Image processing method, image processing apparatus, image processing system and computer for recognizing shape change of a facial part

An image processing apparatus for calculating feature amounts of a facial part in a face on the basis of plural image data obtained in chronological order by capturing an object, comparing the calculated feature amounts with a threshold value, and recognizing the facial part, the apparatus comprising:

• a calculation part calculating face orientations on the basis of image data among the plural image data;
• a storage storing the feature amounts calculated from the image data, the feature amounts being associated with the face orientations;
• a facial part recognition part recognizing whether or not different image data of the face other than the plurality of the image data shows that a shape of a facial part on the object is actually changed, on the basis of a feature amount calculated from the different image data, the feature amounts stored in the storage associated with the face orientation in the different image data, and a threshold, and
• a determination part determining whether the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation is equal to or greater than a given number,
• wherein the facial part recognition part includes:
• a part recognizing the facial part in the different image data when the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation in the different image data has been determined to be equal to or greater than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored calculation result associated with the face orientations, and the threshold;
• and
• a part recognizing the facial part when the determination part has determined that the number of the stored feature amounts is less than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored feature amounts associated with another face orientation different from the face orientation, and the threshold.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a computer-executable program for causing a computer, which is connected to a storage, to calculate feature amounts of a facial part in a face on the basis of plural image data obtained in chronological order by capturing an object, to compare the calculated feature amounts with a threshold value, and to recognize the facial part, the program comprising instructions of causing the computer to execute:

• calculating face orientations on the basis of the plurality of pieces of image data among the plural image data;
• storing, in the storage, the feature amounts calculated from the image data, the feature amounts being associated with the face orientations;
• and
• recognizing whether or not different image data of the face other than the plurality of the image data shows that a shape of a facial part on the object is actually changed, on the basis of a feature amount calculated from the different image data, the feature amounts stored in the storage associated with the face orientation in the different image data, and a threshold, and
• determining whether the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation is equal to or greater than a given number,
• wherein the recognizing includes:
• recognizing the facial part in the different image data when the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation in the different image data has been determined to be equal to or greater than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored calculation result associated with the face orientations, and the threshold;
• and
• recognizing the facial part when the determining has determined that the number of the stored feature amounts is less than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored feature amounts associated with another face orientation different from the face orientation, and the threshold.

An image processing apparatus for calculating feature amounts of a facial part in a face on the basis of plural image data obtained in chronological order by capturing an object, comparing the calculated feature amounts with a threshold value, and recognizing the facial part, the apparatus comprising:

• a calculation means for calculating face orientations on the basis of image data among the plural image data;
• a storage for storing the feature amounts calculated from the image data, the feature amounts being associated with the face orientations;
• a facial part recognition means for recognizing whether or not different image data of the face other than the plurality of the image data shows that a shape of a facial part on the object is actually changed, on the basis of a feature amount calculated from the different image data, the feature amounts stored in the storage associated with the face orientation in the different mage data, and a threshold;
• and
• a determination means for determining whether the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation is equal to or greater than a given number,
• wherein the facial part recognition means includes:
• means for recognizing the facial part in the different image data when the number of the stored feature amounts associated with the face orientation in the different image data has been determined to be equal to or greater than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored calculation result associated with the face orientations, and the threshold;
• and
• means for recognizing the facial part when the determination means has determined that the number of the stored feature amounts is less than the given number, the facial part being recognized on the basis of the feature amount calculated from the different image data, the stored feature amounts associated with another face orientation different from the face orientation, and the threshold.