Image retrieving apparatus
First Claim
1. An image retrieving apparatus for retrieving whether an image similar to a predetermined retrieving image to be retrieved is included in an input image or not comprising:
- a first area extracting unit for extracting a first retrieving area having a first size from the input image with respect to each movement at a first moving pitch;
a first histogram forming unit for forming a first histogram with respect to each first retrieving area with a first resolution of gradation;
a second histogram forming unit for forming a second histogram of the retrieving image with the first resolution of gradation;
a second area extracting unit for comparing the first histogram with the second histogram for calculating a similarity of the first histogram with respect to the second histogram and for extracting a retrieving area having the similarity larger than a first level;
a third area extracting unit for extracting a second retrieving area having a second size from the first retrieving area extracted by the second area extracting unit at a second moving pitch;
a third histogram forming unit for forming a third histogram with respect to each second retrieving area with a second resolution of gradation which is higher than the first resolution of gradation;
a fourth histogram forming unit for forming a fourth histogram of the retrieving image with the second resolution of gradation; and
an area retrieving unit for comparing the third histogram with the fourth histogram for calculating a similarity of the third histogram with respect to the fourth histogram and for retrieving an area having the similarity larger than a second level.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an image retrieving apparatus for retrieving a retrieving image in an input image, a color histogram of an image in a retrieving area in the input image is compared with a color histogram of the retrieving image. At first, a candidate area in which the retrieving image can be included is roughly retrieved by rough image retrieving with selecting a larger retrieving area and a rough resolution of gradation of the histograms. Subsequently, an area including an image corresponding to the retrieving image is precisely retrieved by fine image retrieving with a smaller retrieving area and a fine resolution of gradation of the histograms.
31 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An image retrieving apparatus for retrieving whether an image similar to a predetermined retrieving image to be retrieved is included in an input image or not comprising:
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a first area extracting unit for extracting a first retrieving area having a first size from the input image with respect to each movement at a first moving pitch;
a first histogram forming unit for forming a first histogram with respect to each first retrieving area with a first resolution of gradation;
a second histogram forming unit for forming a second histogram of the retrieving image with the first resolution of gradation;
a second area extracting unit for comparing the first histogram with the second histogram for calculating a similarity of the first histogram with respect to the second histogram and for extracting a retrieving area having the similarity larger than a first level;
a third area extracting unit for extracting a second retrieving area having a second size from the first retrieving area extracted by the second area extracting unit at a second moving pitch;
a third histogram forming unit for forming a third histogram with respect to each second retrieving area with a second resolution of gradation which is higher than the first resolution of gradation;
a fourth histogram forming unit for forming a fourth histogram of the retrieving image with the second resolution of gradation; and
an area retrieving unit for comparing the third histogram with the fourth histogram for calculating a similarity of the third histogram with respect to the fourth histogram and for retrieving an area having the similarity larger than a second level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An image retrieving method for retrieving whether an image similar to a predetermined retrieving image to be retrieved is included in an input image or not comprising the steps of:
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a first area extracting step for extracting a first retrieving area having a first size from the input image with respect to each movement at a first moving pitch;
a first histogram forming step for forming a first histogram with respect to each first retrieving area with a first resolution of gradation;
a second histogram forming step for forming a second histogram of the retrieving image with the first resolution of gradation;
a second area extracting step for comparing the first histogram with the second histogram for calculating a similarity of the first histogram with respect to the second histogram and for extracting a retrieving area having the similarity larger than a first level;
a third area extracting step for extracting a second retrieving area having a second size from the first retrieving area extracted by the second area extracting step at a second moving pitch;
a third histogram forming step for forming a third histogram with respect to each second retrieving area with a second resolution of gradation which is higher than the first resolution of gradation;
a fourth histogram forming step for forming a fourth histogram of the retrieving image with the second resolution of gradation; and
an area retrieving step for comparing the third histogram with the fourth histogram for calculating a similarity of the third histogram with respect to the fourth histogram and for retrieving an area having the similarity larger than a second level.
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20. An image retrieving apparatus for retrieving whether an image similar to a predetermined retrieving image to be retrieved is included in an input image or not comprising:
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an area extracting unit for extracting a retrieving area having a predetermined size from the input image with respect to each movement at a predetermined moving pitch;
a judging unit for judging whether a number of pixels included in the retrieving area is smaller than a predetermined value or not;
a first histogram forming unit for forming a first histogram with respect to each retrieving area with a first resolution of gradation, and for smoothing the first histogram when the number of pixels in the retrieving area is smaller than the predetermined value;
a second histogram forming unit for forming a smoothed second histogram of the retrieving image; and
an area retrieving unit for calculating a similarity of the first histogram of each retrieving area with respect to the second histogram by comparing the first histogram with the second histogram, and for retrieving an area having the similarity larger than a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An image retrieving apparatus for retrieving whether an image similar to a predetermined retrieving image to be retrieved is included in an input image or not comprising the steps of:
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an area extracting step for extracting a retrieving area having a predetermined size from the input image with respect to each movement at a predetermined moving pitch;
a judging step for judging whether a number of pixels included in the retrieving area is smaller than a predetermined value or not;
a first histogram forming step for forming a first histogram with respect to each retrieving area with a first resolution of gradation, and for smoothing the first histogram when the number of pixels in the retrieving area is smaller than the predetermined value;
a second histogram forming step for forming a smoothed second histogram of the retrieving image; and
an area retrieving step for calculating a similarity of the first histogram of each retrieving area with respect to the second histogram by comparing the first histogram with the second histogram, and for retrieving an area having the similarity larger than a predetermined level.
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Specification