Patent ID: 8508823

Claim:
An image processing method for discriminating a classification of an image and performing processing according to a discrimination result, comprising the steps of: sequentially reading an image for discrimination into a memory for each line composed of a plurality of pixels; calculating features of the pixels in the read line; discriminating a classification of the pixels based on the calculated features and counting the pixels whose classifications are discriminated; storing the total number of pixels whose classifications are discriminated from a line of a read start position to respective lines in the image; setting an area to be processed with respect to the image; calculating a difference between the total number of the pixels whose classifications are discriminated in respective lines from the line of the read start position to an end line in the set area, and the total number of the pixels whose classifications are discriminated in respective lines from the line of the read start position to a line just before the set area; discriminating a classification of said set area based on the calculated difference; and performing processing according to a discrimination result to the image in said set area.