Method and apparatus for providing visual search engine results

• US 9,489,403 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Eskolin, Peter, Arrasvuori, Juha, Piippo, Petri, Uusitalo, Jussi Severi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Nan
• Application Number:
  US12/421,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,770 Days
• Field of Search: 707/767, 707/754
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

An approach is provided for modifying the image content of returned images resulting from a search query. The portions of each image that is unrelated to the search query is omitted or other wise obscured so as to reduce the amount of image data in the search results. Additionally, related advertising, hyperlinks, or other object can be combined with the image data to enhance the information returned to the user.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

identifying, for each image in a first set of one or more images, a respective portion of each image relevant to a search query by matching one or more keywords of the search query to one or more tags associated with each of the respective portions of each image;

determining to extract, for each image in the first set of one or more images, the respective portion to generate a respective extracted image portion based on a relative similarity of the respective portion to the search query and a threshold of relative similarity;

determining to generate a second set of one or more images, wherein each image of the second set corresponds, respectively, to one of the extracted respective portions; and

for each of the one or more images of the second set, identifying a respective, related object.

2. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

for each of the one or more images of the second set, determining to combine the respective, related object and each image.

3. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the respective, related object corresponds to an advertisement relevant to the search query.

4. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

receiving the search query; and

determining the first set of one or more images based on the search query.

5. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein each of the respective relevant portions are related to one or more tags.

6. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

for each of the one or more images of the second set, identifying a respective, related advertising image based on the related one or more tags; and

for each of the one or more images of the second set, combining the respective, related advertising image and each image.

7. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

returning the second set as results to the search query from a handset configured to communicate over a communication network that includes a wireless network.

8. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein generating each image of the second set includes omitting portions of any images other than extracted respective portions.

9. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein generating each image of the second set includes obscuring portions of any images other than extracted respective portions.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

identify, for each image in a first set of one or more images, a respective portion of each image relevant to a search query by matching one or more keywords of the search query to one or more tags associated with each of the respective portions of each image;

determine to extract, for each image in the first set of one or more images, the respective portion to generate a respective extracted image portion based on a relative similarity of the respective portion to the search query and a threshold of relative similarity;

determine to generate a second set of one or more images, wherein each image of the second set corresponds, respectively, to one of the extracted respective portions; and

for each of the one or more images of the second set, identify a respective, related advertising object.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

for each of the one or more images of the second set, determine to combine the respective, related advertising object and each image.

12. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein generating each image of the second set includes omitting portions of any images other than extracted respective portions.

13. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the search query; and

determine the first set of one or more images based on the search query.

14. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

return the second set as results to the search query from a handset configured to communicate over a communication network that includes a wireless network.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine to transport a search query to a visual search engine, the search query including one or more keywords;

determine to provide a set of one or more images as results to the search query by matching one or more keywords of the search query to one or more tags associated with each of respective portions of each image, wherein each image of the results includes a portion related to the search query and omits a portion unrelated to the search query based on a relative similarity of the respective portions to the search query and a threshold of relative similarity; and

determine to provide a respective, related advertisement object for each image of the results, wherein the respective, related advertising object is identified for each image.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the search query includes one of a size of an image and a location within an image.

17. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein each image of the results includes the respective, related advertisement object identified for that image.

18. A method comprising:

determining to transport a search query to a visual search engine, the search query including one or more keywords;

determining to provide a set of one or more images as results to the search query by matching one or more keywords of the search query to one or more tags associated with each of respective portions of each image, wherein each image of the results includes a portion related to the search query and omits a portion unrelated to the search query based on a relative similarity of the respective portions to the search query and a threshold of relative similarity; and

determining to provide a respective, related advertising object for each image of the results, wherein the respective, related advertising object is identified for each image.

19. A method of claim 18, wherein the search query includes one of a size of an image and a location within an image.

20. A method of claim 18, wherein each image of the results includes the respective, related advertisement object identified for that image.