Electronic device capable of selecting and playing files based on facial expressions and method thereof

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and, particularly, to an electronic device with the function of selecting and playing files based on recognition of a facial expression and a method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic devices, such as notebook computers, can play different files in response to different user inputs. The result of playing the file is foreseeable, which may be no continuing novelty for users of the electronic device.

Therefore, what is needed is an electronic device with a function of selecting and playing files based on a facial expression to overcome the described limitations.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the hardware infrastructure of an electronic device capable of selecting and playing files based on recognition of a facial expression, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for selecting and playing files based on recognition of a facial expression implemented by the electronic device of FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows an electronic device 1 with the ability to select and play certain files corresponding to different facial expressions. The electronic device 1 includes a processing unit 10 , a capturing unit 30 , and a storage unit 20 . The capturing unit 30 is configured to capture facial images. The storage unit 20 is configured to store a plurality of files, and a relationship table between facial expressions and the plurality of files. In one embodiment, the at least one file may be one or more appointed files or a number of files with one or more appointed file types. The file may be a video file, an audio file, or a still image file, or a combination thereof.

The processing unit 10 includes a controlling module 101 , a facial image acquiring module 102 , a facial expression identifying module 103 , a file acquiring module 104 , and a file playing module 105 .

The controlling module 101 is configured to control the capturing unit 30 to capture a predetermined number of facial images at a preset time. The preset time may be the time when starting up the electronic device 1 , for example. In one embodiment, the capturing unit 30 is a camera.

The facial image acquiring module 102 is configured to acquire one clear facial image from the predetermined number of facial images. In one embodiment, the facial image acquiring module 102 is configured to acquire a facial image having facial contours as the clear facial image.

The facial expression identifying module 103 is configured to identify the facial expression in the clear facial image. In one embodiment, the facial expression identifying module 103 is configured to analyze the facial characteristics of the clear facial image to identify the facial expression. The method for analyzing the facial characteristics of the clear facial image to identify the facial expression may include steps following: detecting the respective positions of a face, eyes, a nose, and a mouth in a facial image, converting the positions into a standard facial image, and determining whether the current positions match the positions in the standard facial image, if not, determining the difference(s) between the current positions and the positions in the standard facial image, and determining the facial expression according to the determined difference(s). In another embodiment, the facial expression identifying module 103 can use other technologies to identify the facial expression. The facial expression may include among others, happiness, sadness, and thoughtfulness.

The file acquiring module 104 is configured to identify whether there is at least one of the files matching with the identified facial expression in the storage unit 20 based on the relationship table, and acquire the at least one matching file when there is such at least one matching file. In one embodiment, the file acquiring module 104 is configured to acquire one or more appointed files matching the identified facial expression or a number of files of one or more appointed file types and randomly choose one file from the number of files of the one or more appointed file types.

The file playing module 105 is configured to open and/or play the acquired at least one matching file.

Furthermore, in one embodiment, the controlling module 101 is further configured to control the capturing unit 30 to capture the predetermined number of facial images again when the file acquiring module 104 identifies that there is no at least one of the files matching with the identified facial expression in the storage unit 20 based on the relationship table. In another embodiment, the file acquiring module 104 is further configured to generate a window for the user to set the at least one matching file for the identified facial expression when there is no at least one of the files matching with the identified facial expression in the storage unit 20 based on the relationship table. In another embodiment, the file acquiring module 104 is further configured to acquire files according to a predetermined rule when there is no at least one of the files matching with the identified facial expression in the storage unit 20 based on the relationship table. The predetermined rule may be that the file acquiring module 104 must acquire the at least one matching file directly associated with a well known facial expression which is similar to or opposite to the identified facial expression which has no the at least one matching file in the storage unit 20 .

Furthermore, the processing unit 10 includes a resetting module 106 . The resetting module 106 is configured to reset the relationship table between the facial expressions and the plurality of files.

Furthermore, the electronic device 1 includes a flashlight 40 . The processing unit 10 further includes a sensing module 107 and a light controlling module 108 . Immediately prior to the capture of the predetermined number of facial images by the capturing unit 30 , the sensing module 107 is configured to sense the level of natural light, and the light controlling module 108 is configured to determine whether or not that the level is sufficient, and to turn on the flashlight 40 when the level of natural light is not sufficient.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for selecting and playing files based on a facial expression as implemented by the electronic device of FIG. 1 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

In step S 601 , The controlling module 101 takes action based on the occurrence of a particular event or after the lapse of some predetermined time.

In step S 602 , the sensing module 107 senses the level of the natural light.

In step S 603 , the light controlling module 108 determines whether or not that the level of the natural light is sufficient, if it is sufficient, the procedure goes to step S 604 , if it is not, the procedure goes to step S 605 .

In step S 604 , the light controlling module 108 turns on the flashlight 40 .

In step S 605 , the controlling module 101 controls the capturing unit 30 to capture the predetermined number of the facial images at a preset time.

In step S 606 , the facial image acquiring module 102 acquires a clear facial image from the predetermined number of the facial images.

In step S 607 , the facial expression identifying module 103 identifies the facial expression of the clear facial image.

In step S 608 , the file acquiring module 104 identifies whether there is at least one of the files matching with the identified facial expression in the storage unit based on the relationship table, if yes, the procedure goes to step S 609 , if no, the procedure goes to step S 605 .

In step S 609 , the file acquiring module 104 acquires the at least one matching file.

In step S 610 , the file playing module 105 opens and/or plays the acquired at least one matching file.

Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.