US 7,460,715 B2 · Fuzzy associative system for multimedia object description

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for automatic description of an unknown multimedia object, which consists in associating the unknown object with several types of reference multimedia objects each time based on a membership probability particular to each type concerned (G), the method including a step which consists in measuring at least one physical characteristic on the unknown object (F) and in comparing it with measurements of characteristics representing best the reference types, the method further comprising the step (H) which consists in using for each type at least one probabilistic relationship providing a membership probability to the type concerned based on the result of the comparison of the characteristics of the unknown object and of the type, the method further comprising the step which consists in using the probabilities of membership to the various types thus obtained in combination with a series of affinity relationships between types, so as to select memberships which both constitute the majority in terms of probability and which designate one another by their affinity relationship, and so as to exclude memberships with less affinity with the selected types.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for automatically describing an unknown multimedia object in which the unknown object is associated with a plurality of reference multimedia objects depending on a probability of membership to each considered type of said plural reference multimedia objects such that multimedia objects having memberships in each considered type of said plural reference multimedia objects and a lower affinity to elected multimedia objects having memberships in each type of said plural reference multimedia objects are excluded, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one physical characteristic of the unknown multimedia object and comparing the at least one physical characteristic of the unknown multimedia object with measurements of characteristics which best represent each type of said plural reference multimedia objects;
using at least one probabilistic relation for each type of said plural reference multimedia objects to obtain a probability that the unknown multimedia object is a member of the type of said plural reference multimedia objects considered based on a result of the comparison of the at least one measured physical characteristics of the unknown object to the measurements of the characteristics which best represent each type of said plural reference multimedia objects;
electing the multimedia objects having memberships in each type of said plural reference multimedia objects which form a majority of probabilities associated with each type of said plural reference multimedia objects considered and which are co-designated by an associated affinity relation using obtained probabilities that the unknown multimedia objects are members of different types of said plural reference multimedia objects in combination with a series of affinity relations between each type of said plural reference multimedia objects such that the multimedia objects having memberships in each considered type of said plural reference multimedia objects and the lower affinity to the elected multimedia objects having memberships in each type of said plural reference multimedia objects are excluded.

A device for automatically providing a description of an unknown multimedia object in which the unknown object is associated with a plurality of reference multimedia objects depending on a probability of membership to a considered type of said plural reference multimedia objects the device comprising:

means for measuring at least one physical characteristic of the unknown object and comparing the at least one physical characteristic of the unknown object with measurements of characteristics which best represent each type of said plural reference multimedia objects;
means for using at least one probabilistic relation for each type of said plural reference multimedia objects to provide a probability that the unknown multimedia object is a member of the type of said plural reference multimedia objects considered based on a result of the comparison of the at least one measure physical characteristics of the unknown object to the measurements of the characteristics which best represent each type of said plural reference multimedia objects;
means for electing multimedia objects having memberships in each type of said plural reference multimedia objects which form a majority of probabilities associated with each type of said plural reference multimedia objects considered and which are co-designated by an associated affinity relation using obtained probabilities that the unknown multimedia objects are members of different types of said plural reference multimedia objects in combination with a series of affinity relations between each type of said plural reference multimedia objects such that multimedia objects having memberships in the type of said plural reference multimedia objects having a lower affinity to the elected multimedia objects in the type of plural reference multimedia objects are excluded.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fuzzy associative system for multimedia object description

Life of this patent

Fuzzy associative system for multimedia object description

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13