Patent US 6,463,176

An image recognition method comprising an extraction step of extracting local feature elements in an input image; a conversion step of arranging the local feature elements extracted at said extraction step on each of cells of predetermined lattice pattern composed of a plurality of cells having predetermined sizes and figures while substantially maintaining relative position relationship between a plurality of extracted local feature elements which are near each other; and a matching step of estimating a resemblance between a plurality of input images by matching the plurality of local feature elements arranged on the lattice pattern at said conversion step.