METHOD OF PERFORMING FACE RECOGNITION

摘要

The invention describes a method of performing face recognition, which method comprises the steps of generating an average face model (M_AV) - comprising a matrix of states representing regions of the face - from a number of distinct face images (I₁, I₂, ...I_j) and training a reference face model (M₁, M₂, ..., M_n) for each one of a number of known faces, where the reference face model (M₁, M₂, ... , M_n) is based on the average face model (M_AV). A test image (I_T) is acquired for a face to be identified, and a best path through the average face model (MAv) is calculated, based on the test image (I_T). A degree of similarity is evaluated for each reference face model (M₁, M₂,..., M_n) against the test image (I_T) by applying the best path of the average face model (M_AV) to each reference face model (M₁, M₂,..., M_n) to identify the reference face model (M₁, M₂, ..., M_n) most similar to the test image (I_T), which identified reference face model (M₁, M₂, ..., M_n) is subsequently accepted or rejected on the basis of its degree of similarity. Furthermore, the invention describes a system for performing face recognition. Also, the invention describes a method of and system for training a reference face model (M₁) which may be used in the face recognition system, a method of and system for calculating a similarity threshold value for a reference face model (M_n) which may be used in the face recognition system, and a method of and system for optimizing images (I, I_T, I_T , G₁, G₂, ...G,, T₁, T₂, ..., Tm, Tnew) which may be used in the face recognition system.