Information processing apparatus, storage medium, information processing method and information processing system for presenting image candidates having similarity to an imaged image

• US 9,477,902 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kira, Satoshi, Nishimura, Kentaro, Saito, Shinya, Minegishi, Ken-ichi, Tsuji, Takamitsu, Suzue, Naoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECKER, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US13/205,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/46 Descriptors for shape, contour or point-related descriptors, e.g. scale invariant feature transform [SIFT] or bags of words [BoW]; Salient regional features colour feature extraction G06V10/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0074 Stereoscopic image analysis

Abstract

A game apparatus includes a CPU, and in a mode of examining a flower based on an imaged image, the CPU activates two outward cameras to allow a user to image a flower. The CPU obtains color information, shape information and a size of the imaged flower from the imaged image. A shape category is obtained from the shape information, and with the shape category, data for search included in a database for search is filtered. Then, by comparing color information, shape information, and the size of the imaged flower with the data for search to be used, a score of a degree of approximation of the color information and scores of the degree of matching of the shape information and size, etc. are obtained. Then, images of flowers as candidates are presented in the descending order of the score (similarity level).

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a displayer configured to provide a stereoscopic display;

a plurality of imagers which are provided to be flush with each other;

a judger configured to judge a size of an object based upon images of the object obtained by at least two of said plurality of imagers, wherein the judger includes a distance calculator, configured to detect a parallax between two images obtained from at least two imagers of the plurality of imagers and to calculate a distance to the object based upon parallax and a set distance between the two imagers, and a size calculator which calculates the size of the object based upon a calculated distance to the object and an angle of view of the imagers;

a reducer configured to reduce the number of a plurality of search targets which are previously contained by the processing apparatus, wherein reducing the number of search targets is based upon a shape of said object in said images;

a calculator configured to calculate a similarity level between said object and each of the search targets which are reduced in number by said reducer, the similarity level being calculated based upon a size of the object and a particular characteristic feature of said images;

a selector configured to allow a selection of a predetermined condition as to said object;

a deleter configured to eliminate as candidates said search targets which do not match the predetermined condition;

a candidate presenter configured to determine search targets having a high calculated similarity level as candidates for presentation; and

an information presenter configured to present search target information via the displayer including a stereoscopic image corresponding to a search target selected from determined search targets which are not eliminated as candidates.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said feature of the image is color information.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said feature of the image is information in relation to a shape of an object.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a similarity level increaser configured to increase a calculated similarity level when a degree of encounter of said object is high.

5. A non-transitory storage medium storing an information processing program of an information processing apparatus having a displayer which is configured to provide a stereoscopic display, and a plurality of imagers which are provided to be flush with each other, said information processing program causes a computer of said information processing apparatus to provide functionality comprising:

a judger which judges a size of an object based upon images of the object obtained by at least two of said plurality of imagers, wherein the judger includes a distance calculator, configured to detect a parallax between two images obtained from at least two imagers of the plurality of imagers and to calculate a distance to the object based upon parallax and a set distance between the two imagers, and a size calculator which calculates the size of the object based upon a calculated distance to the object and an angle of view of the imagers;

a reducer which reduces the number of a plurality of search targets which are previously contained by the processing apparatus, wherein reducing the number of search targets is based upon a shape of said object in said images;

a calculator which calculates a similarity level between said object and each of the search targets which are reduced in number by said reducer, the similarity level being calculated based upon a size of the object and a particular characteristic feature of said images;

a selector configured to allow a selection of a predetermined condition as to said object;

a deleter configured to eliminate as candidates said search targets which do not match the predetermined condition;

a candidate presenter which determines search targets having a high calculated similarity level as candidates for presentation; and

an information presenter which presents search target information via the displayer including a stereoscopic image corresponding to a search target selected from determined search targets which are not eliminated as candidates.

6. A computer implemented information presentation method of an information processing equipment arrangement having at least one computer processor, a displayer which is configured to provide a stereoscopic display, and a plurality of imagers which are provided to be flush with each other, said equipment arrangement configured to provide functionality and perform operations comprising:

judging a size of an object based upon images of the object obtained by at least two of said plurality of imagers, wherein said judging includes detecting a parallax between two images obtained from two imagers of the plurality of imagers and calculating a distance to the object based upon parallax and a set distance between the two imagers and calculating the size of the object based upon a calculated distance to the object and an angle of view of the imagers;

reducing the number of a plurality of search targets which are previously contained by the computer processor based upon a shape of said object in said images;

calculating a similarity level between said object and each of the search targets which are reduced in number by said reducing operation, the similarity level being calculated based upon a size of the object and a particular characteristic feature of said images;

determining search targets having a high calculated similarity level from the calculating operation as candidates for presentation;

selecting a predetermined condition as to said object;

eliminating as candidates said search targets which do not match the predetermined condition; and

presenting search target information via the displayer including a stereoscopic image corresponding to a search target selected from determined search targets which are not eliminated as candidates.

7. An information processing system, comprising:

a displayer which allows a stereoscopic display;

a plurality of imagers which are provided to be flush with each other; and

one or more computer processors configured to perform operations which provide specific functionality to;

judge a size of an object based upon images of the object obtained by at least two of said plurality of imagers, wherein judging a size includes detecting a parallax between two images obtained from two imagers of the plurality of imagers and calculating a distance to the object based upon parallax and a set distance between the two imagers and calculating the size of the object based upon a calculated distance to the object and an angle of view of the imagers;

reduce a plurality of search targets which are previously contained by the one or more computer processors, wherein reducing the number of search targets is based upon a shape of said object in said images;

calculate a similarity level between said object and each of the search targets which are reduced in number by said reducer, the similarity level being calculated based upon a size of the object and a particular characteristic feature of said images;

determine search targets having a high calculated similarity level as candidates for presentation;

select a predetermined condition as to said object;

eliminate as candidates said search targets which do not match the predetermined condition; and

present search target information via the displayer including a stereoscopic image corresponding to a search target selected from determined search targets which are not eliminated as candidates.