Object detection apparatus and method thereof

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• a selection unit configured to sequentially select one of a plurality of image data;
• a discrimination unit configured to sequentially perform plural stages of discrimination of whether the image data selected by the selection unit includes a predetermined object using a parameter stored in a storage unit;
• an update unit configured to sequentially select a parameter for a next stage of the discrimination and update a parameter for a current stage of the discrimination stored in the storage unit with the parameter for the next stage;
• and
• a control unit configured to, when the discrimination unit discriminates that current image data includes the predetermined object, control the selection unit to maintain the current image data, the update unit to update the parameter for the current stage stored in the storage unit with the parameter for the next stage, and the discrimination unit to perform the next stage of the discrimination on the current image data using the updated parameter, and when the discrimination unit discriminates that the current image data does not include the predetermined object, control the selection unit to select next image data, the update unit to maintain the parameter for the current stage stored in the storage unit, and the discrimination unit to perform the current stage of the discrimination on the next image data using the maintained parameter.