IMAGE SEARCH APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEMORY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image search apparatus for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
- management means for managing image data and image feature amounts thereof in correspondence with each other;
designation means for designating a desired one of query conditions each of which is defined by image feature amounts set with ambiguity levels;
matching means for matching the image feature amounts that define the query condition designated by said designation means, with corresponding image feature amounts of image data managed by said management means; and
output means for outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results of said matching means.
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Abstract
Image data and their image feature amounts are managed in correspondence with each other using an image storage unit and an information management DB. A desired one of query conditions each of which is defined by image feature amounts set with ambiguity levels is designated by an input unit. A matching unit matches the image feature amounts that define the designated query condition, with corresponding managed image data. Image data as search results are output to a display on the basis of the matching results.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An image search apparatus for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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management means for managing image data and image feature amounts thereof in correspondence with each other;
designation means for designating a desired one of query conditions each of which is defined by image feature amounts set with ambiguity levels;
matching means for matching the image feature amounts that define the query condition designated by said designation means, with corresponding image feature amounts of image data managed by said management means; and
output means for outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results of said matching means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An image search method for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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the management step of managing image data and image feature amounts thereof in a storage medium in correspondence with each other;
the designation step of designating a desired one of query conditions each of which is defined by image feature amounts set with ambiguity levels;
the matching step of matching the image feature amounts that define the query condition designated in the designation step, with corresponding image feature amounts of image data managed in the storage medium; and
the output step of outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results in the matching step. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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15. A computer readable memory that stores program codes of an image search process for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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a program code of the management step of managing image data and image feature amounts thereof in a storage medium in correspondence with each other;
a program code of the designation step of designating a desired one of query conditions each of which is defined by image feature amounts set with ambiguity levels;
a program code of the matching step of matching the image feature amounts that define the query condition designated in the designation step, with corresponding image feature amounts of image data managed in the storage medium; and
a program code of the output step of outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results in the matching step.
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16. An image search apparatus for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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management means for managing image data, and attribute information and image feature amounts thereof in correspondence with each other;
designation means for designating the attribute information and image feature amounts, and interest levels for the attribute information and image feature amounts as a query condition used in a search of image data;
matching means for matching the attribute information and image feature amounts that define the query condition designated by said designation means, with corresponding attribute information and image feature amounts of image data managed by said management means, on the basis of the interest levels; and
output means for outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results of said matching means.
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23. An image search method for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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the management step of managing image data, and attribute information and image feature amounts thereof in a storage medium in correspondence with each other;
the designation step of designating the attribute information and image feature amounts, and interest levels for the attribute information and image feature amounts as a query condition used in a search of image data;
the matching step of matching the attribute information and image feature amounts that define the query condition designated in the designation step, with corresponding attribute information and image feature amounts of image data managed in the storage medium in the management step, on the basis of the interest levels; and
the output step of outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results in the matching step.
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30. A computer readable memory that stores program codes of an image search process for managing image data, and searching the managed image data for desired image data, comprising:
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a program code of the management step of managing image data, and attribute information and image feature amounts thereof in a storage medium in correspondence with each other;
a program code of the designation step of designating the attribute information and image feature amounts, and interest levels for the attribute information and image feature amounts as a query condition used in a search of image data;
a program code of the matching step of matching the attribute information and image feature amounts that define the query condition designated in the designation step, with corresponding attribute information and image feature amounts of image data managed in the storage medium in the management step, on the basis of the interest levels; and
a program code of the output step of outputting image data as search results on the basis of matching results in the matching step.
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Specification