Selecting Search Result Images Based On Color

• US 20140188842A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Vuong, Ba-Quy, Gattani, Abhishek, Tholiya, Namrata PramodKumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,305,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Example systems and methods that select search result images are described. In one implementation, a method accesses a ranking of multiple products associated with a search query and identifies a reference to a color in the search query. The method identifies a first product from the ranking of multiple products and identifies multiple product images associated with the first product. A color determination is made regarding each of the multiple product images. A product image having an associated color that is most similar to the color in the search query is selected for presentation in the search results.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a ranking of multiple products associated with a search query;

identifying a reference to a color in the search query;

identifying a first product from the ranking of multiple products;

identifying a plurality of product images associated with the first product;

determining a color associated with each of the plurality of product images; and

selecting, using one or more processors, a product image having an associated color that is most similar to the color in the search query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating search results that include the selected product image.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicating the search results to a device operated by a user.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising causing to display the search results to a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference to a color in the search query is a keyword in the search query.

6. The method of claim 1, the identifying of the reference to the color in the search query includes comparing each term in the search query with a listing of known color terms.

7. The method of claim 1, the selecting of the product image having an associated color that is most similar to the color in the search query includes determining a color similarity between the color in the search query and the color associated with each of the plurality of product images.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a default product image if no product image has an associated color that is similar to the color in the search query.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the search query to determine whether a user associated with the search query intended an actual color.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a default product image if the user did not intend an actual color.

11. A method comprising:

accessing a ranking of multiple products associated with a search query;

identifying a reference to a color in the search query;

for each of the multiple products;

identifying a plurality of product images associated with each product;

determining, using one or more processors, a color associated with each of the plurality of product images associated with each product; and

selecting a product image having an associated color that matches the color in the search query.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating search results that include the selected product images for each of the multiple products.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising communicating the search results to a device operated by a user.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising causing to display the search results to a user.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting a default product image if no product image has an associated color that is similar to the color in the search query.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising analyzing the search query to determine whether a user associated with the search query intended an actual color.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a default product image if the user did not intend an actual color.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store data associated with at least one product image; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to;

access a ranking of multiple products associated with a search query;

identify a reference to a color in the search query;

identify a first product from the ranking of multiple products;

identify a plurality of product images associated with the first product;

determine a color associated with each of the plurality of product images; and

select a product image having an associated color that is most similar to the color in the search query.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the one or more processors further configured to generate search results that include the selected product image.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, the one or more processors further configured to cause a display of the search results to a user.