Method and apparatus for automatically identifying a representative image for an image group

An apparatus for identifying a representative image for an image group comprising:

• a computer having one or more processors and further comprising:
• an image selection module for dividing an image group of time sequential images into a plurality of clusters based on an average time gap of the image group;
• recursively dividing a largest cluster in the plurality of clusters to determine a resultant cluster, wherein the resultant cluster comprises no time gaps larger than an average time gap of the resultant cluster;
• and identifying a representative image from the resultant cluster as an image representative for the image group.

A non-transient computer readable medium for storing computer instructions that, when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method for identifying a representative image for an image group comprising:

• dividing an image group of time sequential images into a plurality of clusters based on an average time gap of the image group;
• recursively dividing a largest cluster in the plurality of clusters to determine a resultant cluster, wherein the resultant cluster comprises no time gaps larger than an average time gap of the resultant cluster;
• and
• identifying a representative image from the resultant cluster as an image representative for the image group.