IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS

• US 20140218565A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: KOSAKA, Akio, IWAKI, Hidekazu, SHINOZAKI, Arata, KUBO, Mitsunori, NAKATOMI, Takayuki, MIYOSHI, Takashi, WATANABE, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/137 Motion inside a coding unit, e.g. average field, frame or block difference
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/167 Position within a video image, e.g. region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is configured comprising a necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit configured to generate necessary/unnecessary determination data; an image encoding unit assigning identification information respectively to, and recording, in a recording unit, each piece of data after division of each moving image of a moving image after encoding, a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to determine an unnecessary moving image frame based on necessary/unnecessary determination data; and a moving image file managing unit configured to rewrite information indicating a state of data at a recording unit in the recording unit corresponding to a moving image frame determined as unnecessary moving image frame by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit into information that there is no data.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit configured to generate necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding respectively to each moving image frame of an input moving image, used to determine whether or not the moving image frame is an unnecessary moving image frame;

an image encoding unit configured to encode the input moving image, and also to divide each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding respectively into a plurality of pieces of data, and assign identification information respectively to, and record, in a recording unit, those pieces of data;

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to determine whether or not the moving image frame corresponding to the necessary/unnecessary determination data is an unnecessary moving image frame, based on the necessary/unnecessary determination data; and

a moving image file managing unit configured to rewrite, in a table in the recording unit in which identification information recorded in the recording unit and information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to the identification information are associated, information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of a moving image frame determined as an unnecessary moving image frame by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit into information that there is no data.

2. The image processing apparatus according claim 1, wherein

the recording unit comprises a table for recovery with a content as the table in the recording unit;

and

the moving image file managing unit returns information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of recovery target data to original information, using the table for recovery.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image encoding unit encodes the input moving image in MPEG2 format, and while dividing each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding respectively into a plurality of TS packets, assigns a PID as identification information respectively to, and records, in the recording unit, those TS packets.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit is assigned in a unit GOP of encoding in the Mpeg2 format.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a meta data generating unit configured to generate meta data by integrating one piece of identification information in pieces identification information respectively assigned respective data after division of the moving image frame after encoding and necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding to the moving image frame after encoding, and wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines, based on the necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data, determines whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information is an unnecessary moving image frame.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates a position and a size of a subject in the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data;

and

when a size of a subject indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is smaller than a prescribed size and a position of a subject indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is outside a prescribed area, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates the necessary/unnecessary determination data based on an image feature amount in the moving image frame;

and

when a difference between an image feature amount indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit and an image feature amount indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in meta data of a moving image frame close to a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data is equal to or smaller than a prescribed value, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the image feature amount is a composition index indicating a composition of a subject.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the image feature amount is a statistic of a luminance value of an image.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates focus information at a time of capturing the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

upon determining, from focus information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit, that focusing of a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data has failed, or, that a focus is unstable, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates zoom information at a time of capturing the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

upon determining, from zoom information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit and zoom information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in meta data of a moving image frame immediately preceding a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data, that a lens position of a zoom lens is not stable, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, comprising a radio antenna configured to receive a signal from a subject side;

and wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates a reception signal intensity of a signal received by the radio antenna as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

when a reception signal intensity indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is lower than a prescribed value, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit describes a flag indicating top or last of the unnecessary moving image frames in the identification information.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

when there are both of a flag indicating top of the unnecessary moving image frames and a flag indicating last of the unnecessary moving image frames, the moving image file managing unit rewrites information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of the moving image frame between top of the unnecessary moving image frames and last of the unnecessary moving images into information indicating that there is no data.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reduced image generating unit configured to generate a reduced image of each of each input moving image frame; and

a meta data generating unit configured to generate meta data by integrating one piece of identification information in pieces identification information respectively assigned respective data after division of the moving image frame after encoding and a reduced image of the moving image frame after encoding; and

wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates necessary/unnecessary determination data used to determine whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in meta data is an unnecessary moving image frame, based on a reduced in the meta data.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the recording unit comprises a table for recovery with a content as the table in the recording unit;

and

the moving image file managing unit returns information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of recovery target data to original information, using the table for recovery.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the image encoding unit encodes the input moving image in MPEG2 format, and while dividing each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding respectively into a plurality of TS packets, assigns a PID as identification information respectively to, and records, in the recording unit, those TS packets.

18. An image processing system in which an image processing apparatus and a server performs data transmission/reception via a network,

the image processing apparatus comprising:

an image encoding unit configured to encode the input moving image, and also to divide each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding respectively into a plurality of pieces of data, and assign identification information respectively to, and record, in a recording unit, those pieces of data;

a first receiving unit configured to receive a determination result and identification information transmitted from the server;

a moving image file managing unit configured to rewrite, in a table in the recording unit in which identification information recorded in the recording unit and information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to the identification information are associated, information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information received together with the determination result as an unnecessary moving image frame into information that there is no data, and

the server comprising;

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to determine whether or not the moving image frame corresponding to the necessary/unnecessary determination data is an unnecessary moving image frame, based on the necessary/unnecessary determination data; and

a second transmitting unit configured to transmit a determination result of the necessary/unnecessary determining unit to the image processing apparatus together with identification information corresponding to the determination result, and wherein

one of the image processing apparatus and the server comprises a necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit configured to generate necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding respectively to each moving image frame of an input moving image, used to determine whether or not the moving image frame is an unnecessary moving image frame.

19. The image processing system according to claim 18, wherein the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit is in the image processing apparatus, and further comprising:

the image processing apparatus comprises a meta data generating unit configured to generate meta data by integrating one piece of identification information in pieces identification information respectively assigned respective data after division of the moving image frame after encoding and necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding to the moving image frame after encoding; and

a first transmitting unit configured to transmit the meta data to the server, and wherein

the server further comprises a second receiving unit configured to receive meta data transmitted from the image processing apparatus; and

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines, based on the necessary/unnecessary determination data in the received meta data, whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is an unnecessary moving image frame.

20. The image processing system according to claim 19, wherein

when the necessary/unnecessary determining unit provided in the server is defined as a second necessary/unnecessary determining unit,

the image processing apparatus further comprises:

a first necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to determine, based on necessary/unnecessary determination data in the generated meta data, whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in meta data is an unnecessary moving image frame;

a detecting unit configured to detect whether or not a state allows application of a load on the image processing apparatus; and

a switching unit configured to switch a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first necessary/unnecessary determining unit when it is determined that the state allows application of a load on the image processing apparatus according to information detected by the detecting unit, and to switch a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first transmitting unit when it is determined that the state does not allow application of a load on the image processing apparatus according to information detected by the detecting unit, and wherein

the second transmitting unit transmits a determination result of the second necessary/unnecessary determining unit to the image processing apparatus together with identification information corresponding to the determination result; and

the moving image file managing unit rewrites, in a table in the recording unit in which identification information recorded in the recording unit and information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to the identification information are associated, information indicating a state of data at a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information received together with the determination result as an unnecessary moving image frame, or identification information of a moving image frame determined as unnecessary moving image frame by the first necessary/unnecessary determining unit into information that there is no data.

21. The image processing system according to claim 20, wherein

the detecting unit is a load state measuring unit configured to measure a load applied on a resource of the image processing apparatus;

and

the switching unit switches a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first necessary/unnecessary determining unit when it is determined, from a measurement result of the load state measuring unit, that a higher load amount than a prescribed load amount is not applied on the image processing apparatus, and switches a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first transmitting unit when it is determined, from a measurement result of the load state measuring unit, that a higher load amount than a prescribed load amount is applied on the image processing apparatus.

22. The image processing system according to claim 20, wherein

the detecting unit is a power mode detecting unit configured to detect whether or not a power mode of the image processing apparatus is a mode regarding power saving;

and

the switching unit switches a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first necessary/unnecessary determining unit when the power mode is detected not as a mode regarding power saving by the power mode detecting unit, and switches a transmission destination of meta data generated by the meta data generating unit to the first transmitting unit when the power mode is detected as a mode regarding power saving by the power mode detecting unit.

23. The image processing system according to claim 18, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit is in the server;

the image processing apparatus further includes;

a reduced image generating unit configured to generate a reduced image of each of each moving image frame of an input moving image; and

a meta data generating unit configured to generate meta data by integrating one piece of identification information in pieces identification information respectively assigned respective data after division of the moving image frame after encoding and a reduced image of the moving image frame after encoding; and

a first transmitting unit configured to transmit the meta data to the server;

the server further includes a second receiving unit configured to receive meta data transmitted from the image processing apparatus;

based on a reduced image in the received meta data, the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates necessary/unnecessary determination data used to determine whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is an unnecessary moving image frame; and

based on the generated necessary/unnecessary determination data, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines whether or not the moving image frame of identification information corresponding to the necessary/unnecessary determination data is an unnecessary moving image frame.

24. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to read out, from a recording unit in which

necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding respectively to each moving image frame of an moving image, used to determine whether or not the moving image frame is an necessary moving image frame;

each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding to which identification information is assigned; and

meta data in which identification information assigned to the moving image frame and necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding to the moving image frame are integrated,

the meta data, and based on necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data, to determine whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is a necessary moving image frame; and

a reading-out control unit configured to, using a table in which identification information recorded in the recording unit and information indicating a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to the associated identification information, read out, from the recording unit, only a moving image frame recorded at which a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of a moving image frame determined as a necessary moving image frame by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit.

25. The image reading apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

in the recording unit, the moving image encoded in MPEG2 format is recoded, and also, each moving image frame of a moving image after encoding is divided respectively into a plurality of TS packets, and a PID is assigned respectively to the TS packets as identification information and recorded;

and

the reading-out control unit read out only data recorded at a recording position of the recording unit corresponding to a PID of a moving image frame determined as a necessary moving image frame by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit.

26. The image reading apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:

a necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit configured to generate the necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding respectively to each moving image frame of an input moving image;

an image encoding unit configured to encode the input moving image, and also, to assign identification information respectively to, and store, in the recording unit, each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding; and

a meta data generating unit configured to generate, and record, in the recording unit, meta data by integrating identification information assigned to the moving image frame and necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding to the moving image frame.

27. An image processing system comprising an image processing apparatus configured to record a moving image in a recording unit and an image reading apparatus configured to read out a moving image from the recording unit,

the image processing apparatus comprising

a necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit configured to generate necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding respectively to each moving image frame of an input moving image, used to determine whether or not the moving image frame is an necessary moving image frame;

an image encoding unit configured to encode the input moving image, and assign identification information respectively to, and record, in a recording unit, to each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding; and

a meta data generating unit configured to generate, and record, in the recording unit, meta data by integrating identification information assigned to the moving image frame and necessary/unnecessary determination data corresponding to the moving image frame;

the image reading apparatus comprising;

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to read out meta data from the recording unit, and based on necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data, to determine whether or not a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is a necessary moving frame; and

a reading-out control unit configured to, using a table in which identification information recorded in the recording unit and information indicating a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to the associated identification information, read out only a moving image frame recorded at which a recording position in the recording unit corresponding to identification information of a moving image frame determined as a necessary moving image frame by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit.

28. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

the image encoding unit encodes the input moving image in MPEG2 format, and while dividing each moving image frame of the moving image after encoding respectively into a plurality of TS packets, assigns a PID as identification information respectively to, and records, in the recording unit, those TS packets.

29. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates a position and a size of a subject in the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data;

and

when a size of a subject indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is smaller than a prescribed size and a position of a subject indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is outside a prescribed area, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

30. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates the necessary/unnecessary determination data based on an image feature amount in the moving image frame;

and

when a difference between an image feature amount indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit and an image feature amount indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in meta data of a moving image frame close to a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data is equal to or smaller than a prescribed value, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

31. The image processing system according to claim 30, wherein

the image feature amount is a composition index indicating a composition of a subject.

32. The image processing system according to claim 30, wherein

the image feature amount is a statistic of a luminance value of an image.

33. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates focus information at a time of capturing the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

upon determining, from focus information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit, that focusing of a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data has failed, or, that a focus is unstable, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

34. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates zoom information at a time of capturing the moving image frame as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

upon determining, from zoom information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit and zoom information indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in meta data of a moving image frame immediately preceding a moving image frame corresponding to the meta data, that a lens position of a zoom lens is not stable, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

35. The image processing system according to claim 27, wherein

radio antenna configured to receive a signal from a subject side;

and wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determination data generating unit generates a reception signal intensity of a signal received by the radio antenna as the necessary/unnecessary determination data, and

when a reception signal intensity indicated by necessary/unnecessary determination data in the meta data read out from the recording unit is lower than a prescribed value, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines that a moving image frame corresponding to identification information in the meta data is not a necessary moving image frame.

36. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a feature data obtaining unit configured to obtain feature data corresponding to image data;

a reference feature data obtaining unit configured to obtain reference feature data;

a feature data evaluating unit configured to perform evaluation of the feature data based on the reference feature data;

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to perform necessary/unnecessary determination of image data corresponding to the feature data based on the evaluation performed by the feature data evaluating unit; and

a control processing unit configured to perform control based on the necessary/unnecessary determination.

37. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising:

an evaluation policy generating unit configured to generate an evaluation policy; and

a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate the reference feature data based on the evaluation policy.

38. The image processing apparatus according to claim 37, further including a state detecting unit, wherein

the reference feature generating unit generates the reference feature data based on the evaluation policy and a detection result of the state detecting unit.

39. The image processing apparatus according to claim 37, further including a state detecting unit, wherein

the evaluation policy generating unit generates an evaluation policy based on a detection result of the state detecting unit.

40. The image processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein

the state detecting unit is a power state detecting unit configured to detect at least one of a power type and a power state of the image processing apparatus.

41. The image processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein

when a detection result of the power state detecting unit is a low-energy state in which an available power capacity is equal to or below a prescribed value;

the reference feature data generating unit generates the reference feature data so that an amount of data of an image to be obtained becomes smaller compared with a non-low-energy state, from the detection result and the evaluation policy.

42. The image processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein

the state detecting unit is a connection state determining unit configured to determine a connection state with a network.

43. The image processing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein

the feature data evaluating unit performs evaluation by combining a plurality of types of the reference feature data.

44. The image processing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein

when a determination result of the connection state determining unit is a low-speed state in which a data forwarding amount per unit time of an available network is equal to or below a prescribed value, the reference feature data generating unit generates the reference feature data so that a total amount of data of an image to be obtained becomes smaller compared with a non-low-speed state, from the detection result and the evaluation policy.

45. The image processing apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a display unit configured to input an evaluation policy indicating a policy to evaluate at least one of a display speed, a resolution, and an amount of data of the image data with priority;

wherein

the reference feature data generating unit generates the reference feature data based on the evaluation policy input in the display unit.

46. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a feature data extracting unit configured to extract the feature data from the image data.

47. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein

the feature data extracting unit extracts at least one of a position and a size of a subject in the image data as the feature data;

and

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines whether or not at least one of a position and a size of a subject in the image data extracted by the feature data extracting unit is equal to or smaller than a threshold as the reference feature data, and performs necessary/unnecessary determination of the image data based on the determination result.

48. The image processing apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

when at least one of a position and a size of a subject in the image data extracted by the feature data extracting unit is equal to or smaller than the threshold, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit makes determination of the image data as unnecessary

49. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein

the feature data extracting unit extracts compositions of a successive plurality of the image data as the feature data;

and

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit determines whether or not an amount of change of compositions of a plurality of pieces of data extracted by the feature data extracting unit is equal to or below a threshold as the reference feature data, and performs necessary/unnecessary determination of the image data based on the determination result.

50. The image processing apparatus according to claim 49, wherein

when an amount of change of compositions of the a plurality of pieces of image data is equal to or below a threshold, the necessary/unnecessary determining unit makes determination of the plurality of image data as unnecessary.

51. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit performs evaluation of the feature data by categorizing in multiple steps, or, by scoring.

52. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the necessary/unnecessary determining unit performs evaluation of at least a degree of blurring, a degree of shaking, contrast, color tone, definition, angle of view misalignment, asymmetricity, overlapping of a subject of image data corresponding to the feature data.

53. The image processing apparatus according to claim 46, wherein

the feature data extracting unit extracts feature data from a reduced image of the image data, an image with a lower resolution than the image data, or the feature data being a part of the image data.

54. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a feature data saving unit configured to save the feature data;

wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit performs evaluation of feature data saved by the feature data saving unit based on the reference feature data.

55. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a communication unit configured to perform communication of the feature data or the image data with an external apparatus, wherein

the necessary/unnecessary determining unit makes a request for image data determined as necessary to the external device or makes another external device make a request for the image data.

56. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, comprising:

an image capturing unit; and

an input unit configured to obtain image data determined as necessary by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit from the image capturing unit.

57. The image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a processing unit configured to process image data;

wherein

the processing unit performs a process for image data determined as necessary by the necessary/unnecessary determining unit.

58. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program making a computer function as:

a feature data obtaining unit configured to obtain feature data corresponding to image data;

a feature data evaluating unit configured to perform evaluation of the feature data based on reference feature data obtained by the reference feature data obtaining unit; and

a necessary/unnecessary determining unit configured to perform necessary/unnecessary determination of image data corresponding to the feature data based on the evaluation performed by the feature data evaluating unit.

59. An image processing method comprising:

obtaining, by a feature data obtaining unit, feature data corresponding to image data;

performing, by a feature data evaluating unit, evaluation of the feature data based on reference feature data obtained by the reference feature data obtaining unit; and

performing, by the control processing unit, control based on necessary/unnecessary determination.