Image capture apparatus and method

(54) IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS AND
METHOD

(75) Inventors: Keisuke Tanaka, Asaka (JP); Mikio
Watanabe, Asaka (JP); Yoshiko
Shiimori, Asaka (JP); Hitoshi Ueno,
Asaka (JP)

(73) Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.,

Minami-Ashigara (JP)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/397,768

(22) Filed: Sep. 16, 1999

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data

Sep. 18, 1998 (JP) 10-265147

Sep. 29, 1998 (JP) 10-275601

(51) Int. C I. G06K 9/36

(52) U.S. CI 382/276; 345/473

(58) Field of Search 382/276, 295,

382/296, 293, 162; 345/619, 473

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,745,668 A * 4/1998 Poggio et al 395/175

5,999,194 A * 12/1999 Branelle 345/473

6,097,853 A * 8/2000 Gu et al 382/282

6,373,492 Bl * 4/2002 Kroitor 345/473

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—-Yon J. Couso

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—McGinn & Gibb, PLLC

(57) ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for capturing the image ol a user, transforming the image and then printing the transformed image, the user is notified ol the manner in which the image will be transformed before the image is printed. To accomplish this, the transformed image ol the user is displayed on a monitor display unit before it is printed. Thus the user can verily how the transformed image will look before it is printed. According to another aspect ol the invention, when a captured image is transformed and displayed, the user is allowed to set the method ol transformation and the degree thereol. To this end, the image ol the user is captured and loaded into the image capture apparatus. A screen for setting shape and color transformations is displayed on the display unit ol the image capture apparatus. By pressing buttons on the apparatus, the user changes the position and size ol a small circle in a setting chart displayed in an area ol the display screen. On the basis ol intersections between the circumlerence ol the small circle and three lines, defocusing ol the captured image ol the user, a sepia-tone color conversion and the degree ol conversion ol the eyes ol the image are set.

10 Claims, 46 Drawing Sheets