Information processing apparatus capable of automatically setting degree of relevance between keywords, keyword attaching method and keyword auto-attaching apparatus

A keyword auto-attaching apparatus for automatically attaching a keyword to an object to be registered in storage, comprising:

• meaning space storing means in which information as to a two- or more-dimensional meaning space in which a plurality of objects and keywords attached to these objects are placed is stored;
• feature quantity extracting means for extracting feature quantities of a registration-target object;
• object position calculating means for, based on the feature quantities, determining a position of the registration-target object on the meaning space;
• keyword selecting means for selecting keywords positioned in a neighborhood of the position of the registration-target object out of the keywords placed on the meaning space;
• and
• keyword attaching means for storing information that associates the selected keywords with the registration-target object for use in retrieving the object.

A keyword attaching method for automatically attaching a keyword to an object to be registered in storage, comprising

• preparing a two- or more-dimensional meaning space in which a plurality of objects and keywords attached to these objects are placed;
• extracting feature quantities of a registration-target object;
• determining a position of the registration-target object on the meaning space based on the feature quantities;
• and
• selecting a keyword positioned in a neighborhood of the position of the registration-target object and storing information that associates the keyword with the registration-target object for subsequent retrieval of said object.

A computer program product in a memory, comprising a program for

• extracting feature quantities of a registration-target object;
• determining, based on the feature quantities, a position of the registration-target object on a two- or more-dimensional meaning space in which a plurality of objects and keywords attached to these objects are placed;
• selecting keywords positioned in a neighborhood of the position of the registration-target object out of the keywords placed on the meaning space, and
• storing information associating the keywords with the registration-target object for use in retrieving the object.

A method for automatically assigning keywords to data objects for using in retrieving said objects, comprising the steps of:

• representing a plurality of data objects by means of respective n-dimensional object vectors in an n-dimensional space, where n>1;
• representing keywords associated with said data objects by means of respective n-dimensional keyword vectors in said space;
• establishing correlation between said object vectors and said keyword vectors;
• receiving information pertaining to a target data object;
• determining an object vector in said space for said target object on the basis of the received information;
• identifying at least one object vector within said space that is a neighbor of the object vector for said target object;
• selecting at least one keyword vector that correlates with said identified object vector;
• and
• storing information that associates the keyword corresponding to said selected keyword vector with said target object for use in retrieving said target object.

A computer-readable medium containing a program that executes the following steps:

• representing a plurality of data objects by means of respective n-dimensional object vectors in an n-dimensional space, where n>1;
• representing keywords associated with said data objects by means of respective n-dimensional keyword vectors in said space;
• establishing correlation between said object vectors and said keyword vectors;
• receiving information pertaining to a target data object;
• determining an object vector in said space for said target object on the basis of the received information;
• identifying at least one object vector within said space that is a neighbor of the object vector for said target object;
• selecting at least one keyword vector that correlates with said identified object vector;
• and
• storing information that associates the keyword corresponding to said selected keyword vector with said target object for use in retrieving said target object.