Touch Gesture Image Search on Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-based search technologies are not compatible with touch-based devices, making it inconvenient for users to perform image-based searches on mobile devices with touch controls, as they rely on keyboard-and-mouse controls.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a touch-sensitive screen to detect gestures, such as a scratch gesture, to select an image portion, which is then used to initiate an image-based search, allowing users to perform searches directly on the device without the need for text input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If keyboard-and-mouse controls are used for image-based search, then search functionality is available, but device compatibility is limited and ease of operation is reduced on mobile devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard-and-mouse control system with a touch-based gesture recognition system. The touch-sensitive screen detects gestures (such as scratch gestures) to initiate image-based search, eliminating the need for physical keyboards and mice on mobile devices. This substitution enables image search functionality to work natively on touch-based devices like smartphones and tablets.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch-sensitive screen serves multiple functions: it displays media content and simultaneously detects user gestures for initiating image-based search. This multi-functionality integrates search capability directly into the media viewing interface, making the device versatile for both consumption and interaction without requiring separate input devices.
2Ease of operation
If traditional text-based search interfaces are used, then search precision is maintained, but ease of operation is reduced on touch-based devices with large screens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional text input to two-dimensional gesture-based selection on the touch screen. Users can perform scratch gestures across the screen to define selection areas, adding a spatial dimension to the search interface. This dimensional change leverages the large screen real estate to provide more intuitive and easier operation while maintaining search precision through direct visual selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for image-based search using touch controls are described. An apparatus may comprise: a processor circuit; a gesture component operative on the processor circuit to receive gesture information from a touch-sensitive screen displaying an image and generate a selection area corresponding to the gesture information; a capture component operative on the processor circuit to extract an image portion of the image corresponding to the selection area; and a search component operative on the processor circuit to perform an image-based search using the extracted image portion. Other embodiments are described and claimed.