System and methods for querying digital image archives using recorded parameters

• US 6,504,571 B1
• Filed: 05/18/1998
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kirkpatrick, Edward Scott, Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tillery, Rashawn N.
• Application Number:
  US09/080,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231, 348/232, 348/144, 348/231.99, 348/231.6, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/213
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

System and methods for querying digital image archives containing digital photographs and/or videos (collectively, “digital images”). The digital images are indexed in accordance with a plurality of recorded parameters including time, date and geographic location data (altitude and longitude), as well as image data such as lens focal length, auto focus distance, shutter speed, exposure duration, aperture setting, frame number, image quality, flash status and light meter readings, which are used for searching a database consisting of the digital images. These images are preferably generated by an image capturing system which is capable of measuring and recording a plurality of parameters with each captured digital image. The image retrieval system allows a querying user to search the image archive by formulating one or more of a plurality of query types which are based on the recorded parameters, and then retrieve and display those images having the specified parameters.

Claims

1. A digital image retrieval system, comprising:

an image database comprising a plurality of digital images, wherein the digital images are indexed in the database using a plurality of recorded parameters, and wherein each digital image comprises at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters;

a user interface for generating at least one of a plurality of query types;

a first query module for processing a first query type comprising an attribute that specifies at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters, wherein the first query module retrieves, from the image database, digital images having the at least one recorded parameter; and

a second query module for processing a second query type comprising a request for photo navigation from a specified origin to a specified destination, wherein the second query module (i) retrieves, from a routing system, routing data corresponding to a route between the specified origin and destination, (ii) searches the image database for digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the routing data and (iii) generates, from the routing data, corresponding text directions comprising hyperlinked text that links to at least one image in the database associated with the hyperlinked text.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second query module comprises image rendering means for providing simulation of travel along at least a portion of the route using a plurality of digital images from the database.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a query mapping module for converting a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a non-recorded parameter into a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a recorded parameter corresponding to the non-recorded parameter, based on pre-defined conversion rules.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a region boundary database;

a third query module for processing a third query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a specified geographic region, wherein the third query module (i) accesses the region boundary database to retrieve geographic boundary data associated with the specified geographic region and (ii) retrieves, from the image database, the digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the retrieved geographic boundary data; and

a fourth query module for processing a fourth query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a geographic region or route that is marked on a displayed map, wherein the fourth query module retrieves, from the image database, digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to geographic data associated with the marked geographic region or route on the map.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image capturing device comprising means for generating the plurality of recorded parameters, means for generating the digital images having at least one of the recorded parameters, and means for downloading the digital images to the image database.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of recorded parameters used for indexing and searching the image database comprise geographic location, image mode, image quality, exposure duration, aperture length, light meter reading, flash status, lens focal length, auto focus distance, frame number, information transmitted from an object captured in a digital image, time of capture of a digital image, date of capture of a digital image, orientation of the image capturing device, and an identity of a creator of a digital image.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a speech recognition system for processing voice queries.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image annotation module for annotating a digital image in the image database with additional parameters or keywords, wherein the digital images are further indexed in the database using the additional parameters or keywords.

9. A method for retrieving digital images from an image database, comprising the steps of:

indexing digital images in the image database using a plurality of recorded parameters, wherein each digital image comprises at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters;

generating a first query type comprising an attribute that specifies at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters;

in response to the first query type, retrieving, from the image database, digital images having the at least one recorded parameter;

generating a second query type comprising a request for photo navigation from a specified origin to a specified destination; and

in response to the second query type, (i) retrieving routing data corresponding to a route between the specified origin and destination, (ii) searching the image database to locate digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the routing data and (iii) generating, from the routing data, corresponding text directions comprising hyperlinked text that links to at least one image in the database associated with the hyperlinked text.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of simulating travel along at least a portion of the route using a plurality of digital images from the database, in response to the second query type.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of converting a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a non-recorded parameter into a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a recorded parameter corresponding to the non-recorded parameter, based on pre-defined conversion rules.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

generating a third query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a specified geographic region;

in response to the third query type, (i) retrieving geographic boundary data associated with the specified geographic region and (ii) retrieving, from the image database, digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the retrieved geographic boundary data;

generating a fourth query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a geographic region or route on a displayed map; and

in response to the fourth query type, (i) displaying a map, (ii) marking a desired geographic region or route on the displayed map, (iii) obtaining geographic data associated with the marked geographic region or route, and (iv) retrieving, from the image database, digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the geographic data associated with the marked geographic region or route on the map.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of recorded parameters used for indexing and searching the image database comprise geographic location, image mode, image quality, exposure duration, aperture length, light meter reading, flash status, lens focal length, auto focus distance, frame number, information transmitted from an object captured in a digital image, time of capture of a digital image, date of capture of a digital image, orientation of the image capturing device, and an identity of a creator of a digital image.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of annotating a digital image in the image database with additional parameters or keywords, wherein the digital images are further indexed in the database using the additional parameters or keywords.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for retrieving digital images from an image database, the method comprising the steps of:

indexing digital images in the image database using a plurality of recorded parameters, wherein each digital image comprises at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters;

generating a first query type comprising an attribute that specifies at least one of the plurality of recorded parameters;

in response to the first query type, retrieving, from the image database, digital images having the at least one recorded parameter;

generating a second query type comprising a request for photo navigation from a specified origin to a specified destination; and

in response to the second query type, (i) retrieving routing data corresponding to a route between the specified origin and destination, (ii) searching the image database to locate digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the routing data and (iii) generating, from the routing data, corresponding text directions comprising hyperlinked text that links to at least one image in the database associated with the hyperlinked text.

16. The program storage device of claim 15, further comprising instructions for performing the step of simulating travel along at least a portion of the route using a plurality of digital images from the database, in response to the second query type.

17. The program storage device of claim 15, further comprising instructions for performing the step of converting a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a non-recorded parameter into a query comprising at least one attribute that specifies a recorded parameter corresponding to the non-recorded parameter, based on pre-defined conversion rules.

18. The program storage device of claim 15, further comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

generating a third query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a specified geographic region;

in response to the third query type, (i) retrieving geographic boundary data associated with the specified geographic region and (ii) retrieving, from the image database, digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the retrieved geographic boundary data;

generating a fourth query type comprising a request for digital images corresponding to a geographic region or route on a displayed map; and

in response to the fourth query type, (i) displaying a map, (ii) marking a desired geographic region or route on the displayed map, (iii) obtaining geographic data associated with the marked geographic region or route, and (iv) retrieving, from the image database, digital images having recorded parameters that correspond to the geographic data associated with the marked geographic region or route on the map.

19. The program storage device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of recorded parameters used for indexing and searching the image database comprise geographic location, image mode, image quality, exposure duration, aperture length, light meter reading, flash status, lens focal length, auto focus distance, frame number, information transmitted from an object captured in a digital image, time of capture of a digital image, date of capture of a digital image, orientation of the image capturing device, and an identity of a creator of a digital image.