Image retrieval apparatus, image retrieval method, image pickup apparatus, and program

• US 20080189270A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takematsu, Katsuhiro, Takimoto, Yuuji
• Application Number:
  US12/004,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189270A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

An image retrieval apparatus retrieving an image may include metadata selecting means for selecting metadata that concerns the image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user, image retrieving means for retrieving the image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories, and display controlling means for controlling display of the retrieved image.

Claims

1. An image retrieval apparatus retrieving an image, the apparatus comprising:

metadata selecting means for selecting metadata that concerns the image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

image retrieving means for retrieving the image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

display controlling means for controlling display of the retrieved image.

2. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of categories include a label that is information concerning a text registered by the user, color information that concerns the proportion of a color in the image, face information that concerns a face displayed in the image, and an attribute of the image, and wherein the metadata belongs to any of the label, the color information, the face information, and the attribute.

3. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the attribute indicates information concerning an apparatus that captures the image, whether the image is protected, whether the image is loaded in another apparatus, whether certain image analysis processing is performed to the image, or whether the original of the image exists.

4. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a label processing means for attaching the label to one or more images in response to an operation by the user.

5. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the label processing means removes the label attached to one or more images in response to an operation by the user.

6. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the label processing means creates the label in response to an operation by the user.

7. The image retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image retrieving means retrieves the image by using logical addition or logical multiplication of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories as a search condition.

8. An image retrieval method for an image retrieval apparatus retrieving an image, the method comprising:

selecting metadata that concerns the image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

retrieving the image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

controlling display of the retrieved image.

9. A program causing a computer to perform image retrieval processing, the program comprising:

selecting metadata that concerns the image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

retrieving the image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

controlling display of the retrieved image.

10. An image pickup apparatus capturing an image, the apparatus comprising:

recording means for recording the captured image;

metadata selecting means for selecting metadata that concerns the recorded image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

image retrieving means for retrieving the recorded image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

display controlling means for controlling display of the retrieved image in display means.

11. An image retrieval apparatus retrieving an image, the apparatus comprising:

a metadata selecting unit selecting metadata that concerns the image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

an image retrieving unit that retrieves the image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

a display controlling unit that controls display of the retrieved image.

12. An image pickup apparatus capturing an image, the apparatus comprising:

a recording unit that records the captured image;

a metadata selecting unit selecting metadata that concerns the recorded image and that belongs to any of a plurality of categories in response to an operation by a user;

an image retrieving unit that retrieves the recorded image on the basis of the metadata selected across the plurality of categories; and

a display controlling unit that controls display of the retrieved image in a display unit.