Image retrieving system, image classifying system, image retrieving program, image classifying program, image retrieving method and image classifying method

• US 20050008263A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nagahashi, Toshinori, Hyuga, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/507 Summing image-intensity values; Histogram projection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

An image retrieving system is provided which is suitable for acquiring a retrieving result or a classifying result according to the desire of a user. The system extracts a noticing area from a retrieving key image and each retrieving object image, and a characteristic vector V of these images is generated on the basis of the extracted noticing area. An image similar to the retrieving key image is retrieved from a retrieving object image registration database on the basis of the generated characteristic vector V.

Claims

1. An image retrieving system for retrieving an image adapted for a given retrieving key image from plural retrieving object images on the basis of the given retrieving key image, the system comprising:

an extractor extracting a noticing area from the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image;

a generator generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the images on the basis of the extracted noticing area; and

a retriever retrieving the image adapted for the retrieving key image from the plural retrieving object images on the basis of the generated characteristic vector.

2. An image retrieving system for retrieving an image adapted for a given retrieving key image from plural retrieving object images on the basis of the given retrieving key image, the image retrieving system comprising:

retrieving object image storage means for storing the plural retrieving object images;

retrieving key image inputting means for inputting the retrieving key image;

noticing area extracting means for extracting a noticing area from the images with respect to the retrieving key image inputted by the retrieving key image inputting means and each retrieving object image of the retrieving object image storage means;

characteristic vector generating means for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the images on the basis of the noticing area extracted by the noticing area extracting means with respect to the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image; and

image retrieving means for retrieving the image adapted for the retrieving key image from the retrieving object image storage means on the basis of the characteristic vector generated by the characteristic vector generating means.

3. The image retrieving system according to claim 2, wherein the image retrieving system further comprises:

face information judging means for judging face information of a person image included in the images with respect to the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image; and

the characteristic vector generating means generates the characteristic vector showing the character of the images on the basis of the face information judged by the face information judging means with respect to the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image.

4. The image retrieving system according to claim 2, wherein the image retrieving system further comprises:

similar degree judging means for judging similar degrees of the face of a person image included in the retrieving object image and the face of a person image included in the retrieving key image for each retrieving object image; and

the characteristic vector generating means generates the characteristic vector showing the character of the images on the basis of the judging result of the similar degree judging means with respect to the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image.

5. The image retrieving system according to claim 2, wherein the image retrieving means is constructed such that the retrieving object image corresponding to the characteristic vector having a smallest inter-vector distance with respect to the characteristic vector of the retrieving key image is retrieved and outputted from the retrieving object image storage means.

6. The image retrieving system according to claim 2, wherein the image retrieving means is constructed such that each retrieving object image is classified into plural groups on the basis of the inter-vector distance between the characteristic vectors of the retrieving object image, and all the retrieving object images to which the retrieving key image belongs within the plural groups are retrieved and outputted from the retrieving object image storage means.

7. The image retrieving system according to claim 2, wherein, when the aspect ratios of the retrieving key image and the retrieving object image or the aspect ratios of the retrieving object images are different from each other, the characteristic vector generating means overlaps first and second images having the different aspect ratios, and generates the characteristic vector of the first image with respect to the overlapping area within the first image, and also generates the characteristic vector of the second image with respect to the overlapping area within the second image.

8. An image classifying system for classifying plural classifying object images comprising:

an extractor extracting a noticing area from the classifying object images for each classifying object image;

a generator generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the classifying object images on the basis of the extracted noticing area; and

a classifier classifying each classifying object image into plural groups on the basis of the generated characteristic vector.

9. An image classifying system for classifying plural classifying object images comprising:

classifying object image storage means for storing the plural classifying object images;

noticing area extracting means for extracting a noticing area from the classifying object images for each classifying object image of the classifying object image storage means;

characteristic vector generating means for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the classifying object image for each classifying object image on the basis of the noticing area extracted by the noticing area extracting means; and

image classifying means for classifying each classifying object image into plural groups on the basis of the characteristic vector generated by the characteristic vector generating means.

10. The image classifying system according to claim 9, wherein the image classifying system further comprises:

face information judging means for judging face information of a person image included in the classifying object image for each classifying object image; and

the characteristic vector generating means generates the characteristic vector showing the character of the classifying object image for each classifying object image on the basis of the face information judged by the face information judging means.

11. The image classifying system according to claim 9, wherein the image classifying system further comprises:

similar degree judging means for judging similar degrees of the face of a person image included in the classifying object image for each classifying object image and the face of a person image included in a specific image; and

the characteristic vector generating means generates the characteristic vector showing the character of the classifying object image for each classifying object image on the basis of the judging result of the similar degree judging means.

12. The image classifying system according to claim 9, wherein the image classifying means classifies each classifying object image into the plural groups on the basis of the inter-vector distance between the characteristic vectors of the classifying object image, and a predetermined number of classifying object images are retrieved and outputted from the classifying object image storage means for each group.

13. The image classifying system according to claim 9, wherein, when the aspect ratios of the classifying object images are different from each other, the characteristic vector generating means overlaps first and second images having the different aspect ratios, and generates the characteristic vector of the first image with respect to the overlapping area within the first image, and also generates the characteristic vector of the second image with respect to the overlapping area within the second image.

14. An image retrieving program for retrieving an image adapted for a given retrieving key image from plural retrieving object images on the basis of the given retrieving key image, the image retrieving program comprising:

noticing area extracting means for extracting a noticing area from the images with respect to the retrieving key image inputted by retrieving key image inputting means and each retrieving object image of retrieving object image storage means about a computer capable of utilizing the retrieving object image storage means for storing the plural retrieving object images and the retrieving key image inputting means for inputting the retrieving key image;

characteristic vector generating means for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the images on the basis of the noticing area extracted by the noticing area extracting means with respect to the retrieving key image and each retrieving object image; and

image retrieving means for retrieving the image adapted for the retrieving key image from the retrieving object image storage means on the basis of the characteristic vector generated by the characteristic vector generating means.

15. An image classifying program for classifying plural classifying object images, the image classifying program comprising:

noticing area extracting means for extracting a noticing area from the classifying object image for each classifying object image of classifying object image storage means with respect to a computer capable of utilizing the classifying object image storage means for storing the plural classifying object images;

characteristic vector generating means for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the classifying object image for each classifying object image on the basis of the noticing area extracted by the noticing area extracting means; and

image classifying means for classifying each classifying object image into plural groups on the basis of the characteristic vector generated by the characteristic vector generating means.

16. An image retrieving method for retrieving an image adapted for a given retrieving key image from retrieving object image storage means storing plural retrieving object images thereto on the basis of the given retrieving key image, the method comprising:

a retrieving key image inputting step for inputting the retrieving key image;

a first noticing area extracting step for extracting a noticing area from the retrieving key image inputted in the retrieving key image inputting step;

a first characteristic vector generating step for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the retrieving key image on the basis of the noticing area extracted in the first noticing area extracting step;

a second noticing area extracting step for extracting the noticing area from the retrieving object image;

a second characteristic vector generating step for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the retrieving object image on the basis of the noticing area extracted in the second noticing area extracting step;

a repeating step for repeatedly executing the second noticing area extracting step and the second characteristic vector generating step for each retrieving object image of the retrieving object image storage means; and

an image retrieving step for retrieving the image adapted for the retrieving key image from the retrieving object image storage means on the basis of the characteristic vectors generated in the first characteristic vector generating step and the second characteristic vector generating step.

17. An image classifying method for classifying plural classifying object images, the method comprising:

a noticing area extracting step for extracting a noticing area from the classifying object images;

a characteristic vector generating step for generating a characteristic vector showing a character of the classifying object image on the basis of the noticing area extracted in the noticing area extracting step;

a repeating step for repeatedly executing the noticing area extracting step and the characteristic vector generating step for each classifying object image; and

an image classifying step for classifying each classifying object image into plural groups on the basis of the characteristic vector generated in the characteristic vector generating step.