Virtual Make-up Stylus Detection for Self-Imaging View Obstruction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual make-up technologies are cumbersome for self-imaging as they require manual selection of images and can be disrupted by the user's finger obstructing the view on the screen, making it difficult to perform virtual make-up operations effectively during self-imaging.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that includes an imaging unit, a display unit, a face-position acquirer, an operation receiver, and a make-up-image composer, which detects the face position, receives touch operations, and composes make-up images by detecting a stylus with a predetermined marker color, allowing for intuitive virtual make-up operations without obstructing the view.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a touch operation is performed to select a face region for virtual make-up, then the face region can be accurately identified, but the user's finger obstructs the view on the screen making it difficult to perform operations during self-imaging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveface region identification accuracyVSAvoidoperation convenience during self-imaging

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a stylus as an intermediary tool between the user and the screen. The stylus detector detects the stylus position and identifies the touched face region without requiring direct finger contact with the screen. This mediator allows the user to perform face selection operations during self-imaging without obstructing the view, as the stylus can be held in one hand while the other hand operates the camera.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical finger-touch interaction with an optical detection system. Instead of detecting direct finger contact on the screen, the system uses a camera to capture the stylus position and processes this visual information to identify the touched face region. This substitution eliminates the need for direct screen contact, allowing users to perform operations during self-imaging without blocking the view.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If manual selection of images is required for virtual make-up, then make-up can be applied to specific images, but it takes effort and time to search for and select target images among multiple self-captured images

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemake-up application precisionVSAvoidtime to search and select images

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary face region identification by detecting the stylus position on the screen and automatically identifying the corresponding face region before the user completes the selection process. The system proactively prepares the face region information based on stylus movement, so when the user confirms the selection, the make-up application is already ready to be applied to the correct region, eliminating the need for manual image searching and selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If finger touch is used to perform virtual make-up operations, then the operation interface is simple, but the finger becomes an interference that obstructs the view of the face on the screen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidview obstruction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stylus serves as an intermediary tool that replaces direct finger contact with the screen. The user holds the stylus in one hand to perform make-up operations while using the other hand to operate the camera for self-imaging. The stylus detector captures the stylus position, and the system processes this information to identify the touched face region, enabling operations without finger obstruction of the screen view.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical finger-touch interface with an optical stylus detection system. The camera captures the stylus position, and image processing algorithms identify the corresponding face region on the screen. This substitution maintains operational simplicity while eliminating the harmful effect of finger obstruction, as the stylus is thin and can be held without blocking the view significantly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9984281B2Image processing apparatus, stylus, and image processing method

Publication Date: 2018.05.29 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An image processing apparatus includes: an imaging unit that images a video; a display unit that displays the imaged video on a screen; a face-position acquirer that acquires a position of a face included in the video on the screen; an operation receiver that receives a touch operation on the screen; and a make-up-image composer that composes a make-up image with a part of the face in the video. The make-up-image composer changes a composition state of the make-up image on condition that a swipe operation is performed in a direction oriented to the position of the face. The image processing apparatus further includes a stylus detector that detects a portion of a predetermined marker color as a stylus from the video when the portion of the predetermined marker color is included in the video.