Information search apparatus and method, and storage medium

• US 20030187836A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Kazuyo
• Granted Patent: US 6,823,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

An information search apparatus includes query condition input means for inputting a query condition, storage means for storing a plurality of image data which undergo a search, first similarity calculation means for calculating similarity values between the query condition and the individual image data by comparing the query condition with each image data stored in the storage means, first search result display means for displaying the search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by the first similarity calculation means, image selection means for selecting a specific image from the image data displayed as the search results by the first search result display means, second similarity calculation means for calculating the similarity values between the specific image selected by the image selection means and the plurality of image data stored in the storage means, and second search result display means for displaying the search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by the second similarity calculation means.

Claims

1. An information search apparatus comprising:

query condition input means for inputting a query condition;

storage means for storing a plurality of image data which undergo a search;

first similarity calculation means for calculating similarity values between the query condition and the individual image data by comparing the query condition with each image data stored in said storage means;

first search result display means for displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by said first similarity calculation means;

image selection means for selecting a specific image from the image data displayed as the search results by said first search result display means;

second similarity calculation means for calculating similarity values between the specific image selected by said image selection means and the plurality of image data stored in said storage means; and

second search result display means for displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by said second similarity calculation means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising similar image list acquisition means for calculating similarity values between image data stored in said storage means, and acquiring the calculated similarity values as similar image lists in units of images,

wherein said second similarity calculation means calculates similarity values with the specific image on the basis of the similar image list acquired by said similar image list acquisition means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first search result display means comprises matched image display position determination means for determining a display position of a matched image, which perfectly matches the query condition, and first similar image display means for displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower, and

said second search result display means displays the specific image on a display zone of the matched image in a display pattern different from the matched image.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second search result display means comprises second similar image display means for displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

query condition display means for displaying the query condition input by said query condition input means; and

query condition clear means for clearing the query condition displayed by said query condition display means when the specific image is selected.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

distribution information acquisition means for acquiring distribution information of the similar images; and

similar zone determination means for determining at least one similar zone for displaying the similar images on the basis of the distribution information acquired by said distribution information acquisition means.

7. An information search method comprising:

the query condition input step of storing a plurality of image data which undergo a search, and inputting a query condition;

the first similarity calculation step of calculating similarity values between the query condition and the individual image data by comparing the query condition with each stored image data;

the first search result display step of displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated in the first similarity calculation step;

the image selection step of selecting a specific image from the image data displayed as the search results in the first search result display step;

the second similarity calculation step of calculating similarity values between the specific image selected in the image selection step and the plurality of stored image data; and

the second search result display step of displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated in the second similarity calculation step.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the similar image list acquisition step of calculating similarity values between stored image data, and acquiring the calculated similarity values as similar image lists in units of images,

wherein the second similarity calculation step includes the step of calculating similarity values with the specific image on the basis of the similar-image list acquired in the similar image list acquisition step.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first search result display step comprises the matched image display position determination step of determining a display position of a matched image, which perfectly matches the query condition, and the first similar image display step of displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower, and

the second search result display step includes the step of displaying the specific image on a display zone of the matched image in a display pattern different from the matched image.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second search result display step comprises the second similar image display step of displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the query condition is displayed, and is cleared when the specific image is selected.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

the distribution information acquisition step of acquiring distribution information of the similar images; and

the similar zone determination step of determining at least one similar zone for displaying the similar images on the basis of the distribution information.

13. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program for searching and displaying information, said program including:

a code of a query condition input process for inputting a query condition;

a code of a storage process for storing a plurality of image data which undergo a search;

a code of a first similarity calculation process for calculating similarity values between the query condition and the individual image data by comparing the query condition with each stored image data;

a code of a first search result display process for displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by the first similarity calculation process;

a code of an image selection process for selecting a specific image from the image data displayed as the search results by the first search result display process;

a code of a second similarity calculation process for calculating similarity values between the specific image selected by the image selection process and the plurality of stored image data; and

a code of a second search result display process for displaying search results on the basis of the similarity values calculated by the second similarity calculation process.

14. The medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further includes a similar image list acquisition process for calculating similarity values between stored image data, and acquiring the calculated similarity values as similar image lists in units of images.

15. The medium according to claim 13, wherein the first search result display process includes a code of matched image display position determination process for determining a display position of a matched image, which perfectly matches the query condition, and a code of a first similar image display process for displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower.

16. The medium according to claim 13, wherein the second search result display process includes a code of a second similar image display process for displaying similar images, which are similar to the matched image, to be separated farther away from the matched image as similarity values of the similar images are lower.

17. The medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further includes a code of a query condition display process for displaying the query condition input by the query condition input process, and a code of a query condition clear process for clearing the query condition displayed by the query condition display process when the specific image is selected.

18. The medium according to claim 15, wherein said program further includes a code of a distribution information acquisition process for acquiring distribution information of the similar images, and a code of similar zone determination process for determining at least one similar zone for displaying the similar images on the basis of the distribution information.

19. An information search method for searching an information storage unit, which stores a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, using an input query condition, and displaying information which satisfies the query condition as a search result, comprising:

the matching level calculation step of calculating a matching level as a degree to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in the information storage unit with the query condition;

the display range determination step of determining and storing a range of the matching level to be displayed as the search result;

the search result display step of defining a display position of information which perfectly satisfies the query condition as a perfect match display position, determining a distance from the perfect match display position to a display position of information as the search result in correspondence with the matching level of the information, and displaying information falling within the range determined in the display range determination step; and

the display range change step of changing the display range stored in the display range determination step.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the distribution calculation step of calculating a distribution of the numbers of pieces information as the search result with respect to matching levels, and wherein the range of the matching level to be displayed is determined in the display range determination step and the display range change step on the basis of the distribution calculated in the distribution calculation step.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the scale mark display step of displaying scale marks as indices serving as a degree of change in matching level, and wherein the scale mark display step includes the step of displaying scale marks corresponding to high matching levels, which are not included within the display range stored in the display range determination step, by decreasing a display graduation interval between the scale marks.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the grouping step of grouping a plurality of pieces of information displayed in the search result display step, and wherein the distribution calculation step includes the step of calculating a distribution of the numbers of groups with respect to matching levels, and the search result display step includes the step of determining display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group at neighboring positions, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

23. An information search apparatus for searching an information storage unit, which stores a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, using an input query condition, and displaying information which satisfies the query condition as a search result, comprising:

matching level calculation means for calculating a matching level as a degree to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in the information storage unit with the query condition;

display range determination means for determining and storing a range of the matching level to be displayed as the search result;

search result display means for defining a display position of information which perfectly satisfies the query condition as a perfect match display position, determining a distance from the perfect match display position to a display position of information as the search result in correspondence with the matching level of the information, and displaying information falling within the range determined by said display range determination means; and

display range change means for changing the display range stored by said display range determination means.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising distribution calculation means for calculating a distribution of the numbers of pieces information as the search result with respect to matching levels, and wherein said display range determination means and said display range change means determine the range of the matching level to be displayed on the basis of the distribution calculated by said distribution calculation means.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising scale mark display means for displaying scale marks as indices serving as a degree of change in matching level, and wherein said scale mark display means displays scale marks corresponding to high matching levels, which are not included within the display range stored by said display range determination means, by decreasing a display graduation interval between the scale marks.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said search result display means displays a plurality of pieces of information in a radial pattern to have the perfect match display position as the center, and said scale mark display means displays, as the scale marks, concentric circles having the perfect match display position as the center.

27. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising grouping means for grouping a plurality of pieces of information displayed by said search result display means, and wherein said distribution calculation means calculates a distribution of the numbers of groups with respect to matching levels, and said search result display means determines display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group at neighboring positions, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

28. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program for searching an information storage unit, which stores a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, using an input query condition, and displaying information which satisfies the query condition as a search result,

said program having a code of the step of controlling to calculate a matching level as a degree to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in the information storage unit with the query condition;

to determine and store a range of the matching level to be displayed as the search result;

to define a display position of information which perfectly satisfies the query condition as a perfect match display position, determine a distance from the perfect match display position to a display position of information as the search result in correspondence with the matching level of the information, and display information falling within the determined range; and

to change the stored display range.

29. The medium according to claim 28, wherein said program has a code of the step of calculating a distribution of the numbers of pieces information as the search result with respect to matching levels, and determining the range of the matching level to be displayed on the basis of the calculated distribution.

30. The medium according to claim 28, wherein said program has a code of the step of displaying scale marks as indices serving as a degree of change in matching level, and displaying scale marks corresponding to high matching levels, which are not included within the stored display range, by decreasing a display graduation interval between the scale marks.

31. The medium according to claim 28, wherein said program has a code of the step of grouping a plurality of pieces of information to be displayed, calculating a distribution of the numbers of groups with respect to matching levels, and determining display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group at neighboring positions, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

32. An information search apparatus for searching and displaying information, comprising:

matching level calculation means for calculating a matching level as a degree to which information satisfies a query condition;

scale mark display control means for displaying a scale indicating a change in matching level; and

search result display control means for displaying information, which satisfies the query condition, on the basis of the matching level.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising query condition input means for inputting the query condition, and information storage means for storing a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, and wherein said matching level calculation means calculates matching levels as degrees to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in said information storage means and the query condition input by said query condition input means, said scale mark display control means determines display graduation intervals and display positions of scale marks indicating a change in matching level to display the scale marks, and said search result display control means determines display positions of a plurality of pieces of information that satisfy the query condition on the basis of the matching levels, and displays the information at the determined positions.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said scale mark display control means individually determines the display graduation interval of each scale mark, and said search result display control means determines the display position of information that satisfies the query condition on the basis of the display graduation interval of the scale mark determined by said scale mark display control means and the matching level.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said scale mark display control means determines the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks.

36. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said search result display control means displays a plurality of pieces of information which satisfy the query condition in a radial pattern to have a point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center, and said scale mark display control means determines a radius of a scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks and a radius of the neighboring scale mark, and displays, as the scale marks, circles having the point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center.

37. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said scale mark display control means determines the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of a minimum matching level of information displayed by said search result display control means, and a size of an information display region.

38. The apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising grouping means for grouping a plurality of pieces of information displayed by said search result display control means, and wherein said scale mark display control means determines the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of groups to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and said search result display control means determines display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group grouped by said grouping means at neighboring positions, and displays the information at the determined positions.

39. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said search result display control means displays information that satisfies the query condition with reference to a straight line indicating a perfect matching level, and said scale mark display control means determines the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and displays the straight line indicating the perfect matching level as the scale mark.

40. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said apparatus can be applied to search information such as an image, document, video, audio, and the like.

41. An information search method applied to an information search apparatus for searching and displaying information, comprising:

the matching level calculation step of calculating a matching level as a degree to which information satisfies a query condition;

the scale mark display control step of displaying a scale mark indicating a change in matching level; and

the search result display control step of displaying information, which satisfies the query condition, on the basis of the matching level.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the query condition input step of inputting the query condition, wherein the matching level calculation step includes the step of calculating matching levels as degrees to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in information storage means, which stores a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, and the query condition input in the query condition input step, the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining display graduation intervals and display positions of scale marks indicating a change in matching level to display the scale marks, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining display positions of a plurality of pieces of information that satisfy the query condition on the basis of the matching levels to display the information.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of individually determining the display graduation interval of each scale mark, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining the display position of information that satisfies the query condition on the basis of the display graduation interval of the scale mark determined in the scale mark display control step and the matching level.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks.

45. The method according to claim 41, wherein the search result display control step includes the step of displaying a plurality of pieces of information which satisfy the query condition in a radial pattern to have a point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center, and the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining a radius of a scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks and a radius of the neighboring scale mark, and displaying, as the scale marks, circles having the point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of a minimum matching level of information displayed in the search result display control step, and a size of an information display region.

47. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the grouping step of grouping a plurality of pieces of information displayed in the search result display control step, and wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of groups to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group grouped in the grouping step at neighboring positions, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

48. The method according to claim 41, wherein the search result display control step includes the step of displaying information that satisfies the query condition with reference to a straight line indicating a perfect matching level, and the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and displaying the straight line indicating the perfect matching level as the scale mark.

49. The method according to claim 41, wherein said method can be applied to search information such as an image, document, video, audio, and the like.

50. A computer readable storage medium which stores a program for searching and displaying information,

said program having:

a code of the matching level calculation step of calculating a matching level as a degree to which information satisfies a query condition;

a code of the scale mark display control step of displaying a scale mark indicating a change in matching level; and

a code of the search result display control step of displaying information, which satisfies the query condition, on the basis of the matching level.

51. The medium according to claim 50, wherein said program further has a code of the query condition input step of inputting the query condition, wherein the matching level calculation step includes the step of calculating matching levels as degrees to which the query condition is satisfied by comparing each information stored in information storage means, which stores a plurality of pieces of information which undergo a search, and the query condition input in the query condition input step, the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining display graduation intervals and display positions of scale marks indicating a change in matching level to display the scale marks, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining display positions of a plurality of pieces of information that satisfy the query condition on the basis of the matching levels, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

52. The medium according to claim 50, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of individually determining the display graduation interval of each scale mark, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining the display position of information that satisfies the query condition on the basis of the display graduation interval of the scale mark determined in the scale mark display control step and the matching level.

53. The medium according to claim 52, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks.

54. The medium according to claim 50, wherein the search result display control step includes the step of displaying a plurality of pieces of information which satisfy the query condition in a radial pattern to have a point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center, and the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining a radius of a scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks and a radius of the neighboring scale mark, and displaying, as the scale marks, circles having the point where the matching level indicates a perfect match as the center.

55. The medium according to claim 50, wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of a minimum matching level of information displayed in the search result display control step, and a size of an information display region.

56. The medium according to claim 50, wherein said program further has a code of the grouping step of grouping a plurality of pieces of information displayed in the search result display control step, and wherein the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of groups to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and the search result display control step includes the step of determining display positions to display a plurality of pieces of information belonging to a given group grouped in the grouping step at neighboring positions, and displaying the information at the determined positions.

57. The medium according to claim 50, wherein the search result display control step includes the step of displaying information that satisfies the query condition with reference to a straight line indicating a perfect matching level, and the scale mark display control step includes the step of determining the display graduation interval of the scale mark on the basis of the number of pieces of information to be displayed between neighboring scale marks, and displaying the straight line indicating the perfect matching level as the scale mark.

58. The medium according to claim 50, wherein said program can be applied to search information such as an image, document, video, audio, and the like.