Automated recognition of faces that change over time

Abstract

Nodes of systems according to the invention perform facial recognition on persons imaged by their respective camera(s) to permit or deny access to resources secured. Recognition is performed using images of faces of known persons stored in the central KP database. Each node maintains a local database with images, vectors or other representations downloaded from the central database for at least some of those facial images. If a node determines that an image acquired by it of a known individual is a candidate for inclusion in the central database based on the quality of the image and of a face depicted in it and on the similarity between that faces and ones in the local database, it can upload it to the server for further consideration. The server can, in turn, determine whether a candidate ought to, in fact, be placed in the central database based on whether that image represents a 'life change' in the respective known person, such as aging, weight gain/loss, changes or addition of eyewear, changes in facial hair, and so forth. If so, the central database is updated by way of addition of the candidate image and at least that portion of the database is redistributed to the nodes for use in further recognition activities.