Method, system and controller for searching a database
First Claim
1. A method of searching, with a user via a user interface, a database containing data items in a descriptor space, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting, via the user interface, a reference set of four reference images corresponding to four data items in the descriptor space;
obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the four reference data items;
identifying a search results set of plural images corresponding to plural data items in the database which are close to one or more members of the reference set data items in the descriptor space; and
displaying on a display (i) the four reference set images at respective four corners of the display, with distances therebetween, and (ii) the search results set plural images on the display between the four corners of the display, such that respective two-dimensional distances on the display between each of the four displayed reference set images and each of the plural displayed search results images corresponds to their respective closeness in the descriptor space.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A database searching system, method and controller is provided for interactively searching a database of data items in a descriptor space with a user, comprising a display for viewing by the user; a position selector for manipulation and activation by the user; a reference set selector for selecting a reference set (64a-64d) of two or more data items; a reference set coordinate obtainer for obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the reference data items; a search results identifier for identifying a search results set of data items in the database which are close to or between one or more members of the reference set in the descriptor space; and a search results display controller for displaying the search results set on the display so that closeness on the display between particular data items is generally indicative of closeness in the descriptor space.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of searching, with a user via a user interface, a database containing data items in a descriptor space, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting, via the user interface, a reference set of four reference images corresponding to four data items in the descriptor space; obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the four reference data items; identifying a search results set of plural images corresponding to plural data items in the database which are close to one or more members of the reference set data items in the descriptor space; and displaying on a display (i) the four reference set images at respective four corners of the display, with distances therebetween, and (ii) the search results set plural images on the display between the four corners of the display, such that respective two-dimensional distances on the display between each of the four displayed reference set images and each of the plural displayed search results images corresponds to their respective closeness in the descriptor space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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16. A database searching system for interactively searching a database of data items in a descriptor space with a user, the database searching system comprising:
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a display for viewing by the user; a position selector for manipulation and activation by the user; and at least one processor configured to perform the functions of; a reference set selector for selecting a reference set of four reference images corresponding to four data items in the descriptor space; a reference set coordinate obtainer for obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the four reference data items; a search results identifier for identifying a search results set of plural images corresponding to plural data items in the database which are close to one or more members of the reference set data items in the descriptor space; and a search results display controller for displaying on a display (i) the four reference set images at respective four corners of the display, with distances therebetween, and (ii) the search results set plural images on the display, such that respective two-dimensional distances on the display between each of the four displayed reference set images and each of the plural displayed search results images corresponds to their respective closeness in the descriptor space. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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17. A database searching controller for interactively searching a database of data items in a descriptor space with a user viewing a display and having a position selector for manipulation and activation, the database searching controller comprising at least one processor configured to perform the functions of:
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a reference set selector for selecting a reference set of four reference images corresponding to four data items in the descriptor space; a reference set coordinate obtainer for obtaining descriptor coordinates in a descriptor space for each of the reference data items; a search results identifier for identifying a search results set of plural images corresponding to data items in the database which are close to or between one or more members of the reference set data items in the descriptor space; and a search results display controller for displaying on the display (i) four reference set images at respective four corners of the display with distances therebetween, and (ii) the search results set of plural images on the display between the four corners of the display, such that respective two-dimensional distances on the display between each of the four displayed reference set images and each of the plural displayed search results images corresponds to their respective closeness in the descriptor space.
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24. A method of searching, with a user via a user interface, a database containing data items in a descriptor space, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a reference set of two or more reference data items; obtaining descriptor coordinates for each of the reference data items; identifying a search results set of plural data items in the database which are close to one or more members of the reference set in the descriptor space; and displaying on a display images corresponding to (i) the two or more reference data items with distance therebetween, and (ii) the search results set of data items on the display between the two or more reference data items, such that closeness on the display between each displayed reference data item and each displayed search results data item corresponds to their respective closeness in the descriptor space, wherein the step of identifying the search results set includes the steps of; providing a grid for the display; for each display position in the grid, compute distances to each reference data item location; for said each display position in the grid, compute a weight from each computed distance by taking an inverse square; normalize the computed weights to sum to unity; compute a target position in the descriptor space as the weighted average of descriptor coordinates for each reference set; search the database for a data item having the most similar descriptor coordinates to the target position; display the data item on the display as a member of the search results set; and repeat the search and display steps until the grid has been populated with the search results set.
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Specification