Cross-language Image Search with Translation Previews

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users may not receive optimal image search results when querying in their native language, as results in other languages can be more relevant, diverse, or numerous, leading to a need for cross-language search capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A system that receives an image search query in one language, generates translations into multiple languages, scores these translations based on user behavior and relevance, and presents cross-language search options with previews of results, allowing users to select and view results from different language translations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If image search is performed only in the user's native language, then the search interface is simple and easy to operate, but the search results may lack relevance, diversity, and comprehensiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch result relevanceVSAvoidsearch interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the search results by language, presenting original language results and translated language results as separate but integrated components. This allows the system to provide multi-language search capabilities while maintaining a unified, simple user interface that automatically organizes diverse results without requiring complex user configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a universal search interface that automatically handles multiple languages without requiring separate interfaces for each language. The system performs both original language search and translated language search through a single unified interface, making the search tool adaptable to multiple languages while maintaining interface simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple language translations are generated and presented to users, then more comprehensive search results are provided, but the processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch result comprehensivenessVSAvoidsearch processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs translation generation and result retrieval in parallel preliminary operations before presenting final results to the user. By initiating multiple language searches and translations simultaneously rather than sequentially, the system reduces overall processing time while maintaining comprehensive multi-language search capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a scoring mechanism that ranks translated search results by relevance, allowing the system to present only the most valuable partial set of translated results rather than all possible translations. This selective presentation reduces processing overhead while still providing comprehensive enough results to satisfy user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If automatic translation is used for search queries, then cross-language search capability is enabled, but translation accuracy and relevance may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecross-language search capabilityVSAvoidtranslation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a scoring mechanism that evaluates translated search results based on multiple criteria including translation quality, result relevance, and user interaction patterns. This feedback system continuously refines translation selection by learning from user behavior, thereby improving translation accuracy over time while maintaining cross-language search capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts translation parameters such as translation style, terminology preferences, and result weighting based on query context, user profile, and performance metrics. By changing these parameters adaptively rather than using fixed translation settings, the system improves translation accuracy for different search contexts while preserving multi-language functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2502161B1Cross-language search options
Publication Date: 2018.09.26 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP2502161B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2502161B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP2502161B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for cross-language image search. One method includes receiving an image search query and image search results responsive to the image search query. Translations of the image search query into other languages are obtained, and search results responsive to each of the translations are received. Instructions are provided to a client device. The instructions cause the client device to present a user interface that includes one or more of the image search results responsive to the image search query and a cross-language search option for each of the translations. Each cross-language search option includes the translation and a preview of the image search results responsive to the translation.