SIMILAR IMAGE SEARCH DEVICE, SIMILAR IMAGE SEARCH METHOD, AND SIMILAR IMAGE SEARCH PROGRAM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to appropriately determine a degree of similarity of an image even when the image of a subject is distorted due to different shooting position, and can search similar image. SOLUTION: Grating means 11 grates the target image and makes a first processed image, and grates the search target image to make a second processed image. An each column cost computing means 15 performs DP matching between images of the i-th column of a first processed image and images of the j-th column of a second processed image and computes the minimum cost d [i, j] corresponding to the DP path corresponding to the shortest path. A DP cost grid space development means 16 assigns d [i, j] to a matrix position (i, j), and generates the DP cost grid space. A DP path minimum cost determination means 17 finds a DP path in the DP cost grid space and determines the final minimum cost corresponding to the DP path. A similarity degree determination means 19 determines the similarity degree of the target image and the search target image based on the final minimum cost. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI