Patent ID: 8190634

Claim:
An image managing apparatus comprising: a processor which is connected to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed for: saving images received from a client computer in association with a user ID specific to a user of the client computer; setting a plurality of the user IDs as a group; extracting attribute information from a new image newly saved in association with the user ID; determining whether to save the new image further in association with the group based on the extracted attribute information of the new image; saving the new image further in association with the group, in a case where it is decided to save the new image further in association with the group in accordance with a result of the determination; supplying the new image saved further in association with the group to a plurality of client computers corresponding to the plurality of user IDs set as the group; comparing a feature amount of an existing image which is already saved in association with the plurality of other user IDs set as the group and a feature amount of the new image; selecting at least one of the plurality of other user IDs based on a result of the comparison; and noticing the client computer corresponding to the selected other user ID by using destination information of the selected other user ID.