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

• US 6,944,332 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brechner, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Samir
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATNAGAR, ANAND P
• Application Number:
  US10/127,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/165, 382/218, 382/219, 382/278
• US Class Current: 382/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system that allows a user to find images using a query by example is disclosed. Images similar to the selected image are retrieved based on color or shape. Each clip in a clip catalog is assigned a color metric and a wavelet, i.e., shape, metric. The selected clip is also assigned a color metric and a wavelet metric. Those clips that are most similar based on either the wavelet metric or the color metric are returned to the user.

Claims

1. A method for computing a color signature for an image comprising:

(a) blurring the image, the image including a source image;

(b) converting the image to a standard color space;

(c) accumulating pixels in a plurality of color buckets;

(d) computing a percentage of pixels covered by each bucket;

(e) finding a plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage; and

(f) encoding the plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage and their coverage values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein blurring the image is performed using a 3×

3 kernel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard color space is HSV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage is about 5 buckets.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring colors with a percentage coverage below a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a color cross correlation matrix includes weight factors to be applied to exact color matches and matches of similar colors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein color matches are exact color matches.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1–

7.

9. A system for computing a color signature for an image comprising:

(a) a processing unit; and

(b) a storage medium coupled to the processing unit, the storage medium storing program code implemented by the processing unit for;

(i) blurring the image, the image including a source image;

(ii) converting the image to a standard color space;

(iii) accumulating pixels in a plurality of color buckets;

(iv) computing a percentage of pixels covered by each bucket;

(v) finding a plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage; and

(vi) encoding the plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage and their coverage values.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein blurring the image is performed using a 3×

3 kernel.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the standard color space is HSV.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of buckets with the largest percentage coverage is about 5 buckets.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising ignoring colors with a percentage coverage below a threshold value.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a color cross correlation matrix includes weight factors to be applied to exact color matches and matches of similar colors.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein color matches are exact color matches.