SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCH PORTIONS OF OBJECTS IN IMAGES AND FEATURES THEREOF

• US 20100135582A1
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Torrensani, Lorenzo, Shah, Munjal, Gokturk, Salih Burak, Vu, Diem, Anguelov, Dragomir, Vanhoucke, Vincent, Khan, Azhar, Yang, Danny, Lin, Xiaofan, Sumengen, Baris, Dalal, Navneet
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/195
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/949 Inventory

Abstract

Embodiments enable searching of portions of objects in images, including programmatically analyzing each image in a collection in order to determine image data that, for individual images in the collection, represents one or more visual characteristics of a portion of an object shown in that image. A user is enabled to specify one or more search criteria that includes image data, and a search result may be determined based on one or more images in the collection that show a corresponding object that has a portion that satisfies a threshold. The threshold is defined at least in part by the one or more search criteria.

Claims

1. A method for enabling searching of images based on image features, the method comprising:

using one or more processors to perform steps comprising;

programmatically analyzing each image in a collection of images, including determining at least a local feature and a global feature for individual objects that appear in each image of the collection, the local feature of each object corresponding to a visual characteristic of a segment of that object, the global feature of each object corresponding to a visual characteristic of the object as a whole;

enabling a user to specify a search input;

determining a search result comprising (i) one or more images that depict objects that individually have a global feature which satisfies a criteria identified from the input, and (ii) one or more images that depict objects that individually have a local feature that satisfies the criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a user to specify the search input includes enabling the user to select a parameter that corresponds to a color, a shape or a pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a search result includes comparing image data, corresponding to the search input, to local and global features of objects depicted in at least some images of the collection, in determining N objects in images that comprise a portion of the collection, which have at least a segment that is deemed most similar in appearance to the image data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling a user to specify the search input includes enabling the user (i) to select the object depicted in a given image, of the object, (ii) to specify a parameter that selects or weights a visual characteristic that corresponds to either a local or global feature.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the user to specify the search input includes enabling the user to select an object depicted in an image and a parameter that corresponds to a shape or a pattern.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the user to specify the search input includes enabling the user to select an object depicted in an image and a parameter that corresponds to criteria color value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein enabling the user to specify the parameter includes enabling the user to specify a parameter value by operating a graphical feature that is in form of a slider that can be moved in between a range of values for a given visual characteristic.