Graphic search initiation

• US 7,200,597 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grizzard, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US10/125,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/104.1, 715/513
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system for retrieving information. The system has a storage unit for storing an image that includes first and second selectable objects. The first selectable object is associated with a first metadata and the second selectable object is associated with a second metadata. The system also includes a visual output device and a processor that communicates with the visual output device and the storage unit to read the first and second metadata. The system also includes a user input device that communicates with the processor and instructs the processor to read the first and second metadata and display the first and second metadata on the visual output device.

Claims

1. A system for retrieving information, comprising:

a storage unit for storing an image, wherein the image comprises first and second selectable objects, and wherein the first selectable object is associated with a first metadata and the second selectable object is associated with a second metadata;

a metadata editor to associate the first metadata with the first selectable object and to associate the second metadata with the second selectable object, wherein at least one of the first metadata and the second metadata is associated according to a metadata model formed with extensible Markup Language and Document Type Definitions;

a visual output device;

a processor in communication with the visual output device and the storage unit for reading the first and second metadata;

a user input device in communication with the processor for instructing the processor to read the first and second metadata and display the first and second metadata on the visual output device; and

a search engine in communication with the processor for receiving the first metadata whenever the user input device instructs the processor to read the first metadata associated with the first selectable object, wherein the search engine automatically initiates a search upon receiving the first metadata, and the search is based on the first metadata.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first metadata conforms to a schema expressed in accordance with a Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Syntax Specification.

3. A method for retrieving information from a computer system, comprising:

selecting an object from among a plurality of selectable objects within a viewing plane of a viewing device;

associating each of the plurality of selectable objects with respective metadata;

reading metadata associated with the selected object in the computer system, wherein the metadata is associated with the selected object according to a metadata model formed with extensible Markup Language and Document Type Definitions;

transferring the metadata to a search engine, wherein transferring the metadata to a search engine includes the search engine'"'"'s reading transferred metadata associated with the selected object and automatically initiating a search upon receiving the transferred metadata using transferred metadata through the computer system; and

displaying a result of the search on the viewing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selectable object is part of an image.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying the metadata associated with the selected object.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata conforms to a schema expressed in accordance with a Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Syntax Specification.

7. A system for retrieving information, comprising:

means for selecting an object from among a plurality of selectable objects within a viewing plane of a viewing device;

means for associating each of the selectable objects with respective metadata;

a processor for reading metadata associated with the selected object, wherein the metadata is associated with the selected object according to a metadata model formed with extensible Markup Language and Document Type Definitions; and

means for transferring the metadata to a search engine in communication with the processor, wherein transferring the metadata to a search engine includes the search engine'"'"'s reading transferred metadata associated with the selected object and automatically initiating a search upon receiving transferred metadata using the transferred metadata.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the selected object is part of an image.

9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

selecting an object from among a plurality of selectable objects within a viewing plane of a viewing device;

associating each of the plurality of selectable objects with respective metadata;

reading metadata associated with the selected object, wherein the metadata is associated with the selected object according to a metadata model formed with extensible Markup Language and Document Type Definitions;

transferring the metadata to a search engine, wherein transferring the metadata to a search engine includes the search engine'"'"'s reading transferred metadata associated with the selected object and automatically initiating a search upon receiving the transferred metadata using transferred metadata through the computer system; and

displaying a result of the search on the viewing device.

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein the selected object is part of an image.

11. A method for preparing a searchable image in a computer system, comprising:

combining metadata with an image in the computer system;

wherein the metadata is descriptive of one or more objects displayed within the image, and the metadata is combined with the image according to a metadata model formed with extensible Markup Language and Document Type Definitions to support automatically initiating a search by a search engine based on the metadata;

associating at least a respective portion of the metadata with each of the one or more objects displayed in the image;

providing to a user an option relating to the metadata associated with each of the one or more objects in response to a context-sensitive action by the user, wherein the option is to insert the metadata into a search engine that automatically initiates a search upon receiving the inserted metadata, the search being based on the inserted metadata, and to display a result of the search.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein combining metadata with an image includes:

making selectable the one or more objects displayed with the image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein providing an option to a user includes providing an option to view the metadata.