Image processing apparatus and method

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting a color image;
• extraction means for extracting an image area, which has a characteristic different from a background image area of the input color image, from said color image;
• and
• discrimination means for discriminating the characteristic of the extracted image area,
• wherein said extraction means comprises first separation means for separating a background image area from an area to undergo processing in the input color image and second separation means for separating at least one image area from image areas other than said background image area,
• in the extraction process executed by said extraction means, the image area is extracted by recursively repeating processes executed by said first and second separation means.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer program codes for executing an image processing method, said product comprising:

• input process procedure code for inputting a color image;
• extraction process procedure code for extracting an image area, which has a characteristic different from a background image area of the input color image, from said color image;
• and
• discrimination process procedure code for discriminating the characteristic of an extracted image area,
• wherein in said extraction process, the image area is extracted by recursively repeating that a background image area is separated from an area to undergo processing in the input color image and at least one image area is separated from image areas other than said background image area.