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US 6,584,223 B1Granted
Image search apparatus and method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHirotaka Shiiyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image feature amount extraction unit and feature amount label matrix generation unit generate a label sequence from image data. An image management DB stores image data stored in an image storage unit and label sequences corresponding to the image data in correspondence with each other. A label sequence index registers, in units of labels, image data including the labels and the numbers of labels included in those image data. Upon search, a pattern matching unit extracts label sequences which are similar to the label sequence of a query image to some extent from the label sequence index, computes similarities between the extracted label sequences, and the label sequence of the query image, and outputs images, in which the computed similarities exceed a predetermined value, as search results.
Claims72
An image search apparatus comprising:
- generation means for generating label information by segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of blocks;
- index means for readably holding, using each label included in the label information as a key, image data including that label and the number of labels included in the image data;
- storage means for storing the label information in correspondence with the image data;
- first extraction means for extracting image data having label information including at least a predetermined number of labels identical to or similar to labels included in label information of a query image, with reference to said index means and said storage means;
- and
- second extraction means for extracting similar image data by computing similarities between the image data extracted by said first extraction means, and the query image,
- wherein said generation means comprises assigning means for segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of labels, and generates a label sequence by arranging the labels assigned by said assigning means in a predetermined block order.
4 more elements
An image search method comprising:
- the generation step of generating label information by segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of blocks;
- the step of providing index means for readably holding, using each label included in the label information as a key, image data including that label and the number of labels included in the image data;
- the storage step of storing the label information in storage means in correspondence with the image data;
- the first extraction step of extracting image data having label information including at least a predetermined number of labels identical to or similar to labels included in label information of a query image, with reference to the index means and the storage means;
- and
- the second extraction step of extracting similar image data by computing similarities between the image data extracted in the first extraction step, and the query image,
- wherein the generation step comprises the assigning step of segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of labels, and includes the step of generating a label sequence by arranging the labels assigned in the assigning step in a predetermined block order.
4 more elements
A storage medium that stores a control program for making a computer implement an image search process, said control program comprising:
- a program code of the generation step of generating label information by segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of blocks;
- a program code of the step of providing index means for readably holding, using each label included in the label information as a key, image data including that label and the number of labels included in the image data;
- a program code of the storage step of storing the label information in storage means in correspondence with the image data;
- a program code of the first extraction step of extracting image data having label information including at least a predetermined number of labels identical to or similar to labels included in label information of a query image, with reference to the index means and the storage means;
- and
- a program code of the second extraction step of extracting similar image data by computing similarities between the image data extracted in the first extraction step, and the query image,
- wherein the generation step comprises the assigning step of segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of labels, and includes the step of generating a label sequence by arranging the labels assigned in the assigning step in a predetermined block order.
4 more elements
A control program for making a computer implement an image search process, said control program comprising:
- a program code of a generation step of generating label information by segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of blocks;
- a program code of a step of providing index means for readably holding, using each label included in the label information as a key, image data including that label and the number of labels included in the image data;
- a program code of a storage step of storing the label information in storage means in correspondence with the image data;
- a program code of a first extraction step of extracting image data having label information including at least a predetermined number of labels identical to or similar to labels included in label information of a query image, with reference to the index means and the storage means;
- and
- a program code of a second extraction step of extracting similar image data by computing similarities between the image data extracted in the first extraction step, and the query image,
- wherein the generation step comprises the assigning step of segmenting image data into a plurality of blocks, and assigning labels in correspondence with feature amounts acquired in units of labels, and includes the step of generating a label sequence by arranging the labels assigned in the assigning step in a predetermined block order.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.