Face recognition system and method

1. Apparatus for face recognition, the apparatus comprising: a face symmetry verifier, configured to verify symmetry of a face in at least one image, according to a predefined criterion of symmetry in a direction fixed with respect to variation in position of eyes in the image; and a face identifier, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to identify said face, provided said symmetry of said face is successfully verified.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an image capturer, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to capture said image of said face.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a face detector, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to detect said face in said image.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said face detector is further configured to use a skin detection method, for detecting said face in said image.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said face detector is further configured to use a Viola-Jones detection method, for detecting said face in said image.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said face detector is further configured to use a Gabor Filter based method, for detecting said face in said image.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an image cropper, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to crop said image, thereby to remove background from said image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an image resizer, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to resize said image into a predefined size.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an image illumination quality improver, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to improve a quality of illumination of said image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said image illumination quality improver is further configured to use Histogram Equalization, for improving said quality of illumination of said image.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said face symmetry verifier is further configured to use an intensity map, for verifying said symmetry of said face in said image.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said face symmetry verifier is further configured to use a gradient map, for verifying said symmetry of said face in said image.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said face symmetry verifier is further configured to use a Fourier Transform phase map, for verifying said symmetry of said face in said image.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said face symmetry verifier is further configured to measure symmetry of each one of a plurality of input images, and select said at least one image of said face among said plurality of input images, and wherein said measured symmetry of said at least one selected image of said face is highest amongst said input images.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of input images are at least a part of a video sequence.

16. Apparatus for face recognition, the apparatus comprising: a face symmetry verifier, configured to verify symmetry of a face in at least one first image of said face, according to a predefined criterion of symmetry in a direction fixed with respect to variation in position of eyes in the image, wherein said first image is associated with respective data identifying said face; and a face database updater, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to update a face database with said first image of said face and said associated data identifying said face, provided said symmetry of said face in said first image is successfully verified.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said face symmetry verifier is further configured to verify symmetry of said face in at least one second image of said face, according to said predefined symmetry criterion; the apparatus further comprising a face identifier, associated with said face symmetry verifier and configured to identify said face in said second image, using said face database, provided said symmetry of said face in said second image is successfully verified.

18. Apparatus for face recognition, the apparatus comprising: a face symmetry verifier, configured to verify symmetry of a face in at least one image, according to a predefined criterion of symmetry in a direction fixed with respect to variation in position of eyes in the image; and a forwarding controller, associated with said face symmetry verifier, and configured to control forwarding of said image, according to a result of said verification of said symmetry by said face symmetry verifier.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predefined symmetry criterion is based on a geometric property of a polygon formable by connecting known face elements as appearing in the image.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predefined symmetry criterion is based on a geometric property of a polygon formable by connecting known face elements as appearing in the image.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the predefined symmetry criterion is based on a geometric property of a polygon formable by connecting known face elements as appearing in the image.

22. Method for face recognition, the method comprising: a) verifying symmetry of a face in at least one image, according to a predefined symmetry criterion based on symmetry of the image with respect to a symmetry line independent of orientation of the face in the image; and b) identifying said face, provided said symmetry of said face is successfully verified.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the symmetry line is parallel to a side of the image as captured.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the symmetry line is vertical with respect to the image as captured.