System and method for using an image to provide search results

• US 9,613,059 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Westphal, Geoffry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Michelle L
• Application Number:
  US14/637,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20150178313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20112 Image segmentation details
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20224 Image subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/32 Image data format
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/18 Image warping, e.g. rearranging pixels individually
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels

Abstract

A system and method uses an image manipulating application to define in an object image a plurality of discrete cells. Predefined image information is substituted for image information in selected ones of the plurality of discrete cells to form a translated version of the object image. The translated version of the object image may then be provided to an image recognition capable search engine to obtain search results.

Claims

1. A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing search results, the instructions performing steps comprising:

receiving from a client computing device a search request having an object image;

automatically creating from the object image a plurality of translated versions of the object image via use of an image manipulating application, wherein the image manipulating application automatically creates the plurality of translated versions of the object image by automatically defining within the object image a plurality of discrete image cells and by then automatically removing from a select one or more of the defined plurality of discrete image cells image information according to one or more predefined patterns;

automatically providing each of the plurality of translated versions of the object image to an image recognition capable search engine to thereby obtain search results; and

automatically providing the obtained search results to a user via use of the client computing device.

2. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions use a prior purchasing behavior of the user to emphasize within the displayed search results a select one more objects that are the subject of the obtained search results.

3. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the prior purchasing behavior comprises one of ship to location or an ordering location for the object that is the subject of the obtained search results.

4. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the select one or more object are emphasize by the use of highlighting.

5. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the select one or more objects are emphasized by ordering the search results.

6. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 2, wherein the select one or more objects are emphasized by filtering the search results.