By sequentially inputting images for each frame, sequentially extracting features from the inputted frame images, converting the features sequentially extracted into a feature series corresponding to the inputted frame image series, compressing the feature series in the direction of the time axis, storing the compressed feature series in the storage, sequentially extracting features separately from the images to be retrieved for each inputted frame, sequentially comparing the features of the images to be retrieved for each frame with the stored compressed feature series, storing the progress state of this comparison, updating the stored progress state of the comparison on the basis of a comparison result with the frame features of the succeeding images to be retrieved, and retrieving image scenes matching with the updated progress state from the images to be retrieved on the basis of the comparison result between the updated progress state and the features of the images to be retrieved for each frame, the present invention can retrieve video images on the air or video images in the data base at high speed and enables self organization of video to be classified and arranged on the basis of the identity of partial images of video.
The present invention pertains to a method and a system for identifying a specific image within a flow of images. The system calculates a reference index of the specific image, and current indexes of the current images of said flow. The index has the form of an ordered and finite set of values encoding the content of the current image. The system also compares the reference index with the current index of the current image of the monitored flow. It is thus possible to detect a specific image within a flow with great precision and extremely fast while being robust during major photometric alterations.
