Visual Portion Indexing for Media Search Similarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network accessible data file repositories struggle to identify and return relevant visual portions of media files that are visually similar to search query inputs, often missing responsive visual portions within larger files due to strict identity matching criteria.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates an index of visual portions from media files, analyzes user behavior, and uses similarity thresholds to identify and return visual portions of media files that are visually similar to search query inputs, utilizing data vectors and convolutional neural networks for effective comparison and indexing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional whole-file matching is used, then search query processing is simple and fast, but visually similar portions within larger media files are not identified as responsive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments media files into multiple visual portions (e.g., thumbnails, frames, or regions) and creates separate index entries for each portion. This allows the search system to match against individual visual portions rather than requiring whole-file matches, thereby identifying visually similar portions within larger media files while maintaining efficient search operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of analysis by extracting and indexing visual features from portions of media files alongside traditional metadata. This multi-dimensional indexing approach enables the system to search based on visual similarity of portions while preserving the original file structure, resolving the contradiction between simple matching and comprehensive visual search.
2Measurement precision
If visual portions are extracted and indexed from media files, then visually similar portions can be identified, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs visual portion extraction, feature analysis, and indexing as a preliminary action during media file ingestion or batch processing, rather than during individual search operations. This upfront preparation creates a ready-to-use index of visual portions that enables fast similarity searches without requiring real-time processing, thus reducing the perceived loss of time during user searches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies or representations of visual portions (such as thumbnails, feature vectors, or extracted frames) that capture essential visual characteristics without requiring the full original media files for comparison. These copies are stored in the index and used for rapid similarity matching, significantly reducing computational resources and processing time while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Reliability
If strict identity matching criteria are applied, then search results are precise and reliable, but relevant visually similar content is excluded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a similarity scoring system that compares visual features of query portions against indexed portions using configurable similarity thresholds. Instead of binary identity matching, the system calculates similarity scores and can return results above a threshold, allowing users to balance between precision and diversity. This parameter-based approach maintains reliability through scoring while enabling adaptability through threshold adjustment and multiple result returns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent returns multiple visual portions that partially match the query with similarity scores above a threshold, rather than requiring complete identity matches. This partial matching approach ensures that relevant visually similar content is included in results, providing diverse and adaptable search outcomes while maintaining a baseline of reliability through the similarity threshold filter.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for identifying visual portions of visual media files that are responsive to at least one visual media input file submitted as a search query are provided. In one aspect, a method includes generating an index of visual portions of a plurality of visual media files from a collection of media files, and receiving from a user a search query, for the collection, including at least one visual media input file. The method also includes analyzing the index to identify at least one responsive visual media file from the collection that includes a visual portion associated with a visual similarity score, to the at least one visual media input file, which exceeds a similarity threshold value, and providing, in response to the search query, an identifier of the at least one responsive visual media file for display as responsive to the search query. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.