Device, method and record medium for image comparison

Abstract

An image comparison device for comparing a target object (an object to be recognized or identified) with registered objects (objects which are preliminarily registered to be compared with the target object) includes a registration section and a comparison section. The registration section measures the 3-D shape and surface reflectance of each registered object and registers and stores them as registered data. In the comparison section, a photographing section photographs a target object and thereby obtains an input image. A position/pose estimation section estimates the position/pose of the target object in the input image and thereby obtains position/pose parameters. An illumination correction section generates a reference image of each registered object (a 2-D image of the registered object in the same position/pose as the target object in the input image and under the same illumination condition as in the input image) by use of the position/pose parameters obtained by the position/pose estimation section and the registered data. An image comparison section calculates an evaluation value concerning the similarity between the reference image and the input image. A judgment section judges whether or not each of the registered objects is the same as or similar to the target object based on the evaluation value.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.