Robust feature matching for visual search
First Claim
1. A method for performing a visual search with a visual search device, the method comprising:
- computing, with the visual search device, a distance between a query feature descriptor provided by way of a visual search query and each of a plurality of reference feature descriptors, wherein the visual search query initiates the visual search;
determining, with the visual search device, a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances;
determining, with the visual search device, whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances;
determining a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images;
assigning a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images;
ordering the reference images based on the assigned votes; and
returning the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for performing robust feature matching for visual search. An apparatus comprising an interface and a feature matching unit may implement these techniques. The interface receives a query feature descriptor. The feature matching unit then computes a distance between a query feature descriptor and reference feature descriptors and determines a first group of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, where this second group of computed distances comprises two or more of the computed distances. The feature matching unit then determines whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group and second group of the computed distances.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A method for performing a visual search with a visual search device, the method comprising:
-
computing, with the visual search device, a distance between a query feature descriptor provided by way of a visual search query and each of a plurality of reference feature descriptors, wherein the visual search query initiates the visual search; determining, with the visual search device, a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances; determining, with the visual search device, whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances; determining a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images; assigning a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images; ordering the reference images based on the assigned votes; and returning the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An apparatus for performing a visual search, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for computing a distance between a query feature descriptor provided by way of a visual search query and each of a plurality of reference feature descriptors, wherein the visual search query initiates the visual search; means for determining a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances; means for determining whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances; means for determining a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images; means for assigning a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images; means for ordering the reference images based on the assigned votes; and means for returning the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An apparatus configured to perform a visual search, the apparatus comprising:
-
an interface configured to receive a query feature descriptor; a feature matching unit configured to; compute a distance between the query feature descriptor provided by way of a visual search query and each of a plurality of reference feature descriptors, wherein the visual search query initiates the visual search, and configured to determine a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances and wherein the feature matching unit is further configured to determine whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances; determine a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images; assign a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images; order the reference images based on the assigned votes; and return the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instruction that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
-
compute a distance between a query feature descriptor provided by way of a visual search query and each of a plurality of reference feature descriptors, wherein the visual search query initiates a visual search; determine a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances; determine whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference feature descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances; determine a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images; assign a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images; order the reference images based on the assigned votes; and return the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A system comprising:
-
an input to receive information received from one or more client devices, wherein the information comprises a query feature descriptor to initiate a visual search; a database including information indicative of a plurality of reference query descriptors; and a visual search server device configured to perform the visual search, the visual search server device comprising; an interface to receive the query feature descriptor; and a feature matching unit configured to; compute a distance between the query feature descriptor and each of the plurality of reference query descriptors; determine a first group of one or more of the computed distances and a second group of the computed distances in accordance with a clustering algorithm, wherein the first group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference query descriptors are near to the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the second group of computed distances, and wherein the second group of the computed distances includes those of the computed distances that indicate the associated one of the plurality of reference query descriptors are far from the query feature descriptor relative to the those of the computed distances determined to be in the first group of the one or more of the computed distances; determine whether the query feature descriptor matches one of the plurality of reference query descriptors associated with a smallest one of the computed distances based on the determined first group of the computed distances and the second group of the computed distances; determine a unique group of reference images to include reference images associated with those of the plurality of reference feature descriptors from which the computed distances determined to be in the first group were computed to a corresponding group of reference feature descriptors such that the set of reference images does not include duplicate reference images; assign a vote to each of the reference images determined to be in the unique group of reference images; order the reference images based on the assigned votes; and return the ordered reference images in response to the visual search query.
-
Specification