WO2012054983A1

WO2012054983A1 - Eyewear selection system

Info

Publication number: WO2012054983A1
Application number: PCT/AU2011/001382
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Howdle; Anthea Muir
Original assignee: Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-10-29
Filing date: 2011-10-28
Publication date: 2012-05-03

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to an image capture and comparison apparatus which includes an image capture device adapted to capture and store a plurality of user images showing a user wearing glasses of interest, at least one image display device adapted to present these user images to the user, and a user interface configured to receive user input to control the compilation and display of at least one comparison view compiled from a plurality of the stored user images. Preferably, the image capture device presents a partially reflective surface to the user when capturing a user image that is adapted to permit the capture of user images through its surface and also to permit a user to view their reflected image. Preferably, the display device has a transparent display located between the image capture device and the user that is adapted to permit the capture of user images through its body.

Description

Eyewear selection System

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for image capture and comparison for the purpose of the selection of eyewear by a customer or user. Preferably it may be employed to capture, compile and display in a comparison view a plurality of user Images illustrating a user wearing a range of glasses.

BACKGROUND ART

Consumers have a strong interest in their appearance when purchasing and wearing apparel of Interest to them. Fashion conscious people may place as much or more weight on the quality of their appearance than on any practical utility when making a purchasing decision for apparel in particular. Commonly a customer will view themselves in a mirror or array of mirrors wearing or using new apparel prior to making a purchasing decision. Using mirrors allows for a clear assessment of a customer's appearance at a retail establishment prior to a purchase being made.

However a pre-purchase appraisal can be difficult for those with impaired eyesight when a new pair of glasses is being considered. In such cases a potential customer's currently worn ophthalmic prescription glasses would need to be replaced with some new frames and glasses that normally does not contain the person's prescription lenses. Therefore, the customer will experience difficulty In clearly seeing their appearance in a mirror. This can be a frustrating situation for those in the market for prescription ophthalmic glasses. Due to these difficulties, eyewear customers with eyesight problems will have difficulty assessing their appearance when trying on new prescription frames or other eyewear on offer. These customers may decide not to purchase new glasses due to these uncertainties. In addition, customers will sometimes be reluctant to make a purchase of new glasses without some feedback from friends or relatives. Furthermore, when trying on a large variety of new frames, or new sunglasses, it is often difficult for the customer to remember which among the large variety available are the customer's favourites, without some means of keeping track of their preferences. Also, customers may appreciate some guidance about which styles of frames will suit their appearance and face shape.

In the past attempts have been made to address some of these problems in eyewear assessment, as disclosed in United States patent nos. 6,147,628 by Tsuyoshi Saigo and 7,062,454 by Jarbridge Inc. These patent specifications describe an entirely synthetic composite representation of a potential customer wearing a set of glasses offered by a retailer or vendor. The systems disclosed in these specifications rely on pre-recorded "virtual" images of a range of glasses stocked by a retailer. These virtual glasses are superimposed on a recorded image of a potential customer's face without the customer wearing any glasses, such as their normal prescription ones. The composite virtual image produced represents an approximation of how a customer might appear when wearing a pair of glasses as shown in a virtual image.

Although the technology disclosed in these two documents does provide an improvement to using simple mirrors for customers with eyesight issues, the simulated images they provide are an approximation at best of how a person's appearance, would be affected by a pair of glasses. Potential customers are heavily reliant on the processing power, quality of the virtual glasses rendering, and image composition processes employed in such systems to produce a believable composite image which they can trust. Often the quality of the resulting images is poor and lacking in realism.

Furthermore, the composite virtual images produced by such prior art systems have limited flexibility in terms of the portability of the resulting composite image generated. These systems generally do not allow users to transport or transmit such composite images to third parties such as friends or family to seek their opinion prior to a purchase being made. In addition, these prior art systems normally illustrate only the head and shoulders of a wearer, thereby providing limited information as to how the glasses on offer would suit the wearer when clad differently.

In addition, these known systems generally do not assist in the decision making for a customer trying to find a style of glasses that matches their facial shape and appearance. In the past it was known to utilise a series of physical templates to compare a person's face against, In order to determine the general shape of their face, such as square, round, oval, or heart shaped. An example of such an approach is provided in Australian Patent No. 636806 by OPSM Pty Ltd. However, with digital capture of faces and a computer assisted analysis of the shape of the face, an improved comparison can be made, and appropriate shaped and styled glasses can be recommended to a customer, if desired.

Improved systems, methods and/or apparatus which address any or all" of the above issues would therefore be useful, in particular, improvements which allowed for the presentation and comparison of real-world recorded images of a user actually wearing eyewear of interest would be of advantage. Improvements over the state of the art which allowed for the comparison of various images of this user wearing different articles or styles of eyewear would also be of advantage. Furthermore, improvements which allowed a user to distribute such images to interested third parties and which also provided flexibility as to the appearance presented of a user in such images would also be of advantage.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention concerns an image capture and comparison apparatus which includes, at least one image capture device able to capture and store a plurality of user images showing a user wearing glasses of interest, at least one image display device adapted to present user Images, and user interface means configured to receive user input to control the compilation and display of at least one comparison view compiled from the plurality of stored user images.

A further aspect of the present invention provides an image capture and comparison apparatus substantially as described above wherein an image capture device presents a . partially reflective surface to a user when capturing a user image. Its surface is able to both permit the capture of user images through It, as well as being able to let a user view their reflected image.

Another aspect of the present invention provides an image capture and comparison apparatus substantially as described above wherein the display device is generally transparent and is located between the image capture device and a user, so that it able to capture user images through its body.

A further aspect of the present invention provides an Image capture and comparison apparatus substantially as described above wherein the user interface means includes at least one touch detection device associated with the image display device and able to receive input from a user so as to provide an interface with the apparatus, and control over it.

As another option, the image capture and comparison apparatus additionally has output means by which to- export the user images. As a preferred option, the output means may be a printer, or a means to send the user images over a network to other display devices. Another preferred feature is for the apparatus to have some means to Identify the glasses of interest being worn by the user and to record their identity. In this case, the means to identify the glasses may be a RFID or barcode reader, or a means of allowing a user to input an identification code for the glasses, for example.

Preferably, the image capture and comparison apparatus may have the user images as video format images or as a plurality of still images. It is also preferred if the apparatus includes some means to determine the facial metrics of a user, so as to be able to allocate that user's face to at least one generalised class of facial shapes, and then to output recommendations to a user of at least one style of glasses suitable for the so allocated class of facial shapes.

Another aspect of the invention concerns a method to permit a user to select glasses in a retail establishment, which comprises the steps of: providing an image capture an comparison apparatus to a user said apparatus as mentioned above, and then (a) having the user activate the apparatus by the user interface means, (b) having the user select some glasses and to wear said glasses, (c) operating th* apparatus to record at least one user image and displaying the image to the user on the image display device, (d) having the user confirm the image is suitable for comparison purposes, or else repeat step (c), (e) having the user repeat steps (b) to (d) with other glasses, (f) having the user select images from steps (d) and (e) for comparison purposes, and (g) having the user, view,. store and/or export the images resulting from step (f) to permit a user to select one or more glasses to purchase in the retail establishment.

Preferably with this method, in step (f) the user may be presented with representations of all the selected images, to permit further selection from among the presented representations. In this case, then the representations may be thumb-nail representations provided on the image display device. It is also preferred that in step (g) the images may be printed, or may be stored on a data storage device, or may be transmitted to another display device via a communications network. As another option, the user may request a recommendation of suitable glasses to be displayed on the image display device, based on the facial metrics of the user that have been captured and allocated to at least one generalised class of facial shapes, and suitable glasses are recommended by the facial class so allocated.

The present invention is adapted to provide an Image capture and comparison apparatus. Preferably the apparatus of the present invention may be employed by users to assess their appearance wearing glasses they may wish to use or purchase in future. The present invention may also allow for a direct comparison to be made between different pairs of glasses of interest as when worn by the user.

The present Invention allows users to readily compare different pairs of eyewear or glasses, preferably when using an installation of the invention located within the premises of an eyewear retailer. Reference In general throughout the specification will also be made to the present invention being installed or deployed within an eyewear retailer's premises In the form of a user or customer assessable kiosk. However those skilled in the art should appreciate that other arrangements, configurations, or applications for the present invention are also envisioned and reference to the above should in no way be seen as limiting.

Reference in general throughout the specification will also be made to a user of the present invention being a customer or potential customer of an eyewear retailer. Again those skilled in the art should appreciate the present Invention may be employed by other forms or types of user, and to other retail or the like situations, if required, and reference the above throughout the specification should in no way be seen as limiting.

The present invention includes at least one Image capture device adapted to capture or record at least one image of a user wearing a pair of glasses they may wish to purchase.

Preferably the image capture device employed can also be adapted to both capture and also store a plurality of user images, with these images showing the same potential customer wearing a different pair of glasses of interest. This capacity of an image capture device to record and store multiple user, images showing different pairs of glasses can allow a user to assess their appearance when wearing different sets of glasses and hence arrive at a purchasing decision.

In a preferred embodiment an image capture device may be formed from any number of a range of existing digital cameras well known in the art. These types of cameras are relatively inexpensive and can also be used to capture sequences of video. Such digital camera systems can also be readily be interfaced with existing information technology components and control systems to Implement the invention required. Digital cameras that easily connect to a PC or other computer or similar device by cabling, wireless or other network capabilities, such as over the Internet, are ideal.

Furthermore, through integration with, or an interface provided to a digital memory device such as a PC or the like, electronic camera systems can readily store a large number of a user images.

In a preferred embodiment, an image capture device may be arranged to capture a sequence of user images showing the user wearing a particular pair of glasses with this sequence forming a video recording of the user. Reference in general will also be made to the present invention utilizing video recordings of users formed from a plurality of user images shown together in sequence. However those skilled in the art should appreciate that the present Invention may also function readily using discrete separate or still user images without the need to capture or display these is a video format.

In a preferred embodiment an image capture device may also include or be provided with a front or facade that provides a partially reflective surface presented to or faced towards a user during image capture. Such a suitable partially reflective surface may be formed by a two-way mirror system which is both partially reflective and partially transparent to light, allowing a user to view an image of themselves substantially equivalent to the user .image being recorded. The use of a two-way mirror in conjunction with an image capture device on the other side of the mirror, able to capture an image through the two-way surface, will allow a user to pose themselves appropriately while these user images are being recorded.

In a preferred embodiment the present invention may have only a single image capture device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may function effectively using a single image capture device which can take discrete images or sequences of Images in a video format from a single angle. However, in other embodiments, two or potentially three image capture devices may be employed concurrently to capture both profiles and forward facing views of a user concurrently if required. The preferred arrangement is of this capture device being located approximately directly in front of the user, but' other arrangements are also possible. For example capture devices may be positioned above the user or below, and in this case, image manipulation software may preferably be used to edit the image; to be displayed so as to appear to be a face-on view. Means may be provided to move the capture device so that it is located directly in front of a face, taking into account the different heights of persons, so that for example, the device may automatically move up or down a support brace so as to position itself directly in front of a face. The facial recognition software may assist in arranging this, or else a RFID chip located on a pair of glasses may be used to locate the position of a person's face. Alternatively, the user may have a manual control to adjust the position of the capture device, or image editing software may alter the image to make it appear that the face is centred on the image being displayed. Preferably, the image capture and comparison apparatus provided includes or incorporates at least one image display device.

In a preferred embodiment an image display device may be formed from any number of a range of electrical display screens such as cathode ray tubes, liquid crystal displays, OLED displays, plasma screens, TV screens, computer monitors, or any applicable similar technology. Ideally, these types of electronically driven display screens can be readily Interfaced with electronic image capture devices such as digital camera systems, or with a computer or network device to which the capture device is in communication. In a preferred embodiment the present invention may incorporate only a single Image display device or display screen. A single display screen can function effectively to display or present user Images to a potential customer. However, those skilled in the art should appreciate that multiple display screens may also be integrated Into the present invention in other embodiments if required. In a preferred embodiment an image display device may be formed by a transparent display device or display screen. A transparent display device may be formed from, for example, a liquid crystal or OLED display with the backing layers and back-light systems of the display removed. The active pixel element of such displays located within a single layer may be selectively enabled in combination with a colour filter to present Images or content while also allowing light to be transmitted through the majority of this display screen.

An image capture and comparison apparatus provided In accordance with the present invention also incorporates a user interface means or apparatus. This user interface means can be capable of receiving user input or user commands to control the compilation and display of a comparison view. Such a comparison view may be compiled from the stored user Images captured where each of these stored user images illustrates or shows the user wearing a different pair of glasses. As mentioned previously, such stored user images include a succession of images in a video format, or a single or set of still images. A comparison view may be compiled by a user selecting particular user images illustrating various pairs of glasses actually being worn by the user.

These selected images can then be arranged side-by-slde within a single image to compile a comparison view. Furthermore, a comparison view may also illustrate or compare side-by-side sequences of video showing the user wearing different pairs of glasses. These video sequences may potentially show the user moving through a similar range of motions while wearing different pairs of glasses. Preferably the user interface apparatus provided is linked to and may control the operation of both the image capture device and also the image display device or screen integrated with the present invention. A user interface apparatus may employ various user interface schemes, systems, or technologies well known In the information technology field.

In a further preferred embodiment, a user Interface apparatus may include at least one touch detection device associated with an image display device. Touch detection devices are becoming increasingly popular and are used by the general public to engage with and provide commands to consumer electronics. Such touch detection devices or systems can provide a control system for the invention which is Intuitive and user friendly for potential customers of an eyewear retailer* Such a touch sensitive display for a user input system can be employed to readily select, format, and compile a comparison view to assist customers in making a purchasing decision.

In a preferred embodiment the present invention is arranged to record or associate a product identification number or stock code in combination with a recorded user image or sequence of user images forming a user image video. These stock numbers can be embedded into such images or video recordings as metadata to identify specifically the frames worn by the user within such Images.

Stock codes may be entered directly by a user engaging with the user Interface systems of the invention prior to a user image being recorded. For example, In some embodiments a touch sensitive display input system can be employed to allow a user to key in a particular stock or code number for a set of frames of interest to them. In other embodiments, a radio frequency identification tag reader may be employed to read a stock code RFID tag from a set of glasses placed in close proximity to the invention. Or a barcode may serve this purpose. These recorded stock codes may be used subsequently by the Invention to readily generate purchase orders or to facilitate a purchase being made by a user once they have decided which glasses to purchase. These codes may also be collected In a database and later analysed to provide statistics on user preferences and trends. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may also provide a facility to export or upload the comparison views it compiles from the plurality of stored user Images It records. This exportation of comparison views may - for example - allow a user to email such data to themselves or to friends and family for feedback, or alternatively to upload this data to websites for display and feedback from web users. In a preferred embodiment the present invention may for example be used to upload comparison view data to social networking sites such as Facebook, potentially allowing friends of the user to vote or otherwise give feedback on which glasses they believe suit the user the best.

In other embodiments the present invention may for example provide a printout of static user images presented In a comparison view for Immediate delivery to a user. In other instances, the Invention may provide a transmission of comparison view data to a digital processing device possessed by a user such as a smart phone, laptop computer or a USB memory stick. Various transmission mechanisms may be used such as physical USB ports, Bluetooth transmissions, wireless TCP/IP transmissions, or as email attachments, as just some examples, so as to deliver such comparison view data.

Uploading user image and comparison view data to Internet resources also allows for further manipulation or modification of the image data by a user. These modifications can provide additional feedback as to the suitability of particular frames or glasses for the user. For example, In one embodiment stored user images and comparison view data may be supplied to image processing software which can superimpose additional Image components onto original user images. In such instances original user images may be modified to show the user wearing additional accessories or clothing (for example) or with different hair styles. This digital manipulation of user images can again provide a user with further information as to the suitability of particular frames or glasses prior to a purchasing decision being made. There is an advantage in this approach with customer haying poor eyesight, as after modelling the glasses and capturing the images, the customer can replace their normal glasses and as a consequence view the images clearly of themselves wearing their potential new purchase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a side cross-section view of. an eyewear selection apparatus as configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and

Figure 2 shows a flowchart of steps executed in a method of using the eyewear selection apparatus illustrated with respect to Figure 1.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure l shows a side cross-section view of an image capture and comparison apparatus as configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The image capture and comparison apparatus 1 shown is adapted to compile at least one comparison view from a number of stored user images; where these user images show a user wearing a particular set of glasses. The glasses 2 to be worn and displayed in such user images may be arrayed on a display stand 3 in close proximity to the main components of the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 is formed from a collection of components sited within a console 4. In one preferred arrangement, two of the console units 4 can be situated back-to-back so as to hide their inner workings from customers, and encased within a single framework and panelling. But other arrangements may also be utilised, such as triangles or squares, having their rear areas adjacent and hidden from sight. Alternatively, each console can be a stand alone unit, with the rear section covered by panels, and able to stand alone or be placed against a wall.

In the embodiment shown with respect to Figure 1, the front face 5 of this console Is formed from a two-way. mirror which provides a partially reflective surface to a user facing the apparatus l. Behind this two-way mirror 5 is provided an image display device formed in the embodiment shown by a liquid crystal display screen 6. Nested behind the liquid crystal layer of the display 6 is a digital Image capture device 7 consisting of a charged coupled device capable of recording digital images of a user through both the liquid crystal display 6 and two-way mirror S.

On the front surface of the two-way mirror 5 a touch sensitive user input system (not shown) may be provided. This touch sensitive layer can be Implemented using a number of existing well known touch Input technologies, allowing the user to provide commands or information to the apparatus via an intuitive and easy to understand interface system. Alternatively, a keyboard, or button-style entry system may be provided. Another alternative is to provide a wireless or Bluetooth interface, and to provide users with a portable hand-held control device to enable input from customers. As another alternative, the system may allow users to connect using a smart-phone and enter commands using its keyboard, as well as to optionally download output Images. More than one entry method may be provided. Other specialised input systems may additionally be provided, such as barcode or RFID readers, as mentioned elsewhere.

This arrangement of components within the apparatus can be used to present a variety of images or views to a user facing towards the front side of the apparatus. For example, when a back-light associated with the liquid crystal display 6 is deactivated the two-way mirror 5 will show a view only of the user facing towards the front of the display in its mirrored or partially reflective surface. In this configuration the image capture device 7 sited behind the liquid crystal display can be used to capture images of users. Conversely, when a back-lighting system of the liquid display Is activated, images presented on the display 6 will be visible to a user through the two- way mirror system 5.

This arrangement of the components of the apparatus therefore allow the capture of user images through the two-way mirror at the same time a user views themselves wearing a particular pair of glasses as reflected in the two-way mirror.

The console 1 will normally have a data storage and processing apparatus, 8, such as a PC, linked to the image capture system 7 and the input means, and the image display device 6 to process the steps required to store and process the images. This apparatus 8 will normally be connected to data export or transmission system, or to printers, and the like, to output the images to the users as and If desired. For example, the Images may be sent by such means to a printer, or emailed to a user's Facebook or email account.

Once the required images have been captured the same viewing surface or display surface of the apparatus can be used to present both the captured user Images and also at least one comparison view as discussed in further detail with respect to Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a flowchart of steps executed in a method of using the image capture and comparison apparatus Illustrated with respect to Figure 1.

In the first stage (A) of this process, a user initially approaches the image capture and comparison apparatus 1 like the one shown in Figure 1. At this stage a user may activate the apparatus through a touching icons on the front face of the two-way mirror 5. At this stage the user may also enter identity Information using the touch sensitive user input system integrated into or on the two-way mirror 5. The user can Identify themselves to the apparatus to allow for the retrieval of records held in relation to their prior purchases or activities. This may involve entering a customer number, or an email address, or just typing their name, for instance. More than one item of Information may be required, and it may also be desirable to require a security password or the like, so as to keep each user's details and images private.

At this stage an image of the user's face may also be captured and provided as an Inpiit to facial recognition or pattern matching software, Based on this face only image such software can provide a list of suggested glasses which the user may be interested in purchasing.

The apparatus may also include a means to determine the facial metrics of a user, and to allocate that user's face to at least one generalised class of facial shapes, and to provide some output to the user indicating recommendations of at least one style of glasses suitable for the allocated class of facial shapes, to which that user has been so allocated.

This can be done using facial recognition software, and to take measurements of facial metrics, such as rations of distances between facial features, including the distance between the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, chin and forehead, for example. These measurements are then used to allocate that user's face into one or more general classes, such as having a round, square, oval or heart-shaped face. Once this has been done, the system can recommend one or more styles of glasses especially suitable for each of the class or classes of shapes to which the face belongs.

The allocation may be done by having a stylist or designer allocate each style of glasses to a class of face shapes to which the designer believes It belongs. Alternatively, the sales history of glasses to particular facial shape classes may be used to do this allocation. For instance, if one style of glasses are being especially strongly chosen by customers with heart shaped faces then this style is linked to this facial class, and can be recommended to future customers who also have this facial characteristic, Other characteristics of the face, such as the person's gender, may also be used to make this allocation.

The recommendation may be presented to the user in any variety of ways, but may preferably be shown to the user as suggestions using the image display device. The user may also call up such suggestions via the user interface device.

Database records held in relation to the identified user can also be employed as an input to such a suggestion system. Prior purchases of frames made by the user can be employed as a starting point to identify additional frames or glasses which may be of Interest.

Once the apparatus has been activated, stage (B) of this process will be completed when the user physically selects one or more sets of glasses frames of interest for which they would like to have user images captured. At this stage a user may employ the touch sensitive components of the apparatus to enter a product identification code to identify a particular set of frames. Alternatively RFID or barcode scanning technology can be employed to scan and retrieve a product identification code for a set of frames placed in proximity to the apparatus, or in a marked scanning area, by the user.

The following stage (C) of this process allows for the recording of at least one user image. At this stage a user is prompted to place a selected pair of glasses on their face after having previously entered a stock number or product identification code for these glasses. These prompts may be by text or schematic instructions on the display 6 in Figure 1, or separately via printed instructions elsewhere on the apparatus. The Image capture device 7 of the apparatus is then activated to capture a sequence of user images, compiled into a video recording, that shows the user wearing these glasses while slowly moving their head to present different profiles or views of themselves.

The two-way mirror 5 at the front of the apparatus may also act as a guide to a user to show them how they are moving and how they Initially appear during the image capture process.

The user is encouraged to execute the same range of movements consistently across all user image videos that are recorded so as to provide for the compilation of an effective or useful comparison view among all the recordings. For instance, a previously recorded video of a model performing the appropriate movements may be shown to the new customer on the image display device as an example of how to use the system.

At the end of the image capture period the recorded user image video is played back to the user via the liquid crystal display 6. The user is then prompted to confirm whether they would be happy to use this video in a subsequent comparison view provided by the invention. If the user is unhappy with the recording made, the process loops to stage (B) again and asks the user to select a new pair of glasses or to repeat the recording phase with the current pair of glasses they are wearing.

Stage (D) of this process is executed once the user confirms they are happy with the user image recording most recently presented to them. At stage (D), the user image video recording is stored and the apparatus prompts the user to indicate whether they wish to record further user image videos showing themselves wearing alternative pairs of glasses. If a user indicates an interest in making further recordings, the process loops back to stage (B) discussed above.

Stage (E) is executed once a user has indicated that they have recorded all user image video sequences of Interest showing all the frames or glasses they are considering for purchase. At stage (E) a montage of small thumbnail images can be presented at the same time to a user. The user is then invited to make selections from these thumb nail images of particular videos for comparison.

Stage (F) of this process is completed once the user has indicated which user image videos they would like to have compiled and presented to them in a comparison view. In this preferred embodiment of the invention the comparison view compiles and concurrently displays at the same time each of the user image videos selected at stage (E) to allow a user to compare their appearance wearing different sets of glasses one at a time. Once the comparison view is displayed to a user, at stage (G) the user is prompted to see if they are interested in seeing the comparison view repeated or displayed again. The stage (F) of this process is repeated again if the user indicates an interest in seeing the comparison view again. If not, stage (H) is executed to prompt the user to indicate whether they are happy with the composition of the comparison view, or if they are interested in recompiling an alternative comparison view. If a recompilation is of interest the process involved loops back to stage (B) discussed above.

Stage (I) is executed once a user indicates they are happy with the comparison view shown to them previously. At this stage a user is prompted to indicate whether they are interested in having this comparison view stored, deposited, or otherwise transmitted onto additional external media for later consideration. If a user indicates that this facility is of interest to them, stage (J) in this process is executed where the user is given the option of, inserting a USB memory stick into a port provided In the apparatus for an upload of the compiled comparison view. Alternatively this comparison view may be transmitted via wireless TCP/IP networking or Bluetooth technology to a personal computer device, smart phone, or other personal digital processing device possessed by a user.

Furthermore, such comparison view data can also be emailed, transmitted, or otherwise uploaded to an Internet based resource accessible to a user. In other instances, a comparison view may be printed showing a snap-shot image of each of the compared user Images presented adjacent to one an other to provide a user with a physical hard copy representation of the comparison made.

Stage (K) of this process is completed once the export or upload of comparison view information is addressed at either stage (I) or (3) discussed above. At stage (K) the user is prompted to terminate the use of the apparatus and discard their current activity session, or to enter into an order processing system which retrieves the entered product or stock code associated with each set of glasses represented within particular user Images. This order selection process can again show a compilation of thumb nail images representing particular user image video sequences with their associated glasses or frames being shown. At this stage a purchase order can be generated by a user for subsequent delivery to the sales staff of an eyewear retailer or for processing via an online ecommerce retail facility. This order may be transmitted to such systems or alternatively a print-out can be provided to a user who can subsequently follow through on their purchase order by approaching the sales staff of the eyewear retailer.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term "comprising" has the non-exclusive meaning of the word, in the sense of "including at least" rather than the exclusive meaning in the sense of "consisting only of". The same applies with corresponding grammatical changes to other forms of the word such as "comprise", "comprises" and so on.

It will be apparent that obvious variations or modifications may be made which are in accordance with the spirit of the invention and which are intended to be part of the invention, and any such obvious variations or modifications are therefore within the scope of the invention. Although the invention is described above with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not limited to those embodiments, but may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. An image capture and comparison apparatus which includes,

(a) at least one Image capture device adapted to capture and store a plurality of user images showing a user wearing glasses of interest,

(b) at least one image display device adapted to present user images, and

(c) user interface means configured to receive user input to control the compilation and display of at least one comparison view compiled from the plurality of stored user images.

2. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture device presents a partially reflective surface to a user when capturing the user Image, said surface adapted both to permit the capture of user images through its surface and to permit a user to view their reflected Image.

3. The Image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the display device has a transparent display located between the image capture device and a user, said transparent display adapted to permit the capture of user images through its body.

4. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface means includes at least one touch detection device adapted to receive input from a user.

5. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, which additionally has output means to export the user images.

6. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 5, wherein said output means is a printer, or means to send the user images over, a network to another display device.

7. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, which additionally has means to identify the glasses of interest being worn by the user and to record their identity.

8. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means to identify the glasses is a RFID or barcode reader or a means to allow a user to Input an Identification code for the glasses.

9. The image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user images are video format images or a plurality of still Images.

10. The Image capture and comparison apparatus of claim 1, which includes means to determine the facial metrics of a user, and to allocate that user's face to at least one generalised class of facial shapes, and to output recommendations of at least one style of glasses suitable for said allocated class of facial shapes.

11. A method to permit a user to select glasses in a retail establishment, which comprises the steps of

providing an image capture an comparison apparatus to a user said apparatus as claimed In any one of claims l to 10, and then

(a) having the user activate the apparatus by the user interface means,

(b) having the user select some glasses and to wear said glasses,

(c) operating the apparatus to record at least one user Image and displaying the image to the user on the image display device,

(d) having the user confirm the image is suitable for comparison purposes, or else repeat step (c),

(e) having the user repeat steps (b) to (d) with other glasses,

(f) having the user select images from steps (d) and (e) for comparison . purposes, and

(g) having the user, view, store and/or export the images resulting from step (f) to permit a user to select one or more glasses to purchase in the retail establishment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (f) the user is presented with representations of all the selected images, to permit further selection from among the presented representations.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the representations are thumb-nail representations provided on the image display device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (g) the images are printed, or are stored on a data storage device, or are transmitted to another display device via a communications network.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the user may request a recommendation of suitable glasses to be displayed on the image display device, based on the facial metrics of the user that have been captured and allocated to at least one generalised class of facial shapes, and suitable glasses are recommended by the facial class so allocated.