Image processing system

An image processing system formed of a hand-held type image processing apparatus having an imaging function, and an image composing apparatus provided separately from the hand-held type image processing apparatus and having no imaging function, wherein

• said hand-held type image processing apparatus, comprising:
• an imaging means that photographs an object and produces the imaging data;
• an object feature data inputting means for inputting object feature data representing a characteristic of the object corresponding to said imaging data;
• and
• a data transmitting means for transmitting to said image composing apparatus the imaging data produced by said imaging means, and the object feature data input by said object feature data inputting means, and
• said image composing apparatus includes:
• a data receiving/storing means for receiving and storing the data transmitted from said data transmitting means;
• a character polygon data storing means for storing polygon data for generating at least one provisional three-dimensional character image;
• a character selecting means for allowing an operator to select the polygon data for composing at least said one provisional three-dimensional character image;
• an image composition processing means for processing the polygon data selected by said character selecting means using said object feature data, and composing the provisional three-dimensional character image by using the processed polygon data and said imaged;
• a first display means for displaying an image composed by said image composition processing means.

An image processing method executed in an image composing apparatus capable of being connected to a face image data providing apparatus provided with a face image data fetching means for fetching face image data, a feature data fetching means for fetching feature data associated with the face image in correspondence to said face image data, and a data transmitting means for transmitting to said image composing apparatus said face image data and said feature data,

• said image composing apparatus comprises at least
• a data receiving/storing means for receiving and storing the data transmitted from said face image data providing apparatus, a character polygon data storing means for storing polygon data for generating at least one provisional three-dimensional character image, and a composed image displaying means for displaying a composed image,
• said image composing apparatus executing following steps of:
• a character selecting step for allowing an operator to select the polygon data for generating at least one provisional three-dimensional character image;
• a polygon data processing step for processing the polygon data selected by said character selecting step using said polygon data processing step;
• and
• a provisional three-dimensional character image composing step for composing the provisional three-dimensional character image using the polygon data processed by said polygon data processing step and said face image data.

An image processing method executed in an image composing apparatus capable of being connected to an image processing apparatus provided with an imaging means for photographing an object so as to generate imaging data, an object feature data inputting means for inputting object feature data representing a feature of the object corresponding to the imaging data, and a transmitting means for transmitting the imaging data and the object feature data,

• said image composing apparatus comprises at least data receiving/storing means for receiving and storing the data transmitted from said image processing apparatus, a character polygon data storing means for storing polygon data for generating at least one provisional three-dimensional character image, and a composed image displaying means for displaying the composed image,
• said image composing apparatus executing following steps:
• a character selecting step for allowing an operator to select the polygon data for generating at least one provisional three-dimensional character image;
• a polygon data processing step for processing the polygon data selected by said character selecting step using said object feature data, and
• a provisional three-dimensional character image composing step for composing a provisional three-dimensional character image using the polygon data processed in said polygon data processing step and said imaging data.

An external storage device detachably attached to a hand-held type game machine at least provided with a data transmitting means for transmitting data to an image composing apparatus, comprising:

• a face image fetching means for fetching face image data;
• a feature data fetching means for fetching feature data associated with the face image in correspondence to said face image data;
• and
• a data storing means for storing said face image data and said feature data in a manner that the both data are associated with each other.