IMAGE SEARCH SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160239521A1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanwha Vision Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, DongJun, RYU, YeonGeol, SHIN, HakChul
• Granted Patent: US 11,347,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Provided are image search system and methods. The image search system may include a query engine for reconfiguring a search query based on a description and an attribute of a sketch query that is input to a query image; a search engine for extracting image data that matches the search query from a database; and a display apparatus for displaying the extracted image data.

Claims

1. An image search system comprising:

a query engine for reconfiguring a search query based on a description and an attribute of a sketch query that is input to a query image;

a search engine for extracting image data that matches the search query from a database; and

a display apparatus for displaying the extracted image data.

2. The image search system of claim 1, wherein according to whether colors of a plurality of sketch queries are identical to each other, the query engine performs a logical operation on the plurality of sketch queries.

3. The image search system of claim 2, wherein the query engine reconfigures a search query by performing an AND logical operation on sketch queries of a same color.

4. The image search system of claim 2, wherein the query engine reconfigures a search query by performing an OR logical operation on sketch queries of different colors.

5. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as a circle refers to a category or an attribute of an object encompassed by the circle, according to a type of the circle.

6. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as a triangle refers to detection of an object that crosses a bottom side of the triangle and moves toward a vertex of the triangle.

7. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as an arrow refers to a direction of a motion of a single object or a plurality of objects, according to a size of the arrow.

8. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as a line refers to a moving line of a single object or a plurality of objects, according to a thickness of the line.

9. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as a rectangle or a polygon refers to a motion of a single object or an interaction between a plurality of objects in an area in which the rectangle or a polygon is located.

10. The image search system of claim 1, wherein a sketch query expressed as an arbitrary shape refers to an attribute of an object encompassed by the arbitrary shape, according to a type of the line in the arbitrary shape.

11. The image search system of claim 1, further comprising a sketch input unit for providing an input tool via which the sketch query is input.

12. The image search system of claim 11, wherein, if a specific sketch query is selected by the input tool and a specific area in which the sketch query is to be located is selected from the query image, the sketch input unit controls a size of a sketch query that is input to the query image according to a time for remaining the specific sketch query at the specific area selected.

13. An image search method comprising:

extracting a sketch query that is input to a query image;

reconfiguring a search query based on a description and an attribute of the sketch query;

extracting image data that matches the search query from a database; and

displaying the extracted image data.

14. The image search system of claim 13, wherein according to whether colors of a plurality of sketch queries are identical to each other, the reconfiguring of the search query comprises performing a logical operation on the plurality of sketch queries.

15. The image search system of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring of the search query comprises the reconfiguring of the search query by performing an AND logical operation on sketch queries of a same color.

16. The image search system of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring of the search query comprises the reconfiguring of the search query by performing an OR logical operation on sketch queries of different colors.

17. The image search system of claim 13, wherein a sketch query expressed as a circle refers to a category or an attribute of an object encompassed by the circle, according to a type of the circle.

18. The image search system of claim 13, wherein a sketch query expressed as a triangle refers to detection of an object that crosses a bottom side of a triangle and moves toward a vertex of the triangle.

19. The image search system of claim 13, further comprising providing an input tool via which the sketch query is input.

20. The image search system of claim 19, wherein, if a specific sketch query is selected by the input tool and a specific area in which the sketch query is to be located is selected from the query image, a size of a sketch query that is input to the query image is controlled, according to a time for remaining the specific sketch query at the specific area selected.