Image database browsing and query using texture analysis
First Claim
1. A method for searching a document image database comprising:
- developing an example document image;
obtaining image feature information about said example document image;
searching, using said image feature information, the document image database;
displaying search results of said search step;
accepting user input selecting a given search result and;
when requested by said user input, performing further iterative searching by using said selected search result as a new example document image.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for querying a document image database based on texture, i.e., analytically discernable patterns in the document images of the database. According to the invention, a document image database could be browsed for documents with a particular texture in a variety of ways. For example, a user could input an example document image with a similar appearance to the desired document. Alternatively, the user could employ a simple interface to define a synthetic document based on selection of a few categories. The synthetic document would then serve as an example for search. Or the user may employ a graphical interface to more precisely define an example for search. Thus, the user'"'"'s knowledge of the general appearance of the desired document or documents provides the basis for the search.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for searching a document image database comprising:
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developing an example document image; obtaining image feature information about said example document image; searching, using said image feature information, the document image database; displaying search results of said search step; accepting user input selecting a given search result and; when requested by said user input, performing further iterative searching by using said selected search result as a new example document image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of extracting a feature vector from an electronically stored image comprising:
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measuring the size of connected components throughout said image; identifying interest levels of pixels throughout said image; identifying connected components and their sizes throughout said image; storing a histogram of connected component sizes as a first group of elements of said feature vector; and storing a histogram of interest levels of pixels as a second group of elements of said feature vector. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A document image browsing system comprising:
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an electronic storage unit that stores a document image database; an input device for accepting user input; a display that displays document images; a processor unit coupled to said electronic storage device and said display, said processor unit operative to; develop an example document image; obtain image feature information about said example document image; and when requested by said user input, iteratively search said document image database for document images similar to said example document image, wherein said search is performed using said image feature information, and wherein a new search is based on a new example document image that is selected from a search result of a previous search.
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26. Software on a storage medium comprising:
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software for developing an example document image; software for obtaining image feature information about said example document image; software for searching, using said image feature information, the document image database; software for displaying search results of said searching software; software for accepting user input selecting a displayed search result; and software for performing, when requested by said user input, further iterative searching by using said selected search result as a new example document image. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification