Patent ID: 7319790

Claim:
An image comparing apparatus for comparing a particular inspect image containing an inspect subject with a search image containing a search subject, comprising; a search-image supplying unit storing therein a plurality of search images containing different search subjects, some of said search images containing the same search subject captured at different conditions from one another; an image acquisition unit acquiring information characterizing said inspect subject appearing in said inspect image, said information relating to a condition of said inspect subject when said inspect image is captured, said information characterizing being determined when the inspect image is captured, said information being associated with said inspect image, and said image acquisition unit selectively extracting at least one search image from said search image supplying unit according to said acquired information; and an image specifying unit specifying a particular search image by comparing the inspect image with each of the search-images extracted by said image acquisition unit, wherein said search image supplying unit categorizes said plurality of search images into a plurality of image groups having said search images according to the acquired information of said image acquisition unit, and said image acquisition unit selects a particular image group from said search image supplying unit according to said acquired information, and selectively extracts the search image from the particular image group.