STRICT RECOGNIZING APPARATUS USING OBSERVATION POINT

A recognizing apparatus for estimating an environment description parameter, and substantially reducing a memory capacity required to represent a parameter space. The recognizing apparatus stores a restricted parameter space as a parameter space restricted by predetermined observation point information and based on an object model as shape information. The apparatus votes for a parameter subset consistent with the object model for each characteristic point obtained through environment observation in a restricted parameter space. The apparatus then outputs an estimated value for a environment description parameter according to the result of the voting for the restricted parameter space.