Patent ID: 8340369

Claim:
A face detection method comprising: classifying a plurality of images, generated by enlargement or reduction of time-wise successively captured images according to a plurality of specific multipliers, into levels by image size of the images using a processor; sequentially reading out at one read-out unit at a time the images classified into each of the levels, using as the read-out unit a size that is smaller than the smallest image size from the image sizes of the classified images using a processor; carrying out face detection processing by a processor to detect images in which it is determined that a face is present in portions of image divided up into the read-out units, and discriminating an out-plane angle, representing the left-right facing direction of a face, as a parameter for subjecting to face detection processing, wherein the number of types of the out-plane angle to be subjected to face detection processing is set to be fewer as the image size of the classified images increases.