An interest point detection technique is presented. More particularly, for each of possibly multiple image pyramid resolutions, a cornerness image is generated. One or more potential interest point locations are identified in the cornerness image. This involves finding locations associated with a pixel that exhibits a higher corner strength value than pixels in a prescribed-sized surrounding pixel neighborhood. The potential interest point locations are then clustered to identify groups that likely derive from a same 2D structure. Potential interest point locations in one or more of the identified groups are respectively combined to produce a single location that represents the combined group. The representative location of each group having one is then designated as an interest point. An optional location refinement can also be implemented.