Abstract: A feature point is extracted from an input image including an image region for which depth values of pixels change consecutively. A transformation that normalizes depth values of pixels of a vicinity of the feature point with respect to a region of at least a portion of the input image is set as a normalization transformation, and an image for a feature amount calculation is generated by performing the normalization transformation on a pixel position of the feature point. A feature amount is calculated from the image for the feature amount calculation.

Abstract: To make it easier to grasp characters that appear across different images by determining a pair of character area images to be a combination target based on a degree of similarity or a position of each character area image extracted from different images, and connecting and combining overlapping area images that are the determined pair of character area images and that have a similar image feature amount.

Abstract: There is provided with an image processing apparatus. An evaluation is set for each of the pairs. The evaluation is set based on at least one of the number of feature points in the first image where local feature amounts are similar to a local feature amount at one of the pair or the number of feature points in the second image where local feature amounts are similar to a local feature amount at one of the pair, in such a manner that the smaller the number of feature points, the higher the evaluation. A similarity between the first image and the second image is determined using a RANSAC method. A pair having a high evaluation is used with priority in derivation of a function for transforming coordinates using the RANSAC method.

Abstract: This invention suppresses bloating of indices for an image search. To accomplish this, when a target image to be registered is given, an apparatus described in this specification executes partial image search processing using the target image to be registered as a query image. As a result, if a corresponding image is found, and an already registered image includes the query image, the target image to be registered is registered as an image linked to the already registered image.

Abstract: An image processing method includes acquiring the number of feature vectors similar to at least one specific feature vector, including the at least one specific feature vector, among feature vectors of a plurality of keypoints in a comparison source image, and the number of feature vectors similar to the at least one specific feature vector in at least one comparison destination image, and comparing the comparison source image with the at least one comparison destination image by using, as a value for evaluating a similarity between the comparison source image and the at least one comparison destination image, a smaller value instead of a larger value of the numbers of feature vectors acquired with respect to the at least one specific feature vector.

Abstract: There is provided an album generating apparatus for generating an album whose pages are adequately allocated in accordance to image capturing position and time.

Abstract: An image retrieval apparatus generates an image feature list having a high and/or a low discrimination capability against other images based on the number of stored image features. Based on the image feature list, the image retrieval apparatus selects feature points extracted from a query image.

Abstract: A registration device includes a processor that writes an ID code to an invalid ID code storage region in accordance with management data, updates the management data after the ID code is safely written, and validates the invalid ID code storage region storing the ID code. After the ID code is written, when an ID code is stored in every one of the ID code storage regions, the processor updates the management data to invalidate the ID code storage region excluding the invalid ID code storage region storing the ID code.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and a method for generating an album while adequately allocating images per page in accordance to image capturing-times. The album creating apparatus has an image storing section for storing images correlating with image capturing-times of the images, a distribution-of-image-capturing-time calculating section for calculating a distribution of image capturing-times of the plurality of images stored in the image storing section based on the image capturing-times of the plurality of images stored in the image storing section, an image sorting section for sorting the plurality of images stored in the image storing section per page in the album based on the distribution of image capturing-times calculated by the distribution-of-image-capturing-time calculating section and a layout determining section for laying out the images sorted by the image sorting section per page to each page of the album.

Abstract: To make it easier to grasp characters that appear across different images by determining a pair of character area images to be a combination target based on a degree of similarity or a position of each character area image extracted from different images, and connecting and combining overlapping area images that are the determined pair of character area images and that have a similar image feature amount.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus executes smoothing processing (reduction conversion) of an input image to acquire a smoothed image (reduced image), acquires a normalization parameter for normalization from the smoothed image, and normalizes pixel values of the input image based on the normalization parameter.

Abstract: An image search apparatus, which determines a similarity between an input query image and a registered comparison destination image and searches an image similar to the query image, extracts a plurality of corresponding pairs of feature points in two images based on feature points selected from the both images. A coordinate transformation coefficient to execute a coordinate transformation process is decided so that coordinates of the feature point of one of the two images match coordinates of the feature point of the other image, in relation to each pair. Only if an amount of transformation of coordinates satisfies the constraint conditions designated in advance, the coordinate transformation process using the coordinate transformation coefficient is executed in relation to the plurality of pairs of feature points, and coordinates of the feature points after the transformation of one image are compared with coordinates of the corresponding feature points of the other image.

Abstract: There is provided an album generating apparatus for generating an album whose pages are adequately allocated in accordance to image capturing position and time.

Abstract: An image processing method performs reduction processing on an input image to acquire a reduced image, extracts a feature point from a group of images including the input image and one or more of the reduced images, determines as a matched feature point the feature point extracted from a matching position in each of two or more images in the group of images, calculates a local feature quantity of the matched feature point determined by the determination unit, and registers the calculated local feature quantity as a local feature quantity of the input image.

Abstract: An image search apparatus extracts a symmetric partial image based on acquired pairs of feature points, and divides the partial image at a symmetry axis of the partial image to decide two partial areas, as a first area and a second area based on the tendency of image features in the partial image. In determining the similarity between the query image and a comparison destination image, a coordinate transformation coefficient for a coordinate transformation process is set based on pairs of feature points extracted from the partial area decided as the first area of the two images, the coordinate transformation process using the coordinate transformation coefficient is applied to the pairs of feature points extracted from areas including areas other than the first area of the two images, and coordinates of the pairs of feature points after the coordinate transformation process are compared.

Abstract: A valve ID registration system includes a sudden pressure decrease detector that detects a sudden pressure decrease in the tire and a transmission unit that transmits a valve signal. When the detector detects a sudden pressure decrease, the transmission unit transmits the valve signal, which includes sudden pressure decrease information, with more frames than normal. A sudden pressure decrease monitoring unit monitors the received valve signal for sudden pressure decrease information. After the valve signal including the sudden pressure decrease information is received with more frames than normal, when a new valve signal is received including the same valve ID as that in the valve signal including the sudden pressure decrease information and the new valve signal indicates an increase in air pressure, a registration unit determines that the valve signals were transmitted from the tire of the vehicle and registers the valve ID.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reduces two input images to be compared by the predetermined number of times to generate two image groups, extracts a plurality of feature points and a local feature amount of each feature point from these image groups, and determines a combination of feature points in which local feature amounts are similar to each other, between the image groups. Then, the image processing apparatus determines a relation of a reasonable combination, assigns high weights to the reasonable combination, and calculates a similarity degree between the two input images.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an extraction unit configured to extract a feature amount from information recorded on a recording medium, an acquisition unit configured to acquire an identification image identifying an operator of the recording apparatus, a storage unit configured to store the feature amount and the identification image, wherein the identification image is associated with the feature amount, a search unit configured to compare a feature amount extracted from a predetermined medium by the extraction unit with the feature amount stored in the storage unit, wherein, based on a result of the comparison, the identification image associated with the stored feature amount is associated with the predetermined medium, and an output unit configured to output the identification image associated with the predetermined medium.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an image capturing section for capturing an image; a person determining section for determining whether the image captured by the image capturing section includes any person; an input notification section for notifying a user that the person included in the image captured by the image capturing section should be inputted when the image determining section determines that the image includes the person; a personal identification information input section for causing the user to input personal identification information indicative of the person included in the image captured by the image capturing section by a predetermined timing after the input notification section notifies the user that the person included in the image captured by the image capturing section should be inputted; and an image storage section for storing the personal identification information inputted by the personal identification information input section in association with the image captured by the ima

Abstract: A page image is acquired. Area information that includes information on existence or absence of a text area and a picture area is extracted from the acquired page image. The page image is divided into a plurality of blocks. An image feature amount of each of the divided blocks is calculated. Whether the page image includes a picture area is determined on the basis of the extracted area information and the calculated image feature amounts of the blocks.