Image Processing Apparatus Characteristic Extraction for Guide Retrieval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging devices and systems lack an efficient method to provide guide information to users based on image recognition, leading to increased data transmission loads and reduced user assistance during photography and image analysis.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus and communication system that includes an image acquisition unit, an image recognition unit, a character information acquisition unit, and a communication unit, which acquires and communicates image characteristic information to a guide information retrieval device to retrieve and present relevant guide information to the user, reducing the data load on the imaging device and enhancing user assistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the imaging device processes and transmits full image data for guide information retrieval, then the guide information can be accurately provided to users, but the data transmission load increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide information provisionVSAvoiddata transmission load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary characteristic information from the full image data. The image recognition unit identifies specific features (such as object types, colors, shapes) and transmits only this extracted characteristic information to the guide information retrieval device, rather than transmitting the entire image data. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining guide information reliability while significantly reducing data transmission load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the processing approach: the imaging device performs local analysis to extract only the relevant characteristic information needed for guide retrieval, while the guide information retrieval device performs the comprehensive matching and retrieval operations. This distributed quality approach allows the imaging device to minimize its data output while ensuring accurate guide information provision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the imaging device performs comprehensive image recognition and analysis, then accurate guide information can be retrieved, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage recognition accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image recognition and guide retrieval process into two distinct functional parts: (1) the imaging device that acquires images and extracts basic characteristic information, and (2) the guide information retrieval device that performs comprehensive analysis and retrieves appropriate guide information. This segmentation reduces the processing complexity of the imaging device while maintaining overall system accuracy through collaborative processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces characteristic information as an intermediary between the imaging device and the guide information retrieval device. Instead of the imaging device directly performing comprehensive recognition and retrieval, it transmits extracted characteristic information that serves as a mediator for the retrieval device to perform accurate matching and guide information selection, thereby reducing the imaging device's complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If character information is extracted and transmitted instead of full image data, then data transmission load is reduced, but information loss may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission loadVSAvoidimage information
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the image recognition unit pre-process the image data and extract relevant characteristic information before transmission. This preliminary extraction ensures that only the most pertinent features (such as object categories, key attributes) are captured and transmitted, minimizing information loss while significantly reducing data transmission load. The characteristic information serves as a condensed representation that retains essential guidance-relevant details.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10133932B2Image processing apparatus, communication system, communication method and imaging device
Publication Date: 2018.11.20 OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORP
  • US10133932B2 patent drawing
  • US10133932B2 patent drawing
  • US10133932B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit, an image recognition unit, a character information acquisition unit, and a communication unit. The image acquisition unit acquires an image. The image recognition unit recognizes image characteristic information acquired by the image acquisition unit. The character information acquisition unit acquires character information from the characteristic information recognized by the image recognition unit. The communication unit communicates the character information acquired by the character information acquisition unit to a guide information retrieval device that retrieves guide information from the character information.