Face recognition method, recording medium thereof and face recognition device

Claim 2

A face recognition method for identifying a person by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the person's face and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the face and the surface reflectance image with enquiry face image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and reflectance image of the surface thereof; comparing the referential face image data to the enquiry face image data; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 3

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, and the detected three-dimensional shape is specified by shape data and color image data.

Claim 4

A face recognition method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the referential face image and the enquiry face image are compared after locations of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the face image data have been normalized as parameters.

Claim 5

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 6

A face recognition method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the referential face image and the enquiry face image are compared after locations of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the face image data have been normalized.

Claim 7

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the referential face image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 8

A face recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific person's face and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry face image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential face image data to the enquiry face image data; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading on said enquiry face during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 9

A face recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific person's face and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry face image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential face image data to the enquiry face image data; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading on said enquiry face during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 10

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, and the detected three-dimensional shape is specified by shape data and color image data.

Claim 11

A face recognition method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the referential face image and the enquiry face image are compared after locations of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the face image data have been normalized as parameters.

Claim 12

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 13

A face recognition method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the referential face image and the enquiry face image are compared after locations of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the face image data have been normalized.

Claim 14

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the referential face image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 15

An object recognition method for identifying an object by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the object and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the object and the surface reflectance image with enquiry image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image; comparing the referential image data to the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading on said enquiry face during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 16

An object recognition method for identifying an object by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the object and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the object and the surface reflectance image with enquiry image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image; comparing the referential image data to the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading on said enquiry face during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 17

The object recognition method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the referential image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 18

An object recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific object and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential image data to the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 19

An object recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific object and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry image data, comprising: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential image data to the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 20

The object recognition method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the referential image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 21

A face recognition device for identifying a person by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the person's face and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the face and the surface reflectance image with enquiry face image data, comprising: an image input means for obtaining the enquiry face image by specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; a graphics means for generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image; and an image collating means for comparing the referential face image data with the enquiry face image data to evaluate the images; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 22

A face recognition device for identifying a person by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the person's face and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the face and the surface reflectance image with enquiry face image data, comprising: an image input means for obtaining the enquiry face image by specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; a graphics means for generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image; and an image collating means for comparing the referential face image data with the enquiry face image data to evaluate the images; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 23

A face recognition device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the surface reflectance image is a color image.

Claim 24

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the shooting conditions inputted to the condition input means are an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, the image collating means includes a normalizing means for normalizing the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data respectively using a standard face image as the basis and an image comparing means for comparing outputs of the normalizing means that comprise a normalized enquiry image and a normalized referential color image.

Claim 25

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 26

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the normalizing means normalizes the location of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data.

Claim 27

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the shooting conditions inputted to the condition input means comprise an angle of the face image and a lighting direction; the image collating means comprises a normalizing means for normalizing the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data, respectively, using a standard face image as the basis; and an image comparing means for comparing outputs of the normalizing means that comprise a normalized enquiry image and a normalized referential color image.

Claim 28

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 29

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the normalizing means normalizes the location of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data.

Claim 30

A face recognition device having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific person's face and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry face image data, comprising: a condition input means for specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data to input, the database for storing the detected three-dimensional shape data of faces and the surface reflectance image data; a graphics means for generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape data and its surface reflectance image data stored in the database; an image input means for obtaining the enquiry face image data; and a image collating means for comparing and collating the referential face image data with the enquiry face image data, and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 31

A face recognition device having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the specific person's face and the surface reflectance image stored in the database with enquiry face image data, comprising: a condition input means for specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data to input, the database for storing the detected three-dimensional shape data of faces and the surface reflectance image data; a graphics means for generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape data and its surface reflectance image data stored in the database; an image input means for obtaining the enquiry face image data; and a image collating means for comparing and collating the referential face image data with the enquiry face image data, and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 32

A face recognition device as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the surface reflectance image is a color image.

Claim 33

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the shooting conditions inputted to the condition input means are an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, the image collating means includes a normalizing means for normalizing the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data respectively using a standard face image as the basis and an image comparing means for comparing outputs of the normalizing means that comprise a normalized enquiry image and a normalized referential color image.

Claim 34

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 35

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the normalizing means normalizes the location of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data.

Claim 36

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the shooting conditions inputted to the condition input means are an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, the image collating means includes a normalizing means for normalizing the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data respectively using a standard face image as the basis; and an image comparing means for comparing outputs of the normalizing means that comprise a normalized enquiry image and a normalized referential color image.

Claim 37

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 38

The face recognition device as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the normalizing means normalizes the location of characteristic points, size and brightness of both the referential face image data and the enquiry face image data.

Claim 39

An object recognition device having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating contents of the database with enquiry image data, comprising: a condition input means for specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry image data to input, the database for storing the detected three-dimensional shape data of objects and the surface reflectance image data; a graphics means for generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape data and its surface reflectance image data stored in the database; an image input means for obtaining the enquiry image data; and a image collating means for comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data, and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 40

An object recognition device having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating contents of the database with enquiry image data, comprising: a condition input means for specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry image data to input, the database for storing the detected three-dimensional shape data of objects and the surface reflectance image data; a graphics means for generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape data and its surface reflectance image data stored in the database; an image input means for obtaining the enquiry image data; and a image collating means for comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data, and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 41

The objection recognition device as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the shooting conditions inputted to the condition input means are an angle of the object and a lighting direction; the image collating means includes a normalizing means for normalizing the referential image data and the enquiry image data respectively using a standard object image as the basis; and an image comparing means for comparing outputs of the normalizing means that comprise a normalized enquiry image and a normalized referential image.

Claim 42

The object recognition device as claimed in claim 34 , wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 43

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating contents of the database with enquiry face image data, wherein the program comprises: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential face image data to the enquiry face image data; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 44

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of human faces and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying a person by collating contents of the database with enquiry face image data, wherein the program comprises: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry face image data; generating referential face image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; comparing the referential face image data to the enquiry face image data; and identifying the person of the enquiry face image data with the person of the referential face image data based on a difference between the face image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 45

The recording medium as claimed in claim 36 , storing a program being readable by a computer, wherein the shooting conditions comprise an angle of the face image and a lighting direction, and the detected three-dimensional shape is specified by shape data and color image data.

Claim 46

The recording medium as claimed in claim 37 , storing a program being readable by a computer, wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 47

The face recognition method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the referential face image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 48

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating contents of the database with enquiry image data, wherein the program comprises: specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry image data to input; generating referential image data based on the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; obtaining the enquiry image data; comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 49

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method having database which stores detected three-dimensional shapes of a plurality of objects and surface reflectance images thereof for identifying an object by collating contents of the database with enquiry image data, wherein the program comprises: specifying shooting conditions of the enquiry image data to input; generating referential image data based on the detected three-dimensional shape and the surface reflectance image stored in the database; obtaining the enquiry image data; comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 50

The recording medium as claimed in claim 40 , storing a program being readable by a computer, wherein the shooting conditions comprise an angle of the object image and a lighting direction, and the detected three-dimensional shape is specified by shape data and color image data.

Claim 51

The recording medium as claimed in claim 41 , storing a program being readable by a computer, wherein the shooting conditions comprise a plurality of lighting directions.

Claim 52

The recording medium as claimed in claim 40 wherein the referential image data is generated by using a graphics means.

Claim 53

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method for identifying an object by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the object and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the object and the surface reflectance image with enquiry image data, wherein the program comprises: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and its surface reflectance image; comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 54

A recording medium storing a program being readable by a computer to operate a recognition method for identifying an object by detecting a three-dimensional shape of the object and a surface reflectance image thereof and collating the detected three-dimensional shape of the object and the surface reflectance image with enquiry image data, wherein the program comprises: estimating shooting conditions of the enquiry image data; generating referential image data based on the shooting conditions, the detected three-dimensional shape and its surface reflectance image; comparing and collating the referential image data with the enquiry image data; and identifying the object of the enquiry image data with the object of the referential image data based on a difference between the image data; wherein the shooting conditions comprise illumination conditions; and wherein said shooting conditions are used to account for shading during the generation of said referential face image data.

Claim 55

The recording medium as claimed in claim 44 wherein the referential image data is generated by using a graphics means.