Explainable Scene Clustering With Commonsense Knowledge Graphs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing scene clustering methods rely solely on visual features, neglecting the rich semantic information available from commonsense knowledge, which limits their ability to provide meaningful explanations and effective clustering in domains like autonomous driving.

Innovation Solution

Integrate commonsense knowledge graphs with scene graphs to enhance clustering by determining relations and embeddings that capture both visual and semantic properties, enabling explainable clustering through rule induction and semantic search.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If scene clustering methods rely solely on visual features, then the clustering process is simple and fast, but the ability to provide meaningful explanations and effective clustering in domains like autonomous driving is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesemantic informationVSAvoidclustering system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges visual feature extraction with commonsense knowledge graph integration to create a hybrid clustering system. The scene graph captures visual relationships while the commonsense knowledge graph provides semantic context, combining both approaches to achieve meaningful explanations without sacrificing clustering effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces knowledge graphs as intermediary structures that bridge visual features and semantic meanings. The knowledge graph serves as a mediator between low-level visual data and high-level semantic concepts, enabling the system to explain cluster assignments through semantic relationships

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If commonsense knowledge graphs are integrated with scene graphs to enhance clustering, then meaningful explanations are provided, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclustering accuracyVSAvoidknowledge graph integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the knowledge representation into two distinct graphs: the scene graph for visual relationships and the commonsense knowledge graph for semantic relationships. This segmentation allows each graph to be optimized for its specific purpose while working together to provide reliable clustering results

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The knowledge graphs serve multiple functions: they represent semantic relationships, provide clustering labels, generate explanations, and enable semantic search. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems and justifies the integration complexity through versatile utility

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

3Loss of information

If rules are determined to map first relations to second relations for explainable clustering, then explainability is improved, but the computational requirements and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexplanation qualityVSAvoidcomputational time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing and storing rules that map first relations to second relations during system initialization or offline processing. This allows the actual clustering and explanation generation to proceed faster using pre-derived rules rather than computing explanations in real-time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12423973B2Device and computer implemented method for explainable scene clustering
Publication Date: 2025.09.23 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • US12423973B2 patent drawing
  • US12423973B2 patent drawing
  • US12423973B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A device and a computer implemented method for explainable clustering of a scene. The method includes determining a first relation that relates a first object class to a second object class, wherein determining the first relation includes determining, depending on the first object class and the second object class, a pair of entities in a first knowledge graph, in particular a commonsense knowledge graph, that represents information about a domain, wherein the pair of entities is related with the first relation in the first knowledge graph, determining a cluster in that the scene belongs depending on the scene and depending on other scenes, determining a second relation that relates the scene with the cluster depending on at least one feature of digital image data representing the scene, determining a rule that maps the first relation to the second relation.