Image filing method based on symbol retrieval condition
First Claim
1. An image filing method in which a plurality of images are registered in a storage means and a retrieval of the registered images is executed by adding a retrieval condition, each of the plurality of images having color defined by a color space, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) dividing the color space of each of the plurality of images into a plurality of color subspaces to assign a plurality of symbols, each of the plurality of symbols being specific to a corresponding one of the plurality of color subspaces;
(b) registering the images into the storage means corresponding to at least one condition of the kind, position and size of each of the plurality of symbols; and
(c) reading the images corresponding to at least one condition of the kind, position and size of the plurality of symbols as the retrieval condition out of the storage means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image filing method, in which a plurality of images are registered one by one, and the registered images are retrieved by adding a retrieval condition so as to be simple and not require time and labor at the registration and retrieval times. A plurality of symbols for featuring objects in the images are set in advance, and the images are registered corresponding to the selected symbols. At the image retrieval time, the symbols are selected, and the images corresponding to the selected symbols are read out.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An image filing method in which a plurality of images are registered in a storage means and a retrieval of the registered images is executed by adding a retrieval condition, each of the plurality of images having color defined by a color space, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) dividing the color space of each of the plurality of images into a plurality of color subspaces to assign a plurality of symbols, each of the plurality of symbols being specific to a corresponding one of the plurality of color subspaces; (b) registering the images into the storage means corresponding to at least one condition of the kind, position and size of each of the plurality of symbols; and (c) reading the images corresponding to at least one condition of the kind, position and size of the plurality of symbols as the retrieval condition out of the storage means. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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2. An image filing method in which a plurality of images are registered in a storage means and a retrieval of the registered images is executed by adding a retrieval condition, each of the plurality of images including pixels and having color defined by a color space, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) dividing the color space of each of the plurality of images into a plurality of color subspaces, and determining whether a color of each pixel of each image corresponds to any of the plurality of color subspaces, to calculate a number of pixels included in each of the plurality of color subspaces; (b) registering the images into the storage means corresponding to the plurality of color subspaces and the number of pixels; and (c) reading the images corresponding to the plurality of color subspaces and the amounts corresponding to the number of pixels as the retrieval condition out of the storage means. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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3. An image filing method in which a plurality of images are registered in a storage means and a retrieval of the registered images is executed by adding a retrieval condition, comprising the steps of:
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(a) calculating a feature amount of each of the images, wherein the feature amount represents quantities of pixels of a particular color within the images; (b) registering the images along with the feature amounts into the storage means; and (c) reading the images corresponding to a range of the feature amounts as the retrieval condition out of the storage means.
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4. A method for storing an image, the image having color, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) displaying the image; (b) determining a color position of the image, wherein the color position represents a geographic center of a contiguous area having a single color in the image; (c) determining a color size of the image, wherein the color size represents an area of the contiguous area having a single color in the image; and (d) registering the image, so that the image is associated with the color position and the color size. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for retrieving an image, the image being associated with a color position representing a geographic center of a contiguous area of the image having a single color and a color size representing a size of the contiguous area, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a symbol; (b) selecting a color size for the symbol; (c) selecting a color position for the symbol; and (d) displaying all images having a color size within a threshold of the selected color size for the symbol and having a color position within a threshold of the selected color position for the symbol. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method for storing an image, the image having color, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) displaying the image; (b) dividing the image into a plurality of areas; (c) determining a pixel number for each of the plurality of areas, wherein the pixel number represents a number of pixels of a single color within an area; and (d) registering the image, so that the image is associated with the pixel numbers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for retrieving an image, the image being associated with at least one pixel number, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a pixel number corresponding to a number of pixels of a single color; (b) displaying a group of images, each of the group of images having a pixel number within a threshold of the selected pixel number; and (c) selecting the image from the group of images. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for storing an image, the image having color, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a first frequency of occurrence of a first color; (b) determining a second frequency of occurrence of a second color; and (c) registering the image, so that the image is associated with the first frequency and the second frequency.
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18. A method for retrieving an image having a first frequency of occurrence of a first color and a second frequency of occurrence of a second color, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a third frequency of occurrence of the first color; (b) selecting a fourth frequency of occurrence of the second color; (c) displaying a group of images, each of the group of images having a first frequency of occurrence within a first threshold range about the third frequency of occurrence and having a second frequency of occurrence within a second threshold range about the fourth frequency of occurrence; and (d) selecting the image from the group of images. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An apparatus for storing an image, the image having color, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for displaying the image; second means, coupled to the first means, for determining a color position of the image, wherein the color position represents a geographic center of a contiguous area having a single color in the image; third means, coupled to the first means, for determining a color size of the image, wherein the color size represents an area of the contiguous area having a single color in the image; and fourth means, coupled to the second and third means, for registering the image, so that the image is associated with the color position and the color size. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for retrieving an image, the image being associated with a color position representing a geographic center of a contiguous area of the image having a single color and a color size representing a size of the contiguous area, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for selecting a symbol; second means, coupled to the first means, for selecting a color size for the symbol; third means, coupled to the first means, for selecting a color position for the symbol; and fourth means, coupled to the second and third means, for displaying all images having a color size within a threshold of the selected color size for the symbol and having a color position within a threshold of the selected color position for the symbol. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for storing an image, the image having color, the apparatus comprising:
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means for displaying the image; means, coupled to the means for displaying, for dividing the image into a plurality of areas; means, coupled to the means for dividing, for determining a pixel number for each of the plurality of areas, wherein the pixel number represents a number of pixels of a single color within an area; and means, coupled to the means for determining, for registering the image, so that the image is associated with the pixel numbers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for retrieving an image, the image being associated with at least one pixel number, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for selecting a number corresponding to a number of pixels of a single color; second means, coupled to the first means, for displaying a group of images, each of the group of images having a pixel number within a threshold of the selected pixel number; and third means, coupled to the second means, for selecting the image from the group of images. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for storing an image, the image having color, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for determining a first frequency of occurrence of a first color; second means, coupled to the first means, for determining a second frequency of occurrence of a second color; and third means, coupled to the first and second means, for registering the image, so that the image is associated with the first frequency and the second frequency.
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34. An apparatus for retrieving an image having a first frequency of occurrence of a first color and a second frequency of occurrence of a second color, the apparatus comprising:
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first means for selecting a third frequency of occurrence of the first color; second means, coupled to the first means, for selecting a fourth frequency of occurrence of the second color; third means, coupled to the first and second means, for displaying a group of images, each of the group of images having a first frequency of occurrence within a first threshold range about the third frequency of occurrence and having a second frequency of occurrence within a second threshold range about the fourth frequency of occurrence; and fourth means, coupled to the third means, for selecting the image from the group of images. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification