Methoed for following person and robot appartus for the perfoming the same

Disclosed are a method for following a person and a robot apparatus. In the method for following a person, an image frame consisting of a color image and a depth image is provided. It is determined whether user flowing succeeds in a previous image frame. If user flowing succeeds in a previous image frame, the target point of a user position and device is determined based on the color image and the depth image in the image frame. The method for following a person predicts the present position of the user from the depth image, quickly flows the user, and flows the user by quickly redetecting the user by using the information of the user which is obtained in a flowing process when detecting the user fails due to an obstacle and so on. [Reference numerals] (AA) Image frame input; (BB,EE,FF,II) NO; (CC,DD,GG,JJ) YES; (HH) Next image frame; (S100) User flowing succeeds in a previous image frame?; (S111) Perform depth filtering; (S113) Perform following based on colors; (S115) Is the user flowing failed?; (S117) Maintaining an existing movement target point to set a following failure; (S119) Setting a user position as the movement target point; (S131) Detecting a head and shoulders; (S133) Perform comparison with the user; (S135) Is the user detection succeeded?; (S137) Setting the following succeed setting user position as the movement target point; (S139) Maintaining the existing target point; (S151) Start to move to the target point; (S153) Is the front obstacle confirmed?; (S155) Movement to the target; (S157) Movement to the target by avoiding the obtacle