IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD

1 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image;

a position specification unit that specifies one facial image from the image;

a face correlation unit that correlates the specified facial image with face information obtained by compiling one or more stored feature values stored in a storage unit, thereby identifying one or more correlated feature values;

a feature value extraction unit that extracts an extracted feature value of the specified facial image; and

a storage control unit that compares the extracted feature value with the one or more correlated feature values of the face information correlated with the specified facial image, and causes the storage unit to additionally store the extracted feature value, as a storable feature value, as the face information when similarities between the extracted feature value and the one or more correlated feature values of the face information correlated with the specified facial image are below a predetermined value.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

further comprising:

a display control unit that causes a display unit to display an image indicating the number of the actually stored feature values in comparison with an upper limit number of storable feature values.

4 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image;

a position specification unit that specifies one facial image from the image;

a face correlation unit that correlates the specified facial image with face information obtained by compiling one or more stored feature values and stored face orientations stored in a storage unit, thereby identifying one or more correlated feature values and one or more correlated face orientations;

a face orientation derivation unit that derives a derived face orientation of the specified facial image;

a feature value extraction unit that extracts an extracted feature value of the specified facial image; and

a storage control unit that compares the derived face orientation with the one or more correlated face orientations of the face information correlated with the specified facial image, and causes the storage unit to additionally store the extracted feature value and the derived face orientation as the face information the derived face orientation is not contained in any of one or more ranges including the correlated face orientations regarding the face information correlated with the specified facial image among a predetermined number of ranges regarding the face orientations categorized based on a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 ,

further comprising:

a display control unit that causes a display unit to display an image indicating any one or both of the number of the actually stored feature values in comparison with an upper limit number of the storable feature values, and ranges including the actually stored face orientations in comparison with a predetermined number of ranges regarding the face orientations categorized based on the pitch angle and the yaw angle.

7 . An image processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring an image and specifying one facial image from the image;

correlating the specified facial image with face information obtained by compiling one or more stored feature values;

extracting an extracted feature value of the specified facial image; and

comparing the extracted feature value with the one or more stored feature values of the face information correlated with the specified facial image and additionally storing the extracted feature value as the face information when similarities between the extracted feature value and correlated feature values of the face information correlated with the specified facial image are below a predetermined value.

8 . An image processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring an image and specifying one facial image from the image;

correlating the specified facial image with face information obtained by compiling one or more stored feature values and one or more stored face orientations;

deriving a derived face orientation of the specified facial image; and

comparing the derived face orientation with the one or more stored face orientations of the face information correlated with the specified facial image, and additionally storing the extracted feature value of the facial image and the face orientation as the face information when the derived face orientation is not contained in any of one or more ranges including the correlated face orientations regarding the face information correlated with the specified facial image among a predetermined number of ranges regarding the face orientations categorized based on a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

9 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

displaying an image indicating the number of the actually stored feature values in comparison with an upper limit number of the storable feature values.

10 . The image processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

displaying an image indicating any one or both of the number of the actually stored feature values in comparison with an upper limit number of the storable feature values, and ranges including the actually stored face orientations in comparison with a predetermined number of ranges regarding the face orientations categorized based on the pitch angle and the yaw angle.