Search method and apparatus for locating digitally stored content, such as visual images, music and sounds, text, or software, in storage devices on a computer network
First Claim
1. A search method for locating particular content or similar content that has been converted to a digital format for storage in a digital file at a location somewhere in at least one of a plurality of database and/or server devices, which are connected to and accessible via a computer network, comprising:
- producing a reference image in an optical pattern that is characteristic of the particular content;
accessing and downloading a plurality of digital candidate files from their respective storage locations in one or more of the plurality of database and/or server devices along with location information that is indicative of said respective storage locations;
producing a plurality of candidate images in optical patterns that are characteristic of content in the respective downloaded digital candidate files;
comparing the candidate images to the reference image by optical correlation to detect degree of correlation between the reference image and the candidate images; and
reporting results based on the degree of correlation for the digital candidate files from the storage locations that are determined by the degree of correlation to have content that is closest to or matches the particular content.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for searching for and comparing images includes allowing a user, software application, computer system, etc., to create, identify, select, provide, or otherwise produce one or more reference images that the user, software application, computer system, etc., wants to search for, retrieving or providing one or more candidate images that are to be compared to the reference images, comparing one or more of the candidate images with one or more of the reference images, and indicating the results of the comparisons and the degree of correlation or matching between one or more of the candidate images and one or more of the reference images.
137 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A search method for locating particular content or similar content that has been converted to a digital format for storage in a digital file at a location somewhere in at least one of a plurality of database and/or server devices, which are connected to and accessible via a computer network, comprising:
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producing a reference image in an optical pattern that is characteristic of the particular content;
accessing and downloading a plurality of digital candidate files from their respective storage locations in one or more of the plurality of database and/or server devices along with location information that is indicative of said respective storage locations;
producing a plurality of candidate images in optical patterns that are characteristic of content in the respective downloaded digital candidate files;
comparing the candidate images to the reference image by optical correlation to detect degree of correlation between the reference image and the candidate images; and
reporting results based on the degree of correlation for the digital candidate files from the storage locations that are determined by the degree of correlation to have content that is closest to or matches the particular content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
producing the reference image on a client device that is connected to a optical correlation system;
transmitting the reference image from said client device to the optical correlation system for producing the optical pattern that is characteristic of the particular content;
producing the candidate images on the client device and transmitting the candidate images to the optical correlation system for producing the optical patterns that are characteristic of the content in the respective downloaded digital candidate files;
comparing the optical patterns produced from the respective candidate images to the optical pattern produced from the reference image by optical correlation in the optical correlation system; and
reporting the degree of correlation and/or candidate images that have a higher degree of correlation than other candidate images on the client device.
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9. The method of claim 1, including:
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downloading digital files from a plurality of database and/or server devices and web sites at divers locations via the computer network; and
selecting candidate images from among such downloaded digital files for populating a database of candidate images from which said one or more candidate images can be accessed for subsequent comparison to one or more reference images.
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10. The method of claim 1, including rescaling or resizing one or more of said candidate images prior to said comparison of said reference image with said candidate images.
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11. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing of said reference image with said candidate images using optical correlation is rotationally and/or size invariant.
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12. The method of claim 1, wherein said producing the reference image include creating a new image.
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13. The method of claim 1, wherein said producing reference image includes input of one or more previously created images.
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14. The method of claim 1, wherein said producing reference image includes selecting from one or more previously created images.
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15. The method of claim 1, including creating a lower resolution optical version of the reference image and a lower resolution optical version of at least one of the candidate images.
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16. The method of claim 15, including comparing said lower resolution version of the reference image and said lower resolution version of said at least one candidate image.
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17. The method of claim 16, wherein said comparing said reference image with one or more of said candidate images using optical correlation is limited to the reference image and candidate images for which at least a threshold level of similarity is determined as a result of said comparing said lower resolution version of the reference image and said lower resolution version of said at least one candidate image.
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18. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content includes a visual image.
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19. The method of claim 18, including producing the candidate images in optical display patterns from downloaded digital candidate files of visual image content.
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20. The method of claim 19, wherein a downloaded digital candidate file was produced from a visual image by a graphic digital format, and the method includes using such graphic digital format to produce the candidate image from that downloaded digital candidate file.
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21. The method of claim 18, wherein reporting the results includes showing the candidate images that are closest in degree of correlation to the reference image.
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22. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content includes music or sound.
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23. The method of claim 22, including:
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producing the reference image by converting a reference sound into a digital format according to a particular sound-to-digital format and then applying an algorithm to convert the digital format to the reference image; and
producing the candidate images by applying the algorithm to sound content in the digital candidate files that has also been converted into digital format according to said particular sound-to-digital format.
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24. The method of claim 23, wherein the algorithm includes mapping each data byte of sound content in the digital format to a pixel location on an optical correlator input device.
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25. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content includes text, which as been converted to digital format for storage.
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26. The method of claim 25, including:
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producing the reference image by converting reference text into a digital format according to a particular text-to-digital format and then applying an algorithm to convert the digital format to the reference image; and
producing the candidate images by applying the same algorithm to text in the digital candidate files that has also been converted into digital format according to said particular text-to-digital format.
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27. The method of claim 26, wherein the algorithm includes mapping each data byte of text content in the digital format to a pixel location on an optical correlator input device.
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28. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content includes software.
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29. The method fo claim 1, including searching for candidate images at URLs on the World Wide Web.
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30. The method of claim 29, including:
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downloading HTML files from web sites;
searching the HTML files for files in graphics digital format; and
utilizing such graphics digital files as candidate image files.
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31. The method of claim 1, including performing a focus search to determine locations of databases, web sites, and/or servers that are more likely to contain the particular content than random searching, and then accessing and downloading digital candidate files from such databases, web sites, and/or servers.
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32. The method of claim 1, including storing retrieved digital candidate files in a central database for subsequent use in producing candidate images for comparison to reference images.
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33. The method of claim 32, including queuing digital candidate files from the central abase for use in producing the candidate images for comparison to the reference image.
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34. The method of claim 1, including modifying one or more of the candidate images by blocking some content of such candidate image prior to comparison to the reference image.
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35. A search method for locating a digital file of particular content or similar content stored at a location in at least one of a plurality of database and/or server devices connected to and accessible via a computer network, comprising:
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producing at least one reference image in an optical pattern that is characteristic of the particular content or similar content;
accessing and downloading a plurality of digital candidate files from their respective storage locations in one or more of the plurality of database and/or server devices;
producing a plurality of candidate images in optical patterns that are characteristic of content in the respective downloaded digital candidate files;
comparing features of the optical pattern of the reference image that is characteristic of the particular content or similar content with features of the optical patterns of the respective candidate images that are characteristic of content in their respective downloaded digital candidate files to find and report matches of such reference image with one or more of the candidate images and thereby identify and/or locate a digital file of the particular content or similar content. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. Search apparatus for locating a digital file of particular content or similar content stored at a location in at least one of a plurality of database and/or server devices connected to and accessible via a computer network, comprising:
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reference image producing means for producing at least one reference image in an optical pattern that is characteristic of the particular content or similar content;
candidate file access means connectable to the computer network for accessing and downloading a plurality of digital candidate files from their respective storage locations in one or more of the plurality of database and/or server devices;
candidate image producing means connectable to the candidate file access means for converting digital candidate files to candidate images in optical patterns that are characteristic of content in the respective downloaded digital candidate files; and
optical comparing means for comparing the optical pattern of the reference image with the optical patterns of the respective candidate images in order to determine, by matching a candidate image optical pattern to the reference image optical pattern, whether any of the candidate digital files from any of the respective storage locations has the particular content or similar content. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification