Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program

An image processing method of searching a similar area to a previously registered model from an input image,

• the model being defined by a plurality of first positions on an edge extracted from a model image and a changing direction of the edge in each of the first positions,
• the image processing method comprising the steps of:
• calculating a changing direction of an edge in a second position of the input image corresponding to the first position;
• accepting an instruction associated with a permissible value of the changing direction of the edge;
• calculating a similarity degree of the first position and the second position corresponding to the first position, based on the accepted instruction and the changing direction of the edge in the first position and the changing direction of the edge in the second position;
• and
• determining whether a specific area in the input image is similar to the model or not based on the similarity degree calculated between the first position and the second position corresponding to the first position.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for controlling an image processing apparatus configured to search a similar area to a previously registered model from an input image,

• the model being defined by a plurality of first positions on an edge extracted from a model image and a changing direction of the edge in each of the first positions,
• the program causing a processor of the image processing apparatus to execute the steps of:
• calculating a changing direction of an edge in a second position of the input image corresponding to the first position;
• accepting an instruction associated with a permissible value of the changing direction of the edge;
• calculating a similarity degree of the first position and the second position corresponding to the first position, based on the accepted instruction and the changing direction of the edge in the first position and the changing direction of the edge in the second position;
• and
• determining whether a specific area in the input image is similar to the model or not based on the similarity degree calculated between the first position and the second position corresponding to the first position.