Image processing apparatus and method

A method for processing an image, comprising the steps of:

• inputting a first image of a face of a person to be recognized using a first camera;
• inputting a second image of the face of the person using a second camera;
• detecting a face area from the first image;
• deciding whether the second image is a frontal face of the person by referring to the face area;
• detecting a state of open eyes from the face area;
• and
• outputting the second image inputted while the second image is decided to be the frontal face and the state of open eyes is detected;
• wherein a direction from a view position of the second camera to a center position of the face of the person is a facial front direction, and
• wherein a view position of the first camera is located lower than a position of the face of the person, and a direction of the optical axis of the first camera represents an angle of elevation from a horizontal direction.

A computer readable medium that stores a computer program comprising:

• instruction means for causing a computer to input a first image of a face of a person to be recognized using a first camera;
• instruction means for causing a computer to input a second image of the face of the person using a second camera;
• instruction means for causing a computer to detect a face area from the first image;
• instruction means for causing a computer to decide whether the second image is a frontal face of the person by referring to the face area;
• instruction means for causing a computer to detect a state of open eyes from the face area;
• and
• instruction means for causing a computer to output the second image inputted while the second image is decided to be the frontal face and the state of open eyes is detected;
• wherein a direction from a view position of the second camera to a center position of the face of the person is a facial front direction, and
• wherein a view position of the first camera is located lower than a position of the face of the person, and a direction of the optical axis of the first camera represents an angle of elevation from a horizontal direction.