Patent ID: 8472757
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. An image search apparatus that determines a similarity between an input query image and a registered comparison destination image and that searches an image similar to the query image, the image search apparatus comprising: an extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of corresponding pairs of feature points in two images, the query image and the comparison destination image, by associating feature points selected from the query image and feature points of the comparison destination image based on feature amounts of the feature points; an acquisition unit configured to acquire at least two pairs of feature points from the plurality of pairs of feature points; a decision unit configured to decide a coordinate transformation coefficient for performing transformation so that coordinates of the feature points of one of the two images match coordinates of the feature points of the other image, in relation to each pair of the at least two pairs of feature points; a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of transformation of the coordinates by a coordinate transformation process, wherein the calculation is based on the coordinate transformation coefficient; a comparison unit configured to compare the calculated amount of transformation to constraint conditions designated in advance; and a transformation unit configured to transform the coordinates of the feature points of the one of the images by the coordinate transformation process using the coordinate transformation coefficient in relation to the plurality of pairs of feature points only if said comparison unit determines that the constraint conditions are satisfied and configured to compare the coordinates of the feature points after the transformation with the coordinates of the corresponding feature points of the other image to determine the similarity between the query image and the comparison destination image.