Apparatus and method for generating a three-dimensional representation from a two-dimensional image

1. A method in a system for generating a three-dimensional face representation having at least one processor coupled to a memory, comprising:

finding a face image in a two-dimensional image obtained from an image capture device using the processor and a two-dimensional face model built from a two-dimensional training set stored in the memory, wherein finding the face image comprises iteratively estimating a face image location based on an initial estimate of the face image location and a new estimate of a location of one of a plurality of model feature annotations; and

using a three-dimensional face model built from a three-dimensional training set stored in the memory to generate the three-dimensional face representation from the face image.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising building the two-dimensional face model from the two-dimensional training set.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein using a three-dimensional face model comprises using a three-dimensional face model built from three-dimensional training sets each comprising sets of three modeled coordinate variables.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein finding the face image comprises:

annotating the two-dimensional face model with a plurality of model feature annotations;

using a mean observation vector to estimate a face image location;

using a feature search specific to one of the plurality of model feature annotations to estimate a first feature location; and

using at least the face image location and the first feature location to find the face image.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein finding the face image comprises:

using a feature search specific to another of the plurality of model feature annotations to estimate a second feature location; and

using at least the face image location, the first feature location, and the second feature location to find the face image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein building the two-dimensional face model from the two-dimensional training set comprises:

constructing observation vectors from a plurality of manually annotated feature annotations;

normalizing the observation vectors;

constructing a covariance matrix from the normalized observation vectors; and

performing an eigen analysis on the covariance matrix to build the two-dimensional face model.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising building the three-dimensional face model from three-dimensional training sets each comprising sets of three modeled coordinate variables.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing a financial transaction in conjunction with generating a three-dimensional face representation by inputting the three-dimensional face representation into an image processing routine, and executing the image processing routine to facilitate the transaction.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving the two-dimensional image at a server from a remote computer; and

transmitting the three-dimensional face representation from the server to the remote computer.

10. A method in a system for generating a three-dimensional face representation having at least one processor coupled to a memory, comprising:

building a two-dimensional face model from a two-dimensional training set stored in the memory;

automatically finding a face image in a two-dimensional image obtained from an image capture device using the processor and the two-dimensional face model, wherein finding the face image comprises iteratively estimating a face image location based on an initial estimate of the face image location and a new estimate of a location of one of a plurality of model feature annotations; and

using a three-dimensional face model built from a three-dimensional training set stored in the memory to generate the three-dimensional face representation from the face image.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein using a three-dimensional face model comprises using a three-dimensional face model built from three-dimensional training sets each comprising sets of three modeled coordinate variables.

12. An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional face representation, comprising:

a memory that at least temporarily stores a two-dimensional face model built from a two-dimensional training set and a three dimensional face model built from a three-dimensional training set;

at least one processor that automatically finds a face image in a two-dimensional image using the two-dimensional face model and generates the three-dimensional face representation from the face image using the three-dimensional face model, wherein finding the face image comprises iteratively estimating a face image location based on an initial estimate of the face image location and a new estimate of a location of one of a plurality of model feature annotations.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor:

constructs observation vectors from a plurality of manually annotated feature annotations;

normalizes the observation vectors;

constructs a covariance matrix from the normalized observation vectors; and

builds the two-dimensional face model by performing an eigen analysis on the covariance matrix.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the three-dimensional face model is built from three-dimensional training sets and each three-dimensional training set comprises sets of three modeled coordinate variables.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an additional processor and wherein at least one of the additional processor and the at least one processor builds the three-dimensional face model from three-dimensional training sets and each three-dimensional training set comprises sets of three modeled coordinate variables.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said processor processes a financial transaction.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor:

annotates the two-dimensional face model with a plurality of model feature annotations;

estimates a face image location by using at least one mean observation vector;

estimates a first feature location by using a feature search specific to one of the plurality of model feature annotations; and

finds the face image by using at least the face image location and the first feature location.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor:

estimates a second feature location by using a feature search specific to another of the plurality of model feature annotations; and

finds the face image by using at least the face image location, the first location, and the second feature location.