processing procedure shown in FIG. 11 corresponds to the processing procedures shown in FIG.

[0073] As in the first embodiment, when the hard disk drive 17 reads an image taken by a first user from the hard disk 18 of the storage server 10, if the storage server 10 is set to read one image (YES in step 81), one image is read by the hard disk drive 17 (step 82); if the storage server 10 is set to read two or more images (NO in step 81), two or more images are read by the hard disk drive 17 (step 83).

[0074] The first user's photography skill is judged by CPU 11 (one example of photography skill judgment means) using one or more of the scanned images (step 84). CPU 11 analyzes the images to determine the first user's photography skill based on the degree of blur, brightness, and contrast of the main subject contained in the image, the size and position of the main subject relative to the entire image, and other information obtained (step 85).

[0075] When the photography skill is known, information on products and services related to photography is determined by the CPU 11 (an example of the second determination means) according to the photography skill (step 85). For example, when the photography skill of the first user is determined to be beginner, products such as a book on how to take pictures for beginners, a camera for beginners, and services such as photography classes for intermediate users are determined by the CPU 11 as information on products and services related to photography. For example, when the photography skill of the first user is determined to be intermediate, products such as a book on how to take pictures for intermediate users, cameras, cameras and lenses for intermediate users, and services such as photography classes for intermediate users are determined by the CPU 11 as information on products and services related to photography. Also, when the photography skill of the first user is determined to be advanced, products such as cameras, lenses, and camera filters for advanced users, services such as introductions to jobs as a photographer, and introductions to photography class instructors are determined by the CPU 11 as information on products and services related to photography. Information on products and services may be determined in advance for each photography skill.

[0076] When the information about the product and service is determined, the CPU 11 displays the determined information on the display screen of the display device 19A of the storage server 10 (step 86). The information about the determined product is transmitted to the second user by the communication device 12, and the information about the determined service is transmitted to the third user by the communication device 12 (step 87). The information about the determined product is transmitted from the second user to the first user, and the information about the determined service is transmitted from the third user to the first user. The communication device 12 of the storage server 10 may transmit information about at least one of the determined product and service to at least one of the second user and the third user.

[0077] In the processing procedure shown in FIG. 11, the processing of steps 84 to 86 may be performed between the processing of steps 35 and 36 in FIG.

[0078] According to the second embodiment, the storage server 10 can determine information about products and services according to photography skills.

[0079] [Third Example] 12 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the storage server 10 according to the third embodiment. The processing procedure shown in FIG. 12 corresponds to the processing procedures shown in FIG.

[0080] As in the first and second embodiments, when hard disk drive 17 reads an image taken by a first user from hard disk 18 of storage server 10, if storage server 10 is set to read one image (YES in step 91), one image is read by hard disk drive 17 (step 92); if storage server 10 is set to read two or more images (NO in step 91), two or more images are read by hard disk drive 17 (step 93).

[0081] Using the one or more images that have been read, information about the first photographing device (the photographing device of the first user) is read by the CPU 11 (an example of a photographing device information detection means) (step 94). The information about the first photographing device is recorded in the header of the image file representing the image read from the hard disk 18, and therefore the CPU 11 can read the information from the header.

[0082] When the information on the first photographing device is read, information on the second photographing device is determined by the CPU 11 (an example of a third determination means) (step 95). The information on the first photographing device is information on the device with which the first user took an image, and the information on the second photographing device is, for example, information on a photographing device recommended to the first user, for example, information for encouraging the first user to purchase a product, etc. For example, information on a photographing device that is a higher-end model than the first photographing device, information on a higher-end camera, etc. are examples of information on the second photographing device.

[0083] When the information regarding the second imaging device is determined, the determined information is displayed on the display screen of the display device 19A of the storage server 10 by the CPU 11 (step 96). The determined information is transmitted to the second user by the communication device 12 (step 97). The communication device 12 of the storage server 10 may transmit the determined information to the second user.

[0084] In the processing procedure shown in FIG. 11, the processing of steps 94 and 95 may be performed between the processing of steps 35 and 36 in FIG.

[0085] According to the third embodiment, for example, the storage server 10 can determine information regarding a second imaging device to recommend to a first user.

[0086] The processing units that execute the above-mentioned processes include the CPU 11 that executes software and functions as various processing units, as well as programmable logic devices such as FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors having a circuit configuration specially designed to execute specific processes, such as ASICs (application specific integrated circuits).

[0087] One processing unit may be configured with one of these various processors, or may be configured with a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). As an example of configuring multiple processing units with one processor, first, as represented by computers such as client computers and servers, one processor is configured with a combination of one or more CPUs and software, and this processor functions as multiple processing units. Second, as represented by systems on chips, there is a form in which a processor is used that realizes the functions of the entire system including multiple processing units with a single IC (integrated circuit) chip. In this way, the various processing units are configured using one or more processors of various types as a hardware structure.

[0088] Furthermore, the hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1-n: computer, 10: storage server, 11: CPU, 12: communication device, 13: memory card reader / writer, 14: memory card, 15: compact disk drive, 16: compact disk, 17: hard disk drive, 18: hard disk, 19: memory, 19A: display device, 20: information server, 50: image, 51: bicycle, 52: water bottle, 53: cycling wear, 54: sunglasses, 55: helmet, 70: image, P1-P300: image, U1-U3: user

Claims

1. a reading means for reading two or more images from a recording device in which a plurality of images taken by a first user are recorded; a subject detection means for detecting at least two subjects whose occurrence count is equal to or exceeds a threshold value among the subjects obtained from the two or more images read by the reading means; a determination means for determining information on at least one of a product and a service commonly used by at least two subjects detected by the subject detection means, the product being a different type from the detected subjects themselves, or a service selling the detected subjects themselves and a different type of service; An image processing device comprising:

2. setting at least two subjects detected by the subject detection means as predetermined targets; The commonly used products and services are products and services commonly used by the specified target. The image processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The reading means reads two or more images from a recording device in which a plurality of images taken by a first user are recorded, a subject detection means for detecting at least two subjects, the number of occurrences of which is equal to or greater than a threshold value, from among the subjects obtained from the two or more images read by the reading means; a determining means for determining information on at least one of a product and a service that are commonly used by at least two subjects detected by the subject detection means, the product being a different type from the detected subjects themselves, or a service selling the detected subjects themselves and a different type of service; Image processing methods.

4. A computer readable program for an image processing device, reading two or more images from a recording device in which a plurality of images taken by a first user are recorded; Detecting at least two objects whose occurrence count is equal to or exceeds a threshold value among the objects obtained from the two or more images read; A program for controlling the computer of an image processing device to determine information about at least one of goods and services that are commonly used by at least two detected subjects, the goods and services being different in type from the detected subjects themselves, or the services selling the detected subjects themselves and the services being different in type.

5. A recording medium storing the program according to claim 4.

Images