IMAGE-BASED SEARCH INTERFACE

• US 20120232987A1
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Everingham, James R.
• Application Number:
  US13/045,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232987A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

Systems and method for providing an image-based search interface. In one embodiment, for example, there is provided a method comprising displaying an image, and upon a user'"'"'s activation of the image, presenting to the user a pre-populated search interface. There is also provided an image processing method for providing a web user with a pre-populated search interface, comprising: (a) receiving an image from a source; (b) analyzing the image to identify the subject matter within the image; (c) generating a search tag based on the subject matter within the image; and (d) sending the search tag to the source. In one embodiment, the systems and methods described herein are used in computer-implemented advertising.

Claims

1. An image processing method for providing a web user with a pre-populated search interface, comprising:

(a) receiving an image from a source;

(b) analyzing the image to identify the subject matter within the image;

(c) generating a search tag based on the subject matter within the image; and

(d) sending the search tag to the source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying positional information of a first object in the image;

generating a first search tag based on the first object;

linking the positional information of the first object to the search tag based on the first object;

identifying positional information of a second object in the image;

generating a second search tag based on the second object;

linking the positional information of the second object to the search tag based on the second object; and

sending the first search tag and the second search tag, and respective positional information, to the source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (c) are automatically performed by a computer-implemented image recognition engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed by crowdsourcing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the search tag is an informational query, a navigational query, a transactional query, a connectivity query, or a syntax-specific standardized query.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the search tag is used to pre-populate the search interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search tag is sent to the source upon a user'"'"'s activation of the image.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user'"'"'s activation of the image is a mouse-over event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating contextually relevant content based on the search tag; and

sending the contextually relevant content to the source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the contextually relevant content is displayed proximate to the search interface.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the contextually relevant content is selected from the group consisting of:

an advertisement creative, a hyperlink, text, and an image.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

conducting an Internet search based on the search tag; and

sending the Internet search results to the source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the Internet search results are displayed proximate to the search interface.

14. A computer-implemented method for providing an Internet search interface, comprising:

displaying a digital image on a web browser; and

upon a web user'"'"'s activation of the image, presenting to the user a pre-populated search interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user'"'"'s activation of the image is a mouse-over event.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a hyperlink proximate to the search interface, wherein the hyperlink is generated based on an object within the image.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying an advertisement creative proximate to the search interface, wherein the advertisement creative is selected based on an object within the image.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying content specific advertising proximate to the search interface, wherein the content specific advertising is generated based on an object within the image.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying content specific information proximate to the search interface, wherein the content specific information is generated based on an object with the image.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

analyzing the image to identify one or more objects within the image;

generating a search tag based on the one or more objects within the image; and

pre-populating the search interface with the search tag.