IMAGE RECOGNITION APPARATUS AND DATA REGISTRATION METHOD FOR IMAGE RECOGNITION APPARATUS

• US 20150139492A1
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Murakami, Tatsuya, IRIE, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 9,734,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/168 Feature extraction; Face representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships

Abstract

An image recognition apparatus is provided, comprising: an extraction unit extracting feature amount data of a subject from an image; a database registering a plurality of pieces of feature amount data extracted from different images of one registered object; and a comparing unit identifying whether or not the subject is the registered object by comparing the feature amount data extracted by the extraction unit and the feature amount data of the registered object registered in the database, a registration unit, using an image for registration, adding feature amount data of the registered object to the database in accordance with a predetermined condition which includes a first condition: if new data, which is the feature amount data extracted from the image for registration, is similar to registered data, which is the feature amount data of the registered object already registered in the database, the new data is not added.

Claims

1. An image recognition apparatus comprising:

an extraction unit configured to extract feature amount data of a subject from an image;

a database configured to register a plurality of pieces of feature amount data extracted from different images of one registered object; and

a comparing unit configured to identify whether or not the subject is the registered object by comparing the feature amount data extracted by the extraction unit and the feature amount data of the registered object registered in the database,

wherein the image recognition apparatus further comprises a registration unit configured to, using a new image for registration, add feature amount data of the registered object to the database in accordance with a predetermined condition, and

the predetermined condition includes a first condition whose content is such that if new data, which is the feature amount data extracted from the image for registration, is similar to registered data, which is the feature amount data of the registered object that is already registered in the database, the new data is not added.

2. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined condition further includes a second condition whose content is such that the new data is added to the database if the number of pieces of registered data for the registered object has not reached an upper limit at which registration in the database is possible, and

the second condition is given priority over the first condition.

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

in the case where the number of pieces of registered data for the registered object has reached the upper limit at which registration in the database is possible and the new data is to be added to the database, the registration unit replaces one of the plurality of pieces of registered data for the registered object with the new data.

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

the registration unit obtains, for each of the plurality of pieces of registered data, a degree of similarity between the new data and the each of the plurality of pieces of registered data and replaces, with the new data, the piece of registered data having the highest degree of similarity with the new data.

5. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

for all combinations of two pieces of registered data selected from the plurality of pieces of registered data, the registration unit obtains a degree of similarity between the two pieces of registered data and replaces, with the new data, one of the two pieces of registered data having the highest degree of similarity therebetween.

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

the registration unit replaces, with the new data, the older of the two pieces of registered data having the highest degree of similarity therebetween.

7. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

in the case where the number of pieces of registered data for the registered object has reached the upper limit at which registration in the database is possible and the new data is to be added to the database, the registration unit replaces one of the plurality of pieces of registered data for the registered object with the new data.

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

the registration unit obtains, for each of the plurality of pieces of registered data, a degree of similarity between the new data and the each of the plurality of pieces of registered data and replaces, with the new data, the piece of registered data having the highest degree of similarity with the new data.

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

for all combinations of two pieces of registered data selected from the plurality of pieces of registered data, the registration unit obtains a degree of similarity between the two pieces of registered data and replaces, with the new data, one of the two pieces of registered data having the highest degree of similarity therebetween.

10. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the registration unit replaces, with the new data, the older of the two pieces of registered data having the highest degree of similarity therebetween.

11. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the new data is dissimilar to all of the pieces of registered data to an extent of being evaluated as being a piece of feature amount data for an object that is different from the registered object, the registration unit does not add the new data.

12. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the registration unit evaluates the similarity between the new data and the registered data using closeness in a distance between the new data and the registered data in a feature amount space.

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

if a plurality of pieces of registered data exist,

the registration unit evaluates the similarity between the new data and one piece of registered data using a strength of correlation between a first distance between the one piece of registered data and another piece of registered data in a feature amount space and a second distance between the new data and the another piece of registered data in the feature amount space.

14. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the registered object is a face.

15. A data registration method for an image recognition apparatus configured to, by comparing feature amount data of a subject extracted from an image with feature amount data of a registered object registered in a database, identify whether or not the subject is the registered object, the method comprising steps of;

acquiring a new image for registration;

extracting feature amount data from the image for registration; and

adding and registering new data, which is the feature amount data extracted from the image for registration, to registered data, which is feature amount data of the registered object that is already registered in the database, in accordance with a predetermined condition,

wherein the predetermined condition includes a first condition whose content is such that if the new data is similar to the registered data, the new data is not added.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of the data registration method according to claim 15.