Image Search Annotation via Visual Feature Similarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image search technologies do not effectively assist users in identifying specific objects within images, especially when the user is unaware of the object's appearance, and struggle to provide efficient annotation of similar objects within query images.
Innovation Solution
An image search system that receives a query and an image from a user device, identifies a result image relevant to the query, and provides annotation data to highlight the similar object within the query image by comparing visual features and determining similarity based on a pre-determined threshold, facilitating user identification of objects within images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If feature detection algorithms are used to identify visual features in images, then the ability to detect objects is improved, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image search process into distinct components: feature detection, feature matching, and annotation generation. By dividing the complex task of object identification into manageable segments, the system can leverage specialized algorithms for each step while keeping the overall architecture organized and maintainable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces feature descriptors as an intermediary representation between the raw image data and the final object identification. These descriptors serve as a bridge that captures essential visual features in a compact form, enabling efficient comparison and matching without requiring direct complex analysis of the entire image.
2Measurement precision
If image search results are provided with high relevance scores, then the accuracy of object identification is improved, but the time required to process and rank multiple images increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a ranking mechanism that processes image search results in order of relevance, allowing the system to stop after identifying a sufficient number of matches rather than processing all possible images. This partial action approach maintains high accuracy by focusing on the most relevant results while reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses relevance scoring as a parameter to transform the image search problem into a ranked list, where images are ordered by their likelihood of containing the target object. By changing the parameter from binary match/no-match to a continuous relevance score, the system can efficiently prioritize processing and achieve accurate results faster.
3Ease of operation
If annotations are provided to highlight objects in query images, then the ease of operation for users is improved, but the complexity of the annotation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates visual copies or representations of the target object by generating annotations that highlight matching regions in the query image. These annotations serve as simplified copies that draw user attention to the relevant objects without requiring the user to understand the complex underlying image processing and feature matching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs visual changes such as color overlays or highlighting in the annotations to make target objects stand out from the rest of the image. By using color or visual emphasis, the system improves user ease of operation through intuitive visual cues while keeping the annotation mechanism relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for searching within images. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query from a user device; receiving a query image from the user device; identifying a result image responsive to the query; determining that an object depicted in a sub-portion of the query image is similar to the result image; and in response to determining that the object depicted in the sub-portion of the query image is similar to the result image: providing annotation data to the user device that causes the user device to display an annotation with the query image, the annotation specifying the sub-portion of the query image that includes the object that is similar to the result image.