US 6,445,818 B1 · Automatically determining an optimal content image search algorithm by choosing the algorithm based on color

Abstract

A method for designating a local representative color value and automatically determining image searching algorithm for a color based image searching system is disclosed. A method for designating a local representative color values generally includes the steps of dividing a color image area; and obtaining a color histogram for each block, obtaining a color group from hue histograms of each block, or obtaining a maximum color group value to designate the representative color value. Also, a method determining a search algorithm generally includes the steps of detecting the number of color blocks CB having color information from the blocked information of a reference image; comparing the number of the color blocks with a determined reference value and assigning different weights to at least two search algorithm according to the comparison results; and performing a comparison search of an image by the search algorithm based on the determined weight.

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Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for automatically determining an optimal search algorithm in a content based image searching system, comprising:

(a) determining a characteristic of an image based upon a global histogram, a local histogram, and a major color information, wherein the step (a) comprises,
dividing the input image into a plurality of blocks, and
detecting a number of blocks with a designated color value assigned according to a first predetermined condition;
(b) automatically assigning different weights to at least two searching algorithms according to the determined characteristic;
and
(c) utilizing the assigned weights to perform an image search, wherein step (b) comprises assigning greater weight to a search algorithm based upon a global histogram if the detected number of blocks meets a second predetermined condition.

3 more elements

A method for automatically determining a search algorithm without any user input in a content based image searching system, comprising:

(a) determining a characteristic of an image based upon a global histogram, a local histogram, and a major color information;
(b) evaluating an effectiveness of a plurality of search algorithms according to the determined characteristic;
(c) assigning a relative value C within a prescribed range based on the evaluated effectiveness;
(d) comparing the relative value C to a first reference value R within the prescribed range;
and
(e) selecting one of the search algorithms based on the comparison, wherein step (a) comprises,
dividing the input image into a plurality of blocks;
designating a local representative color (LRC) value to each block if a first predetermined condition is satisfied, and
detecting the number of blocks with a designated LRC value and using the detected number as the characteristic, wherein the designating the LRC value comprises,
(aa) building color histogram for each blocks and designating the maximum color value of a color histogram as a LRC value of a corresponding block if the maximum color value is greater than a first reference value, otherwise
(bb) building hue group histograms from adjacent blocks of the block, selecting a maximum color group from the hue group histograms and determining the mean value of the maximum color group, and designating the mean value of the maximum color group as a LRC value of the block if the mean value of the maximum color group is greater than a second reference value, otherwise
(cc) building local hue group histograms and determining a local representative hue group value from the local hue group histograms, and designating the mean value of the local representative hue group value as a LRC value if the local representative hue group value is greater than or equal to a third reference value and if a distribution of the local representative hue group is greater than or equal to a fourth reference value;
otherwise designating the block as a “don't care” region, and
(dd) repeating steps (aa) through (cc) until the last block of the image is processed.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,239 words

Summary1,661 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a color image processing method, and more particularly to a method for designating a local representative color value and automatically determining an optimal image searching algorithm on a color image.

#2. Discussion of Related Art

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements wherein:

#FIGS. 1A to 1E are diagrams providing a method for designating image color values;

#FIGS. 2A-2C are flow charts illustrating methods for designating local representative color values on a color image according to the present invention;

Detailed description2,455 words

#Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

#FIGS. 2A-2C are flow charts illustrating a method for designating a local representative color value on a color image. Referring to FIG. 2A, in step S10, a color histogram is built for each block and a maximum value of the histogram is designated as a representative color value of its block.

#Particularly, the local color histograms for each block of the image as shown in FIG. 1E is built in step S11, and the maximum color value from each local color histograms is selected in step S12. The selected maximum color value Max_C is compared with a predetermined reference value RM in step S13. If the maximum color value Max_C is greater than the predetermined reference value RM in step S13, the value is designated as the maximum color value in step S14 and also as the representative color value of the corresponding block in step S52.

Facts

Application

09/239,527Filed 29 Jan 1999

Priority

KR 98-1940228 May 1998

Granted

3 Sep 2002

Term ended

29 Jan 2019

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification9 codes

G06T 7/90
Image analysis: determination of colour characteristics
G06V 10/507
By performing operations within image blocks; by using histograms, e.g. histogram of oriented gradients [HoG]; by summing image-intensity…
G06T 2207/10024
Image acquisition modality: color image
G06T 2207/20021
Special algorithmic details: dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows

Automatically determining an optimal content image search algorithm by choosing the algorithm based on color

Life of this patent

Automatically determining an optimal content image search algorithm by choosing the algorithm based on color

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description4,239 words

Drawings

Classification9 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,239 words