US 2014/0372449 A1 · IMAGE-BASED INDEXING IN A NETWORK-BASED MARKETPLACE

Abstract

A method and system to index and search item listings in a network-based publication system, such as a network-based marketplace. For example, a listing query may be received from a user, the listing query including a query image. The query image may then be processed to generate a plurality of index sets. Each index set of the plurality of index sets may correspond to a respective portion of the query image and may comprise a set of index values. Each index value of the set of index values may be indicative of an image attribute, such as light intensity, for a respective sub-portion of the corresponding portion of the query image. At least one result image from a database of listing images may be identified by comparing the plurality of index sets for the query image to pre-compiled index sets in an index database. Each pre-compiled index set may be associated with at least one listing image which, in turn, may be associated with an item listing on a network-based marketplace.

Claims21

Dependent claims

(canceled)

A system comprising:

a receiving module comprising one or more computer processors configured to access target image information representing a target image comprising a multiplicity of image pixels;
a processing module comprising at least one computer processor configured for processing the target image information to generate multiple image vectors for the target image by performing operations comprising:
for each one of multiple image portions forming part of the target image, identifying a respective plurality of pixel blocks together making up the image portion, each pixel block being made up by multiple contiguous image pixels of the target image, the multiple image portions being substantially consistent in size and shape, and the pixel blocks being substantially consistent in size and shape throughout the multiple image portions;
for each of the pixel blocks, assigning to the pixel block an index value based on a visual attribute of the pixel block;
and
for each one of the multiple image portions, compiling a respective index vector comprising the index values of the plurality of pixel blocks making up the image portion;
a comparison module comprising one or more processing devices configured to perform a similarity comparison between the target image and one or more candidate images based at least in part on the multiple image vectors of the target image;
and
a result module comprising at least one processing device configured to output on a computer device a comparison result based on results of the similarity comparison.

6 more elements

A method comprising:

accessing target image information representing a target image comprising a multiplicity of image pixels;
in an automated operation using a processing module comprising at least one computer processor configured for processing target image information, processing the target image information to generate multiple image vectors for the target image by performing operations comprising:
for each one of multiple image portions forming part of the target image, identifying a respective plurality of pixel blocks together making up the image portion, each pixel block being made up by multiple contiguous image pixels of the target image, the multiple image portions being substantially consistent in size and shape, and the pixel blocks being substantially consistent in size and shape throughout the multiple image portions;
for each of the pixel blocks, assigning to the pixel block an index value based on a visual attribute of the pixel block;
and
for each one of the multiple image portions, compiling a respective index vector comprising the index values of the plurality of pixel blocks making up the image portion;
performing an automated similarity comparison between the target image and one or more candidate images based at least in part on the multiple image vectors of the target image;
and
outputting to a computer device a comparison result based on results of the similarity comparison.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image-based indexing in a network-based marketplace

Life of this patent

Image-based indexing in a network-based marketplace

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21