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Method and system for searching for images based on color and shape of a selected image

  • US 6,477,269 B1
  • Filed: 04/20/1999
  • Issued: 11/05/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for finding images in an image catalog that are similar to a selected image, comprising:

  • (a) determining a wavelet signature for the selected image by;

    (i) performing a wavelet transform on the selected image to determine the coefficients of the color planes of the selected image;

    (ii) selecting a predetermined number of coefficients for each color plane based on the magnitude of the coefficients;

    (iii) encoding said selected coefficients by ordering said coefficients in a shell matrix based on wavelet resolution;

    (iv) encoding the signs of said selected coefficients by ordering said signs in said shell matrix in accordance with said wavelet resolution;

    (v) storing the selected, encoded coefficients in a sorted array; and

    (vi) storing the encoded signs of said selected coefficients as the wavelet signature of the selected image;

    (b) determining a color signature for the selected image;

    (c) for each image in the image catalog;

    (i) determining a wavelet signature for the catalog image by;

    (aa) performing a wavelet transform on the catalog image to determine the coefficients of the color planes of the catalog image;

    (bb) selecting a predetermined number of coefficients for each color plane based on the magnitude of the coefficients;

    (cc) encoding said selected coefficients by ordering said coefficients in a shell matrix based on wavelet resolution;

    (dd) encoding the signs of said selected coefficients by ordering said signs in said shell matrix in accordance with said wavelet resolution;

    (ee) storing the selected, encoded coefficients in a sorted array; and

    (ff) storing the encoded signs of said selected coefficients as the wavelet signature of the catalog image;

    (ii) determining a color signature for the catalog image;

    (iii) determining a wavelet metric by;

    (aa) comparing the wavelet signature for the selected image to the wavelet signature for the catalog image; and

    (bb) based on the comparison, computing, for each color plane, a wavelength metric by totalizing the value of the selected coefficients for the color plane and dividing the result by the value of the selected coefficients that match the coefficients of the selected image for the same color plane;

    (iv) computing a color metric by comparing the color signature for the selected image to the color signature for the catalog image; and

    (d) returning to a user the images found in the image catalog that most closely match the selected image based on the wavelet metric and the color metric.

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