208 results about "Visual search tasks" patented technology

In one embodiment, an indication of information desired by a user is received, and a list of candidates for the desired information is provided for presentation on a mobile device of the user.

A device for switching between code-based searching, optical character recognition (OCR) searching and visual searching is provided. The device includes a media content input for receiving media content from a camera or other element of the device and transferring this media content to a switch. Additionally, the device includes a meta-information input capable of receiving meta-information from an element of the device and transferring the meta-information to the switch. The switch is able to utilize the received media content and the meta-information to select and / or switch between a visual search algorithm, an OCR algorithm and a code-based algorithm.

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for visually searching feature sets that are organized in a grid-like manner. As such, a feature set associated with a location-based grid area may be received. The location-based grid area may also be associated with the location of a device. After receiving query image features, a visual search may be performed by comparing the query image features with the feature set. The search results are then returned. By conducting the visual search within a feature set that is selected based upon the location of the device, the efficiency of the search can be enhanced and the search may potentially be performed by the device, such as a mobile device, itself.

Disclosed is method of visual search for objects that include straight lines. A two-step process is used, which includes detecting straight line segments in an image. The lines are generally characterized by their length, midpoint location, and orientation. Hypotheses that a particular straight line segment belongs to a known object are generated and tested. The set of hypotheses is constrained by spatial relationships in the known objects. The speed and robustness of the method and apparatus disclosed makes it immediately applicable to many computer vision applications.

Each image of a set of images is characterized with a set of sparse feature descriptors and a set of dense feature descriptors. In some embodiments, both the set of sparse feature descriptors and the set of dense feature descriptors are calculated based on a fixed rotation for computing texture descriptors, while color descriptors are rotation invariant. In some embodiments, the descriptors of both sparse and dense features are then quantized into visual words. Each database image is represented by a feature index including the visual words computed from both sparse and dense features. A query image is characterized with the visual words computed from both sparse and dense features of the query image. A rotated local Bag-of-Features (BoF) operation is performed upon a set of rotated query images against the set of database images. Each of the set of images is ranked based on the rotated local Bag-of-Features operation.

Systems and methods for interactive image compositing may integrate image searching using visual search criteria (e.g., color, composition, tonal distribution, or lighting effects), non-destructive image compositing, and high-performance rendering using a fast gradient solver to provide an efficient workflow for users. An image compositing application, executable by a CPU and / or GPU, may employ a sketch-and-refine approach, whereby a user draws a rough perimeter around an object of interest in an image and (following an initial application of the fast gradient solver to a lower-resolution version of the image) receives a preview of how it would fit into a composition. The fast gradient solver may differentiate between the object and its background by applying artificial intelligence techniques and / or dependent on user-supplied hints. In a second stage, the fast gradient solver may refine the solution for a final rendering of the composite image by operating on successively higher-resolution versions of the image.

A method and apparatus is described here that categorizes images by extracting regions and describing the regions with a 16-dimensional subscene feature vector, which is a concatenation of color, texture, and spatial feature vectors. By comparing the spatial feature vectors in images with similarly-obtained feature vectors in a Gaussian mixture based model pool (obtained in a subscene modeling phase), the images may be categorized (in a subscene recognition phase) with probabilities relating to each region or subscene. Higher probabilities are likelier correlations. The device may be a single or multiple core CPU, or parallelized vector processor for characterizing many images. The images may be photographs, videos, or video stills, without restriction. When used real-time, the method may be used for visual searching or sorting.

An apparatus for providing a tag-based visual search user interface may include a processing element. The processing element may be configured to receive an indication of information desired by a user, receive data retrieved based on the indication, the retrieved data including a portion associated with a tag, and replace the tag with corresponding tag data.

A computer-based system enables the creation of a time series based sequence of observations of a selected object. Each observation consists of a predefined, fixed set of standardized object views from which metadata about the visual data can be automatically determined and associated with the views. A set of standardized views and associated metadata, captured in an observation at a point in time, enables comparison of changes to a specific object over time on a view-by-view basis, or changes to a specific object over time in comparison to second reference object of the same type as the first object on a view-by-view basis. Metadata about the object in the domain are organized and made available in the domain specific processing system to support visual search, retrieval, analysis, and decision making by users within the domain.

Implementations relate to systems and methods for real-time image recognition and mobile visual searching. A mobile device, such as a cellular phone, acquires an image and pre-processes the acquired image to generate a visual search query based on objects detected in the acquired image. The visual search query includes the acquired image or a query image extracted therefrom and metadata associated with the detected objects. The mobile device wirelessly communicates the visual search query to a remote server, and in response to the visual search query, the remote server recognizes an object in the query image based on the associated metadata. The remote server then generates information content based on the recognized object and communicates the information content to the mobile device to be presented via the mobile device.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for identifying a relevant candidate product in an electronic marketplace. Embodiments perform a visual similarity comparison between candidate product image visual content and input query image visual content, process formal and informal natural language user inputs, and coordinate aggregated past user interactions with the marketplace stored in a knowledge graph. Visually similar items and their corresponding product categories, aspects, and aspect values can determine suggested candidate products without discernible delay during a multi-turn user dialog. The user can then refine the search for the most relevant items available for purchase by providing responses to machine-generated prompts that are based on the initial search results from visual, voice, and / or text inputs. An intelligent online personal assistant can thus guide a user to the most relevant candidate product more efficiently than existing search tools.

Disclosed is method of visual search for objects that include straight lines. A two-step process is used, which includes detecting straight line segments in an image. The lines are generally characterized by their length, midpoint location, and orientation. Hypotheses that a particular straight line segment belongs to a known object are generated and tested. The set of hypotheses is constrained by spatial relationships in the known objects. The speed and robustness of the method and apparatus disclosed makes it immediately applicable to many computer vision applications.

The present invention includes a system and method for generating a discussion in a social network based on visual search results. A mixed media reality (MMR) engine receives images from a user device and identifies matching MMR objects. A social network application determines whether a discussion group that is related to metadata associated with the images from user devices are related to a discussion group. If the discussion group does not yet exist, the social network application generates the discussion group and provides the user devices with information about the discussion group.

An apparatus for providing a visual search interface may include a processing element configured to receive indications of an image including an object, receive location information indicative of a location associated with a user providing the indications of the image, and enable performance of a visual search based on the location information and features of the image to identify candidate search results by comparing the image to source images stored in association with a location within a predetermined distance from the location associated with the user.

Provided is a technique for determining a context of an image and an object depicted by the image based on the context. A trained context classification model may determine a context of an image, and a trained object recognition model may determine an object depicted by the image based on the image and the context. Provided is also a technique for determining an object depicted within an image based on an input location of an input detected by a display screen. An object depicted within an image may be detected based on a distance in feature space between an image feature vector of an image and a feature vector of the object, and a distance in pixel-space between an input location of an input and location of the object within the image.

According to various examples, a surround view can be used as a visual search query for an object to be searched and this surround view can be compared to a database of three dimensional models. A determination can then be made about whether any of the three dimensional models match the visual search query. Based on how closely the three dimensional models match the visual search query, matching objects can be provided in various formats such as ranked lists.

Computer-implemented method for enhancing cognition of a participant using visual search. A target image and distracter image are provided for visual presentation. Multiple images, including the target image and multiple distracter images based on the distracter image, are temporarily visually presented at respective locations, then removed. The participant selects the target image location from multiple locations in the visual field, and the selection's correctness / incorrectness is determined. The visually presenting, requiring, and determining are repeated to improve the participant's cognition, e.g., efficiency, capacity and effective spatial extent of a participant's visual attention. In a dual attention version, potential target images differing by a specified attribute are provided, one of which is the target image. An indication of the specified attribute is also displayed. The participant selects the location of the target image from the multiple locations, including the locations of the potential target images, based on the indication.

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product conduct online visual searches through an augmented reality (AR) device having an optical see-through head mounted display (HMD). An apparatus identifies a portion of an object in a field of view of the HMD based on user interaction with the HMD. The portion includes searchable content, such as a barcode. The user interaction may be an eye gaze or a gesture. A user interaction point in relation to the HMD screen is tracked to locate a region of the object that includes the portion and the portion is detected within the region. The apparatus captures an image of the portion. The identified portion of the object does not encompass the entirety of the object. Accordingly, the size of the image is less than the size of the object in the field of view. The apparatus transmits the image to a visual search engine.

The invention discloses a visual search interface design method provided with the semantic classification function. The design provides a novel information retrieval service; the user can obtain the required key information in the candidate set of the search result conveniently, in particular facilitates the key information browsing of the user. The key implementation steps of the interface design described in the invention description include: the candidate set is obtained through the current commercial search engine; the candidate search result is processed with the semantic classification and the extraction of the subject classification information; in each classification, the selected search result is reported to the user in the summary form and displayed in classifications through the multi-stage or the screen block form. The search interface disclosed by the invention can show all the useful information in the search result set to the user completely, help the user process the network search efficiently and enable the user to quickly obtain the required information from the search result set without browsing the large quantity of repeated information in the search result candidate set.

The present invention is a method and system to permit assessment and measurement of a combination of visual and cognitive processes necessary for safe driving-object detection, by recognition of particular objects as actual or potential safety hazards or traffic hazards, through the continuous switching of visual attention between and among objects while virtually driving, according to an object's instantaneous priority as a safety threats or traffic hazard, that together are termed expert search and scanning skills. The present invention will reference the driver's performance against that of acknowledged experts in this skill; and then provide precise feedback about the type, location, and timing of search and scanning performance errors, plus remedial strategies to correct such errors.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for identifying a candidate product in an electronic marketplace based on a visual comparison between candidate product image visual content and input query image visual content. Embodiments generate and store descriptive image signatures from candidate product images or selected portions of such images. A subsequently calculated visual similarity measure serves as a visual search result score for the candidate product in comparison to an input query image. Any number of images of any number of candidate products may be analyzed, such as for items available for sale in an online marketplace. Image analysis results are stored in a database and made available for subsequent automated on-demand visual comparisons to an input query image. The embodiments enable substantially real time visual based product searching of a potentially vast catalog of items.

A visual search assistance system and related operating method are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the method dynamically determines a desired line-of-sight vector from an occupant of a vehicle to a visual target, and dynamically determines, with an onboard tracking system of the vehicle, an actual line-of-sight vector for the occupant of the vehicle. The actual line-of-sight vector is temporally associated with the desired line-of-sight vector. The method compares the actual line-of-sight vector against the desired line-of-sight vector to obtain a difference measurement, and generates a notification when the obtained difference measurement exceeds a threshold value. The notification provides guidance to redirect a gaze direction of the occupant toward the visual target.

The present invention includes a system and method for generating a conversation in a social network based on visual search results. A mixed media reality (MMR) engine indexes source materials as MMR objects, receives images from a user device and identifies matching MMR objects. A content management engine generates metadata corresponding to the MMR objects. A social network application generates conversations corresponding to the MMR object. The conversation includes multiple discussion threads. If a conversation already exists, the social network application provides the user with access to the conversation.

Systems and methods for interactive image compositing may integrate image searching using visual search criteria (e.g., color, composition, tonal distribution, or lighting effects), non-destructive image compositing, and high-performance rendering using a fast gradient solver to provide an efficient workflow for users. An image compositing application, executable by a CPU and / or GPU, may employ a sketch-and-refine approach, whereby a user draws a rough perimeter around an object of interest in an image and (following an initial application of the fast gradient solver to a lower-resolution version of the image) receives a preview of how it would fit into a composition. The fast gradient solver may differentiate between the object and its background by applying artificial intelligence techniques and / or dependent on user-supplied hints. In a second stage, the fast gradient solver may refine the solution for a final rendering of the composite image by operating on successively higher-resolution versions of the image.

The present invention includes a system and method for generating a discussion in a social network based on visual search results. A mixed media reality (MMR) engine receives images from a user device and identifies matching MMR objects. A social network application determines whether a discussion group that is related to metadata associated with the images from user devices are related to a discussion group. If the discussion group does not yet exist, the social network application generates the discussion group and provides the user devices with information about the discussion group.

The invention relates to a cognition level rehabilitation training system based on an eye tracking technology. The cognition level rehabilitation training system comprises a cognition task presenting module, an infrared eye tracking assembly, an eye movement data analyzing module, a test result feedback module and a stimulation marker guiding module, wherein the cognition task presenting module is used for presenting an attention task, a visual search task, a memory task, a calculation task and a reading task to a testee; the infrared eye tracking assembly is used for acquiring eye movement data of the testee in real time and sending the data to the eye movement data analyzing module; the eye movement data analyzing module is used for evaluating an attention score, a visual search score, a memory score, a calculation score or a reading score of the testee with a human eye vision dynamic analysis method, and sending a result to the test result feedback module and the stimulation marker guiding module; the test result feedback module is used for feeding back the test result to the testee; the stimulation marker guiding module is used for guiding eye movement of the testee.

A system and method for GUI on multiple monitors that are located in the same user work space. This invention involves a computer using an external source that is able to keep track of what applications the user has outside of his / her computer. The computer still has all of these applications within it, but when they are not needed they are taken off the screen. Two methods are disclosed to track these functions of the applications. The first method involves using a connection with the Internet with all the users devices. The second method involves using a video camera to conduct a visual search for certain devices that are on the user's desk. Certain of the items on a user's desk such as an Internet picture frame, a television, a telephone, a calculator, etc. are connected to the Internet. Whether or not the item on the user's desk is being used is determined by the Internet connection. Other items such as a clock, radio, etc. could have a separate source to identify the device. This separate source involves using one or more video cameras to detect if a certain device is located on a users desk. For either method, there can be an option for a menu that would contain a list of applications that could be opened manually if needed.